Nehemiah 8:1-18
God's Word really drives chapter 8 of Nehemiah. The rebuilding is finished, the people of Israel have gathered together, and now Ezra the priest is reading the Law of Moses out loud to all. I love how the people are so eager to hear and take in what God has said to them.
So what insight does Nehemiah 8:1-18 give us about the Word of God? What does this passage tell us about our treatment of His Word? Our attitude toward it? Our need to know, understand and apply it? Tami W.
HI TAMI
IT APPEARS THAT DURING THE PERIOD OF THE EXILE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL HAD STRAYED AWAY FROM THE WORD OF GOD. I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT NEHEMIAH'S REBUILDING OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM WAS GOD'S FIRST STEP TOWARDS GATHERING HIS PEOPLE TO HIMSELF.
HAVING ACCOMPLISHED HIS REBUILDING AND GATHERING OF HIS PEOPLE GOD NOW REINTRODUCES THEM TO HIS WORD AS GIVEN TO MOSES IN THE PAST. THIS PASSAGE SHOWS US THAT WE MUST NEVER STRAY FROM GOD'S WORD, WE MUST LOVE GETTING INTO HIS WORD WHILE SEEKING FOR UNDERSTANDING AND MOST IMPORTANT WE MUST LIVE BY HIS WORD AND WILLING SHARE IT WITH OTHERS.
THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS THAT THE WORD OF GOD HAD ON THE PEOPLE WERE (A) THEIR CONSCIENCE WERE PRICKED (B) THEY BECAME PENITENT (C)THEY BECAME HUMBLE (D) THEY BECAME CARING ABOUT OTHERS.
I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THINGS AS UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES IN MY LIFE (HEALTH CHALLENGES ETC) HAS DRAWN ME CLOSER TO GOD (GATHERING). GOD'S POINTING ME TO POWERED BY 4 AND BTTB HAS LED ME TO HIS WORD SO I CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR EACH DAY TO SIGN ON MY COMPUTER AND GET INTO P4, BTTB AND THE SCRIPTURE. MY UNDERSTANDING OF PREVIOUSLY UNFATHOMABLE PASSAGES IS INCREASING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS AND I AM VERY SURPRISED AT TIMES BY MY INCREASED CARING FOR MY FELLOWMAN. (I MUST CONFESS THAT AT TIMES I JUST START WEEPING WHEN I SEE PEOPLE BEING SO FAR FROM GOD BY THE FRUITS THAT THEY ARE BEARING). A NEW BOLDNESS HAS NOW COME UPON ME IN SPEAKING TO STRANGERS ABOUT THE GOD I SERVE.
PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR GOOD WORK GUYS, GOD IS USING YOU TO REAP THE BOUNTY OF THE HARVEST BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCH WILLING HEARTS. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME AS I NEED ALL THE PRAYERS I CAN GET. I WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU.
REGARDS IN CHRIST
CECIL
Thanks for your wonderful comments Cecil. I have to agree 100%. I was watching a documentary on the Billy Graham Crusades earlier today. It almost brought tears to my eyes. God has used and is continuing to use that ministry in such a trememdous way. We really need to get people in the Word to see fresh revival. I feel the internet is playing and will play a big part of that.