Key Texts: Nehemiah 8:8; Joshua 1:8; John 5:39, 40
Study Focus: Nehemiah 8
The lesson centers on the importance of spending time in the Word of God. The leaders of Israel and the people demonstrate an incredible love for God and His Word as they spend many hours listening to Scripture read aloud. The events in this chapter occur on the seventh month (Tishri) of the year, which is significant because of three sacred days and festivals celebrated on the first, tenth, and fifteenth days of the month (Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles). Ezra and Nehemiah along with all the leaders called the people, including children, together on the first day, and the Levites began to read and explain the Word of God. The people listened for hours to the stories of their heritage, and God’s powerful presence and faithfulness toward them. The reading and explanation (and translation) provided by the Levites deeply touched the people. Hearing the messages from the books of Moses convicted them of their own sinfulness and God’s holiness, and they began to weep.
Nehemiah and the Levites encouraged the people not to weep or be sorrowful but to rejoice in the Lord because of His great love for them. Because of the prolonged reading of the Pentateuch, the people discovered that on the fifteenth day of the month they were to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Therefore, they assembled again to celebrate a forgotten and neglected festival with seven days of feasting. During this time, they lived in booths on the roofs and in the courtyards of their houses and throughout the city while they studied the Word of God. The eighth day culminated in a solemn assembly.
Part II: Commentary
Because Nehemiah 8–10 are written in the third-person point of view, instead of a first-person perspective, as applied throughout the rest of the book, it is possible that chapters 8–10 were put together as a theo- logical centerpiece that was intended as an explanation of the Israelites’ condition and their dedication to God. The activity of these chapters likely occurred after Nehemiah’s group arrived in Jerusalem. It is noteworthy that Ezra surfaces in chapter 8, as he is mentioned together with Nehemiah only in Nehemiah 8:9 and Nehemiah 12:26. It is clear that the theme of this literary unit of Nehemiah 8–10 is dedication to God through the reading of Scripture, confession, and renewal of the covenant. Ezra reappears in the narrative because, rather than building a physical structure, his role is to lead people to study the Word of God. Nehemiah 1–6 (as well as in Ezra 1–6) focus on building projects, but then the attention is directed to the building of God’s people (Nehemiah 7–13; also emphasized in Ezra 7–10). Nehemiah 8 demonstrates that the reading of the Word has a crucial place in wholeheartedly living in God’s presence.
Structure of Nehemiah 8
(A.) Book of the Law read (Neh. 8:1, 2)
(B.) People respond and worship the Lord (Neh. 8:3–6)
(C.) Understanding the reading (Neh. 8:7, 8)
(D.) This day is holy: do not mourn nor weep (Neh. 8:9)
(E.) The joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh. 8:10)
(D'). This day is holy: do not be grieved (Neh. 8:11, 12)
(C'). Found in the reading that they should dwell in booths (Neh. 8:13–15)
(B'). People respond and make booths (Neh. 8:16, 17)
(A'). Book of the Law read (Neh. 8:18)
Reading of the Word of God
The reading of the Word of God is an important concept in Nehemiah 8. It is incredible that the people listened to the reading for hours, “from morning till midday” (Neh. 8:3), approximately five to seven hours, which demonstrates their openness to hearing from God. However, this time was not just about listening to the reading but about understand- ing. In fact, “understanding” appears to be the most important concept of the chapter.
Throughout the chapter, the word bin, “to understand,” is repeated six times (see Neh. 8:2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 12). It is striking to see how often that word and concept occurs. The author intentionally repeats the idea of understanding again and again to draw our attention to it. Along with bin, the word sakhal is used twice and also means “to understand,” as well as “to be wise and prudent” and “to have under- standing, wisdom, and discretion” (Neh. 8:8, 13). From the beginning, it is stated that all who could “hear with understanding” (Neh. 8:2) were assembled, meaning adults and children old enough to compre- hend the Scriptures. The Word was not just to go in one ear and out the other. Instead, it was to have meaning and purpose in their lives, leading to greater wisdom, and to be transformative. Acquiring knowl- edge is not about storing beautiful concepts and information in our brains. Rather, knowledge is to impact our whole being.
The People’s Response
Amazingly, the words definitely impacted the assembly because they wept. What they heard from the Law influenced their understanding of God and in turn changed the way they viewed themselves and the world. Hearing God’s Word helps us to see things from God’s perspective and see ourselves as sinners. Sometimes people today, while reading the Old Testament, mistakenly think that individuals back then could not see a loving God. But we see from the passage here in Nehemiah that the opposite is true. Spending hours in the Word of God, reading about His mercy and mighty acts, did not push people away from God but rather convinced them of God’s love and merciful interventions. They realized that they were unfaithful, but that God was faithful. The beauty and power of Scripture is that, through it, God woos and pleads for us to turn to Him, showing us who He really is—the God who loves us and who does the maximum to save and restore us to Himself.
Time in God’s Word leads to personal and corporate revival. “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:12, 13, NKJV). Reading the Word aloud to the people has the effect of penetrating their hearts and minds; they respond with deep emotion. They feel sadness at their awareness over their sinful condition; but, in the end, they respond with great joy over who God is.
Another important theme found in this chapter is the role of the leaders in this revival. The transformation began with the leaders who called the assembly together as a response to God’s instruction in His Word. They most likely had been learning from Ezra and Nehemiah about God and had been impressed by the unwavering love and dedi- cation of these two leaders. The leadership capitalized on the oppor- tunity and facilitated the occasion. They followed God’s instructions and then put in place a structure for reaching the people through the reading. They did not leave things to chance but organized readers and “explainers” and translators of the Scriptures in order to maximize understanding.
The leaders’ desire to learn from Ezra also exhibits a teachable spirit and attitude. What a tragedy it is when people believe they know everything and do not need to learn from anyone else. Unfortunately, this attitude also excludes the willingness to be taught by the Holy Spirit. Being open to learn- ing from others and especially from God is a prerequisite for making a dif- ference for God in the world.
Joy of the Lord
The pinnacle, or center, of the chiastic structure of the chapter outlined on page 81 is Nehemiah 8:10, which also reiterates “this day is holy” and then proclaims, “Do not sorrow.” Why? “For the joy of the Lord is your strength [ma’oz]” (Neh. 8:10, NKJV). Three times the people are told not to be sad or grieved, but rather to “rejoice.” Maoz means “refuge, stronghold, and fortress.” It also is translated in Scripture as “protection,” but most often it is translated as “strength, stronghold, or refuge.” For instance, the psalm- ist writes about God as being maoz, our refuge and strength (Ps. 31:4, Ps. 37:39, Ps. 43:2, Ps. 52:7). The word for joy (khedwah) appears only twice in the Bible. The other instance is in 1 Chronicles 16:27 in the song of David praising God as the ark of the covenant is placed in the tabernacle: “splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy [khedwah] are in His place” (NASB).
The Feast of Trumpets began with the blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn), which signaled the beginning of preparation for the Day of Atonement; there- fore it was a time (10 days) of introspection and repentance.
Yet, Ezra and the Levites tell the people that they are to stop mourning and weeping, because the day is holy. Ezra tells the people that the joy that comes from the Lord is their strength, stronghold, and refuge. If they want to be firmly established and strong, then they need to have the “joy of the Lord.” Notice also that holiness and joy go together. The joy came from understand- ing that they were forgiven by God. This joy of the Lord was to be demon- strated through eating and drinking with their families, enjoying food and fellowship with one another. Additionally, they were to share food with those who did not have anything ready for a feast. There was time for introspec- tion during the 10 days leading up to the Day of Atonement. However, Ezra wants the people to understand that repentance is not the only thing necessary. Rejoicing in what God has done in providing salvation is equally important. They were not to forget the promise of salvation but to rejoice because of it.
Part III: Life Application
Ezra taught the people that strength for everyday life comes from rejoicing in the Lord. This precept almost seems too simple. How could it be that the most important solution for our daily problems is rejoicing in the Lord?
When we focus on rejoicing in the Lord no matter what is happening in our lives, we trust Him to be big enough to handle our problems. Such trust in God uplifts us and gives us the courage to face the day. It keeps us from moping around and pitying ourselves because of our circumstances. Instead, it keeps us focused on what God can do, and already has done, for us through the Cross.
Think of biblical individuals who had difficult circumstances in their lives and yet saw God carry them through their troubles. What can we learn from each instance?
How important is our attitude? Victor E. Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and an Austrian psychologist, wrote: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circum- stances, to choose one’s own way.”—Man’s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy (New York: Washington Square Press, 1963), p. 104. Do you agree or disagree with his state- ment? Discuss. Why does attitude make such a difference in our lives?
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Key Texts: Nehemiah 8:8; Joshua 1:8; John 5:39, 40
Study Focus: Nehemiah 8
The lesson centers on the importance of spending time in the Word of God. The leaders of Israel and the people demonstrate an incredible love for God and His Word as they spend many hours listening to Scripture read aloud. The events in this chapter occur on the seventh month (Tishri) of the year, which is significant because of three sacred days and festivals celebrated on the first, tenth, and fifteenth days of the month (Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles). Ezra and Nehemiah along with all the leaders called the people, including children, together on the first day, and the Levites began to read and explain the Word of God. The people listened for hours to the stories of their heritage, and God’s powerful presence and faithfulness toward them. The reading and explanation (and translation) provided by the Levites deeply touched the people. Hearing the messages from the books of Moses convicted them of their own sinfulness and God’s holiness, and they began to weep.
Nehemiah and the Levites encouraged the people not to weep or be sorrowful but to rejoice in the Lord because of His great love for them. Because of the prolonged reading of the Pentateuch, the people discovered that on the fifteenth day of the month they were to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Therefore, they assembled again to celebrate a forgotten and neglected festival with seven days of feasting. During this time, they lived in booths on the roofs and in the courtyards of their houses and throughout the city while they studied the Word of God. The eighth day culminated in a solemn assembly.
Part II: Commentary
Because Nehemiah 8–10 are written in the third-person point of view, instead of a first-person perspective, as applied throughout the rest of the book, it is possible that chapters 8–10 were put together as a theo- logical centerpiece that was intended as an explanation of the Israelites’ condition and their dedication to God. The activity of these chapters likely occurred after Nehemiah’s group arrived in Jerusalem. It is noteworthy that Ezra surfaces in chapter 8, as he is mentioned together with Nehemiah only in Nehemiah 8:9 and Nehemiah 12:26. It is clear that the theme of this literary unit of Nehemiah 8–10 is dedication to God through the reading of Scripture, confession, and renewal of the covenant. Ezra reappears in the narrative because, rather than building a physical structure, his role is to lead people to study the Word of God. Nehemiah 1–6 (as well as in Ezra 1–6) focus on building projects, but then the attention is directed to the building of God’s people (Nehemiah 7–13; also emphasized in Ezra 7–10). Nehemiah 8 demonstrates that the reading of the Word has a crucial place in wholeheartedly living in God’s presence.
Structure of Nehemiah 8
Reading of the Word of God
The reading of the Word of God is an important concept in Nehemiah 8. It is incredible that the people listened to the reading for hours, “from morning till midday” (Neh. 8:3), approximately five to seven hours, which demonstrates their openness to hearing from God. However, this time was not just about listening to the reading but about understand- ing. In fact, “understanding” appears to be the most important concept of the chapter.
Throughout the chapter, the word bin, “to understand,” is repeated six times (see Neh. 8:2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 12). It is striking to see how often that word and concept occurs. The author intentionally repeats the idea of understanding again and again to draw our attention to it. Along with bin, the word sakhal is used twice and also means “to understand,” as well as “to be wise and prudent” and “to have under- standing, wisdom, and discretion” (Neh. 8:8, 13). From the beginning, it is stated that all who could “hear with understanding” (Neh. 8:2) were assembled, meaning adults and children old enough to compre- hend the Scriptures. The Word was not just to go in one ear and out the other. Instead, it was to have meaning and purpose in their lives, leading to greater wisdom, and to be transformative. Acquiring knowl- edge is not about storing beautiful concepts and information in our brains. Rather, knowledge is to impact our whole being.
The People’s Response
Amazingly, the words definitely impacted the assembly because they wept. What they heard from the Law influenced their understanding of God and in turn changed the way they viewed themselves and the world. Hearing God’s Word helps us to see things from God’s perspective and see ourselves as sinners. Sometimes people today, while reading the Old Testament, mistakenly think that individuals back then could not see a loving God. But we see from the passage here in Nehemiah that the opposite is true. Spending hours in the Word of God, reading about His mercy and mighty acts, did not push people away from God but rather convinced them of God’s love and merciful interventions. They realized that they were unfaithful, but that God was faithful. The beauty and power of Scripture is that, through it, God woos and pleads for us to turn to Him, showing us who He really is—the God who loves us and who does the maximum to save and restore us to Himself.
Time in God’s Word leads to personal and corporate revival. “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:12, 13, NKJV). Reading the Word aloud to the people has the effect of penetrating their hearts and minds; they respond with deep emotion. They feel sadness at their awareness over their sinful condition; but, in the end, they respond with great joy over who God is.
Another important theme found in this chapter is the role of the leaders in this revival. The transformation began with the leaders who called the assembly together as a response to God’s instruction in His Word. They most likely had been learning from Ezra and Nehemiah about God and had been impressed by the unwavering love and dedi- cation of these two leaders. The leadership capitalized on the oppor- tunity and facilitated the occasion. They followed God’s instructions and then put in place a structure for reaching the people through the reading. They did not leave things to chance but organized readers and “explainers” and translators of the Scriptures in order to maximize understanding.
The leaders’ desire to learn from Ezra also exhibits a teachable spirit and attitude. What a tragedy it is when people believe they know everything and do not need to learn from anyone else. Unfortunately, this attitude also excludes the willingness to be taught by the Holy Spirit. Being open to learn- ing from others and especially from God is a prerequisite for making a dif- ference for God in the world.
Joy of the Lord
The pinnacle, or center, of the chiastic structure of the chapter outlined on page 81 is Nehemiah 8:10, which also reiterates “this day is holy” and then proclaims, “Do not sorrow.” Why? “For the joy of the Lord is your strength [ma’oz]” (Neh. 8:10, NKJV). Three times the people are told not to be sad or grieved, but rather to “rejoice.” Maoz means “refuge, stronghold, and fortress.” It also is translated in Scripture as “protection,” but most often it is translated as “strength, stronghold, or refuge.” For instance, the psalm- ist writes about God as being maoz, our refuge and strength (Ps. 31:4, Ps. 37:39, Ps. 43:2, Ps. 52:7). The word for joy (khedwah) appears only twice in the Bible. The other instance is in 1 Chronicles 16:27 in the song of David praising God as the ark of the covenant is placed in the tabernacle: “splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy [khedwah] are in His place” (NASB).
The Feast of Trumpets began with the blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn), which signaled the beginning of preparation for the Day of Atonement; there- fore it was a time (10 days) of introspection and repentance.
Yet, Ezra and the Levites tell the people that they are to stop mourning and weeping, because the day is holy. Ezra tells the people that the joy that comes from the Lord is their strength, stronghold, and refuge. If they want to be firmly established and strong, then they need to have the “joy of the Lord.” Notice also that holiness and joy go together. The joy came from understand- ing that they were forgiven by God. This joy of the Lord was to be demon- strated through eating and drinking with their families, enjoying food and fellowship with one another. Additionally, they were to share food with those who did not have anything ready for a feast. There was time for introspec- tion during the 10 days leading up to the Day of Atonement. However, Ezra wants the people to understand that repentance is not the only thing necessary. Rejoicing in what God has done in providing salvation is equally important. They were not to forget the promise of salvation but to rejoice because of it.
Part III: Life Application
Ezra taught the people that strength for everyday life comes from rejoicing in the Lord. This precept almost seems too simple. How could it be that the most important solution for our daily problems is rejoicing in the Lord?
When we focus on rejoicing in the Lord no matter what is happening in our lives, we trust Him to be big enough to handle our problems. Such trust in God uplifts us and gives us the courage to face the day. It keeps us from moping around and pitying ourselves because of our circumstances. Instead, it keeps us focused on what God can do, and already has done, for us through the Cross.