Then Nehemiah, the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, “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. 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.” Nehemiah 8: 9, 10, NLT (Emphasis provided).
Heavenly Father, I am anxious to hear from You today, as we open Your Word to study! Please teach us the joy of serving You! This is our prayer in the precious name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord! Amen.
Our Scripture today describes what we would call, “a high day in Israel.” The exiles that had returned to Jerusalem to help in the work of reconstruction had successfully finished the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem! That was a major victory! The walls had been rebuilt in times of great discouragement – but thank God, they had been rebuilt!
There is something very special, and worthy of notice, in the very first verse of chapter 8, of Nehemiah, “They [the people] told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses [the Torah] which the LORD had given to Israel[,]” for their renewal service, at the culmination of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. What is so significant about this, is that it was the departure from the law that had led to their captivity in the first place! Now, after all they had been through, when they contemplated what God had wrought through them, as they worked together in harmony, and in accordance with His expressed will; they were willing to start anew, this time, doing it God’s way!
And the people wept. Because of the event that they were celebrating, these could have been tears of joy. They could also have been tears of sadness. When the book of the Law of Moses was read, and they realized just how far they had departed from the will of God; that could have made them sorrowful. But there is also a third possible reason for their tears – it could have been prompted by an erroneous interpretation of the Law.
I am convinced that one of the main reasons Jesus came to earth, was to give us a true glimpse of the Father, by correctly, interpreting the Law. Six times, in the Sermon on the Mount, He repeated, “You have heard that it was said …,” or the equivalent; and then went on to say, “But I say to you … ” (Matthew 5: 21-43). What is noteworthy, is the fact, that just before making these observations, He made two very important statements: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill” (17). He came to fulfill the law, according to its correct interpretation!
The other statement of importance is: “… For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (20). One of the behaviors of the Pharisees, that Jesus rebuked was, “… They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others …” (23: 4, Emphasis provided). It is so important that we study the Word of God for ourselves, that we may discover “the joy,” that is to be found in His Word!
God’s Law was given to keep us safe, by helping us to recognize, and avoid, sin. And as a consequence, it would contribute to our joy. The apostle John affirmed, “For the love of God is this, that we obey [H]is commandments. And [H]is commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5: 3, NRSV, Emphasis provided). Hold on to your joy; “for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”