On the first day of the seventh month, we read, “all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate,” and they requested of Ezra that he bring out the book of the law of God and read to them. Water in Scripture often speaks of the Word of God, Himself the source and fountain of all true blessing, and we are reminded of how when Israel were in the wilderness He had said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.” Numb. 21:1616And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the Lord spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water. (Numbers 21:16). It is His desire to bless His people. We are not told just how the people came to be gathered together on this occasion. It may have been the result of Ezra’s quiet, patient work among them in bringing before them the law of the Lord. But whatever the reason, it is nice to see them gathering together with the desire to hear the Word of God, and to have it explained to them. Surely it should be our desire too, to know more of the hidden treasures of wisdom found in His precious Word. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,” is the Apostle’s exhortation in Colossians 3:1616Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16).
We have then the congregation gathered together and Ezra standing on a platform above the people, reading out of the book from morning until midday. What a privilege to be under the ministry of the Word of God! Ezra prayed and blessed the Lord. The people in turn blessed the Lord, and belong their heads they worshiped. As Ezra read, the Levites explained the Word to the people, giving them the sense and causing them to understand it.
Hearing the Word of God read to them caused all the people to weep, fot we suppose that they realized in some measure that they had neglected and returned from what the Lord had given them. But there is a time to rejoice as well as to mourn (Eccl. 3:44A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:4)) and there was a time when they were not to weep. Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites said unto the people: “This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not not weep... Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of Lord is your strength.” So the people went their way, to eat and drink and rejoice, and to send portions to others. When we enjoy the truth of God, our hearts cannot contain the joy; it over flows, and there is the desire that othe might enjoy the precious things of Christ too.
The next day the chiefs of the fathers the priests and the Levites came to Ezra to hear more of the words of the law. Do we in our hearts turn to the Lord desiring to hear more of His Word?
This feast on the first day of the seventh month, ushered in by the blowing of trumpets, as already remarked pre-figures Israel’s being awakened to the Lord in a time yet future. It will be a time of great mourning for they will realize that they have crucified their Messiah. However, we do not find this mourning among the Jews who are gathering back to the land at this present time.
ML 09/13/1959