Meditation
4/23/2025, 4/30/2025
Nehemiah 8 Part 1 and 2
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
04/16/2025 and 04/09/2025
In Everything Give Thanks and Psalm 55
In Everything Give Thanks (Psalm 55 follows)
On a recent April afternoon, I went out onto my front lawn in an effort to rake up the sticks and few leaves which remained after the winter snows had melted. I did so enjoy the gentle, cool spring breeze, and the smell of the newly revived grass in my lawn, and best of all, I delighted in the feel of the warm sun on my face. These days, given my blindness, I have learned to rake by feel, sensing the sticks and leaves with my feet and hands, then by overlapping my raking strokes I try to generate a pile. However, on this particular day, my utter delight at being a part of such a day became clouded by frustration at my great difficulty in navigating my own front yard. In frustration, I was reduced to sitting on the lawn groping about to discover just where I was. Thus, I found myself becoming quite saddened about being blind! In my gathering gloom, my thoughts turned to the words of Psalms 55: 6: “…Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. “In the midst of my hour of self-pity, I called upon the name of the Lord to deliver me, and as if in response to my prayer, I heard in my mind the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
In one of my morning meditations, I recalled the thoughts of George Matheson, a 19th century preacher from Scotland. This preacher too had become blind, and in this meditation, he confessed that while he had learned to thank God for the roses of life, he needed to learn to thank Him for even the thorns. But, can believers truly be thankful for the thorns of life? The testimony of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 gives us a hint: “…there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” I believe that Paul did not lose heart at the Lord’s purposes in leaving him with his thorn. Sometimes, we might feel that the presence of thorns in our lives might indicate that God really doesn’t care about our difficulties, but this is only a malevolent lie from the devil, intended to discourage the children of God. Be assured, dear Christian friend, that there is a very good reason for God to allow sad situations in our lives. We are assured in Lamentations 3:33 that “…He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” Furthermore, we read in Romans 8:28 that the purposes of God with regard to His own are only ever good: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” God clearly has a purpose in allowing thorns into the lives of those who love Him. Such knowledge can only lead the child of God to praise and a thankful heart, come what may in this life. We might consider Paul’s conclusion as to God’s dealings with him in 2 Corinthians 12:10: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” In this last verse, the Apostle Paul listed about every type of unpleasant thing that might occur in the lives of Christians, but given that we have the Lord, we can take pleasure, not so much in the thorn itself, but rather how a loving God and Father will use such experiences to strengthen His children. My dear Christian friends, even in those times that try the soul, we must always remember, “…the joy of the Lord is your strength,” (Nehemiah 8:10)
Blessings to all,
Steven J. Faulkner
Psalm 55
I recall a certain autumn day some years back, when life seemed particularly stormy and forbidding for me, and all my most cherished dreams seemed to be vanishing in the thickening gloom that was rapidly gathering around me. At that time, I seemed to be focused on the stormy sea, rather than on the One who walks upon the boisterous waves. On that day, as I ruminated on the issues that were so weighty and troubling to my thoughts, I suddenly heard the sounds of geese, flying low in the skies above my head. They were gathering into formation, following a circular course above our neighborhood, and honking wildly as they flew. As I turned my face to the heavens, I could hear the reports of their ever-changing position as they circled above me, and at once, I thought to myself how good it would be to take to the air like one of those, and fly to some safe and distant place to rest. I recalled the lines of the old, Gospel song, “I’ll Fly Away”, and longed for the peace and rest of heaven.
In Psalm 55, we read of a time in David’s life, when he was in the midst of a very great trial. I believe this to have been a time when family and trusted friends had turned against the great king, and now they sought his life. We read in verses 12-14, “For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company”.
What tormented David’s soul was apparently not so much that his life was being threatened by those who opposed him, but more that these “enemies” had once been trusted friends; they were from the king’s own house. Such things so weighed on David that his very soul cried out for relief. In verses 6-8, we hear the heart’s prayer of the king longing for deliverance and rest: “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest”.
My dear friend, have you ever felt like this? Did you ever feel that the troubles and trials of life so mounted up on you that you could see no real hope of relief from your stress and sorrow, and you just longed for deliverance and rest. Like David of old, perhaps you longed for wings like a dove, that you might fly far from your troubles, and find shelter in some safe haven where you might have a time of respite from the whirlwind before you. Perhaps you are struggling just now, as you read these lines, because some loved ones or trusted friends have turned on you, or you have been falsely accused by those who were once on your side. Remember, our Lord Jesus Himself was once rejected by those He came to save: “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not,” (John 1:10,11). Our Lord Jesus knows well the pain and sorrows of this world, as we read in Hebrews 4:15: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin”.
Is it rest you seek, my dear friend? Perhaps that word “rest” sounds very good to you just now. If so, just listen to the comforting invitation as our Lord Jesus calls to you in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” In Hebrews 4:16, we are invited to come to Him at any time when we are in need of His Grace and help: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”.
Blessings to all,
Steven J. Faulkner