October 15:  Happy People.

Joy in Deliverance From Death.
The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor.  And in every province and city, wherever the king's command and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday.  Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.--Esther 8:16, 17, NKJV

DARIUS HYSTASPES, under whose reign the Jews had been shown marked favor, was succeeded by Xerxes the Great.  It was during his reign that those of the Jews who had failed of heeding the message to flee were called upon to face a terrible crisis.  Having refused to take advantage of the way to escape God had provided, now they were brought face to face with death....

...In the providence of God, Esther, a Jewess who feared the Most High, had been made queen of the Medo-Persian kingdom.  Mordecai was a near relative of hers.  In their extremity they decided to appeal to Xerxes on behalf of their people....

The events that followed in rapid succession,--the appearance of Esther before the king, the marked favor shown her, the banquets of the king and queen with Haman as the only guest, the troubled sleep of the king, the public honor shown Mordecai, and the humiliation and fall of Haman upon the discovery of his wicked plot,--all these are parts of a familiar story.  God wrought marvelously for His penitent people; and a counter decree issued by the king, allowing them to fight for their lives, was rapidly communicated to every part of the realm by mounted couriers, who were "hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment."   "And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day.  And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them."  Esther 8:14, 17.--Prophets and Kings, 600-602.

October 14:  Happy People.

The Joy Found in Reformation.
And he brought out the king's son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, "Long live the king!" ....So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king's house.--2 Kings 11:12, 20, NKJV

THE LEVITES AND ALL JUDAH" (2 Chronicles 23:8) united with Jehoiada the high priest in crowning and anointing the child Joash and acclaiming him their king.  "And they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king."  2 Kings 11:12.

"Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the Lord."  2 Chronicles 23:12.  "And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets."

"Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason."  2 Kings 11:14.  But Jehoidah commanded the officers to lay hold of Athaliah and all her followers and lead them out of the temple to a place of execution, where they were to be slain.

...Immediately after the execution of the impenitent queen "all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars."  Verse 18.

A reformation followed.  Those who took part in acclaiming Joash king, had solemnly coventanted "that they should be the Lord's people."  And now that the evil influence of the daughter of Jezebel had been removed from the kingdom of Judah, and the priests of Baal had been slain and their  temple destroyed, "all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet."  2 Chronicles 23:16, 21.--Prophets and Kings, 215, 216.

October 13:  Happy People.

Rejoicing for Wisdom and Prosperity.
"Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!  Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel!  Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness."--1 Kings 10:8, 9, NKJV

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA came to visit Solomon.  Hearing of his wisdom and of the magnificent temple he had built, she determined "to prove him with hard questions" and to see for herself his famous works.  Attended by a retinue of servants, and with camels bearing "spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones," she made the long journey to Jerusalem.  "And when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart."  She talked with him of the mysteries of nature; and Solomon taught her of the God of nature, the great Creator, who dwells in the highest heaven and rules over all.  "Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the king, which he told her not,"  1 Kings 10:1-3; 2 Chronicles 9:1, 2....

By the time of the close of her visit the queen had been so fully taught by Solomon as to the source of his wisdom and prosperity that she was constrained, not to extol the human agent, but to exclaim, "Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the Lord loved Israel forever, therefore made He thee king, to do judgment and justice."  1 Kings 10:9.--Prophets and Kings, 66, 67.

                 So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
                     Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom,
                                                which God had put in his heart.
                                                                                       --1 Kings 10:23, 24 NKJV

October 12:  Happy People.

The Joy of Having a King.
So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal.  There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.--1 Samuel 11:15, NKJV

SAMUEL CONVOKED THE PEOPLE AT MIZPEH.  Prayer was offered for divine guidance; then followed the solemn ceremony of casting the lot.  In silence the assembled multitude awaited the issue.  The tribe, the family, and the household were successively designated, and then Saul, the son of Kish, was pointed out as the individual chosen.  But Saul was not in the assembly.  Burdened with a sense of the great responsibility about to fall upon him, he had secretly withdrawn.  He was brought back to the congregation, who observed with pride and satisfaction that he was of kingly bearing and noble form, being "higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward."  Even Samuel, when presenting him to the assembly, exclaimed, "See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?"  And in response arose from the vast throng one long, loud shout of joy, "God save the king!"--Patriarchs and Prophets, 611.

Samuel now proposed that a national assembly should be convoked at Gilgal, that the kingdom might there be publicly confirmed to Saul.  It was done; "and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly."--Patriarchs and Prophets, 613.

October 11:  Happy People.

The Joy of Being Accepted Again.
So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were all filled with great joy!  The Israelites had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua son of Nun.--Nehemiah 8:17, NLT


AND AT THE TIME APPOINTED--on the tenth day of the seventh month--the solemn services of the Day of Atonement were performed according to the command of God.

From the fifteenth to the twenty-second of the same month the people and their rulers kept once more the Feast of Tabernacles.  It was proclaimed "in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go Forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, everyone upon the roof of is house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God....And there was very great gladness."--Prophets and Kings, 665.

Israel had returned to God with deep sorrow for backsliding.  They had made confession with mourning and lamentation.  They had acknowledged the righteousness of God's dealings with them, and had covenanted to obey His law.  Now they must manifest faith in His promises.  God had accepted their repentance; they were now to rejoice in the assurance of sins forgiven and their restoration to divine favor.--Prophets and Kings, 667.

                          "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks,
                          and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared.
                          This is a sacred day before our Lord.  Don't be dejected and sad,
                                          for the joy of the Lord is your strength!"
                              
                                                       --Nehemiah 8:10, NLT

October 10:  Happy People.

The Joy of Returning to God.
So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved."  And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.--Nehemiah 8:11, 12, NKJV

IT WAS THE TIME OF THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS.  Many were gathered at Jerusalem.  The scene was one of mournful interest.  The wall of Jerusalem had been rebuilt and the gates set up, but a large part of the city was still in ruins.

On a platform of wood, erected in one of the broadest streets, and surrounded on every hand by the sad reminders of Judah's departed glory, stood Ezra, now an aged man....

...Certain of the priests and Levites united with Ezra in explaining the principles of the law....

"And the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law."  They listened, intent and reverent, to the words of the Most High.  As the law was explained, they were convinced of their guilt, and they mourned because of their transgressions.  But this day was a festival, a day of rejoicing, a holy convocation, a day which the Lord had commanded the people to keep with joy and gladness; and in view of this they were bidden to restrain their grief and to rejoice because of God's great mercy toward them....

The earlier part of the day was devoted to religious exercises, and the people spent the remainder of the time in gratefully recounting the blessings of God and in enjoying the bounties that He had provided.  Portions were also sent to the poor, who had nothing to prepare.  There was great rejoicing because the word of the law had been read and understood.--Prophets and Kings, 661, 662.

                                    And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.
                                Then all the people answered, "Amen, Amen!"
                              
                                                    --Nehemiah 8:6, NKJV

October 9:  Happy People.

Rejoicing at the Dedication of the Temple.
Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.  Then the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.--Ezra 6:15, 16, NKJV

IN REBUILDING THE HOUSE of the Lord, Zerubbabel had labored in the face of manifold difficulties.  From the beginning, adversaries had "weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building," "and made them to cease by force and power."  Ezra 4:4, 23.  But the Lord had interposed on behalf of the builders.--Prophets and Kings, 594.

The promise, "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it," was literally fulfilled [Zechariah 4:9].  "The elders of the Jews builded, and they proposed through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.  And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.  And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar [the twelfth month], which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king."  Ezra 6:14, 15.

Shortly afterward the restored temple was dedicated.  "The children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy;"--Prophets and Kings, 596.

                             And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy;
                                      for the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart
                                   of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands
                                           in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
                                                                                                    --Ezra 6:22, NKJV

October 8:  Happy People.

Joy at the Passover Feast.
So the children of Israel who were at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments....Then the whole assembly agreed to keep the feast another seven days, and they kept it another seven days with gladness.--2 Chronicles 30:21, 23, NKJV

IN HIS ZEAL to make the temple services a real blessing to the people, Hezekiah determined to revive the ancient custom of gathering the Israelites together for the celebration of the Passover feast.--Prophets and Kings, 335.

On the appointed day of the Passover was observed, and the week was spent by the people in offering peace offerings and in learning what God would have them do.  Daily the Levites "taught the good knowledge of the Lord;" and those who had prepared their hearts to seek God, found pardon.  A great gladness took possession of the worshiping multitude; "the Levites and the priests the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments;" all were united in their desire to praise Him who had proved so gracious and merciful.

The seven days usually allotted to the Passover feast passed all too quickly, and the worshipers determined to spend another seven days in learning more fully the way of the Lord.  The teaching priests continued their work of instruction from the book of the law; daily the people assembled at the temple to offer their tribute of praise and thanksgiving; and as the great meeting drew to a close, it was evident that God had wrought marvelously in the conversion of backsliding Judah and in stemming the tide of idolatry which threatened to sweep all before it.  The solemn warning of the prophets had not been uttered in vain.  "There was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem" [2 Chronicles 30:26].--Prophets and Kings, 337.

October 7:  Happy People.

Rejoicing at the Restoration of the Temple Services.
"Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly."--2 Chronicles 29:36, NKJV

HEZEKIAH CAME TO THE THRONE determined to do all in his power to save Judah from the fate that was overtaking the northern kingdom....

...No sooner had he ascended the throne than he began to plan and to execute.  He first turned his attention to the restoration of the temple services, so long neglected; and in this work he earnestly solicited the co-opperation of a band of priests and Levites who had remained true to their sacred calling....

It was a time for quick action.  The priests began at once....They engaged heartily in the work of cleansing and sanctifying the temple.  Because of the years of desecration and neglect, this was attended with many difficulties; but the priests and the Levites labored untiringly, and within a remarkably short time they were able to report their task completed.  The temple doors had been repaired and thrown open; the sacred vessels had been assembled and put into place; and all was in readiness for the re-establishment of the sanctuary services.

In the first service held, the rulers of the city united with King Hezekiah and with the priests and Levites in seeking forgiveness for the sins of the nation.  Upon the altar were placed sin offerings "to make an atonement for all Israel."  "And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshiped."  Once more the temple courts resounded with words of praise and adoration.  The songs of David and of Asaph were sung with joy, as the worshipers realized that they were being delivered from the bondage of sin and apostasy.  "Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly" [2 Chronicles 29:24, 29, 36].--Prophets and Kings, 331-333.

October 6:  Happy People.

Rejoicing in God's Goodness.
Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven more days--fourteen days.  On the eight day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the good that the Lord had done for His servant David, and for Israel His people.--1 Kings 8:65, 66, NKJV

OF SURPASSED BEAUTY and unrivaled splendor was the palatial building which Solomon and his associates erected for God and His worship.  Garnished with precious stones, surrounded by spacious courts with magnificent approaches, and lined with carved and burnished gold, the temple structure, with its broidered hangings and rich furnishings, was a fit emblem of the living church of God on earth, which through the ages has been building in accordance with the divine pattern, with materials that have been likened to "gold, silver, precious stones," "polished after the similitude of a palace."  1 Corinthians 3:12; Psalm 144:12,.--Prophets and Kings, 36.

"So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God."  2 Chronicles 7:1-5.  For seven days the multitudes from every part of the kingdom, from the borders "of Hamath unto the river of Egypt," "a very great congregation," kept a joyous feast.  The week following was spent by the happy throng in observing the Feast of Tabernacles.  At the close of the season of reconsecration and rejoicing the people returned to their homes, "glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the Lord had showed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel His people."  Verses 8, 10.--Prophet and Kings, 45.

                        When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down,
                                     and the glory of the Lord on the temple,
                                 they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement,
                                      and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying:
                                                            "For He is good,
                                                     For His mercy endures forever."
                                                                                         --2 Chronicles 7:3, NKJV