The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Nehemiah 8:2-3,
"So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law."
Here is the proper, the appropriate, and the consummate use of Scripture. Ezra read the Scriptures ("the Law") to the people. His purpose was to expose them to what it is God has to say.
We are told that "all who were able to understand" had the Scriptures read to them - twice, verse 2 and also verse 3. We also read that the people "listened attentively". The reaction of the people was, "all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law." Verse 9.
As a result of the grief the people felt after having listened to what God had to say in the Scriptures, Nehemiah told them, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Verse 10. The folks found cause for God's treatment of them.
"So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law."
Here is the proper, the appropriate, and the consummate use of Scripture. Ezra read the Scriptures ("the Law") to the people. His purpose was to expose them to what it is God has to say.
We are told that "all who were able to understand" had the Scriptures read to them - twice, verse 2 and also verse 3. We also read that the people "listened attentively". The reaction of the people was, "all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law." Verse 9.
As a result of the grief the people felt after having listened to what God had to say in the Scriptures, Nehemiah told them, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Verse 10. The folks found cause for God's treatment of them.
Bibles have a lot of uses. They act as bookends on the bookshelves of some. They gather dust on the coffee tables of others. Some Bibles are used for genealogical and other family documentation (sort of a filing cabinet for "important" documents). Some Bibles are used for ammunition for the special "spiritual one-up-man-ship" we see from time to time as verses are "cherry picked". Some people feel the Scriptures are reserved for the dusty theology of pin-headed theologians who walk the halls of academia. Some feel the Scriptures are the sole provenance of those "in the ministry". After all, we make up the laity, right? Us "pew-run" Christians do well when we are told what the Scriptures have to say, rather than "trudging" through them ourselves.
Nehemiah observes for us the true purpose of the Scriptures. We all need to be exposed to the Scriptures. In Nehemiah's and Ezra's day the printing press was still awaiting invention and scrolls were too costly for folks to purchase. Hence, Ezra's public reading from one set of scrolls.
However, today we can afford our Bibles and we can read them for ourselves to see what is really said within them.
If you are like many, you might just be shocked to find what the Scriptures really have to say... In Nehemiah's day, they brought an entire nation to tears.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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