International Baptist College is in a building program. Our property is being sold, development is taking place on our new property, and by the Grace of God we hope to be on this new property by the Fall of 2009—to the Glory of God!

Ancient Israel in the days of Nehemiah also had a building program. The wall of Jerusalem had been completed (Neh. 6:15). The prodigious task was a success due to the providential blessing of their God. Nehemiah 7 ends with the people in their cities (v. 73a). The second half of v. 73 really begins chapter 8. The seventh month, Tishri, shortly followed the completion of the walls on the 25th of the sixth month of Elul (6:15).

Was Nehemiah done with his task now that the people had physical protection? Hardly!. There was a far greater need for spiritual protection. The community needed spiritual revival. In Nehemiah 8, we see the importance of godly leadership, the changes brought by revival, the role of Scripture in revival, and the involvement of the people. From this point, Israel will no longer be primarily a people of the Temple; they now become “a people of the Book.” The place of the Scriptures in their lives has a prominent place from this point forward. We also see here development in what later became the Jewish synagogue services:

Assembly of the people, request for the reading of the Torah, opening of the scroll, the standing of the people, the praise of God by the leader, the response by the people, reading of the law, sermon instruction by oral explanation and exhortation, departure for a fellowship meal (Breneman, p. 224).

It is important to notice the prominent place that the people have here; the word “people” occurs thirteen times in 8:1-12 and the phrase “all the people” is found in nine of those references. If IBC expects to experience true revival, it cannot simply be a movement pushed by our leadership; all the people (even students) must take initiative! Completing a building program will not in itself make IBC a better college. Like Israel of old, IBC is and must remain a “People of the Book.” I suggest to you that the same is true for your church!

The people of Judah realized that though they now had physical protection with their completed wall, they desperately needed spiritual protection. They knew that they must begin to understand and obey God’s Word. Here we see two prominent groups in this movement: the people and the leaders.

The scene takes place not at the temple but in a large public square where all may comfortably stand and listen to Scripture—at the Water Gate (see at chapter 3). Such a public place is the kind of place where Solomon says “wisdom” pleads for people to listen (Prov. 1:20-21, 8:1ff). The Lord wants His voice heard not only in “the church” but also in the house and in the street (Deut. 6:6-8). The date was the Feast of Trumpets, the New Moon, and the New Year.

The People

The text shows that “All the People” of Judah had assembled here, that is men, women, and “all who could listen with understanding” (children). Not all in such a group could stand in the temple courts. Moreover, this movement was not dominated by the priesthood; from this time on the Book was even more important to them than the Temple. So for us, “the living power of the Bible should be more important than any church building” (Breneman, 224).

The People were very responsive to God; they were unified “as one man” (v. 1). Furthermore, they called for the reading of Scripture. This was the Law of Moses, not some new manifesto created at this time. It was the same Law that God had given to Israel (full divine authority).

Contrary to many liberal critics, Ezra was not committing some pious fraud here—giving his own oracles in the name of Moses—for he would have condemned himself in some of the words he used (Deut. 4:2 & 12:32). Moreover, the people listened attentively—literally, “the ears of the people were unto the Book of the Law” (v. 3). This book was likely the entire Pentateuch, and their leaders likely read portions from it; they could not have read the entire thing in six hours. There is no need to speculate that only legal portions, priestly portions, or Deuteronomy were involved. Certainly this book had been written long before this occasion since it had to be interpreted for the people.

Notice that they listened for six hours—that is from “light” (dawn) until midday. They listened with understanding (vv. 2, 3, 7, 8, & 12). Note especially v. 12 where the people rejoiced because “they understood the words which had been made known to them.” They also listened with reverence; the people stood (v. 5) when the book (scroll) was opened (unrolled) and evidently they remained standing throughout!

This reading of Scripture was worship for these people (v. 6). Notice their salutation (yearning)—the people lifted up their hands. Then they responded with “Amen, Amen!” affirming and submitting to the authority of the Bible. They then “bowed low and worshiped.” The idea is to prostrate oneself before an important person or deity—here before God! Their faces were “to the ground.” These two words often occur together: “bow low” and “prostrate, worship.” The people persevered in their worship: “The people remained in their place” (v. 7). They also did some heart searching (v. 9): “The people were weeping when they heard the words of the Law.”

The Leaders

The leaders consisted of Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites (v. 9). Many non-conservatives suggest that either Ezra or Nehemiah should be dropped from v. 9. The argument is that Nehemiah’s name is never found in Ezra and that up till now Ezra’s name has not been found in Nehemiah. They do not believe that the two men were contemporaries. However, the passage makes perfect sense the way it is written and where it is found. Why had Ezra not read from the Law earlier when this is what he was sent to do? Well, likely he had but we are not given full details. Moreover, the time was not right for such a full assembly until this point; the conditions were unsafe and there was much opposition from their enemies until after the wall was completed. Now they could safely gather. The governor called for the assembly; the Scribe and priest—Ezra—led the assembly; the Levites assisted in the assembly (see vv. 4, 7, & 9). Ezra was a well-qualified leader—a priest and scribe. Ezra 7:1-6 evidences his priestly lineage and also shows him to be “skilled in the Law of Moses.”

Ezra recognized the importance of preparing the environment in which the people would hear the Word of God. Therefore, he prepared a “pulpit”—literally a “tower;” a raised platform (v. 4). They gathered in a public place (vv. 1, 3) where there would be good visibility (v. 5). There Ezra “opened the book in the sight of all the people.” He could be easily seen and clearly heard because “he was standing above all the people.”

Ezra had helpers (vv. 4 & 7) who evidently were Levites both in v. 4 (not specified, but numerous names are found of Levites also in Neh. 3) and in v. 7—specified. One group of 13 (7 on left and 6 on right) evidently read from the Law. [Cf. Qur’an=“Recitation”; it comes from this Hebrew word.] The second group was dispersed throughout the crowd in order to help explain (interpret and/or translate) the law (v. 7). As People of the Book, we must be certain that those listening in the classroom or congregation understand what they are hearing.

We can learn a great deal from the methods used by Ezra and his helpers. For one thing, they used the authoritative Law of God—His Word. In addition, they persevered in reading/ teaching—for six hours! Teaching is a demanding task and takes much preparation for and time during the teaching in order to be effective. Ezra also recognized God (v. 6): “Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.” Note that he really was not venerating the scroll, but the God of the scroll. Fundamentalists are often accused of being “bibliolaters.” The teachers exerted themselves in order to make the Word clear to the people (vv. 7 & 8). Note that they explained the Law to the people (v. 7), and explained it in order to set forth understanding (v. 8).

These verses are not describing a Jewish Targum—such Jewish periphrastic commentaries were not yet available, not till considerably later. This probably involved some translation, but mostly explanation and clarification.

Moreover, the next day the teachers provided more intensified training with the leaders of the people (v. 13). Later, during the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles (v. 18), Ezra and the other teachers daily read from the Law to all the people. This reading was to happen every seventh year. Whether or not this was the seventh year, we do not know; but they determined that the people needed better training in the Scriptures.

The Lord sets a priority upon understanding His Word. As Derek Kidner in his commentary on Nehemiah states, “Mindless superstition was the mark of paganism…and had been the downfall of an apostate Israel (Hos. 4:6 ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge’)” (Kidner, 105). Again he says, “The whole occasion emphasizes the clarity and candor of God’s dealings with His people, and, not least, the contrast drawn elsewhere between His ministers and ‘the mediums and the wizards who chirp and mutter’ (cf. Is. 8:19f)” (Kidner, 107).

It takes hard work to properly communicate His Word! If we here at IBC or you in your church are to train successfully, we must be willing to take the time and exert the effort in order to be successful.

Conclusion

What are some of the Principles we can learn here from Neh. 8:1-8?

Please note that the building where we worship is not the key; the ministers are not the key; our contemporary techniques are not the key. Listening attentively and with understanding and communicating carefully and diligently with clarity are the keys. But what is it to which we are to listen, and what is it that we must so communicate? Only one thing: the Word of the Lord—the Law of our God.

We must also be a people of the Book! Why? Because the God who gave us this book is a “Great God.” It is the Lord we worship—not His Word. We reverence His Word because we reverence Him.

How much do we really love the Book? How much time do we spend? How diligent are we in attending to its teachings? Do we have the hunger for Him and His word as did Nehemiah, Ezra, the Levites, and the people of 444 BC?

Maybe we need to go through “captivity” like them so that we can really learn to appreciate what we have! Yes, we truly need revival, and it can begin only with the reading and understanding of the Book.

References:

Kidner, Derek. Ezra and Nehemiah, An Introduction and Commentary, Vol. 11 of Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1979.

Breneman, Mervin. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. Vol. 10 of New American Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 1993.