Hearing God's Word

Most of us have God’s Word easily accessible whether in multiple physical copies of the Bible on our shelves, Bible apps on our phones, or online sermons. In the United States, we still have the freedom to attend church and hear God’s Word preached in person. Although I have gone through some dry seasons of finding a solid, Bible-teaching church, I have never been without the reading of God’s Word.

That said, I have not always heard God’s Word. I cannot count the times my mind has drifted during a sermon or while reading my Bible. I have to go back and reread a passage again (and again and again) because my mind is still not focused. Or my ears hear, and I even take notes, but I don’t really understand and sadly have not always sought to understand. I just move on with Sunday lunch, a nap, or whatever is next on the agenda.

There are times I have heard convicting word about sin but had a hard or deceived heart regarding my own sin. Other times, conviction of my sin has almost overwhelmed me.

For many reasons, this passage in Nehemiah 8 stands out to me. We won’t cover all the details, but I do want to hit a few of the points that were convicting.

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. [1]

Nehemiah 8:1-12

To refresh your memory: some of the Jewish exiles have returned from captivity to Jerusalem. Under Ezra the Scribe, the temple has been rebuilt, and now under Nehemiah, the walls around Jerusalem have been rebuilt. With the information given (vs 2b), Chapter 8 likely takes place on the Hebrew New Year.

Verse 1 begins, “And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate.” There are three things to note here. 1) All the people – everyone is coming together. Granted, this is not the population of Jerusalem in its hay day under Solomon, but regardless, all the people that were now in Jerusalem gathered. Can you imagine your whole city gathering?

2) as one man – the people were unified in purpose. 3) before the Water Gate – “The Water Gate (v. 26) was part of the palace-Temple complex rather than in the wall. It was so named because it led to the city’s main source of water, the Gihon Spring. It apparently encompassed a large area, for the reading of the law took place there (8:1, 3, 16).”[2] Why is this important? I didn’t think much of it when I read it. The Temple was divided into different courts where different classes of people were allowed like Gentiles, Jewish women, Jewish men, and the priests. Gentiles could not be in the courts for the Jewish people, and Jewish women were required to stay in the court for women. The people didn’t gather on the Temple grounds proper, but at the Water Gate so that all could take part – “both men and women and all who could understand what was heard (vs 2). Children of a certain age of understanding may have been among the people as well.

We continue in verse 1: “And they [the people] told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel.” The Jewish people wanted to hear God’s Word read. It wasn’t the Levites or the priests or Ezra that initiated reading God’s Word this day. It was the people. Talk about hungering and thirsting after God’s Word! Already in verse 1 we see that God is working in this remnant of Jewish exiles who have returned to Jerusalem. I can imagine how this would have encouraged Nehemiah, Ezra, the Levites, and the those who stood in support of Ezra on the platform as he read. All the people of Jerusalem gathered in unity because they wanted to hear God’s Word.

I am an introvert, but I look forward to corporate worship. God instructed the church to not forsake the assembling together (Hebrews 10:25). It is for our edification as well as the worship of God. There is something special about hearing God’s Word preached publicly and learning together, worshiping together, praying together, and fellowshipping together.

“And he [Ezra] read from it [the Book of the Law] from early morning until midday” (vs 3). The reading likely began around dawn or six in the morning, so Ezra read for six hours. Not only that, but later in verse 3 we read: “And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the Law.” You, like me, have probably heard God’s Word read, but were not attentive for even thirty to forty-five minutes. These people were attentive for six hours. They were desperate to hear God’s Word.

We further read at the end of verse 5: “and as he opened it all the people stood.” We don’t have the details to know if they stood the entire six hours or if they took some short breaks, but we do know the people stood when God’s Word was opened. The people showed respect for God and His Word. I do like when the congregation stands for the reading of God’s Word, but I am not proposing this text as a command that every congregation must obey. What I would like to note from verses 3 and 5 is the people’s commitment to hearing God’s Word and their willingness to sacrifice in multiple ways to hear it.

Verse 6 backtracks slightly. Verse 3 described Ezra reading facing the square before the Water Gate, but before Ezra actually begins reading, he “blessed the Lord, the great God.” I’m thankful for Ezra’s leadership. As I said before, I am often distracted in church. I need help fixing my gaze on God.

Now read the people’s response: “and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen,’ lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground” (vs 6). Again, we see the people unified, unified in worshiping God. Lifting hands can symbolize both dependence on God and worship directed to God. Bowing their heads to the ground was a sign of submission, awe, adoration, and reverence. Before hearing the Word of God read, the people prepared their hearts and minds with thanksgiving and worship of God, the One who gave them the Scriptures, the One who had been faithful to them, the One who not only led them out of Egypt and gave them the Promised Land but had now brought back these exiles to Jerusalem and provided for them to rebuild the Temple and the city walls.

Following worship, Ezra read from the Book of the Law. Note the word clearly in verse 8 and how in both verses 7 and 8, the Levites helped the people actually understand what is being read. We have travelled to many foreign countries. Although we don’t expect these countries to speak English or have signs in English, we are grateful when they do. One country had almost no English, and if people knew English, they didn’t want to speak it with us. We could “read” the signs at the train stations or tourist sites, but we didn’t understand them so that we could then follow what they said. This was not the case in Nehemiah. Ezra and the Levites didn’t just want the people to hear God’s Word. They wanted the people to understand it, so they could be changed by it and live according to it.

This is a reminder to us as well. 2 Timothy 2:16 states: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” God’s Word has purpose. Through Scripture we know God, understand what sin is, are convicted of our sin, know how Jesus saves us from our sin, and learn how to live in a way that glorifies God. It is not enough for us to merely hear the words of Scripture. We need to understand them. Like the psalmist we need to hide God’s Word in our hearts, so that we might not sin against Him. We meditate on Scripture. We talk about what we’ve heard with others. We do additional study of God’s Word. One of my great-nieces loves the candy canes I keep in our kitchen. Her sister bites and chews up her candy cane quickly, but this great-niece does not. She takes her time, savoring it as long as she can. This is what we should do with God’s Word.

If this scene has not been amazing enough, look what comes next: “For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law” (vs 9b). The people were changed by God’s Word. As Paul told Timothy, Scripture was reproving and correcting the people. They were convicted of their sin. They were weeping over their sin. Their understanding of God’s Word, led to an understanding of their sin before their Holy God.

But this account does not end with weeping. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites encourage the people. They encourage them to celebrate because the joy of the Lord is their strength. It is good to acknowledge and grieve our sin before our Holy God, but grieving is not the end. Our sin is great, but God’s grace, mercy, and salvation are infinitely more. Jesus our almighty Savior paid for our sin on the cross, bearing God’s wrath in our place. We can rejoice because we are forgiven. And that is just what the people did. They left rejoicing because they had heard and understood God’s Word. They were convicted and comforted from God’s Word. They experienced God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Reflection

1. What from this account stood out to you and why?

2. What is your mindset when hearing God’s Word read? What can you do to better prepare your mind and heart not only to hear God’s Word but to understand it?

3. When you are convicted of sin, how do you typically respond? Are you overwhelmed by it? Do you ignore it? Do you run to God in gratitude and love for His grace, mercy, and forgiveness?

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ne 8:1–12. [2] “The Gates of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s Day.” Israel My Glory, February/March 1994.