Proclamation for Rebuilding The City

Introduction: The word of God is always central in every revival and restoration for God’s people. This chapter of Nehemiah provides an account of the people’s request to hear God’s word and their response to hearing the Word. Leaders should make it a point to keep the Scriptures central in every work for the Lord.

Proclamation of the Word (8:1-4)

There Should Be a Desired to Hear the Word of God (8:1-3) - “1 all the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that the Lord had given Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law.

Note (8:1a) “All the people gathered together”: This was the first public reading of the Law in the post-exilic time. The Spiritual condition of Jerusalem was torn down, just as the Temple and City Walls. But Ezra had worked tirelessly to call the people back to a loving relationship with their God. Now we see the fruits of his labor. They read the law in the same way Moses commanded (Deuteronomy 31:9-10) which commanded that the public reading of the Law be done every seven years. The people gathered together as one, which symbolized unity of purpose and desire. This text shows how important it is for God’s people to gather together and forsake not the assembly.

Acts 2:1 (HCSB) - “1 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.”

Hebrews 10:24-25 (HCSB) - “24 And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, 25 not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

Note (8:1a) “in front of the Water Gate” - This was the place where water was brought into the Temple for the purpose of cleansing and purification. This is a beautiful picture of the power of God’s word that will refresh, and cleanse those who gladly partake of its life-giving flow.

John 7:38 (HCSB) - “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.”

Hebrews 10:22 (HCSB) - “22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Note (8:1b,3): The people had heard King Artaxerxes’, Ezra’s, Nehemiah’s, Tobiah’s, and their neighbors’ words, but now they longed to hear God’s word. There is nothing more important in the assembly of God’s people than to hear God’s sacred Scriptures. Psalm 118 was probably assembled along with the collection of other poetical writings during this time. That particular Psalm is a celebration of God’s word.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (HCSB) - “13 Also, this is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the message of God, which also works effectively in you believers.”

There Should Be An Open Declaration of the Word of God (8:4-5) - “4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up.

Note (8:4): Because he is speaking to a large crowd, an elevated scaffold was built for him and those that would support him in reading the Law. Because Ezra had something important to say, it was necessary to use an elevated platform to get the message of God’s law out as far and as clear as possible. Social media, although it has many ills, is now being used as an elevated platform to get God’s word out further and to more people.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (HCSB) - “13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith, act like a man, be strong. 14 Your every action must be done with love.”

Note (8:5): When Ezra opened the scroll he did it in a conspicuous way to allow the people to see that he was reading God’s word. These were not the words of the kings, governors or any other human agent, but these words are God’s. In response the people stood in holy reverence and joy because of the importance this moment brought. It had been decades since this had been done and they wanted to receive the word of God in the right posture and position. That should be our attitude today: we desire to receive God’s word in the correct mindset and Spiritual openness.

🔑 Luke 4:16-20 (NLT) - “16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: 18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come. ” 20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently.”

Powerful Response to the Word (8:9-12)

There Should Be a Solemn Worship in Response to the Word of God (8:6-8) - “6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, "Amen, Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, explained the law to the people as they stood in their places. 8 They read the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.”

Note (8:6): Ezra praised God simply based upon the glory of His truth demonstrated in the Scriptures. His worshipful response is even more appropriate for believers today. We should respond to the read word of God with joy, noting it provides for us an understanding of God’s greatness. The people then responded in an attitude of reverence and worship of God and His holy word, as had bene their customary pattern (1 Chronicles 29:20). This response of hands uplifted, and a response of “Amen, Amen,” shows they were surrendered and in agreement with God’s word. May the Holy Spirit, help us all to gladly surrender to God’s will as communicated in His word.

Psalm 134:1-3 (HCSB) - “1 Now praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who stand in the Lord's house at night! 2 Lift up your hands in the holy place, and praise the Lord! 3 May the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.”

Note (8:7b-8): Because most of the audience had been born and raised in Babylon, they had more of the customs of their captors than of their ancestors. They had to be taught to love and serve God. Paul asked a poignant question in Romans 10, inquiring “But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).

Malachi 2:7 (HCSB) - “7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts.”

Hosea 4:6 (KJV) - “6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”

Habakuk 2:2 (HCSB) - “2 The Lord answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it.”

🔑 Romans 12:2 (NLT) - “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

There Should Be a Sincere Rejoicing In Response to the Word of God (8:9-12) - “9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, "This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, "Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because your strength [comes from] rejoicing in the Lord." 11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve." 12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration, because they had understood the words that were explained to them.”

Note (8:9): Notice their emotional response to hearing God’s word after years of living without its beautiful declarations of God’s plan and program for His people. We are spoiled today with endless access to the Scriptures; however, people read the Bible less today than ever before. However, there will come a time when people will long to hear the reading of Scripture.

Public Revival by the Word (8:13-18)

There Should Be Constant Studying of the Word of God (8:13-15) - “13 On the second day, the family leaders of all the people, along with the priests and Levites, assembled before Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month. 15 So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout all their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, "Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and [other] leafy trees to make booths, just as it is written."

Note (8:13) - This practice of studying the word of God daily is the likely the precursor to the assemblies in the the Synagogues, where the word was taught continually, as continued (Acts 15:21).

Illustration: The truth is that in order to enjoy the Word, we ought to continue to read it, and the way to obtain a spirit of prayer is to continue praying. The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray.” - George Muller

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) - “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

There Should Be a Celebration Based on Following the Word of God (8:16-18) - “16 The people went out, brought back [branches], and made booths for themselves on each of their rooftops, and courtyards, the court of the house of God, the square by the Water Gate, and the square by the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole community that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. They had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy. 18 Ezra read out of the book of the law of God every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly, according to the ordinance.”

Note (8:16): This great seven day long Festival of Booths was one of three great celebrations for the people of Israel (Leviticus 23:34; Deuteronomy 16:13). They were called to create booths to remember their forty year journey in the wilderness, when they resided in temporary shelters until God brought them into their permanent home land.

Note: (8:17): The joy they felt during the reading of the word, and celebration of the festival was heightened due to their time of sorrowful exile. It is often our moments of greatest pain and sorrow that God helps us to clearly understand the greatness of His grace. We should be grateful recipients of grace, and that gratitude should be expressed joyfully.