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NEHEMIAH

CHAPTER 8

8:1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

What a revival these people had received! Here we are told that the PEOPLE gathered together and called for Ezra to read out of the Word of God. There is no greater revival than when the PEOPLE desire to hear from God and obey His Word.
Several points of understanding come to us through this Scripture.

1. The Word of God should be desired and received with humility (verse 6). 2. A preacher ought not to come to the pulpit without the Word of God (verse 5).
3. A preacher needs other leaders to join him in respect to the Lord's Word.
4. When the Word of God is read, people should give reverence for that Word (verse 5).

Notice that the people agreed with God's Word (verse 6), and worshipped God. They didn't worship the Word, they worshipped GOD!
The Word of God comes from God, and reveals God. Therefore, when we give reverence to the Word of God, we will receive better understanding of God Himself, and will desire to worship Him.

7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

Ezra, "a ready scribe" in the Word of God, was the main teacher of the Word. He had several assistants who also helped people to understand the Word of God.
A preacher needs not only leaders of the people to stand with him openly; he also needs teachers of the Word.
This is a case for SUNDAY SCHOOL! Before they had worship, they had Sunday School.
The Word of God is alive to those who receive it reverently (Hebrews 4:12). And the Word of God will cut into our hearts and reveal our sin and our need of God's gracious forgiveness.
The people wept when they heard the Word, and were prepared in their hearts to worship God.
Verse 10 is a wonderful reminder that when we confess our sin to God, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin (1John 1:9). The Lord Himself is our strength to carry on.
When we receive the Lord's Word willingly and are repentant of our sin, God gives us GREAT JOY (verses 10-11). That joy comes from knowing God's forgiveness and having an intimate relationship with Him.

12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. 13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law. 14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: 15 And that they should publish and proclaim 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, as it is written. 16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

The next day, the people were all back desiring to hear again from the Word of God. Study of the Word is not for Sunday only. We shouldn't have to wipe the dust from our Bibles to carry them to Sunday School and church. They should be readily studied every day!
Listening to God's Word, they realized it was the seventh month. The seventh month called for the "Feast of Tabernacles." In this feast the people were to build "booths" (or lean-to's) and stay in Jerusalem to hear the Word and worship God.
When we LISTEN to God's Word, He will teach us what we need to know!
Having received God's Word readily, and willingly obeying the Word, they received great joy in doing as God had instructed.

18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.

The term "congregation" in Hebrew is the word 'edah (pronounced ay-daw'). It means an assembly of people. Therefore, God's people are "called to assembly" by the Lord Himself.
Our chief purpose, as created beings, is to worship our Lord and Creator.
Day after day, for the whole seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, they gathered to hear the teachers and learn from the Word.
And on the eighth day, they held a "solemn assembly."
A "solemn assembly" means that they conducted a "Sabbath." This meant that they did NO WORK. It was counted as a day of worship only.
This solemn assembly was an OFFERING of the people themselves to the Lord God, Who had informed them of their sin, and had forgiven them upon their repentance.
We are to GIVE to God our talents, skills, abilities, offerings, and our worship.
But the gift we are to give FIRST to God is OURSELVES!

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