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Topic: Read To Obey
[DCLM Daily Manna 7 February 2020 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: Nehemiah 8:9-18
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.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 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.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
15 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 pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16 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 street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under 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.
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18 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 manner.
Key Verse: “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 manner” (Nehemiah 8:18).
MESSAGE:
A school teacher was known for using high-sounding words. One day, one of his students asked him, “Sir, how did you do it? What’s the secret of your mastery of these words?” The teacher replied, “I read the dictionary nine times every day”.
The people of Israel wept uncontrollably after hearing the words of the law read by Ezra the priest. But Nehemiah and the Levites comforted them, telling them that it was not the day of mourning but rejoicing. The Levites encouraged them to eat, drink and send their portions. They found in the book of the law, God’s commandment concerning dwelling in booths in the feast of the seventh month. Without doubt or argument, all the congregation came out and gathered the materials needed to build the booths.
God’s word is a sharp sword that cuts into our innermost being to discern our inner thoughts and motives. As a discerner of the intents of the heart, what it reveals might make us cry. But such weeping, if borne out of sorrow for sin, should pleasantly lead to repentance.
What is your attitude to the word of God? Do you read it day by day and obey whatever instructions God has given? What is your attitude when you hear a preacher mention some of your secret sins? Do you repent or urge the preacher to stop in your heart? You cannot know God’s righteousness except you read the Bible every day. It is the book for everyone who wants to obey God.
Do you rush out every morning without praying and reading the Scriptures? If the school teacher illustrated above could read the dictionary nine times every day, why should you skip Bible reading any day? Every true child of God derives spiritual strength from the Word.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The Bible is God’s book of law to the Christian; read and obey it.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Matthew 22-23
