AWAITING!! Watching & Praying

Nehemiah 8:1  And all the people gathered themselves together

 as one man into the street that was before the water gate;  and

they spoke unto Ezra the Scribe to bring the Book of the Law of

Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel.  (Blessed

people!  They are asking for instructions from the Bible, and

they have an instinctive feeling that to hear God's Word will help

them.  Most definitely it did, and most definitely it will.)  2 And

Ezra the Priest brought the Law before the congregation both of

men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, 

upon the first day of the seventh month (Our October, the time

then of the Feast of Tabernacles).  3 And he read therein before

the street that was before the water gate from the morning until

midday (about 6 hours), before the men and the women, and

those who could understand;  and the ears of all the people were

 attentive unto the Book of the Law (the meaning is: "the ears of

all the people were to the Book," fixed on that, and on nothing

else).  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 (these men stood with Ezra,

evidently, to support him; how many are presently standing with

the man of God?).  5 And Ezra opened the Book in the sight of all

the people; (for he was above all the people [standing on an

upraised platform];)  and when he opened it, all the people stood

up (the Jews commonly sat to hear and stood up to pray; but in

hearing they occasionally stood up to do great honor to the

person or the occasion; it is not to be supposed that they stood

during the whole of the six hours that Ezra's reading lasted):  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 (very similar to modern worship, and we speak of

that which is truly of the Spirit).  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 (expounded it during

pauses in the reading ): and the people stood in their place (this

does not mean that the people stood all of this time, but that they

kept their place all of this time, whatever their posture).  8 So

they read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly, and gave the

sense, and caused them to understand the reading (identically as

true Preachers of the Gospel are to do presently;  this is

expository teaching, the only kind which will help people to

understand the Word; it simply means that the Scripture is read

and then explained).  9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha

(Governor), and Ezra the Priest the Scribe (who wrote the Book

of Ezra),  and the Levites who taught the people, said unto all the

people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God;  mourn not,

nor weep.  For all the people wept, when they heard the Words

of the Law (people wept, for they recognized how deeply they

had sinned against so loving a God; it was hearing the Words of

the Book that awoke them to this consciousness;  however, the

weeping, which was contrition for sin, now occasions joy, even as

it always does).  10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the

fat, and drink the sweet (in other words, rejoice in the Lord),

and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared

(share with those who have nothing):  for this day is holy unto

our LORD:  neither be ye sorry (the Lord has forgiven you, so

there is no more need to be sorry);  for the joy of the LORD is

your strength. ( They were now encouraged to rejoice, because

God was rejoicing in them. This was the joy that filled God's

heart because of their obedience, which meant both strength and

safety to them. If we presently follow their example, we too will

experience the Joy of the Lord, and it will be our strength. 

Remember, this is God's Joy, which we are privileged to share.) 

11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace,

for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.  12 And all the people

went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to

make great mirth, because they had understood the Words that

were declared unto them.

   [Explanations taken from Jimmy Swaggart Expositor Study Bible.]

 

              God's Joy is ours for the taking!  All you have to do is have

an open heart to hear His Word and obey it!!  This great

 Strength the Lord will impart unto you will enable you to live a

 victorious Christian life here in this present evil world.  Day to

day we are exposed to doom and gloom that is broadcasted on

 your news channels.  Why fill your spirit with that garbage? 

 Turn off your TV and turn on your Spiritual ears and hear the

 man of God.  Read the Bible and experience what the people in

 Nehemiah's day experienced.  They had a Revival simply

 because someone stood up, read and explained the Word of God

 to them. God sheltered them in His strength and safety, and you

 too can know the Joy of the Lord and He will be your strength! 

 Praise the Lord. Amen.

                 Sister Tracey