Mount Carmel Community Church

06/02/2026

June 2: Nehemiah 1–3

The book of Nehemiah focuses on the actions of Nehemiah. He was a important servant of King Artaxerxes, and he came to Jerusalem to lead in building the walls of Jerusalem after a remnant had returned from the captivity. Nehemiah is a contemporary of Ezra, and Ezra will be mentioned towards the end of the book in leading a revival at Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 1 – Concern. The heart of Nehemiah was in Jerusalem. •Inquiry in the concern: when some men (including Nehemiah's brother) came from Jerusalem to visit Nehemiah, he inquired of them about the conditions there. •Informing for the concern: these men told Nehemiah of the distressful conditions of the Jews and Jerusalem. •Intercession in the concern: Nehemiah went to prayer about the conditions; Nehemiah was a man of prayer as seen in the number of times in this book that he is recorded praying. The prayer gave praise (to God); was persistent ("day and night" [v. 6]); evidenced penitence (confessed the sins of the people); emphasized promises (Divine promises of help); and made a petition (that God would cause Nehemiah's boss, the king, to let him go to Jerusalem to help).
Nehemiah 2 – Commission. God answered the prayer and Nehemiah's boss gave him permission (which involved a commission) to go to Jerusalem. •Petition for the commission: in response to the king's inquiry of Nehemiah's sadness, Nehemiah asked for and received a commission to go to Jerusalem. •Performing of the commission: this involved the entering of the land (with the proper legal papers); the examining of the walls (done at night); the enlisting of the people (to build the walls); and the encountering of opposition (Sanballat and Tobiah were the chief adversaries).
Nehemiah 3 – Construction. The walls are constructed. •Laborers on the walls: the catalog of the laborers (a list is given); the conduct of the laborers (some did not work very hard). •Labor on the walls: the labor is described in three words "build" (some of the walls needed to be rebuilt [v. 3]), "fortified" (some of the walls needed strengthening [v. 8]), and "repaired" (some of the walls only needed repairs [v. 4]). •Layout of the walls: ten gates, four towers, and at least ten landmarks are mentioned in the construction of the walls.
Butler's Daily Bible Reading (1) Synopsis.

06/01/2026

June 1: Ezra 9, 10

The last two chapters of Ezra are about the failure of the Israelites who had returned to Palestine, and the effective way Ezra dealt with this failure.
Ezra 9 – Sin. •Communication about the sin: some leaders of the people came to Ezra, after he had been in Jerusalem a few months, and told him about the sin problem of the people. •Character of the sin: intermarriage of God's people with unbelievers, an age old problem, and a corrupting problem. •Chief in the sin: "the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass" (v. 2). •Consternation over the sin: Ezra was appalled, shocked, and dismayed—so much so that he tore his garments and plucked off the hair from his head and beard and sat stunned (we need more reaction like that to sin, but too often folk do not get upset about sin). •Confession about the sin: Ezra prays and humbly confesses to God the sin (Israel's habit of sinning, the aggravation of sin—it was done in spite of Divine blessing, the disobedience of sin, and the mercy of God were all part of the prayer).
Ezra 10 – Sanctification. The only way to deal properly with sin is to forsake it. •Encouragement for sanctification: by Ezra (he encouraged the people by his praying); and by the people (they encouraged Ezra to deal with the matter). •Enlistment for the sanctification: Ezra enlisted the priests (the religious leaders) and the people (by a called assembly) to deal with this problem. •Exhortation for sanctification: at the special gathering for this purpose, Ezra exhorted the people to deal with their sin. There was the command in the exhortation (the people were to confess their sin and separate from it [v. 11]); there was the compliance to the exhortation (the people agreed to do as Ezra commanded); there was the consideration requested regarding the exhortation (the people requested that the leaders be first in this separating from the heathen and that adequate time be given for the task as the sin was great); there was the contempt for the exhortation (several men refused to go along with Ezra's exhortation [v. 15]). •Extent of the sanctification: this is seen in the length of time (it took three months to take care of the sin problem); and in the list of people (a long list of guilty parties is given at the end of the chapter).
Butler's Daily Bible Reading (1) Synopsis.

05/31/2026

Sunday Morning Worship- The Power of the Holy Spirit

05/31/2026

05/31/2026

Adult Sunday School-Pastor Rick

05/31/2026

May 31: Ezra 7, 8

Some fifty years passed between the sixth and seventh chapter of Ezra. These two chapters introduce Ezra and his work which were prominent and important in the return of the captives to Jerusalem. Ezra comes on the scene here leading an expedition of Jews back to Jerusalem.
Ezra 7 – Summary of the Expedition. Hebrew writers in Scripture often give a summary of an event then give it again in detail. Thus it is with the report given here of Ezra's expedition. This chapter gives the summary of it while the next chapter gives the specifics of it. •Leader of the expedition: three things are told about Ezra here, they are his position (a scribe, that is, an interpreter and copier of the Scriptures); his parentage (his genealogy is given and goes all the way back to Aaron, so Ezra was a priest by lineage); his preparation (he had a prepared heart to teach and do the Word of God [v. 10]). •Length of the expedition: it took four months (it was about an 800 mile trip by foot). •Legality of the expedition: noted here is the granting of permission by the king and gratitude to God for the permission.
Ezra 8 – Specifics of the Expedition. •Associates of the expedition: a list of the leaders of various families is given. •Ahava pause in the expedition: the Ahava River was an eastern tributary of the great Euphrates River. Ezra paused there for a time. During the pause there was the appraising of the group (Ezra saw there were no Levites present); the appealing for additions to the group (Ezra sent word back to Babylon for Levites to join the group); the appointing of treasurers from the group (Ezra appointed some priests to take care of the silver and gold and the vessels being taken from Babylon to Jerusalem for use in the Temple). •Arrival in Jerusalem: the arrival involved appreciation (gratitude and praise by Ezra for God's protection on the trip); accounting (by the treasurers of the silver, gold, and vessels to make sure that nothing was missing from the hands of the treasurers); adoration (the people worshiped God by offering a number of animal sacrifices); acquainting (government officials were acquainted with the commissions from the king for helping with the Temple); and acquiescing (the government officials provided help for the Temple).
Butler's Daily Bible Reading (1) Synopsis.

05/30/2026

May 30: Ezra 4–6

Opposition to the work of God raises its ugly head in these chapters. The Temple construction stirred up the adversaries.
Ezra 4:1-5 – Confronting the Adversary. When the adveraries heard of the work of God going forward, they began to attack. •Cleverness of the attack: the adversaries first said they wanted to help build. •Changing of the attack: a variety of methods—they weakened their hands, troubled their building, and hired counselors against them (vv. 4, 5). •Continuousness of the attack: from the days of Cyrus to Darius.
Ezra 4:6-24 – Communications for Rulers. Letter writing was another means of opposition. •Sovereigns for the letters: letters were written to Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes. •Slandering in the letters: the Jews were accused of being rebellious, of building the walls (which was not true—that was done years later under Nehemiah), and that they would not pay tribute if the city was rebuilt. •Searching in the letter: the king was asked to search the records about Israel. •Stopping by the letters: the king searched and learned that Israel was a great nation (but he did not search for Cyrus' command), and commanded the Temple building to stop.
Ezra 5:1, 2 – Countering the Opposition. •Words of the prophets: Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the resuming of the Temple construction. •Work of the people: the construction of the Temple resumed.
Ezra 5:3–6:13 – Confirming the Decree. •Informing: Tatnai a governor of the area, informed Darius of the Temple building and requested he search for Cyrus' decree. •Investigation: Darius finds Cyrus' decree. •The instructions: Darius instructed to proceed with the Temple; that payments be given from tribute money for the Temple building; that prayer be made by the Jews for the king; and that severe punishment (crucifixion) be given any opposers.
Ezra 6:13-22 – Completing the Temple. •Doing of the work: the encouragement for the doing (by the prophets); the ending of the doing (work was finished); the endorsement of the doing (was according to Divine and civic commands). •Dedication of the work: a dedication service at the completion of the Temple. •Devotion after the work: Passover observed with rejoicing about the Temple.
Butler's Daily Bible Reading (1) Synopsis.

05/29/2026

May 29: Ezra 1–3

Ezra covers about a century of time from approximately 540 b.c. The events include the return of some Israelites from the Babylonian captivity and the rebuilding of the Temple.
Ezra 1 – Preliminaries to the Return. •Decree for the return: the prince making the decree (Cyrus, the king who captured Babylon the night of Belshazzar's feast); the prediction of the decree (Jeremiah prophesied it); the particulars of the decree (the Jews were free to return to Jerusalem and those who did not return were to help those who did return). •Decision to return: leaders of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, and leaders of the priests and Levites decided to return. •Donations for the return: came from the people not returning and from the prince (the donations of Cyrus were great and involved thousands of vessels from the old Temple).
Ezra 2 – People in the Return. •List of the people who returned: included leaders, families, localities represented, priests, Levites, Nethinims, descendants of Solomon's servants, and priests without genealogies.•Liberality of the people who returned: when they arrived in Palestine, they "offered freely . . . after their ability" (v. 68) for the building of the new Temple.
Ezra 3 – Piety After the Return. After the people had returned, they set about restoring worship at Jerusalem. This noble restoration is recorded here. •Convocation: this occurred in the seventh month and consisted of observing the feast of Tabernacles, building the altar, making sacrifices on the altar, and giving money to obtain material and hire workers to make a new Temple. •Construction: a year after the return, material and manpower were ready to start construction on the foundation of the new Temple. •Celebration: after the foundation was laid, a service was held which included singing (the Levite singers furnished the music); praising (the people "praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid" [v. 11]); weeping (the old timers who remembered Solomon's Temple wept—for this new Temple was going to be much less in size and grandeur than Solomon's Temple); and rejoicing (the younger people who had not seen Solomon's temple rejoiced at the fact the Temple was being made).
Butler's Daily Bible Reading (1) Synopsis.

05/28/2026

May 28: 2 Chronicles 34–36

These three chapters record the last years of the kingdom of Judah and its deportation to Babylon. They were dark days except for Josiah's reign which begins today's reading.
2 Chronicles 34, 35 – Faithful Fellow. The last good king was Josiah. •Reign of Josiah: 31 years. •Righteousness of Josiah: a good man like David. •Reforms of Josiah: he cleansed the land of idolatry. •Repairing by Josiah: he had the Temple repaired. •Recovery for Josiah: in repairing the Temple, Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law. •Reading to Josiah: the law was read to him. •Reaction of Josiah: the rending (he tore his clothes in humbleness at the reading of the law); the requesting (he asked Huldah the prophetess what they should do); the reading (he had the law read to the people at the Temple). •Reinstituting by Josiah: the Passover was reinstituted in his 18th year, no observance had been this great since the period of the judges (which meant it even exceeded Hezekiah's Passover observance of some 90 years earlier). •Ruin of Josiah: he needlessly went to battle against Egypt at Megiddo (where Armageddon will occur) and was killed in battle; the lamenting for Josiah was great and included the lamenting of the prophet Jeremiah.
2 Chronicles 36:1-13 – Final Four. The last four kings of Judah were a dismal lot. •Jehoahaz (vv. 1-3): reigned 3 months; was deposed by the king of Egypt and taken captive; Judah was put under heavy tribute. •Jehoiakim (vv. 4-8): put in power by the king of Egypt; reigned 11 years; was bound by Nebuchadnezzar and taken to Babylon. •Jehoiachin (vv. 9, 10): lasted 3 months and ten days; was taken captive to Babylon. •Zedekiah (vv. 11-13): reigned 11 years, rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and God.
2 Chronicles 36:14-23 – Fettered Finish. The chapter ends by telling about the Babylonian captivity. •Reason for the captivity: Judah rebelled repeatedly against God, and would not listen to His prophets. •Rigor of the captivity: brutal (many slain, taken captive); burning (the Temple building was burned down); breaking (Jerusalem's walls were broken down). •Release from the captivity: the last words of the chapter give the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy about Cyrus permitting the Jews to return to Jerusalem.
Butler's Daily Bible Reading (1) Synopsis.