A further illustration of what we have been considering is found at the beginning of this chapter: the people, disentangled from the associations of Assyria and Babylonia, Media and Persia, apart, by the gracious dealing of God, from the worldly associations that had been theirs—are now gathered before God as one man, with a new desire born of God in their souls. It is that the Word of God be brought out, —not, we observe that portion of it which recites the providential dealings of God, and the story of His grace, rich as that has been and is for the believers of all generations, but that portion of it which expressed what was divinely ordered as to the relations of God's children with Himself. In thus speaking, we, of course, carefully distinguish between the dispensation. of law, under which the Israelites were, and the present one of grace. The Christian, if intelligent in the things of God, will find his directions as to the divinely ordered relations of God's people with Himself set out in symbols, in figures, and in illustrations and contrasts in the "book of the law of Moses," and in the clearest light in the equally inspired books of the New Testament.
From the morning to mid-day the Scriptures were read aloud by Ezra, who about 12 years before this had returned from Babylon (Ezra 7), and certain others explained the Word of God to the people; all wept, when they heard and understood, but they were told to keep the day holy to God, and the joy of the Lord was their strength.
It was right indeed that they should he exercised and led to self-judgment before God, because His Word is corrective, though it is not only that, but the spiritual food and drink of the believer and much more. (2.Tim. 3:16, 17; Acts 20:3232And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20:32); John 17:14, 1714I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:14)
17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17); Psa. 119:105105NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105)).
Upon the second day those who cared for the people came again to Ezra to learn more from the Book of God (and no one searched it in a humble desire to learn from its pages without finding-blessing to his soul).
They discovered the directions regarding the feast of tabernacles (Lev. 23:34, 36, 39-4334Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord. (Leviticus 23:34)
36Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. (Leviticus 23:36)
39Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. 40And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. 41And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: 43That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:39‑43); Deut. 16:13-45), looking on to the full and final ingathering and blessing of Israel. It is remarkable that not since the days of Joshua had this been done, and shows that the children of Israel had been so absorbed in their present, that they had practically forgotten their future.
Is there not a striking analogy between this and the practical forgetfulness of Christians that their Lord is coming soon, to take them borne to Himself?