Page 3 - November 2025 - Truth & Tidings

itizens came from everywhere de- revival has at its roots a desire to hear
manding this hearing. It needed to God’s Word.
Cbe public. It needed to be compre- As the people heard the Word, there was
hensive. There needed to be accountability. mourning over sin, “for all the people wept
The law was the law and no one was above as they heard the words of the Law” (v9).
it. They must have the whole truth and In fact, their grief was so intense that they
nothing but the truth. “And all the people had to be reminded that this “first day of
gathered as one man into the square be- the seventh month” (v2) was a cause for
fore the Water Gate. And they told Ezra joy, being the beginning of the Feast of
the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Trumpets.
Moses … And [Ezra] read from it … And When Ezra finished, there was genuine
the ears of all the people were attentive to worship. “And they bowed their heads
the Book of the Law” (Neh 8:1-3). and worshiped the LORD” (v6). Out in
1
The hearing of the Law at the Water the public square before the Water Gate,
Gate turned out to be a watershed mo- no instruments were needed nor hymns
ment for the people of Israel as they shifted required to lead God’s people to adore
from physical to spiritual repair. The wall and exalt His Name. They only heard the
around the city of Jerusalem had been Word, and it was enough. It was bare and
completed. But a far more meaningful beautiful worship.
rebuilding project was underway within Finally, there was obedience to the Scrip-
the hearts of the people of God. Revival tures. The very next day (v13), it was dis-
was happening! covered in the Law that “the people of Is-
I would love to think that revival is hap- rael should dwell in booths during the feast
pening in my country. Our track record of the seventh month” (v14). Although they
after tragedies has not been too promising had celebrated this feast in the past, it had
(think 9/11 and COVID-19). But Nehemiah been many centuries since they had dwelt
8 might help us detect if true revival is in- in booths during the feast. So they got to
deed underway. For one, notice that there work. Huts were quickly assembled and
was hunger for the Word. It didn’t come from they lived in them, keeping the feast for
Nehemiah or any other leader. This was no seven days, according to the Word of God.
top-down movement. The initiative came
from “all the people,” who wanted to hear Is revival happening in our land? It’s
the whole truth from “the Book of the Law” probably too early to tell. But being a
(v1). And no one, apparently, was con- revival detective among other people is
cerned about missing lunch. Ezra read for not my primary calling. I need to hunger
about six hours, “from early morning until for God’s Word. I need to confess my sin. I
midday” (v3), while 13 expositors “helped need to worship the one true God. I need
the people to understand” (v7). All true to be obedient to the Scriptures. Because if
I do, revival will occur within me. And just
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the ESV. maybe, it will spread a little further.

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