In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, … And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 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 worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground” and the priests and Levites “caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading”, and in chapter eight and verse nine of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “this day is holy unto the LORD your God” where we read,
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.
The verse reads, “And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “and Nehemiah” whose name means “Jehovah comforts and was the son of Hachaliah, cupbearer to king Artaxerxes, who became governor of Judah after the return from exile”, “which is the Tirshatha” or “who exists as the governor or deputy”, “and Ezra the priest the scribe” which means “and Ezra whose name means help who was the spiritual spokesman and leader as well as the one who recounted, rehearsed and enumerated”, “and the Levites” or “and the descendants belonging to Levi whose name means joined to and were specially set aside by God for His service” “that taught the people” which means “who gave understanding, discernment and perception to the human beings of Israel”. Nehemiah shared how he as the governor of the temple, “Ezra” who was a spiritual spokesman and leader and the descendants belonging to “Levi” gave instruction to the “people” of Israel.
The verse goes on to say, “... said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; ” Nehemiah continued with the words, “said unto all the people” or “uttered, declared and proclaimed to each, every, the whole and everyone of the human beings of Israel”, “this day is holy” which means “this particular sunrise to sunset exist as sacred” “unto the LORD” which means “to Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God” “your God” or “your, the people of Israel's, Supreme Deity”. Nehemiah shared how he, “Ezra and the Levites” told the people that the particular “day” or time they were within existed as sacred to Jehovah God who was their Supreme Deity.
Finally the verse says, “mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.” Nehemiah concluded this verse with the words, “mourn not” or “do not lament and bewail”, “nor weep” which means “no and not in any way shed tears and bemoan”. “For all the people wept” or “because, since and on account that each, every, the whole and everyone of the human beings of Israel cried”, “when they heard” which means “at the time and moment they, the people of Israel, perceived, understood and listened to” “the words of the law” or “the utterance, speech and decree pertaining to God's direction and instruction”. Nehemiah ended this verse by sharing how he, Ezra and the Levites told the people of Israel who gathered not to lament or shed tears because they cried at the time and moment they perceived the speeches and decrees pertaining to God's instruction.
When we consider Nehemiah's words in this verse, we see how “Ezra, the priests and the Levites” all contributed to the instruction of Jehovah God's word to the people of Israel. They told them that the particular sunrise to sunset in which they were living was “sacred” to Jehovah God who was their Supreme Deity, and they were not to lament or shed tears which were caused when they perceived what God said. God brought the people of Israel through Nehemiah and Ezra, and it was time for them to be “taught” His word so they might conduct themselves according to His ways rather than their own. God loves people, and He gave us His precepts and instruction so we might live the best life possible. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to be crucified on the cross for our sins, and He raised Him from the dead three days later so we may live with Him forever. When we put our faith and trust in Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life, wipe away our tears and teach us the value of learning His ways and following His will for our lives. (See Revelation 21:4)
Next time Nehemiah says, “go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet”, 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