King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Thursday, September 28, 2023
Chapters: NEHEMIAH 8-10
Message: The Foundation of The Law of God
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters for today, this passage came to mind, [Hebrews 11:37-40 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.]
Did you ever wonder how those who did not have the Word of God lived by faith? We do not need the Word of God to live by faith, we just need to believe that He is. Once we believe in God, that is when the Holy Spirit begins to nudge us in the right direction to our eventual knowledge of Christ and accepting Him as our Saviour. I will tell you this, just because the Word of God has been translated into so many languages and several “versions” that does not mean that it is understood. Why do you think these fools make up these versions? They are attempting to figure it out themselves. Well, there is a reason why God gave us His Word in the first place,
[Galatians 3:19,22-24 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.]
Now, the Jews did not have the entire Word of God that we do, but they did not need it, in fact, everything that they were taught is everything that we are taught as well. For seventy years Judah did not have the Word of God, it was actually hidden from them, that was until king Cyrus had given it back after they were allowed to go back to Jerusalem. As we continue in the reading of Nehemiah, the temple has been built, the walls that surrounded Jerusalem were built, and now for the first time in their lifetime, all those who wanted to hear God’s Word gathered together for hear the words that were written in the Law of Moses.
[Nehemiah 8:1-3 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.]
[and all that could hear with understanding,] In order to understand God’s Word, you need the Holy Spirit for He is the one who helps us discern what we are reading. Since we can only receive the Holy Spirit’s help upon our faith in Christ, that means that we need to be saved. Oh and, those who attempt to read God’s Word without the Holy Spirit it is only some words in a book, they cannot discern it as we can, [1 Corinthians 2:12-13 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.]
[and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.] When you are focused into God’s Word you lose sense of everything else that is around you and you can literally spend hours in it. At least, I can, especially when getting into these prophecy books and all the information in them. This is why it takes me three hours to write these devotionals sometimes. It is one thing just to read His Word, it is another to be attentive to it as that is what the Holy Spirit uses to get our attention, [1 Corinthians 2:9-10 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.]
Ezra, stood upon a special pulpit that was made just for the reading of the Law, which is why we have pulpits in churches. As soon as he opened the scroll the people stood up, which is why we are often asked to stand for the reading of God’s Word when the pastor reading the passages that he intends to preach from. We do this out of respect for not only His Word, but God. As Ezra began to read the Law, he along with Nehemiah, Zechariah and others began teaching the congregation what he was reading.
[Nehemiah 8:6-10 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, which 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 unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.]
[So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly,] Another interesting fact is saying, “Amen!” whenever you hear the preacher speaking from the Word of God. It was read plainly so as to be heard and understood, it was probably also translated into the Chaldee language as well since the original scrolls were written in Hebrew and very few of the Jews understood Hebrew anymore. We are told actually from the Word of God that interpreters ought to be in the church if it is going to be read to the congregation in a foreign language, which they call tongues, [1 Corinthians 14:4-5,9,13 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.]
[for the joy of the LORD is your strength.] Oh, what a conviction I had felt when I thought that the moral life that I was living was pretty decent. Yes, it was as the Bible says, “filthy rags”, [Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.] Do you know why we are not to mourn or weep for that fact that we are guilty of so much more? We are forgiven! The second we receive Christ as our Saviour, we have been forgiven of every sin, and they have been forgotten as well. Praise God! [Romans 3:22-24 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:]
We are to never think that we know everything there is to know about God’s Word. God, did not design His Word to be read once, it is to be read and learned daily until we leave this earth. Doing and teaching what we think we know is right, especially when it comes to God’s Word, would only lead to more ungodliness. Look at our “churches” today, they are a filled with people who want God in their lives, and yet they read these “versions” that manipulate His Word to live as they please. Well, God’s ways are definitely not our own, and once we realize that, we are under the pure conviction of the Holy Spirit. That is exactly what happened here.
[Nehemiah 9:1-3,5 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. 2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God. 5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.]
[separated themselves from all strangers,] A stranger is anyone who is not a saved, born again Christian, and it can even be someone of different denominations. A true soul that has been saved by Christ wants to get in His Word and actually follow it, and that includes separating ourselves even from worldly Christians. Jesus, places us in the world so that we might His light to lead others to Him, not for us to be of them, [Ephesians 5:6-10 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.]
[read in the book of the law…one fourth part of the day;] This is half of the day of reading God’s Word and going to Him in prayer and confession of their sins, meaning daylight hours here. This is why I get up at four thirty in the morning to pray and get into God’s Word, it is the first part of my day, even though it is still dark when I get up. We all need to set some time each day for God, it does not need to be early morning, it can be any time of the day, [2 Timothy 2:15-16 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.]
The ultimate purpose God had for His people returning to Jerusalem was more than just the restoration of the temple and to rebuild the walls, it was to restore their relationship with Him so they too can see the joy of the LORD is their strength. These were man-made structures, powerless to protect them from their enemies unless they knew God and His Word. Ezra, goes on to give them a little bit of a history lesson as to what happen when they decided to do what was right in their own eyes and yet God was always there for them.
[Nehemiah 9:7-8,16-17 Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; 8 And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous: 16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments, 17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.]
[but thou art a God ready to pardon,] We mess up time and time again and wonder why God is so good to us, and this is why, He is long suffering in that we can come to Him time and time again with repentance and He will forgive us, and even cleanse us, [1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.]
For forty years Israel walked the earth headed for the promised land, during that time they forsook God over and over again, even made their own gods when He would not answer them right away, yet they always had food and water provided for them, their clothes and shoes never even got tattered and worn the entire time. They fussed, complained, doubted, disobeyed, and yet God was right there to help them whenever they cried out to Him. Ezra, goes on to point this out.
[Nehemiah 9:31-33,36-38 Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God. 32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. 33 Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly: 36 Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it: 37 And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress. 38 And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.]
[Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us;] If we are honest with ourselves, we truly have not gotten what we truly deserve for our because we are all guilty of sinning against God a time or two. Some of us more guilty than others, but then again, is there such as thing? There really is not, even one sin makes us just as guilty as a lifetime of sin. The same rule applies, [James 2:10-11 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.]
[And because of all this we make a sure covenant,] There does come a time in our lives when the things of this world are meaningless and we discover that there is no joy in them. That is when many discover that Jesus is the only sure covenant to make, [2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.]
Many of the people stood up that day, gladly choosing to follow the Law, even entering a curse should they break that covenant. In order to make it official their names were added and sealed in a book. The list of names was provided as well as the oath that they took.
[Nehemiah 10:1,8-9,14,28-29 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests. 9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 14 The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani, 28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding; 29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;]
[They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse,] This is the curse, which is actually a blessing, all who hear the Gospel of Christ, and understand and accept that He alone is their salvation from their sin, belong to Christ forever. That means that we can no longer live like the world or live in sin, we will suffer greatly, even more than we ever did, [Galatians 3:10-11 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for the sacrifice You made by giving Your life for me. You shed Your blood so that I did not have to spend eternity in hell. I believe in all that You are and that You alone are the only one who can save me. I entered into the sure covenant, and am sealed by Your blood forever. Lord, I am forever grateful for what You have done for me. Lead me and guide me, fill me with Your mercies and grace. Forgive me for the times I lost sight of what You have done for me. Help me to stay faithful in Your Word and to follow it so that I become a reflection of You and shine Your Light through me. You are the joy of my strength and the only one who can carry me through this life and into the next, for You are my Redeemer, my Saviour. I love You and pray this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/ready-to-follow-jesus/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Read Previous Devotions: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Read The Bible: http://kingjamesbible.imfollowingjesus.com/
Visit I’m Following Jesus: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
Like I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2023 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.