Nehemiah 8 presents the continuing saga of the rebuilding and healing of the children of Israel. Our familiarity with the story might cause us to conclude that once the walls of the city were restored, Israel celebrated.
It was not so. Even though the accomplishment of this task was enormous--and even miraculous (the enemy was bewildered and afraid at what he saw)--it was not the end of the story.
The children called for Ezra to read the "Book of the Law of Moses"--the Word. They did this, apparently, after consulting with one another because they came to this conclusion with "as one man".
Note these elements of their response to the reading of the Word.
1. They listened attentively. They stood from daybreak until noon listening to the Word of God.
2. Ezra, reading from a prominent place where all could hear him, praised the Lord, the "great God", in essence acknowledging the author of the Word, or, affirming its divine origin.
3. The people responded by saying "Amen! Amen!", a Hebrew word that can be translated "Surely!" or "Truth", or even, "So be it."
4. Ultimately, they "bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground", an expresssion of their humble submission to His divine authority.
5. They would later weep; the text records "for all the people had been weeping as they lsitened to the words of the Lord". They undoubtedly saw their own sinfulness and God's mercy and grace.
Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites would alll tell the children of Israel not to mourn or weep because "this day is sacred to our Lord." It was sacred indeed as God's people returned to His Word.
And then they celebrated. God commanded it and , and they obeyed and "from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day (1,000 years). the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great."
When we ask, as the Israelites did, "Give us the Word", God rejoices--it is a sacred day-- and we can begin to truly celebrate His healing mercy and grace.
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