Nehemiah 8:1-10
New International Version
8 1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. 4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 TheJamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear[a] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah,
Friday - January 28
I know that many of the names are hard to read in this Old Testament passage, however it is one of the primary places that illustrates why we do certain things in our Christian worship service. The people who put together our hymn books did not simply make up a service from scratch. Like Nehemiah and Ezra, we gather together (congregate) to hear the reading of God’s Word. We have an Old Testament reading, another from the New Testament (not the Gospels) and a Gospel reading. Sometimes we include a Psalm reading. Then, usually an ordained pastor, gives a sermon. The purpose of the sermon, like in this passage from Nehemiah, is to give “the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” Specifically, the sermon tries to communicate in plain English what God is trying to say to us through His Word of scripture. You are, in fact, a sinner. You are, in fact, forgiven!
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