“Be
Still, For This Is A Holy Day”
all the people came
together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher
of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had
commanded for Israel.
So
on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before
the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to
understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square
before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could
understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
Ezra
the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion.
Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his
left were Pedaiah, Mishael,
Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
Ezra
opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above
them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the
great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!”
Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
The
Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people
were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear
and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
Then
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites
who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord
your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they
listened to the words of the Law.
Nehemiah
said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who
have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy
of the Lord is your strength.”
The
Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do
not grieve.”
Then
all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to
celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been
made known to them.
Nehemiah 8:1-12
Sometimes
we get bad colds, and we lose our appetite. We simply drink water, but we know
we can’t live on water alone.
When
the people of Israel came back from exile in Babylon, their spiritual appetite
was weak. They had departed from God, and His ways. To get the people back to
spiritual health, Nehemiah organized a Bible seminar, and Ezra was the teacher.
Ezra
read from the book of the law of Moses from morning until
midday, feeding the people with the truth of God. And the people listened
attentively. In fact, their appetite for God’s Word was so stirred that the
family leaders and the priests and Levites met with Ezra the following day to
study the law in greater detail because they wanted to understand.
When
we feel estranged from God or spiritually weak, we can find spiritual
nourishment from God’s Word.
Ask
God to give you a renewed desire relationship with Him, and begin feeding your
heart, soul, and mind with His Word.
Feeding on God’s Word keeps us strong and healthy in
the Lord.
Our
Daily Bread – January 2, 2014