A Man of Precepts

The wellbeing of the people (the Jews) and the place (Jerusalem) were linked. Obedience brought God’s blessing to the place, benefiting the people. In this setting, the walls had been repaired, but work was also required amongst the people.¹ Central to chapter 8 is the word of God – by it, God’s people would be built up. Nehemiah’s record shows the value he placed on the precepts of scripture, and were the basis for his exhortation, ‘the joy of the Lord is your strength’, v. 10.

The people and the place are intrinsically linked today, since the people are God’s dwelling-place.² The spiritual wellbeing of individuals contributes to an assembly’s strength. Likewise, the strong spiritual condition of an assembly, founded on, and following the word of God, will benefit its members. If we are to delight ourselves in the Lord, we need to understand His will and ways by His word. The psalmist wrote, ‘consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness’, Ps. 119. 159. Do we love God’s word?

The word requested, 8. 1, 2

Ezra was asked to ‘bring the book of the law’ and the people assembled. As the tribes had gathered around the tabernacle to hear God’s word, these ‘gathered themselves together as one man’. Ezra (appropriately named, meaning ‘help’) was given room to minister the word, his ability being recognized. As ‘the scribe’, his textual skills enabled him to handle ‘the book of the law’, but, as ‘the priest’, his ministry was ‘down to earth’, and ‘brought the law before the congregation’. Gifted by God, he was a ‘ready scribe’ having ‘prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments’, Ezra 7. 6, 10. Present were men, women ‘and all that could hear with understanding’, no doubt, including children.

Similarly, today, it is becoming for God’s people to assemble around the scriptures, reflecting the truth of the one body in which we are called, Jew and Gentile brought together as ‘one new man’ in Christ, Eph. 2. 15. Gifts have been divinely given to build up the assembly and should be recognized and given opportunity to be used. However, work is also required – ‘study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth’, 2 Tim. 2. 15. Scholarly ability has been used to interpret texts and provide written material to aid Bible study. However, teaching must be accessible and applicable to people’s everyday lives, enabling men, women, and children to understand. Parents do well to introduce children to the assembly environment and the word of God from a young age. Any questions raised by children about the scriptures offer the opportunity for further discussion and explanation.³ The Spirit of God can apply matters learned in youth in later years.⁴

They gathered in ‘the street that was before the water gate’; appropriate as a place of refreshment and cleansing. Notably, this gate needed no repairs.⁵ Psalm 119 verse 160 states, ‘Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever’.

One day, the bride of Christ will be gathered on the golden street before the river of God, clear as crystal, having been sanctified and cleansed ‘with the washing of water by the word’, Eph 5. 26.⁶ Let us strive, practically, toward what we are, positionally, by the cleansing of the word – a truth the Lord taught by washing His disciples’ feet, John 13. 4-17.

Israel’s activity mirrored that of earlier returnees from captivity.⁷ The ‘first day of the seventh month’⁸ an appointed season, the Feast of Trumpets.⁹ This would have reminded them of the trumpet sound that accompanied God’s voice, and of silver trumpets used for Israel’s gatherings, and to instruct them in their goings.¹⁰

Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together to hear God’s voice and to be instructed in our ways.¹¹

The word read, v. 3

‘He read therein’, and the people ‘were attentive unto the book’.¹² The word was pertinent, that ‘which the Lord had commanded to Israel’, v. 1. Though by Moses’ pen, it was from the Lord, and for them. The public reading ‘before the street’ made it accessible to all. It was prolonged, ‘from the morning until midday’ – even then, it comprised a sizable volume, and time was dedicated to its hearing. Read ‘before the water gate’, people were met with the word of God before they could access water for drinking and washing, and their ears were inclined towards the word – it was a priority.

Have we appreciated that the Bible is from God, and that it is for us? ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable’, 2 Tim. 3. 16, having been written by ‘holy men of God [who] spake as they were moved [carried along] by the Holy Ghost’, 2 Pet. 1. 21. Timothy was to ‘give attendance to [public] reading’ of scripture in the assembly, 1 Tim. 4. 13. Ours is a larger collection of writing than Israel’s book, requiring time and attention. We must read widely to grasp the bigger picture, and closely, to consider the detail. If our physical condition reflected our spiritual health, how would we appear? Gaius’ spiritual condition fared better than his physical frame, for he walked in the truth.¹³

The word raised, vv. 4-6

This explains how the reading was undertaken. The book was lifted – a pulpit being built for this purpose (not to elevate the man), and Ezra ‘opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people)’. Consequently, the people were lifted – Ezra, to read the word, thirteen men stood at his side showing their attentiveness and support, and the people stood in anticipation – God was about to speak! Then, voices were lifted – Ezra offered praise to the great, eternal, self-existent God who deigned to speak with His people. Their voices too were lifted, answering ‘Amen, Amen’ – offering their agreement and readiness to accept God’s word. Hands were lifted, anticipating what they would receive. Finally, the Lord was uplifted, as the people ‘bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground’. The word lifted before their eyes indicated the place it should have in their hearts.

What position does it hold in our lives? For nations to be lifted, they must uphold God’s word.¹⁴ The local church is a ‘pillar and ground of the truth’; the extent to which that is done will be reflected by the time and obedience given to it, 1 Tim. 3. 15. Believers can ‘adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour’ through their conduct in the workplace, Titus 2. 10. Homes too can become places where the scriptures are displayed and discussed.¹⁵ What about our personal lives; our minds? Does God’s word take a higher place than news or sports feeds, magazines, and biographies? Meditation on the word can make us like the blessed man of Psalm 1, fixed, flourishing, and fruitful. When the book is uplifted, believers are uplifted with godly dignity; voices are uplifted in worship to God; hands are uplifted in His service, and the Lord Himself is uplifted in our hearts. Let us give God’s word the place it deserves with the attitude suggested by Eli to Samuel, ‘speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth’, ready to do whatever He asks, 1 Sam. 3. 9.

The word related, vv. 7, 8

• the word – ‘they read in the book of the law of God’. We too must take it up and read it;
• the words – ‘distinctly’, each word being conveyed with clarity. Study tools and comparison of scripture passages aid the comprehension of the text – necessary for a fuller understanding;
• the wider context – ‘and gave the sense’, through impartation of knowledge and insight. This requires broader reading to grasp the thought flow;
• what it meant to them – ‘caused them to understand’, which involved teaching, v. 9. We should have the same objective.

The scriptures are not a rulebook but convey the knowledge of God. Paul’s ambition was to know God, and to ‘apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus’, Phil. 3. 10, 12.

The word received, vv. 9-12

The people accepted the word, and Nehemiah seized the moment to exhort them. They were discouraged – with heads cast down; they felt their weakness. They needed to get their eyes off themselves and up to the Lord and His strength, ‘This day is holy unto the Lord [Jehovah] your God; mourn not, nor weep’, v. 9. They were distressed, looking back in sorrow for their failure. But sorrow has a counterpart, and they needed to look on, determined to obey the Lord, ‘this day is holy unto our Lord [Adonay]: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength’, v. 10. They were disquieted, but the Levites ‘stilled all the people . . . Hold your peace, for the day is holy’, v. 11. Understanding what must be done, they could set themselves to it.

How do we respond when the scriptures rebuke us? Remorse is a start, but we must not wallow in failure. Hebrews encourages us to look ‘unto Jesus’, to ‘despise not thou the chastening of the Lord’ – it is out of love. Also, to ‘lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet’, 12. 2, 5, 12, 13. When we know what the Lord desires, let us accept it, and make it our joy to do His will.¹⁶

The word revisited, vv. 13-18

Senior figures returned the second day, eager for further understanding. This was matched by an earnestness to do what they heard. Realizing that they should keep the Feast of Tabernacles, they applied themselves to it, publishing, and performing the feast according to the scriptures. During the feast, ‘day by day’, Ezra read again. In fulfilment of Nehemiah’s words there was much enjoyment, ‘there was very great gladness’, v. 17.

May we be eager to learn more, and earnest in applying ourselves to the word. Enjoyment will follow. ‘When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word, what a glory He sheds on our way! . . . the favour He shows . . . the joy He bestows, are for them who will trust and obey’, J. H. Sammis.