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More Nehemiah commentaries
Nehemiah 5:1-13
Nehemiah deals with oppression
Nehemiah 5:14-19
The Generosity of Nehemiah
Nehemiah 6:1-9
Conspiracy Against Nehemiah
Nehemiah 6:10-19
The Wall Completed
Nehemiah 7:1-38
The Captives Who Returned to Jerusalem
Nehemiah 7:39-73
The Living Link Between the Past and the Future
Nehemiah 8:1-12
Nehemiah Called for a “Bible conference”
Nehemiah 8:13-18
The Feast of Tabernacles
Nehemiah 9:1-8
The Greatness of God
Nehemiah 9:9-25
The Goodness of God When they Didn’t Deserve it
Nehemiah 9:26-31
The Results of Rebellion
Nehemiah 9:32-39
Slaves in Their Own Land
Nehemiah 10:1-31
The Agreement of The People
Nehemiah 10:32-39
Importance of Giving The First Fruits to God
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Nehemiah Called for a “Bible conference”
Nehemiah 8:1–12
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
An atheist complained to a friend because Christians had their special holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, and Jews celebrate their national holidays, such as Passover and Yom Kippur. “But we atheists,” he said, “have no recognized holidays. It’s unfair discrim … More
Nehemiah called for a “Bible conference” and invited Ezra, to be the teacher. Ezra was a scribe and a priest who had come to Jerusalem 13 years prior to Nehemiah. If God is to work through His people, they must respond positively to His Word. In this chapter three basic responses are described:
Assisted by the Levites, Nehemiah convinced the people to stop mourning and start celebrating. It is important to weep for sin, but we also need to celebrate what the Lord has done. They were to celebrate by having a feast of eating, drinking and sending their food and drink to the poor who did not have anything to celebrate with (v. 10).
Application
In order to celebrate the joy of the Lord I must believe what God says in His word and act upon it. Faith that is centered in the Word of God will produce joy that will weather the storms of life.
Nehemiah 8:1-12 (English Standard Version)
And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved." And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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