In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared how, “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. 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. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be you grieved”, and in chapter eight and verse twelve of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said,“all the people went their way to eat, and to drink” where we read,
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.
The verse reads, “And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “and all the people” which means “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the human beings of Israel departed, proceeded and left” “went their way to eat” or “departed on their, the people of Israel's, pathway to consume and devour food”, “and to drink” which means “and to imbibe”, “and to send portions” or “and to stretch out, extend and let loose of parts and divisions”, “and to make great mirth” which means “and to fashion, accomplish and produce large, important and mighty joy, gaiety and pleasure”. Nehemiah shared how the people departed and left to consume food and imbibe drink, to dispatch divisions of food and drink as they produced abundant joy, gaiety and pleasure.
The verse continues, “... because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.” Nehemiah added the words, “because they had understood the words” or “since and on account that they, the people of Israel, discerned, perceived and gave heed to the utterances, declarations and proclamations” “that were declared” which means “which were discriminated, distinguished, recognized and confessed” “unto them” or “to them, the people of Israel”. Nehemiah said the reason the people of Israel were able to “eat, drink, share and accomplish gaiety and pleasure was on account that they discerned the proclamations given to them.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah that the people of Israel were to remove themselves from their assembly and eat, drink, share with others and make pleasurable gaiety”. Rather than continue in their sorrow over violating the law of God, they were set free to enjoy their lives. God wants to set us free from the bondage of sin, and when we yield to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected from the dead after three days, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and liberate us to eat, drink, share with others and to enjoy His presence forever. (See Romans 6:18-22)
Next time Nehemiah shares how, “the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers”, 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".
No comments:
Post a Comment