seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Nehemiah 8:1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
2 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. 3 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.
4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standingabove them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear[a] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, “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.”
11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary sheltersduring the festival of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.[b]
16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.
18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Lawof God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly
a. Nehemiah 8:8 Or God, translating it
b. Nehemiah 8:15 See Lev. 23:37-40.
So.... this was a week long retreat.... it started on a Sunday and ended on a Sunday.... they lived outside in shelters made from tree branches....
At this retreat..... Ezra read the book of Leviticus to them [actually.... he read the original law to them.... they found the law [written on tablets or scrolls] when Ezra was rebuilding the Temple]. So now.... they've finished rebuilding the Temple and the wall.... and it's time they took some time and learned the law. They didn't have any teaching during the 70 years in Babylon. They were living with the rest of the people.... you know the old saying.... "when in Rome".... they were doing the "when in Babylon".
This is from the easy English site..... the other commentaries are really funny this morning.... I guess since this is about Ezra's teaching [in the book of Nehemiah] the commentaries are going to lead in with a joke. Alas... after the joke tho.... they went on and on and on and on and on..... so it wouldn't fit here. Ezra read on and on and on for six hours..... up on a platform so everyone could see him..... he read the law....
In chapter 8, Nehemiah continues to explain the events while he ruled Judah. He had arranged a special meeting for all the Jews (Nehemiah 8:1-4). In fact, there were several meetings. They happened on the sacred holidays that were in the 7th month of the year.
At the end of these meetings, the people would decide which Jews would live in Jerusalem (chapter 11). But first, Nehemiah wanted the people to learn about God. They did not yet know about God’s law. And they did not know how to serve God.
So, Ezra and the Levites taught the people. The people confessed their sins. Then they made an important agreement (chapters 9 and 10). They promised that they would serve God. And they promised to provide everything that the priests needed for the temple.
So on the first day of the 7th month they asked Ezra the priest to read God’s law to them. They even built a high wooden platform for Ezra. He stood on the platform while he read the law. Ezra read the law to all the men and women. The children who were old enough to understand were also present. He read for about 5 or 6 hours and the people listened.
Look.... the people were moved to tears.....The people had not heard God’s law for a long time. Ezra read the law. Then the people realised that they had sinned. God had sent his people into exile because they had sinned. This made the people cry. They were sorry because they had sinned.
But Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites told them not to cry. Nobody had read God’s law for a long time. But now the people were hearing God’s word again. So it was a special holy day for God.
Soon the people would confess their sins. At that time, it would be right for them to be sad. But that was the wrong attitude on this special day. Instead, the people should be happy. God loved them and he chose them to be his own people. He had brought their families back from exile as he promised. And he had spoken to them by his law. God was very kind to them, so they should be happy.
Nehemiah told the people to be happy and not sad. He told them to go home and to enjoy good food. He told them to share food with those who did not have any. So the people did what Nehemiah told them to do.
I know I should find it exciting that Ezra brought out the law and read it to people. I'm sure there are more than a few preachers and church leaders who wish they were in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah so they could capture an audience for six hours..... And it all wraps up so perfectly with.... they agreed to support the church....
