Nehemiah 8

Nehemiah 8:1-18

The Word of God Nehemiah 8:8

This chapter is a wonderfully beautiful story of the way in which the people gathered together to hear the Word of God, and what the effect of that hearing was upon their life from that time forward. The people desired the Word of God to be read to them, and the people who were waiting were met by the priest, who was willing. When priest and people are thus united, there will always follow blessing.

I. Notice the reception of the Word of God. When Ezra read we are told the people stood. What an example this is. The people stood up according to the Jewish custom to hear the Word, and indeed in certain parts of the Christian Church today, as in former days, the people always stand up when the lessons are being read. That is the reason why we stand up during the Gospel in the Communion Service. It is the last remnant of an old custom, showing our reverence for that part of the Word of God which has to do directly with the Lord Jesus. We cannot be too reverent with the Word of God.

And then notice their reverence in their worship. When they stood up Ezra blessed God and the people answered, Amen. They were in the presence of God. And then with carefulness they listened, and Ezra not only read, but he gave the sense of it.

II. From the reading and the reception, let us notice now the result. The first thing that resulted from this reading of the Word of God was a sense of sin. They began to weep and to cry. Why? Because they were conscious that their life had not been according to that Word that God had laid down, the law about those feasts which they had neglected and disregarded.

And then there comes a second result a sense of peace. For we are told distinctly that Ezra and Nehemiah, and they that taught the people, said: ‘Do not be sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’. That is to say, You have heard the law and you have not obeyed it; if you obey the law now, the result will be peace. ‘Great peace have they that love Thy law.’ And so it is when the Word of God comes for the first time into contact with our life. We are convicted of sin and condemned in the sight of God. That is the first result of coming into contact with God’s Word.

But the very Word that brings us to a sense of our sins brings us the means whereby our sins can be forgiven, and the joy of the Lord comes to that man who accepts and follows that Word. The Word of God at once condemns us because of our sin, and then it shows us how there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who have accepted Him as their Saviour and Friend. So they forbade the people to be sorrowful: they urged them to joy: ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength’. And then they not only told them to be joyful, but they were told to share the blessedness: ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared…. Neither be ye sorry. And so they stilled and quieted the people. And that will always be the result when a man comes into contact with God’s Word, and receives God’s Word into his heart. That man will always long to share the blessing with some one else. He will pass it on; he will send the Gospel to those who have not yet received it, or realized the power and blessedness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Bible must always be the centre of our Church life. The Word of God must be preached, not the word of man; and the Word of God must also be pondered. Ezra did his part, and the people did theirs. You may have the most faithful ministry, but without a response on the part of the congregation that ministry will count for practically and comparatively very little. The Word of God must be pondered day by day. If you will take God’s Word and ponder it for yourself, you will find the power and the blessing and the peace of it in your life.

The Word of God must also be practised. These people put their Word of God into practice. They at once observed God’s law about the Feast of Tabernacles. They at once shared their blessings with those who had none; they showed the joy of the Lord in their life as well as on their lips. That is what we want and long for in connexion with all congregations the Word of God as the centre of Church life. But in order that this may be so, the Word of God must be the core of individual life. Our life will be a life of repentance, of joy, of peace, of love, of wholehearted devotion, and obedience, and unselfish sympathy, and regard, just in proportion as the Word of God is the core and centre of our being. If you want to know how this should be so, the Word of God must be desired. These people desired the Word of God. St. Peter says we are to desire the sincere milk of the Word, that we may grow thereby.

There must be not only desire, but attention to the Word of God. The people heeded, and with the attention came reception. They received the Word of God into their very life. And then there was reproduction. They translated that Word into practice, and the Word became the power of God in their life. And if you and I will see that this is so in our individual life, God, even our own God, will bless us.

References. VIII. 8. A. N. Obbard, * Plain Sermons,* p. 26. VIII. 9, 10. J. Hamilton, * Faith in God,* p. 303.

Strength in Joy Nehemiah 8:10

The wall of Jerusalem had been built by those who had returned from captivity, and the people being assembled the law of the Lord was read to them. And when they heard the law they wept. But they were told that their tears soiled the garments of joy with which God in His good providence had clothed them. And besides, and of greater importance still, sorrow would weaken their hands in the great work which still remained to be done. Joy was what God had vouchsafed to them, and what they needed for their work. They needed strength; and the joy of the Lord, not weeping, was the well from which it must spring.

See how the joy of the Lord gives

I. Strength for the Discharge of Duty

II. Strength to Resist Temptation.

III. Strength to Bear Troubles.

IV. Strength of Perseverance and Hope.

If, then, the joy of the Lord is a man’s strength, it must be his bounden duty to cultivate it, and, with God’s help, enlarge it. The man is sinful as well as unwise who holds stubbornly by sorrow and depression. Let faith in God lead us ‘with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation’.

References. VIII. 10. Spurgeon, * Sermons,* vol. xvii. No. 1027. E. A. Draper, * The Gift of Strength,* p. 56. W. J. Hocking, * Christian World Pulpit,* vol. xxxix. 1891, p. 6. A. Maclaren, * Expositions of Holy Scripture* * 2 Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah,* p. 379; see also * Greed and Conduct,* p. 83; * Sermons Preached in Manchester,* p. 149. Blair’s ‘Religious Joy as Giving Strength and Support to Virtue,’ * Sermons.* Jay’s ‘The Christian in his Spiritual Joys,’ * Works,* vol. vi. p. 249. C. Simeon, * Works,* vol. iv. p. 293. Dr. Samuel Cox, ‘Christmas Homily,’ in * Congregationalist,* 1872, p. 710, and the same in his * Biblical Expositions,* p. 124. Maclaren’s, ‘The Joy of the Lord,’ * Sermons Preached in Manchester* (1st Series), p. 136. Mackennal in * Life of Christian Consecration,* p. 146. IX. 17. Spurgeon, * Sermons,* vol. xx. No. 1272.

Nehemiah 8:1-18

The Curse Turned Into a Blessing Nehemiah 8:2

Refers to the time when Balak sent for Balaam to curse Israel.

I. God Turns His Own Curses into Blessings.

1. Toil: leads to self-denial and self-sacrifice.

2. Difficulty: calls forth energy and develops strength.

3. Danger: awakens courage and fortitude.

4. Pain: reminds us of the evil of sin.

5. Sorrow: acts as a refiner’s fire.

II. God Turns Man’s Curses into Blessings. The crucifixion of Christ was the means of man’s redemption.

The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church.

F. J. Austin, * Seeds and Saplings,* p. 80.

References. XIII. 2. B. J. Snell, * Christian World Pulpit,* vol. li. 1897, p. 153. XIII. 11. J. H. Jowett, * Christian World Pulpit,* vol. xxxix. 1891, p. 92. Ambrose Shepherd, * The Gospel and Social Questions,* p. 73. XIII. 15-22. A. Maclaren, * Expositions of Holy Scripture* * 2 Kings, Chronicles, Ezra,* and * Nehemiah,* p. 391.