Daily Devotions
July 25th, 2011 by Pastor SolleyNehemiah 8:1–8
And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
Here we see the people of God coming apart and together to hear the preaching of the Word of God and God giving them understanding. How rare this is today. That may seem like an odd statement considering yesterday was the Lord’s day, churches were open and services were held. But how many like the one above? In how many churches did all the people desire to hear the Word of God, were all the people attentive to the Word of God, did all the people receive understanding of the Word of God? Ho many bowed in submission to the Word of God? How shouted an “Amen” to the preaching of the Word? In most churches across America preaching has grown stale and falls on deaf ears. My friend that ought not to be. How was your preaching service yesterday? Did you really desire to be there, were you attentive to the Word, did God give you something because you were ready to receive? Why are we so lacking today? Some is the fault of he preaching and some id the fault of those who gather to hear. Let us get back to the example of the book of Nehemiah before it is too late.