The Remnant in Jerusalem
Neh. 8
INTERESTING and consoling as the numbering of the people may be, in the new chapter we have far more. The sons of Israel were in their cities, few and feeble, yet in their right place after long sin and judgment but restoration in a measure. It was the seventh month, the pledge of which had been before blind or dim eyes for many years. Now there is a notable awakening for a little moment. “All the people gathered together as one man,” and their simple-hearted desire was to hear the word of God. It was not Ezra who spoke to them, but they to Ezra, “to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded Israel.” And very touching is the divine account of their zeal to understand as well as hear, and of their reverence no less than their falling under its rebuke. For they listened, not with attentive ears only, but with smitten conscience.
“And when the seventh month was come and the sons of Israel were in their cities, all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning unto midday, in the presence of the men and women, and of those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Uriab, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchijah, and Hashum, and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: and Ezra blessed Jehovah, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. And Nehemiah, which was the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the Words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye grieved; for the joy of Jehovah is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
“And on the second day were gathered together the heads of the fathers [houses] of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to give attention to the words of the law. And they found written in the law, how that Jehovah had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and dwelt in the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly according unto the ordinance” (vers. 1-18).
Here, in all the stronger a way because incidental, we have the inspired testimony to the Pentateuch, as not only Moses' work, but authoritatively Jehovah's. How sad that nominal Christians should presume to question that holy deposit! Alas! they are but joining their older rationalistic leaders, unbelieving Jews; who having rejected their own Christ, because He was infinitely better and higher than their degrading unbelief expected, vent their spleen in skeptical criticism of the O. T. and in hatred of the New. At the bottom of this incredulity, Jewish or Gentile (one cannot call it Christian), is that glorying in man, and his mind or his learning as the case may be, which characterizes those who have never judged themselves or known God in the light of the cross. To those who have, how precious is the written word, all of it, Old or New, because in one way or another it presents the unfailing resources of grace in the Second man when the first is found wholly wanting, especially in themselves; a bitter, but profitable lesson, filling even now with peace and joy in believing!
Again, we observe that the Rabbinism, which put a slur on women and children, till the Lord revindicated their place in spiritual things, did not yet prevail. For Ezra read in the law “in the presence of the men and the women, and of those that could understand” (who might be quite young in years). As Ezra read on a raised platform, supported by elders on either hand, the people stood up at the opened book, and Ezra blessed Jehovah, and they with uplifted hands answered Amen, Amen, bowing in worship to the ground. It was a beautiful and affecting sight. And there was earnest service of priests and Levites to expound all that was heard, and “cause the people to understand the law.” It was no vain superstitious ceremony; but “they read in the law of God distinctly out of the book, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.”
But there was more, reserved for a somewhat higher intimation. “And Nehemiah, that is, the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy to Jehovah your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law” (ver. 9).
It was no wonder, for God's word never spares evil; and they justly felt their sins. But we ought as His people to feel His grace to His own. There many fail, as the sons of Israel till they learned better that day. “There is a time to mourn, and a time to dance,” which was suited to that season. “And he said to them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy to our Lord; and be not grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength. And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, Be still, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them” (vers. 10-12).
Undoubtedly what is properly Christian has another and worthier character as reflecting Christ in the Spirit. But even the earthly people when right before Jehovah were far different from the legal gloom and narrowness and severity of Puritanism, which was a sad travesty of the gospel.
Such was the first day. We hear of no blowing of trumpets; but there was its spirit in their assembling thus to hear God's word after a long slumber. And on the second day the heads of houses gathered, if not all the people, the priests and the Levites, to Ezra, “even to give attention to the words of the law.” This has its weighty place. Those who are fit and zealous to teach need themselves to be more perfectly instructed. And they had their reward. For they found written in the law which Jehovah had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month, as well as practical directions on which they acted (vers. 15-17). But how solemn is the inspired comment! “Since the days of Joshua son of Nun till that day had not the sons of Israel done so.” Such facts as these are abused by skeptics to deny the writing of Moses and imagine another in Josiah's days when the original copy was found, or more boldly to conceive a still later date. The truth is, that the failure of Israel was painful and lamentable; as here we learn that the feast had never been duly celebrated from Joshua's day when first it could, till now in the days of revival after the return from Babylon.
Search and see that the lapse of the church has been sadder still from its far higher privileges. The last feast is the anticipated joy of glory. How is it kept in spirit by Christians? Alas! they have forgotten even Pentecost, which ought to be dear to them indeed. What has not passed out of mind as to its real import! But if the Galatian saints so soon slipped into a different gospel, which was not anothers, who can wonder at the sad change when all the apostles were gone?