Part 3 (Parts 1 and 2 follow)

In the words of Nehemiah 8:7-10, I believe that we see a vivid demonstration of the power of God’s Word to change lives! God’s Word is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12), and it will always accomplish God’s purposes. In Isaiah 55: 11 we read: “So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” How blessed are the people whose hearts are open and receptive to God’s Word, and who truly desire it and are ready to obey! But now, while the power to bring about God’s purposes is through the working of the Holy Spirit, those who would teach the Word publically have a responsibility to hold fast to and teach the truth. In Nehemiah 8:7 and 8 we read: ”…the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” When we present the Word publically, we must first have an accurate understanding of the Word ourselves, holding fast to the truth of Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15). It is best to be easily visible to our audience, and I note here that those reading and those listening were standing, showing respect for the Word of God. When we do minister the Word publically, like Ezra of old, we must read the Word distinctly, and in a manner in which its meaning can be readily understood by all. The Word of God even by itself is the living truth, and has the power to change lives through the Spirit of God who does the actual work. His Word is instructive, and we are privileged to read it faithfully and clearly. Still when we minister the Word, we have a responsibility to teach it in such a way that we “give the sense” and explain in such terms so that those hearing will truly get the meaning of the Word, and how it might apply to our lives. The public ministry of the Word is not about showing oratory skills, but being the channel of the truth to all, including the young and those who may be less well educated.

Going on in Nehemiah 8:9 we read: “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.” That word “Tirshatha” is Nehemiah’s title, he being the governor of Judea. Note in this verse the effects of God’s Word on the congregation-the people were humbled and became sorrowful, seeing how they had so long neglected God’s Word. And yet, Nehemiah and Ezra comforted the people and reminded them that this was a time for rejoicing. God’s Word contained the glad news of His great mercy for the faithful of His people—they could look forward to the coming of Messiah one day, and in a latter day, He would bring healing and blessing to Israel. And of course, they had the knowledge of how God had faithfully brought His people back into the land, and had prospered them in resetting the walls and the gates of Jerusalem, despite the nefarious efforts of Sanballat and other enemies. What’s more, the Feast of Tabernacles, which had so long been neglected (verse 17),  was before them, which was intended to be a season of happiness. Therefore in verse 10 we read: “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.”

My dear friends, even during our darkest hours in this scene, when all might seem to be working against us, we who have tasted God’s grace through Christ Jesus can have abundant joy seeing all that we have been given through Christ! Ephesians 1:3 says: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ….”  When we gather to remember the Lord on the Lord’s Day, we do have a quietness of soul seeing that we are gathered by the Holy Spirit unto the name of the Lord. This is a holy time and a time to be taken most seriously. Our hearts are prepared to receive the guidance of the Spirit in our worship, and we exhibit a sober spirit given our awareness of the dreadful cost to our Lord of our redemption, and yet with joy and sorrow mingling, we can rejoice in our salvation, by His amazing grace. Truly, the joy of the Lord is our strength! We were all lost, ruined sinners with no hope of deliverance from judgment; but now through faith, we can hold fast to the truth of Romans 5: 8 where we read:

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. “We have true joy, dear Christian friends. Luke 24: 52 tells us “And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy….”

Part 2 (Part 1 follows)

In the first 10 verses of Nehemiah 8, I believe there are some very precious thoughts that believers might consider as we prepare our hearts for an assembly meeting. By way of background for this portion, we see that the children of Judah had been released to go home to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall of their city, then they would be able to remain and dwell there. It was infidelity to the commandments of God which brought about their deportation to Babylon some 70 years before, so going home was a certain answer to prayer for those who came back, and I might say, it made for a new beginning for Judah. By the time of chapter 8, the wall had been completed and the doors hung, and now was the time to be happy in God and to rejoice. But, we see here that the people wanted to hear the Word of God as a first priority. In verses 1-3 we read: “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. 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. 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.” I have no doubt that the children of Judah were much rejoiced to be back in their homeland, restoring the walls of the city. Their deportation and harsh servitude was now behind them, and God had shown His grace and mercy in delivering them from their bondage. But now, the congregation, as one man, desired to begin by hearing the Word of the Lord, which the children of Judah had so long neglected. I believe also that we at once see a deep respect for the Scriptures, as reflected in a quiet and sober spirit among the people of God. In verses 4-5 we read: “And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose…. 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….” You’ll no doubt notice right away that the one reading the Word stood before the congregation, in the clear sight of all the people, and he spoke distinctly so that all might see him and hear his words (verse 8). Notice too, if you will, the reverence of the people for God’s Word in that they all stood up, and I believe this posture to have persisted throughout the entire morning hours till noonday, with the people paying close attention to the Word of God.

I have often noticed during our assembly meetings that there is a hush that comes over us as we anticipate the Word of God being ministered, and rightly so. Those whom the Spirit selects to read do so standing up and reading in a clear, distinct speech, and with  a sober spirit. No one in the meeting hall at that time would be shuffling papers or talking to their neighbors, but rather all attention is focused upon the Word being spoken. All  are fully anticipating that the Spirit of God will impart a message that will lead us in worship or will help us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Upon reading the Word, we read in verse 6 that “…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.”

My dear friends, when we gather for an assembly meeting, our thoughts and attention should be fixed only upon the Lord Himself who is in our midst. He is holy, and gathering unto His name should be a holy time. Our worship should also be characterized by sober prayer and thanksgiving. We are so blessed to be able to gather as an assembly each Lord’s Day to remember the Lord together, and our worship ought to be characterized by a spirit of sober thanksgiving, with joy and sorrow mingling, considering both the effects and also the cost of our redemption. In Mathew 26-28 we read: “…Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” As the Lord instituted this remembrance feast, we see a clear example of the Lord leading this gathering, with the disciples quiet and focused on Him; and, He gave thanks for the bread and the wine as He bid them to take part in this remembrance of Him. May the Holy Spirit impress upon the minds of all who call on the Lord out of a pure heart, the attention and respect that is due our Lord, as we listen to the Word of God. Also, may we all, with one accord, regard the solemn and serious nature of each meeting of the assembly, and allow the Holy Spirit, rather than our own wills, to lead us to receive and obey the Word of God with sober but thankful hearts.

Part 1 (April 23, 2025)

In the first three verses of Nehemiah 8, I believe that we get a sense of the importance of the public reading of the Word of God. By way of background, the children of Judah had been released from their captivity in Babylon and allowed to go home to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall of their city, so that they might dwell there. It was inattention to the commandments of God which brought about their deportation in the first place, but a loving and gracious God had now brought them home, and I might say it was perhaps an opportunity  to start fresh by desiring to hear and be subject   to the Scriptures which they had so long neglected. By the time of chapter 8, the wall had been completed and the doors hung; and, I believe that There was a definite renewal of their thirst for God, given that  the public reading of the Word of God was requested by all the congregation. In verses 1-3 we read: “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. 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. 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.” I have no doubt that the children of Judah were much rejoiced to be back in their homeland, restoring the walls of the city. Their deportation and harsh servitude was now behind them, and God had shown His grace and mercy in delivering them from their bondage. Now, coming home and rebuilding had not been easy. I’m sure that the trek from Babylon back to Jerusalem was long and arduous, and once back in their city, the children of Judah had to contend with Sanballat and his followers trying to discourage the completion of the wall. But, when Judah called upon the name of the Lord, by God’s grace, the wall was in fact completed, despite the opposition, and so the children of Judah had much to be thankful for. Still, I note here that as a first priority, before planning any next steps, these folks desired to hear the Word of God, that they might know His will for them. And, hearing the Scriptures  was not just for the educated few, but for all, including the children too, and indeed, any who would be able to understand the spoken Word. Truly, the Word of God is for all. Psalms 119:130tells us: “The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Another thing that I believe we can see in these first three verses is that the congregation was pleased to stand their listening with a non-wavering interest from morning till mid-day, “and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law,” (verse 3).

What a beautiful picture this makes for the children of God today as an example of how believers should hunger and thirst for the Word of God, and how we should desire to read our Bibles as a first priority in every situation. In Psalms 42:1,2 we read: “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” I think that for Christians today, just as for the children of Judah in Nehemiah’s day, distractions and disappointments abound in this wilderness scene. The enemy of our souls uses such situations in an attempt to set Christians back in the work of the Gospel. But, God’s Word is both healing and refreshing, and His precious Word is our best defense against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-18). We never want to get far from the Word, and if we do stray away, how important it is to repent of our negligence and go back to daily reading our Bibles.

My dear Christian friends, We must always remember that the Bible is the living Word of God, and it has the power to change lives through the Spirit of God who does the actual work. God’s Word is living and powerful, and His Word changes lives. In

Hebrews 4: 12 we read: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” I believe this truth alone demonstrates the supreme value of the reading of the Word of God, and that to any and all. I love to see little children come to Sunday School, because I know that through the work of the Holy Spirit, the hearts of the young can be touched. In Luke 18:16, the Lord Jesus said, “…Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

Blessings to all,

Steven J. Faulkner