Eat the Fat and Drink the Sweet - Nehemiah 8:10

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah wrote, “And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that 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”, and in chapter eight and verse ten of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet” where we read,

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be you sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

The verse reads, “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared:” Nehemiah began with the words, “then he said unto them” which means “at that time, he, Nehemiah, uttered declared and proclaimed to the people of Israel who gathered”,  “go your way” or “leave and depart”, “eat the fat” which means “consume and devour the prepared and fertile food”, “and drink the sweet” or “and imbibe the sweetness or sweet things”, “and send portions unto them” which means “and stretch out, direct and extend to the people” “for whom nothing is prepared” or “that have not one thing, parts or food established, firmly fixed, arranged and settled”. Nehemiah shared how he instructed the people of Israel who assembled to depart, consume food and imbibe sweetness while they share some food with others who do not have anything to eat. 

The verse continues, “for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be you sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah added the words, “for this day is holy” or “because, since and on account that that particular day existed as sacred” “unto our Lord” which means “to Yahweh or the reverend name for Jehovah God”: “neither be you sorry” which means “no and not in any manner exist you, the people of Israel, as pained, grieved, displeased, vexed and tortured”; “for the joy of the LORD” or “because, since and on account that the gladness and rejoicing belonging to Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God” “is your strength” which means “exists as your, the people of Israel's, might, power and ability”. Nehemiah declared that particular sunrise to sunset to exist as set apart and sacred to God, and they were not to exist as vexed and tortured because the gladness and rejoicing belonging to Jehovah God was their power, might and ability. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah how the time for hearing the instruction of the LORD had closed, and now the people of Israel were to depart, consume food, imbibe sweetened drink and give to others who did not have provisions. The “day” was set apart and sacred to God, and the people were not to be vexed because Jehovah God's gladness and rejoicing was their might and ability. God wants us to relate to Him, and He wants to relate to us. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and He raised Him from the dead three days later, because our sins separated us from Him. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His “joy and gladness” within our souls so we shall be vexed and tortured no more. 

Next time Nehemiah shares how, “the Levites stilled all the people”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".