Nehemiah 8
The 1st day of the 7th month was the Jewish New Year celebrated as the Feast of Trumpets. Ezra read the Book of the Law from daybreak til noon as the people listened for about 5-6 hours attentively to it. Can you imagine listening that long??? I can't, but that was the respect they had for it. When Ezra opened the book, the people lifted hands saying "Amen" and then bowed down with their faces to the ground worshipping God. According to my NIV Self-Study Bible notes,"worshipped,” in its original sense in Hebrew is a verb meaning "to prostrate oneself on the ground."
This was the common form of private worship and sometimes corporate worship. The Levites instructed the people, making the law clear so the people understood its meaning. All the people wept as the words of the Law were being read. The New Testament says, "Godly sorrow brings repentance." The Israelites’ hearts felt conviction from the Law, but Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites told them not to mourn or weep. This is a day sacred to the Lord. "Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (v.10). This is one of my favorite verses because I'm always mindful of the day God filled my heart with His joy! It's a joy that remains even when I'm not happy about things. Happiness is dependent on outside circumstances...having money, a nice house, car, job, or spouse. But those can be taken away and then we're unhappy. But joy is internal...independent of circumstances! That's why Paul could sing even while in chains in prison! Because Jesus was his joy! He learned the secret of contentment when he said in Philippians, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of contentment in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:12-13).
Nehemiah 9
On the 24th day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting, wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. They separated themselves from foreigners confessing their sins and the sins of their fathers. They read from the Book of the Law for a quarter of the day and spent another quarter in confession and worshipping God. According to my Bible notes, that's about 6 hours! I absolutely love this following prayer that the Levites prayed. It's a prayer reviewing God's grace and power and the Israelites unfaithfulness and sins. I call this prayer, "YOU vs. they." I want you to see why.
"Blessed be YOUR glorious name...YOU alone are the LORD...YOU made the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them...YOU give life to everything...the multitudes of heaven worship YOU...YOU are the LORD who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur....YOU named him Abraham...YOU made a covenant with him...YOU have kept your promise because YOU are righteous...YOU saw the sufferings in Egypt...YOU heard their cry...YOU sent miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh...YOU knew how arrogant they were...YOU made a name for YOURSELF...YOU divided the sea...YOU hurled their pursuers into the depths...YOU led them with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire...YOU came down on Mount Sinai...YOU gave them laws and regulations...YOU made known your holy sabbath...YOU gave them bread from heaven...YOU brought them water from the rock...YOU told them to take possession of the land YOU had sworn to give them (vs.5-15). But they, our forefathers became arrogant, stiff-necked, and did not obey your commands. They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles YOU performed among them. But YOU are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore, YOU did not desert them, even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, 'This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,' or when they committed awful blasphemies...YOU did not abandon them in the desert...For 40 years YOU sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing...their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen. YOU made their sons as numerous as the stars in the sky...YOU brought them into the land...YOU subdued the Canaanites...YOU handed them over...they reveled in your great goodness...but they were disobedient and rebelled...they put your law behind their backs...they killed your prophets...they committed awful blasphemies. So YOU handed them over to their enemies who oppressed them. In YOUR great compassion YOU gave them deliverers. In all that has happened to us, YOU have been just; YOU have acted faithfully, while we did wrong. Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying YOUR great goodness to them, they did not serve YOU or turn from their evil ways. because of our great sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings YOU have placed over us. This prayer is like Isaiah who sees God and then sees himself. Can anyone relate to this prayer? I can. We too are often like Israel who tend to stray and go our own way. But our Good Shepherd, our great compassionate God full of grace and mercy never abandons us, but goes after us and brings us back. Aren't you thankful he never abandons us, never leaves nor forsakes us? I am.
Nehemiah 10
In view of all of this, the people make a binding agreement with a curse and an oath in writing to obey all the commands of the Law of God. They pledged not to give their sons or daughters to the people around them...not buy anything on the Sabbath, to let the land rest after 7 years and cancel all debts, give their first fruits, tithes to the temple work etc... They pledged not to neglect the house of God. Honestly, when I read this, it reminded me of people making New Year's Resolutions. We all KNOW how that often ends. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is often weak. Peter said he would never deny Jesus. How long did THAT last?...long enough until a loud rooster crowed reminding Peter of his own boastfulness...and weakness. I think it's best not to make promises which depend on yourself, but to just walk humbly with your God.
Nehemiah 11
The leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring 1 out of 10 to live in Jerusalem while the rest stayed in their own hometowns. The people commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. The rest of the chapter are the lists of the provincial leaders who stayed in Jerusalem....very dry reading! LOL
Nehemiah 12
At the dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem, Levites were in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. Singers were brought together for two large choirs. They were assigned to go on top of the wall along with the leaders and head in one direction while the other choir headed in the opposite direction singing joyful songs of thanksgiving. God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced, and the sound of rejoicing could be heard far away. When God does great things for us, it ought to stir our souls to sing praises to him.
Nehemiah 13
After a 12 year stay as governor, Nehemiah returned to Artaxerxes, king of Babylon. Sometime later, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and guess what he found? They had neglected the house of God, worked and bought goods on the Sabbath and married foreign women. I guess I was right? (LOL) Read what I wrote under Nehemiah 10 again. Nehemiah rebuked them, called down curses on them, beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. Yikes! He reminded them of how great King Solomon was and loved by God, yet!...he too was led into sin by foreign women. So, he instituted some reforms and purified the priests and Levites of everything foreign. He asked God to remember him for doing all of this showing him mercy and favor. Beating some of the men and pulling out their hair??? And we thought Jesus was angry in the temple when he overturned tables and drove out moneychangers! I guess you could say zeal for God's Law and his house consumed Nehemiah, too.
