319. Ezra Reads the Law

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319.


Ezra Reads the Law

1.

Today's Passage: Nehemiah 8:1-18

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Or find the passage NASB version on Bible Gateway here.
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Or, for your convenience I have typed the verses below from the
New Living Testament (NLT).

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2.
Thank You for meeting me, LORD.
I welcome you into this place.
Please prepare my heart Jehovah.
Thank you for insight.

1. In October, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had given for Israel to obey.

2. So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand.
3. He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.

4. Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattihiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaselah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5. Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.

6. Then Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people chanted, "Amen! Amen!" as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7. The Levites
⏤Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah
 then instructed the people in the Law while everyone remained in their places
8. They read from the Book of the Law of God and clearly explained the meaning of what was being read, helping the people understand each passage.

9. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to the, "Don't mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the LORD your God." For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10. And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad for the joy of the LORD is your strength!"

11. And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, "Hush! Don't weep! For this is a sacred day."
12. So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God's words and understood them.

13. On October 9 the family leaders of all the people, together with the priests and Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to go over the Law in greater detail.
14. As they studied the Law, they discovered that the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should live in shelters during the festival to be held that month.
15. He had said that a proclamation should be made throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, telling the people to go to the hills to get branches from olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees. They were to use these branches to make shelters in which they would live during the festival, as prescribed in the Law.

16. So the people went out and cut branches and used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God's Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate.
17. So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were all filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua son of Nun.

18. Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God on each of the seven days of the festival. Then on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, as was required by law.
Nehemiah 8:1-18 NLT

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3.

This might come as a surprise... but try it :-)

3rd strategy
Read the passage from Last to First!

• Begin with asking God to open your heart to allow you to see these verses afresh with new eyes and hear with new ears.
• Now begin reading Chapter 8 beginning with verse 18, 17, 16...
  
• Does the passage change in meaning? Does it give you a new insight into it?
• Finalize with re-reading the passage in the way it was originally written.
• Look back over the verses. Does any one verse stand out in your heart?
• Pray over that verse. Place it in our heart, your journal, on a 3X5 card or sticky note. Tape it in your bible, on a mirror, or on your desk.
• Be sure to thank God for being here with you today. He gets great pleasure from
  

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4.

Thank you for coming today.
Please leave your initials and a comment.

And remember,
I pray for you every day.
And I will be back here tomorrow,
I hope I will see you here too.
~Robyn

Robyn & Biff Cox
RR&BC, LLC ©2016

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