Oct 11 Reading of the Law

I absolutely loved today’s reading. It invoked such good images of a people turned to God. The openness, the reflection, the confession, the renewal of vows of the people was something to savor. Plus, the second half of the reading gives a great summary of Israel’s history and their relationship with God as a nation, from the time they were slaves in Egypt up until this moment of renewing their covenant with God.

Just imagine: all people are gathered on a great square, and to do what? To read God’s word! It has been neglected so much, no less than a public, complete reading of the law would do. I try to imagine what was in the air at that moment? I try to imagine God’ Spirit penetrating every soul that was there! I try to imagine the impact the words had on the listeners, some of them hearing God’s law for the first time. It must have been amazing. Here is a sequence of events I noticed that were happening:

1. Reading of the Law
2. Interpretation of the Law by the priests to the people
3. Recognition of own sin against God and grief over it
4. Experience joy and celebrations because of who God is
5. Confession
6. Praise
7. Recounting history and God’s provision, faithfulness and forgiveness
8. Renewal of a covenant with God

Verses:

1. All the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. (Neh 8:1) ... He [Ezra] 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.
2. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read. (Neh 8:8)
3. "This day is sacred 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. (Neh 8:9)
4. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve." (Neh 8:10-11)
5. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God. (Neh 9:2-3)
6. "Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. " ......."Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the LORD. (Neh 9:5-6)
7. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them... (Neh 9:17)
8. "The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand- all these now join their brothers the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the LORD our Lord. (Neh 10:28-29)

I think we all go through similar process with God in our own stories. But I want to focus on confession. How do you confess to God? Is confession something we think we are supposed to do, and therefore end up doing grudgingly? If yes, is this the confession God would like to hear? Is confession only needed if you commit any of the top 10 list of sins most commonly mentioned?

Notice how the Israelites were drawn to confessing? First they red God’s word (so we’ve got a head start :) Because of what was written about who God is, they understood their sin. Confession came naturally after that. When we face God, we are simply compelled to recognize that He is holy and we are not. To me confession is an honest recognition of this during an honest, heart-felt conversation with God. We are compelled to confess because we are drawn to a relationship with God.

So read about Israel and God and think also of who He is in you own life. Just go through Nehemiah chapter 9 verse 7 all through the end of Chapter 10. It’s a very clear summary of what we’ve been reading the past months.

Have a great week!