For a minute there I forgot I was reading Nehemiah…this is all about Ezra! Which brings up an interesting point…
Read Nehemiah 8-10
If Ezra came to town so many years after Nehemiah, then why does Nehemiah speak of how he stood with Ezra (8:9) on the platform, interpreting for the people? They were clearly in town at the same time, celebrating the completion of the wall. The way they refer to the date seems to be the area of confusion. (as I have mentioned in previous posts).
This passage gives a great image of what the church became after the exile. Ezra is reading from the Law, and several are interpreting for him, and the people are listening intently and repenting of their sins. We see an increased focus on fellowship and education which were not present during the first temple period. While Solomon’s temple stood, the focus was more singular, based on worship involving sacrifice…education wasn’t emphasized.
I was trying to imagine what this must have looked like: thousands of people rising to their feet at once because a special book was opened. Can you imagine what that would have felt like, to be present for something like that? I imagine a hush falling over the crowd as they anticipate the words coming from Ezra’s mouth. Ezra is reading, but they hear God speaking. Yes, God is speaking to them directly from His Book, words recorded by His prophet Moses. Words they are fortunate to still have, because the originals are lost with the Ark of the Covenant. As the words are read the people raise their hands in praise, and fall face down before the Book. What an image! My translation refers to a “book”, but it seems more likely to have been a scroll. Book binding as we know it today didn’t begin until around 400 A.D. with some form of the art traceable back to about the time of Christ, maybe a little earlier. Ezra predates that by about 400 years. He most likely was reading a scroll.
Nehemiah encourages the people to celebrate and give each other gifts because they have heard and understood the Word of the Lord. He tells them “the joy of the Lord is your strength”. What does that mean? It must mean that God’s delight because of the obedience of His children results in a spiritual infilling and blessing that brings renewal. God’s joy = my strength.
If I am ever lacking in zeal, fervor or energy I should probably investigate my obedience first. The problem could be my response to the wonderful, powerful revelation of God meant for me. The people have been crying, no doubt because they realize the extent of their disobedience and realize what they have lost. How could you not cry? This nation had claim to sonship with God himself, and rejected it, choosing instead to worship false gods and squander their blessing. What a tragedy! The people are acutely aware of their sin in this moment, (just as God said they would be some 70 years earlier.) Now that repentance has come, it is a time for celebration, because God forgives!
Who can understand how forgiving God is? As we read the account of Israel’s history as prayed by the Levites (Chap 9) we begin to see how many times God has forgiven His people. Who can understand His unlimited patience? Is there any way to truly comprehend God’s unlimited love for us? What other being can we mention that will demonstrate this sort of behavior? There isn’t one. God stands alone as the definition of love, compassion, patience and forgiveness!
Faithfully,
PR