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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Nehemiah chapter eight,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the English Standard version. And
Speaker 1: all the people gathered as one man into the square
Speaker 1: before the watergate, and they told Ezra the Scribe to
Speaker 1: bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the
Speaker 1: Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the Priest brought the
Speaker 1: Law before the assembly, both men and women and all
Speaker 1: who could understand what they heard, on the first day
Speaker 1: of the seventh month, and he read from it, facing
Speaker 1: the square before the watergate, from early morning until midday,
Speaker 1: in the presence of the men and the women, and
Speaker 1: those who could understand, and the ears of all the
Speaker 1: peace were attentive to the Book of the Law. And
Speaker 1: Ezra the Scribe stood on a wooden platform that they
Speaker 1: had made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah,
Speaker 1: shima aniah Uriah, Hilkiah, and Messiah on his right hand,
Speaker 1: and pediah Mishael, Malchaija, Hashum, Hashbadana Zechariah, and Mishulam on
Speaker 1: his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the
Speaker 1: sight of all the people, for he was above all
Speaker 1: the people. And as he opened it, all the people stood,
Speaker 1: and Ezra blessed the Lord, the Great God. And all
Speaker 1: the people answered Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands, and
Speaker 1: they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their
Speaker 1: faces to the ground. Also Joshua Banni, Sheabiyah, Jamin A
Speaker 1: kub Shabbithi, Hodiah, Messiah, Kalita, Azariah, joseahbad hainin Peliah, the
Speaker 1: Levites help the people to understand the law. While the
Speaker 1: people remained in their places, they read from the book
Speaker 1: from the Law of God clearly, and they gave the
Speaker 1: sense so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah,
Speaker 1: who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe,
Speaker 1: and the Levites who taught the people, said to all
Speaker 1: the people, this day is holy to the Lord your God.
Speaker 1: Do not mourn or weep, for all the people wept
Speaker 1: as they heard the words of the law. Then he
Speaker 1: said to them, go your way, eat the fat, and
Speaker 1: drink sweet wine, and send portions to anyone who has
Speaker 1: nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord.
Speaker 1: And do not be grieved, for the joy of the
Speaker 1: Lord is your strength. So the Levites calmed all the people, saying,
Speaker 1: be quiet, for this day is holy, do not be grieved.
Speaker 1: And all the people went their way to eat and drink,
Speaker 1: and descend portions, and to make great rejoicing because they
Speaker 1: had understood the words that were declared to them. On
Speaker 1: the second day, the heads of fathers, houses of all
Speaker 1: the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together
Speaker 1: to Ezra the Scribe, in order to study the words
Speaker 1: of the Law. And they found it written in the
Speaker 1: Law that the Lord had commanded by Moses that the
Speaker 1: people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast
Speaker 1: of the seventh Month, and that they should proclaim it
Speaker 1: and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive,
Speaker 1: wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths.
Speaker 1: As it is written. So the people went out and
Speaker 1: brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his
Speaker 1: roof and in their courts, and in the courts of
Speaker 1: the House of God, and in the square at the
Speaker 1: water gate, and in the square at the gate of Ephrium,
Speaker 1: and all the assembly of those who had returned from
Speaker 1: the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. For
Speaker 1: from the days of Jeshua, the son of Nun to
Speaker 1: that day, the people of Israel had not done so.
Speaker 1: And there was very great rejoicing, and day by day
Speaker 1: from the first day to the last day, he read
Speaker 1: from the book of the Law of God. They kept
Speaker 1: the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there
Speaker 1: was a solemn assembly according to the rule. Let's pray, Lord,
Speaker 1: we thank you for your word, and we thank you
Speaker 1: for the privilege of being able to look at it
Speaker 1: together today. And we thank you Lord for this portion
Speaker 1: of scripture that illustrates the fact that your word was
Speaker 1: being read by Ezra to the people, and the people
Speaker 1: were responding to what they heard in your word. You
Speaker 1: were softening their hearts so that they would accept what
Speaker 1: you had communicated through Moses. And as it was read
Speaker 1: and explained by Ezra and the others, the people responded,
Speaker 1: and they sought to put it in to practice, and
Speaker 1: to live it out. And one of the things that
Speaker 1: you made clear to the people in this passage was
Speaker 1: that they had neglected to celebrate the Festival of Booths,
Speaker 1: And Lord, we know that there's lots of imagery and
Speaker 1: all sorts of things that we could talk about related
Speaker 1: to the Feast of Booths, But part of that feast
Speaker 1: incorporated prayer for rain, that you would provide rain to
Speaker 1: water the crops. And at the end of the feast,
Speaker 1: great candelabras were lit in recognition of the fact that
Speaker 1: you were bringing your light into this world. And Lord,
Speaker 1: we know that that imagery finds its fulfillment in your son,
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, who gives us true life and nourishes us
Speaker 1: like water, and in fact reminds us that if we
Speaker 1: trust in him, our souls will thirst know more. And likewise,
Speaker 1: we know that Jesus is the Light, the Light of salvation,
Speaker 1: who has come to this earth to make it abundantly
Speaker 1: clear that through faith in Him we can live forever,
Speaker 1: become part of the Kingdom of God, and rejoice in
Speaker 1: your presence always. Lord, we're grateful for these things. We're
Speaker 1: grateful for the reminders that we see in this portion
Speaker 1: of scripture that ultimately point our hearts toward Christ. And
Speaker 1: we're grateful for your love. Lord. We thank you for
Speaker 1: your presence with us today. We commit this day to
Speaker 1: your care, and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen,