God's Love, Law and Blessing

Read Nehemiah 7:73b thru 8
 
Nehemiah 7:73b-8:3 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, 8:1 all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel…3 Ezra read (the Law) 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.
 
YOU will remember Ezra had come from Persia to Jerusalem to teach. For about 14 years to this event in Jerusalem he had been teaching God’s law. Apparently the Word is making an impact. At the Festival of the Harvest, Ezra and Nehemiah called the people to hear the law. With great fanfare, Ezra read the law for about six hours each day of the Festival. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law. When the reading stopped, all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. (Nehemiah 8:6) This may have been one of Jerusalem’s most glorious days.
   Can you imagine going to your local town square, courthouse steps or some public place – even a church – to listen to the Bible read for about six hours? Would you go to a week-long “Bible fest” where each day someone reads the Bible through the morning? All you do is listen and absorb the God’s Word.
   Our ministry experience is that when God’s Word is not easily available to people, they will eagerly gather at a place to hear the Bible read. They do not assume God’s Word is available to them, so they treasure the opportunities to hear the Bible.
   Ezra and others read the Books of the Law, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. God’s will is to reveal his great mercy to form and then re-form them as his nation to bless the world. He elevates leaders to guard his people and to give them peace.  
   The Festival of the Harvest (Booths) celebrated God’s physical care for Israel through 40 years of wilderness journey. He wanted the Jews standing at the Water Gate that day to know, “I love you. You are mine. I want to bless you on your journey through life, so one day you will be with me.” Yes, God was providing a new city from the old. The gates are up to protect them physically. The Law is now “up” to protect them from evil. The safeguards are established. Will Judah use them?