Restored and Renewed
May 25
NEH. 8:1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one
man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake
unto Ez'ra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Mo'ses, which
the Lord had commanded to Is'ra-el.
2 And Ez'ra the priest brought the law before the congregation both
of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon
the first day of the seventh month.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water
gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women,
and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were
attentive unto the book of the law.
5 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:
6 And Ez'ra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people
answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up
their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord
with their faces to the ground.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the
fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Le'vites, unto Ez'ra
the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded by
Mo'ses, that the children of Is'ra-el should dwell in booths in the
feast of the seventh month.
17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the
captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days
of Jesh'u-a the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of
Is'ra-el done so. And there was very great gladness.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in
the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and
on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
TIME: 445 B.C. PLACE: Jerusalem
Introduction
When Billy Graham spoke on Founder's Day at Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary on 4 April 1989, he said, "We've lost sight of
the fact that some things are always right and some things are
always wrong. We've lost our reference point. We don't have any
moral philosophy to under gird our way of life in this country, and
our way of life is in serious jeopardy and serious danger unless
something happens. And that something must be a spiritual revival"
(Christianity Today, vol. 33, no. 9). There is repeatedly a need for
a time of spiritual renewal. That is not a phenomenon of today only;
it has been true for as long as mankind has occupied the earth.
Spiritual renewal will not occur apart from the preaching of God's
Word. It has always been true that "faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). This is what prompted a
gathering of the Jews shortly after the walls of Jerusalem were
completed. It was time for spiritual renewal for everyone.
LESSON OUTLINE
I. SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION-Neh. 8:1-3,5-6
II. PRACTICAL APPLICATION-Neh. 8:13-14,17-18
SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION
Gathering in the street (Neh. 8:1). The wall of Jerusalem was
completed on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, which was the sixth month
of the year. On the first day of the seventh month, Tishri, there
was a gathering in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 7:73 says that the people had
settled in their various cities, but an important meeting needed to
be held so that the teaching that Ezra had been giving them prior to
Nehemiah's arrival could continue. They came to Jerusalem so that
they could hear more about God and His will and ways. The first day
of Tishri was the first day of the Feast of Trumpets, which signaled
the beginning of the civil new year (Lev. 23:23-24). The gathering
took place in the open square in front of the Water Gate, which is
thought to have been the gate on the east side of Jerusalem leading
to the Gihon Spring. At that time Ezra was asked to bring out the
book of the law of Moses, implying that they wanted him to read and
explain it to them. Though Ezra had been there since 458 B.C., this
is the first time he is mentioned in this book. They gathered "as
one man" (Neh. 8:1), indicating the sense of unity that was felt
among these returned captives. They had been through a lot together
and had profited from the difficulties by experiencing national
unity. On this occasion everyone appeared to be interested and open
to what God wanted of them. As we know from Israel's history, this
was one of only a few times when this could be said about them. The
book they wanted to hear was the one "which the Lord had commanded
to Israel." They recognized the true Author of this book.
This must have been a joyful time for Ezra, "for Ezra had prepared
his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in
Israel statutes and judgments" (Ezra 7:10). He had been called upon
to do what he loved the most, and no doubt he anticipated a
wonderful response in the hearts of his listeners.
Reading from the book of the law (Neh. 8:2-3). Ezra is
referred to as "a ready scribe in the law of Moses" (Ezra 7:6),
meaning he was a teacher of the law. Even King Artaxerxes recognized
his expertise. When Ezra left Persia to return to Judah, the king
gave a letter to "Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the
words of the commandments of the Lord, and of his statutes to
Israel" (vs. 11). It said, "Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the
priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven" (vs. 12).
Artaxerxes' respect for Ezra was so great that we also read, "And I,
even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers
which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the
scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be
done speedily" (Ezra 7:21). Ezra was a descendant of Eleazer, the
third son of Aaron, which is the lineage that put him in the
position of priest (vss. 1-5). Besides this physical qualification,
he was also highly learned in his knowledge of the Mosaic law. It
was no wonder that the people of Judah had such great confidence in
Ezra and desired him to read and explain the law to them. It is
always true that when people hunger for an understanding of God's
Word, they look for someone with this kind of knowledge to help
them. There is something to be said for skilled and well-trained
teachers. It is a wise Christian who finds a church where the Word
of God is clearly taught and who also makes a wise investment in
quality commentaries to guide him into a deeper understanding.
Deuteronomy 31:9-13 is a highly instructive passage concerning what
these people were doing. After Moses had finished writing the law,
he presented it to the priests and all the elders of Israel. He
instructed them that at the end of every seven years they should
gather the people for a reading of this law. It was to happen at the
Feast of Tabernacles (Booths), which was also in the month Tishri,
beginning on the fifteenth day. The Day of Atonement was on the
tenth day, making Tishri a month of highly significant religious
activity. While it appears on the surface that this gathering could
have been spontaneous, a realization of the significance of the
month leads us to think instead that it must have been highly
organized. Not only were the people grateful to be back in their
homeland, but they were also determined to follow the Lord in the
reestablishment of their worship. Ezra read from morning until
midday, and the crowd included "men and women, and all that could
hear with understanding" (Neh. 8:2). This grouping is mentioned in
both of these verses.
Responding to the book's teachings (Neh. 8:5-6). Ezra stood
on a wooden platform accompanied by thirteen assistant teachers, who
were probably Levites (vs. 4). This put him in an elevated position
from which he could be more easily heard. There, in the sight of all
the people, Ezra opened the book of the law of Moses and read. This
was probably a five- or six-hour time of reading, and the people
listened intently the entire time (vs. 3). What does this say about
us when we get restless if the worship service goes too long? We
should never take for granted the privilege of reading and hearing
God's Word. "Reading the Word of God is a very important part of
communicating God's Word to God's people. Public Scripture reading
was a regular part of the worship services in Israel and in the
early church. Today we are blessed above all people in history, for
not only does nearly everyone know how to read, but there also are
enough copies of the Bible available so that everyone may have a
personal copy" (Jakes, ed., The New Open Bible Study Edition,
Nelson). Ezra unrolled a scroll instead of opening a book the way we
do. As he did so, the people stood up because of their respect for
the Word of God, which was about to be read. What an example for us!
Some churches follow this practice of standing when the Scriptures
are read. There are students who carry the Bible with them and
always make sure it is the book on top of the stack. There are those
who make certain that nothing ever gets set on top of the Bible,
such as coffee cups or other books. Anything we do to show respect
is good. Ezra's show of respect came as he "blessed the Lord, the
great God" (Neh. 8:6). The word that has been translated "blessed"
means "to kneel," implying blessing God by showing Him adoration.
Whatever Ezra said and did at that moment caused a spontaneous
response of "Amen, Amen" from the people as they lifted their hands,
bowed their heads, and then worshiped God by bowing low with their
faces to the ground. This was a deeply emotional time of sincere
praise and worship for both people and priest. This expression of
submission to God and respect for His Word probably occurred before
Ezra began reading. Prostrating themselves was a display of humility
before a sovereign God. Such depth of sincerity should present a
challenge to us to examine our hearts to see whether we have a
similar respect. While it is a great blessing to be able to own
personal copies of God's Word, it is also tragic that with such a
proliferation of copies, we can all too easily take it for granted
and treat it as common.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Discovering a neglected ritual (Neh. 8:13-14). The time of
reading the law was meant to be as instructive as possible. Verse 8
says they "read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave
the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." It caused the
people to weep (vs. 9), so Nehemiah had to encourage them to rejoice
instead (vss. 10-12). This response reveals that the people
recognized how they had fallen short of God's demands, but it also
indicates true repentance, which leads to joy. The next day all the
leaders returned for more instruction. Apparently the crowds of
common people had gone home, but this was probably still a
significantly large group. Once again they gathered with their
teacher, Ezra, to learn more. They were responding positively to
what they had heard the day before and wanted to be certain they
would be the right kind of leaders for the people. It was right for
them to receive further instruction, because they could then reach
more people than Ezra could personally. We should note that those
gathered on the second day included more than just the religious
leaders. The phrase "chief of the fathers of all the people" in
Nehemi ah 8:13 probably refers to the heads o the various clans or
families. It was this group that discovered something important.
They found out that God had commanded through Moses that His people
were to dwell in booths during the feast to be held in the month
Tishri (the seventh month). This was the Feast of Tabernacles,
sometimes referred to as the Feast of Booths (Lev. 23:33-43).
"Another response of the people was their celebrating the Feast of
Tabernacles. The sequence in chapter 8 is striking: intellectual
response to the Word (w. 1 -8), emotional response to the Word (w.
9-12), and volitional response to the Word (w. 13-18)" (Walvoord and
Zuck, eds., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Victor). This was a
feast to commemorate the forty years of wilderness wanderings that
had been a significant part of Israel's history. Living in temporary
huts during the feast reminded them of those days of living in
tents. The Exodus remains one of the most important events in the
history of Israel. It was the fulfillment of a promise made to
Abraham that specifically said his descendants would live in a
foreign land for four hundred years, after which they would return
to the land God promised him (Gen. 15:13-16). If any event shows
definitely the power of God to act on behalf of His own, this one
does. The annual Feast of Tabernacles was to serve as a reminder of
God's ability to do for Israel what He promised.
Enjoying the return to God's commands (Neh. 8:17-18). Israel
had observed the Feast of Tabernacles regularly, but what was a
revelation to them at this time was the reminder that they were to
build and dwell in booths during that time. The command had been
clear: "Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine
branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of
thick trees, to make booths, as it is written" (vs. 15). As soon as
this was known to them, the people obeyed (vs. 16). The result was
that the entire assembly of people built booths and lived in them
throughout this observance of the feast. It was the first time since
the days of Joshua that the practice had been followed. Their
obedience resulted in a tremendous burst of gladness, or glee.
"Glee" is described in The American Heritage Dictionary as "jubilant
delight; joy." It was the kind of joy that overflows from the heart
and must be expressed. The joy that Nehemiah had encouraged on the
first day of Tishri became reality. The Feast of Tabernacles spanned
the fifteenth through the twenty-second of Tishri. From the second
day of the month, when the leaders had gathered to learn more, there
was a period of about two weeks to prepare for this feast. This was
ample time for the building of their booths, and we assume that this
was done by all the people, not just the leaders. For seven days
everyone participated in the feast, and every day Ezra read to them
from the book of the law of God. The time of celebration ended with
a special gathering on the last day. This too had been included in
the instructions given through Moses (Lev. 23:36). It was the last
day of the feast and meant to be climactic. It reminds us of the
playing of a great symphony, in which there are various melodies and
movements but which at a certain point rises to a great, climactic
crescendo. Oswald Smith's song "Joy in Serving Jesus" captures the
idea that these Israelites realized: "There is joy in serving Jesus,
/ As I journey on my way, / Joy that fills the heart with praises, /
Every hour and every day." The joy of which we have read does not
need to be relegated to ancient Israel. It can be ours as well, and
it comes from obedience to God's Word. Spiritual renewal is
sometimes the key to the return of joy in the heart.
QUESTIONS
1. Where did the people of Judah gather on the first day of Tishri,
and where had they come from?
2. Who was the person the people looked to, what did they want him
to do, and why would this have been so pleasing to him?
3. How far did King Artaxerxes' respect for Ezra go?
4. How does Ezra's teaching apply to searching for a church today?
5. In what way did the people show respect for God's Word, and how
long did this continue?
6. How did the people respond when Ezra expressed his respect for
the Lord and His Word?
7. What was the people's initial reaction to hearing the Word of God
read? Why?
8. What did the leaders of Judah realize as they listened to Ezra on
the second day of reading?
9. What was the significance of the Feast of Tabernacles?
10. What did the people do in response to their leaders, and what
resulted from their obedience?
Preparing to Teach the Lesson
The wall around Jerusalem had been complete a few days when the Jews
gathered together to celebrate the first day of the Jewish civil
year and the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles (Neh. 6:15; 7:73;
8:1). Ezra the scribe (scholar) and priest was asked to bring the
law of God given to Moses and read it. This brought about a
spiritual revival among God's people.
TODAY'S AIM
Facts: to describe how Ezra's reading of God's law caused the
Jews in Jerusalem to be inspired and reinstitute the Festival of
Booths.
Principle: to be aware that the entrance of God's words gives
light and understanding (Ps. 119:130).
Application: to encourage people to assemble to study God's
Word, including attendance at special conferences and camp meetings.
INTRODUCING THE LESSON
A study of the development of God's people throughout the long
history of the Jewish odyssey and the Christian church reveals that
when attention is given to God's Word and when it has been kept in
mind and followed, progress is made. When it is neglected or
disobeyed, backsliding is inevitable, and judgment follows.
Our lesson text describes a high point in spiritual development
among the Jews of Jerusalem. It superseded their material advance in
rebuilding the city and focused their attention on what was really
important—keeping God's law.
DEVELOPING THE LESSON
1. Reading (Neh. 8:1-3). It was important for the Jews to
physically come from their outlying communities and gather in
Jerusalem. They did not have the technological advantages of
communication that we enjoy today. All who were capable of
understanding what was to be read came together in the street before
the gate where water was brought in from the Gihon Spring in the
Kidron Valley. Ezra must have had a powerful voice to be heard by
the crowd without the public address systems we have in our time. He
had endurance too, for he read from morning to midday, although
there seem to have been pauses (Neh. 8:6).
Discuss with your class the many modern-day means we have to
proclaim God's Word around the globe. What advantages does this
capability provide for us?
2. Reaction (Neh. 8:5-6). Ezra "opened the book in the sight
of all the people." Note that he was up on a platform above everyone
except the thirteen men beside him (vs. 4). We assume that it was
actually a scroll containing the law of Moses that he unrolled. The
reaction of the people who were listening was positive. They stood
up when Ezra opened the scroll. They heard him bless the Lord, and
they responded with amens and by lifting their hands, bowing their
heads, and prostrating themselves on the ground. Some of these
actions are still practiced by believers when they worship God
today. There were individuals who took time to explain the law of
God to the people. Some mourned over having neglected it, but they
were told not to grieve but to rejoice (Neh. 8:7-12).
3. Requirement (Neh. 8:13-14). It was on the second day of
assembly that elders, priests, and Levites came together to hear
Ezra explain more fully the meaning of the law of God that he had
read to all the people. It was at this time that they learned about
the requirement of dwelling in booths at the Feast of Tabernacles.
Have your students turn to Leviticus 23:23-44 to see this. It is
also confirmed in Ezra 3:4-5, which tells of a celebration when the
Jews first returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. If you compare
Leviticus 23:40 with Nehemiah 8:15-16, you will see the types of
branches that were to be used in making the booths and where they
were to be placed. A Christian practice in America that is somewhat
comparable to the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles is camp meetings. Have
your class talk about the blessings a few days at an annual camp
meeting can produce, and see whether you can recommend any for this
coming summer.
4. Restoration (Neh. 8:17-18). At this point, all of the
people who came to Jerusalem made booths and sat under them. This
had evidently not been done in the same spirit since the time of
Joshua. Those involved had a week of great gladness. Each day the
people learned more about the law of God. The week was capped off on
the eighth day with a "solemn assembly," a closing ceremony. There
is much to be said in favor of concentrated periods of studying
God's Word. Sometimes more is accomplished by a week of Bible
conference, Vacation Bible School, an intensive Bible study course,
or some other program than by several weeks, months, or a year of
regular Bible reading.
ILLUSTRATING
THE LESSON
The returned exiles knew little about how to worship God properly.
When Ezra read the law, it was as if they had been living in
darkness and now were receiving light.
CONCLUDING THE LESSON
The Feast of Tabernacles was but one of several festivals held each
year by Jewish people. Of those feasts Passover, the Feast of Weeks,
and the Feast of Tabernacles drew the people from outlying parts of
Judea into their capital of Jerusalem and became helpful in
promoting spiritual, educational, and social development. The
children were especially impressed by the occasions and their
participation in the feasts. Discuss with your class the
possibilities of having not only regular, ongoing programs in your
church but also special events at various times. These could be
sponsored either by the local church or in combination with other
churches within a denomination or interdenominational.
ANTICIPATING THE NEXT LESSON
Next week begins a quarter focusing on the images of Christ found in
the book of Hebrews, in the Gospels, and, according to the book of
James, in believers. (Have the students start the study of this
section by reading Hebrews 1:1-4, 8-12).
PRACTICAL POINTS
1. If revival is to come, God's Word must be taken seriously (Neh.
8:1).
2. A strong church will be founded on spiritually strong families (vss.
2-3).
3. We should constantly thank God for the Bible and never take it
for granted (vs. 5).
4. The quality of our worship is directly related to our commitment
to Scripture (vs. 6).
5. We will never be disappointed if we truly desire to understand
the Bible (vss. 13-14).
6. Knowledge of God's commands demands obedience to them (vss.
17-18).
RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION
1. What do you think were the keys to the revival that is described
in Ne-hemiah 8?
2. How would you describe your personal commitment to reading and
understanding the Bible? How can you be more consistent and
encourage others in their Bible reading?
3. How important is the public reading of Scripture in our worship (Neh.
8:3; cf. I Tim. 4:13)? How can we make it more meaningful?
4. What are the elements of genuine worship (Neh. 8:6)?
5. Why was it so important that the Jews celebrate the Feast of
Booths, or Tabernacles (Neh. 8:14, 17; cf. Lev. 23:39-43)?
6. Why are both joy (Neh. 8:17) and solemnity (vs. 18) appropriate
responses of worship?
ILLUSTRATED HIGH POINTS
And those that could understand
The church was located in a small New England town and had a small
congregation. The pastor encouraged the children to sit up front in
the first three pews.
Perhaps he desired to see someone up front, for, as in most
churches, the congregation tended to gravitate to the back. Perhaps
he imagined that with those bright, smiling faces, the children were
drinking in his fascinating sermon. The fact of the matter was that
the older ones taught the younger ones how to read their Sunday
school take-home paper and play games during the message. On many
Sundays the children's bodies were present, but their minds were
somewhere else. At another church, the pastor's wife took the
children out during the sermon. She used a copy of the pastor's
sermon notes to explain the morning message. Children can comprehend
if we give them the opportunity.
First day unto the last day
The question is asked, "How much of the law was Ezra able to read?"
The biblical answer is that we do not know. We are not completely
sure how many hours were involved in "from the morning until midday"
(Neh. 8:3) or how much time was involved in causing the "people to
understand" (vs. 7). It was probably possible for Ezra to read the
entire five books of Moses in the time allotted. True comprehension,
however, needs more time for absorbing the words and meditating on
the truth. Thus, the goal of reading through the Bible in a year
makes a lot of practical sense. It can be done by simply reading
five chapters every Sunday and three chapters each day the rest of
the week.
Golden Text Illuminated
"He read therein ... before the men and the women, and those that
could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto
the book of the law" (Nehemiah 8:3).
Sometimes when we get caught up in some great project for the
Lord, we forget the whole purpose of it all. No doubt Nehemiah did
not want that to happen with the people of Jerusalem as they
finished rebuilding the walls of the city. In his concern to rebuild
the nation spiritually, he had an ally in Ezra. How sad it would
have been if after all the work of construction in Jerusalem, the
Israelites had disregarded their covenant relationship with God!
Thankfully, the people of Israel wanted to hear and understand God's
law. Perhaps in this case their work had quickened their hearts and
made them love God more. Ezra proceeded to read the law of God to
the people. There are key indications that the people were serious
in their pursuit of God. First, as another part of Nehemiah 8:3
reveals to us, the people listened for a long time. Ezra read "from
the morning until midday," or for about half the day. We might ask
ourselves how we would hold up in such a session! A second
indication of seriousness is that everyone, both men and women,
listened. Even children who were old enough to understand what was
being said were present. At least at this moment in their history,
the people of Judah had an admirable concern for the spiritual
training of their children. The people's desire to hear God's law
was encouraging. As Alexander Maclaren explained, the "earnest wish
to know God's will ... is never cherished in vain. He who does not
intend to obey does not wish to know the law. If we have no longing
to know what the will of the Lord is, we may be very sure that we
prefer our own to his" (Expositions of Holy Scripture, George H.
Do-ran). The point here is that when we are in a healthy
relationship, we desire to learn what pleases the other person and
then do it. Sin causes a breach in our relationship with God. We
usually do not want to hear what God's Word says at such times
because it convicts us of our waywardness. The people of Judah
evidently wanted to forsake their sin and pursue a closer walk with
God. The golden text should prompt us to consider whether we have a
similar desire to hear and study God's Word. Attending to God's Word
should not be a matter of boring, grudging duty. We should share the
spirit of the psalmist, who declared, "Therefore I love thy
commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold" (Ps. 119:127). In our
world today we are confronted by many distractions. Unless it
involves a sporting event or some other form of entertainment, our
collective attention span seems to get ever shorter. Amid the clamor
and fast pace of modern life, God's people need a strong measure of
faith to continue a diligent pursuit of learning from God's Word. No
matter what the world offers to our physical senses, the eyes of
faith point us to where our eternal interests lie. We may never be
called on to listen to God's Word for half a day at a time. But
perhaps God will work in our hearts so that the world will take
notice of our strong desire to know Him better.
Heart of the Lesson
Finally both the temple and the walls of Jerusalem had been rebuilt.
The people of the city had obeyed God, but something more was still
needed—not a physical structure but a spiritual identity. The people
needed to embrace for themselves God's covenant with Israel.
1. God's message through Scripture (Neh. 8:1-3). In the
seventh month, the scribe Ezra gathered the people in a square of
the city and read Scripture to them, most likely from the books of
Moses. Although the listeners were Jewish, they may not have been
very familiar with these Scriptures. Since the return from exile,
the people had struggled along with little prosperity. Without the
security of city walls, there may have been little happening in the
way of schooling. Possibly the only religious instruction many had
received came from their parents. And, of course, in those days
people did not have Scripture scrolls in their homes.
For those standing in the finally enclosed Jerusalem, the reading of
the Scripture may thus have been a first-time hearing. Whether that
was the case or not, however, the people listened attentively.
Being attentive to the Word of God is important for us too.
Scripture is still the primary means through which God communicates
with us today.
2. The people's response through worship (Neh. 8:5-6). At
first glance, the action in verses 5-6 sounds as if it came before
Ezra's reading of the Scripture recorded in verse 3, because,
obviously, Ezra could not have read the Scripture without first
opening the book. But that was probably a second opening, a ritual
act in which the scroll was held aloft and extended to the people as
a symbolic offering of God's
Word to the congregation after hearing the Scriptures. The fact that
Ezra "blessed the Lord" suggests that he understood his action as a
religious ritual as well.
In any case, the people responded with "Amen" and bowed in worship.
Given God's clear commands that Israel worship no God but Him and
make no idols representing anything (Exod. 20:2-5), it is unlikely
that the people thought that they were worshiping the Scripture with
this action. Rather, they were worshiping the Lord, whose words were
delivered to them through the Scriptures Ezra read.
That is an important distinction for us as well. The Scriptures are
high and holy, bringing to us the very words of God. Thus, we
cherish, read, study, and revere the Bible. But when we worship, our
action is directed to the God the Bible makes known to us.
3. The reestablishing of the covenant (Neh. 8:13-14, 17-18).
The next day, the people gathered again to continue listening to the
sacred texts. In the reading that day, they heard about a feast
their ancestors observed in the seventh month. The Feast of Booths
commemorated the time when Israel lived in the wilderness after
fleeing Egypt. For the seven days of the festival, the forebears of
Ezra's generation resided in temporary huts, living as their
ancestors had in their desert sojourn (Lev. 23:34-36). This was a
dramatic way for the people to recall and celebrate God's care.
Learning of this festival, the people of Ezra's day immediately
instituted it themselves so that they too could show that they
considered themselves to be under the covenant God had made with
their ancestors.
'World Missions
"That looks great. It is a beautiful church building," I said as I
stood with my wife and admired the completed house of worship. What
a blessed sight it was to see the African Christians look in
amazement at their new church! The people had worked hard to make
the building a reality. The women and children carried sand in
buckets and basins on their heads from a stream some two thousand
feet away. Stones were gathered and then shaped with chisels to form
a solid foundation. Every phase of the construction was watched with
great interest by all who passed by. All were waiting for the day
when the large church building would be completed. It was
constructed on the same location where the first church had been
built some forty years before. That building had not been as large.
It had a grass roof that was badly deteriorated. It harbored such
things as snakes, scorpions, centipedes, and lizards. Handmade
bricks had been used for the walls, which were only about forty
inches high and did not provide any protection from the blowing
rain. The dirt floor was infested with chiggers, which caused a lot
of foot infections. The building had served its purpose and was long
overdue for replacement. It was a day of mixed feelings for the
Africans when I began to dismantle the landmark of many years. Men
and women, now with families, recalled the days when they attended
children's classes in the old church. Many wonderful memories were
associated with the building, but a better day awaited the people
when they would see their efforts produce the finished product.
The situation was not the same as the restoration of the wall of
Jerusalem. The same principle was present, however, when it came to
a people who had a mind to work. The Africans looked forward with
anticipation to the completion of their new church building. It was
delightful to see the excitement of the Christians, many of whom had
worked hard, to see the fruit of their labor. The hours of carrying
sand, gathering rocks for the foundation, cleaning the dried mud
from the old bricks so that they could be used again for the new
church, and doing the many necessary odd jobs, had resulted in a
beautiful new house of worship.
Upon the completion of the wall of Jerusalem, there was great
celebration with praise and worship to God. It was a kind of
convocation for what had been done. Now that the work directed by
Ne-hemiah was completed, Ezra the priest brought the people's
attention to the reading of the law. In the book of Ne-hemiah it is
written, "And he read therein before the street that was before the
water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the
women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the
people were attentive unto the book of the law" (8:3). A spirit of
thanksgiving filled the hearts of the African Christians as they
gathered for the first time in their new church building. They sang
with great enthusiasm. Their prayers and testimonies voiced their
praise to God for their new house of worship. Going back to the
happy celebration that took place at Jerusalem, God was honored with
tremendous humility of the people. We read, "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 worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground"
(Neh. 8:5-6). What a wonderful lesson this is to remind us of the
privilege we have to serve God!
The Jewish Aspect
As a result of hearing the Torah read and explained, Nehemiah and
the Jews learned God's command to observe the Feast of Booths
(Tabernacles). Obeying God, as Nehemiah 8:17 indicates, the Jews
"threw themselves into the present celebration with exceptional
joyousness and enthusiasm". Among the feasts of Israel, the Feast of
Tabernacles was the "most holy and eminent feast" (Josephus,
Antiquities 8.4.1). Of this feast, the rabbis said, "He who has not
seen Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles does not know what
rejoicing means" (Gae-belein, gen. ed., The Expositor's Bible
Commentary, Zondervan).
This feast was a celebration for the ingathering of the harvest (Exod.
23:16). It was also a reminder of God's care when He brought Israel
out of Egypt (Lev. 23:33-36, 39-43). This was the only feast of
which it is specifically said that Israel should rejoice in its
observance (Deut. 16:14). The Feast of Tabernacles is observed from
the fifteenth to the twenty-second of the Hebrew month of Tishri. In
2008, Jews will observe it from sunset 13 October to sunset 20
October. The people build temporary shelters (booths) for the week
to remind them of their time in Sinai after the exodus from Egypt (Neh.
8:14-18). Though it was considered a seven-day feast, an eighth day
was to be observed with a Sabbath rest (Lev. 23:39). The Feast of
Tabernacles was well attended during the times of Jesus. It
continues to be widely observed among contemporary Jews, both in
Israel and in other countries. The Feast of Booths is called in
Hebrew sukkah (singular, pronounced sue-KAH) or sukkot (plural,
pronounced sue-COAT). Observant Jews build a sukkah on their
property. They often involve their children —it is like building a
"fort" and camping out in the backyard. The sukkah must be large
enough to "dwell" in, meaning able to accommodate the family at
least for their meals. Some Jews, however, will actually sleep in
the sukkah during the feast days, if weather and health permit ("All
About Sukkot," About Judaism, judaism.about.com, January 5 2007).
The sukkah is built with at least three walls, but these are not
usually solid. The walls may be made of canvas, tied or nailed in
place. The roof must be made of "something that grew from the ground
and was cut off, such as tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds,
sticks, or two-by-fours" ("Sukkot," Judaism 101, www.jewfaq.org,
January 5 2007). The roof's materials cannot be tied or nailed down
and must be arranged with spaces (no wider than ten inches) so that
the stars are visible. A waterproof covering may be used to protect
the sukkah's contents when it rains, "but you cannot use it as a
sukkah while it is covered."
Jews commonly decorate their sukkah. Since the Feast of Booths is
observed near Halloween and Thanksgiving, many American Jews will
use those types of decorations. This joyous feast begins five days
after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. In His wisdom, God planned
for His people to experience rejoicing after receiving redemption
from sin. That truth reaches its full completion in Christ.
Guiding the Superintendent
What effect does the Bible have on you? What happens when you hear
it or study it for yourself? It is sad that as people who have ready
access to so many copies of God's Word, we tend to take the Bible
for granted. How many of us have heard (let alone said) "The Bible
is so boring"? That is sad, indeed! The Bible was intended to be
God's love letter to us. This past quarter we have been looking at
the great covenants God made with His nation Israel. Our focus
started with God's great covenant promises made to David and his
descendants. It was not long before Israel had grown bored with
God's Word and started to live as they pleased. Captivity in Babylon
was needed to get their attention. One would think that after
returning from captivity, the people would be excited about obeying
God. This was true for only a short time. They even started to
rebuild the temple. Then apathy set in. God used Ezra and Nehemiah
to bring about revival in the nation. Our lesson for this week will
focus on Ezra's reading of the Word of God. As we look at how the
event unfolded, we will learn how to respond to the study of God's
Word.
DEVOTIONAL OUTLINE
1. The reading of the Word of God (Neh. 8:1-3, 5-6). With the
wall of Jerusalem completed (see lesson 12), the people met at the
Water Gate for a great time of reading the law. As the people stood,
the law was read for six hours straight. The people remained
attentive throughout the reading. Ezra stood before the people to
read and explain the Word. The effect this had on the people was
astonishing. From their standing position, the people got down on
their knees and worshiped God. So the first purpose of reading God's
Word should be to worship God Himself.
2. The teaching of the Word of God (Neh. 8:13-14). As the
Word was read and taught, the section about the Feast of Booths came
up (Lev. 23:33-43). This was to be a time when the nation lived in
tents or booths for a short time as a reminder of the wilderness
experience. As we will see in a few verses, the entire nation obeyed
and enjoyed this great time of celebration. The second purpose of
reading and studying the Word of God should be to prepare the person
for ready and willing obedience.
3. The enjoyment of the Word of God (Neh. 8:17-18). Our text
is very clear. There was great joy. This was not just a momentary
gladness but one that lasted for an entire week. The third purpose
of reading God's Word is very emotional—there is great gladness.
AGE-GROUP EMPHASES
Children: For the most part, children enjoy hearing and
reading the great stories of the Bible. This lesson will help them
learn the seriousness of obedience.
Youths: Many teens will say that they are bored with the
Bible. Help them see that the Bible is one of the most dynamic books
in the world.
Adults: Church adults have heard the Bible over and over and
may have lost a lot of interest in the Word. This lesson is a good
reminder that God's Word not only needs to be studied; it also needs
to be obeyed.
