Context: Nehemiah ch 8…Coming home from exile!Nehemiah 8:1And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. (Deut.11-18-21; Joshua1:8)
***True & False Unity
The only Place of true and Godly unity, is under the only source of truth- the Word of God: Just as in the Protestant Reformation of 1517, it must be God’s Holy Word (and nothing else) that unites us; otherwise our unity is founded upon a deception, and will bring about destruction (See Genesis 11:1-9) ***
2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. ***Ezra knows this “platform” is not for him: This platform is for the reading, and the hearing of the Word of God (Romans 10:17)…the only thing that should be “elevated” in the Church today is Jesus Christ (The Word- John1:1);***
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
***The same is true in the Church today…The same Lord who appointed and anointed teachers, to rightly divide the Scripture, has also opened the minds of the Saints to understand (Eph4:11-13; 2Timothy2:16; Luke24:45)
As a result of this, the Holy Spirit was then able to move freely in the hearts of those who heard the word of truth - and understood it (John 16:7-11); because the Holy Spirit will NEVER operate contrary to the Word of God: they are one and the same.***
vs. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
***Whether it is one person or an entire community, any day where there has been such a repentance, is worthy of feasting and celebration; any day that a people turn, or return, to the Lord is a sacred day…but if there is not first a conviction of sin, there can be no true repentance…before there was feasting, there was fasting. Compare to Joel 2:12-13***
See also:
2Kings 22;
Psalm 30:4-5; Psalm 32;
Luke 15:4-7
For further reading on revival see:
The Reformation of The Gospel
For more on deception and discernment see:
Spirit of Elijah or Spirit of Deception?
Pentecost vs. Babel
The Signs & Wonders Deception
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