Lesson 11: "A Water Gate Experience" Nehemiah 8 and 9
"They read from the Book of the Law of God…" Neh. 8:8
Ezra
Very few key leaders ever succeed in isolation. Moses had Aaron and Joshua, Joshua had Caleb, Elijah had Elisha, Peter had John, Paul had Barnabas and Silas Today Nehemiah pays tribute to the old scribe who laid the foundation for Nehemiah’s success
Ezra was a diligent student, a faithful practitioner, an anointed servant (see Ezra 7:6 and 7:10)
When Ezra came to Jerusalem, 13 years before Nehemiah did (Ezra 7:8), the moral situation in Israel was not good (Ezra 9:1,2)
Note Ezra’s reaction (Ezra 9:3-15) Is this a man sensitive to what God wants?
The beginning of revival (Ezra 10)
A Miracle at the Water Gate
Maybe now it’s easier to understand why the people responded to Nehemiah so readily. They had been prepared by Ezra
Now, after the completion of the wall, the people ask Ezra to read from the Book!
Ezra read (Nehemiah 8:3) and the Levites instructed (8:7,8)
The people responded, Oh, how they responded!
What they heard touched their emotions (v. 9)
Their sadness over their sins turned to joy as they understood God’s love
The leaders in Israel began to assume their God-ordained duties
They confessed their sins (Ch. 9)
They rededicated themselves to God’s ways (Ch. 10)
The people celebrated the Feasts
The seventh month was special to the Hebrews (8:1, 8:13, 9:1)
Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) (Leviticus 23)
Day of Atonement
Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) – observed in Nehemiah 8
3 Principles
#1) We must read the Bible, understand it, and apply it to our lives
#2)
We must determine to devote ourselves to a serious study of the Bible
#3)
We must learn how to study the Bible
For next week, read Deuteronomy 32:10-11 and John 4:46-54
