Actively Listening To God

Nehemiah 8:2-10

The Old Testament reading from the Lectionary this week takes us to the Book of Nehemiah.  As a little background to the book, the Israelites had spent approximately the last 70 years in captivity in the country of Babylon due to their sins.  Now with the coming of the Persian Empire, they were allowed to return to their homeland, and many of the people did so, coming back with Ezra. Nehemiah had been the Persian Emperor’s cup-bearer, and when he heard that the city walls of Jerusalem were in ruins, he received permission to travel there and assist in the rebuilding, and teaching the people God’s Word.

As our passage opens, Ezra, who was a priest and scribe or Bible scholar, had called all of the people to come together while he read from the Bible to them (vs. 2-6).  These people knew why their parents and grandparents had gone into captivity, that it was because of their turning to false gods and worshipping them, and also refusing to obey God’s Word.  Now they did not want to make the same mistakes of their ancestors, and were eager to hear and learn the Scriptures.

As we read in verse 3, “the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.”  There are times when we hear what’s being said, but aren’t really listening, we watch but don’t really see.  We can be present physically, but our mind is elsewhere. How often does that happen in church when we hear the pastor preaching, but we aren’t paying attention.  Are we attentive when we hear God’s Word being read and explained? How about when we read it at home for personal devotions? Do we just go through the motions, or hurry through to get on with our day, the words being so familiar we don’t even hear them anymore.  We need to listen carefully to each verse, and let the Holy Spirit speak to us, asking how God’s Word applies to our life right now. These people were attentively listening to Ezra and the others read and explain the Bible. Nothing deserves more of our attention than God’s Word if we want to avoid falling into sin and its consequences.

Not only did the people give careful attention to the reading of the Scriptures, they also showed great humility to the Lord God (vs. 6). They “bowed their heads and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.” That is a position of humility before God. God is King, we are His subjects.  God is sovereign. We are not.

The people wept when they realized how they had failed to obey God’s Word (vs. 9).  They had failed to obey God, not just individually, but also as a nation. Are we grieved to the point of weeping when we know how we fail God?  When we know how much He has done for us, especially in sending His only begotten Son to die for our sins, it should grieve us to not love, obey, and follow Him.

God punishes sin, but He blesses repentance and obedience.  That is a reason to celebrate (vs. 10). What is God’s joy? It is in forgiving and saving us.  He has joy in showing love to all who believe on His Name. Do we need some extra strength to get through a difficult time?  When we feel weak and helpless, remember that God loves to step in and deliver us. Remembering and meditating on that will bring us joy.  The level of our joy determines the level of our strength. That was the message Nehemiah gave to the people when they needed encouragement following the reading of the Scriptures. When we attentively listen to God’s Word, His joy will be our strength.