God impressed our pastor to ask all who are able to stand as he reads the Scripture passage to us before he begins the message.  This is not a new idea.  But how many do this these days?  As a seasoned believer, who reads the Word daily to gain knowledge and understanding as I sit before God each morning, I am realizing once again what a holy moment this is for all people who seek God!  To some, this practice may seem tiresome, uncomfortable and unnecessary after standing for a time to sing worship songs to God; but I look around the room as the pastor reads aloud and I see  humbled stances of attentiveness from those who seek God. There is a holy hush that become evident and quietly powerful as God speaks to us through His Word as we stand at attention!

Nehemiah was called by God to lead God’s People to restore the walls of Jerusalem torn down by the enemy who took them captive and exiled them to a foreign land years earlier.  This was allowed by God because of their disobedience to God.  They no longer listened to Him nor did they seek Him. God forgave them as they cried out to him in their exiled condition and brought them back home.  Restoring the walls was an outward declaration of what God was doing on the inside to fully restore their hearts!

The work of restoring the walls had been completed by God working through all those who trusted and obeyed Him.  The people of God saw the glory of God as all their opposition was overcome by God in miraculous beneficial ways. All glory was given to God by the leaders and the assembly of His people as one in unity!

Now Ezra, the teacher of the Law, who we studied before Nehemiah, has been called upon to read the Book of the Law given by God to His people. Don’t miss this!  God’s people stood in reverence as the Book was read aloud from daybreak until noon!  This is another holy moment in time arranged by God.  At the opening of The Book; the people instinctively stood up and “listened attentively” for they knew the reading was God, Himself speaking to them!  Standing at the reading of His Word physically causes us to pay closer attention to Who is speaking to us!

Nehemiah 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 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, 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 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.”

¹¹ The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

¹² Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

¹³ On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. ¹⁴ They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month ¹⁵ and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.

¹⁶ So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. ¹⁷ The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.

¹⁸ Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The Book of The Law was opened. The people stood instinctively and reverently.  What God had done in restoring His people while defeating the opposition was gloriously evident!  His people saw and experienced God’s forgiveness of their sins along with a mighty rescue from their captors!  They felt the holiness of His Presence as they now sought Him and obeyed God with all their hearts.

Although humbled by the grief of their previous sins; gladness and joy became their new attitude—all because God loved, forgave, restored, and reunited each one in a new loving relationship with Him.

God is still doing His work of rescue, restoration, through forgiveness of sins.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

Our response is made clear in The Book! 

Seek God first in all we think, say, and do.

Pray without ceasing as one talks and listens to a Friend incessantly about everything.

Stand attentively as God speaks through His Word.

Listen without speaking as God’s called teachers help us to understand what God is saying to us. Avoid assumptions of produced by our opinions and others. Seek Truth.

Welcome God’s work of transformation within us for He alone is holy.

Be still on confusing days, let go of what we think and cling to, and lean in to listen to know who God is, what Jesus has done, so that we hear His Voice above all other voices. (Psalm 46:10) 

Praise God continually for all He has done, is doing and will do in our relationship with Him.

Thank God in all circumstances for a grateful heart moves the heart of God!

Walk humbly with God. The prophet Micah explains what God requires of those who love Him; “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

STAND FIRM—God honors and blesses one who stands firm with unshakable faith with a cheerful, trusting, obedient, humble heart. I’ve seen His glory at work with my own eyes! Here’s backup from the Word of God—

• Ephesians 6:11
  “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”
• Ephesians 6:13
  “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
• 1 Peter 5:9
  “But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:58
  “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”
• Philippians 1:27
  “Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
• 1 Corinthians 16:13
  “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
• Philippians 4:1
  “Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”

Final instructions in Nehemiah:  Go and spread The Word!  “They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem.”

Sound familiar?  It should!  Jesus, with all authority from God, commands us; “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Upon resurrection, scars and all, Jesus walked fully alive with his disciples, giving them these final words of understanding of his previous command to “go and make disciples.” Jesus proclaims that this command comes with power from God to do it! “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 

And rest is HIStory!  God has, is, and always will be on the move among His people so others will know. It is not His desire that anyone perish but have eternal life!  Whether we see of feel it, God is always at work!

Standing while the Holy Word of God is read seems so small compared to all the surpassing glorious work of God from creation to this very day—all for our good and His glory—so others will know Him!   

Stand in His Presence. Be still and know that He is God. Rejoice knowing God is with us always!  “And, again I say rejoice”! (Philippians 4:4)

Lord,

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  There are not enough words to truly express my gratefulness.  So, listen to my heart as you renew my mind and restore the joy of your continual transformative work in me. I stand in awe of You!

In Jesus Name, Amen