Read: Nehemiah 8:10,12 ESV
"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.' And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they understood the words that were declared to them." (Nehemiah 8:10, 12 ESV)
The people of Israel were weeping at this very moment as Ezra the prophet completes the reading of God's law to them. It indicates their sorrow as they realized their failure as God's chosen people. As they grieved, they were encouraged by their governor, Nehemiah, to rejoice not just because they are in a celebration but also because they have come to an understanding of God's words which they heard through the reading (Nehemiah 8:12).
At that moment, there's a desire that has been activated. They began to study the Word so that they could obey what it says. What's interesting in this passage is that what urge them to study and obey the Word is also the Word itself. It's a written testimony about what the power of the Word can do in the life of those who read and understand it.
But it doesn't just end there. look at the flow of what happened to these people. As they study, they began to confess their sins and repent. They were reminded of God's faithfulness in their lives despite their disobedience. They began to understand who their God really is. This wisdom came from their understanding of their past failures and God's faithfulness all throughout. In turn, they worshiped their God and reaffirmed their obedience to Him as His people.
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