Ezra Reads the Law
8 And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they [a]asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had [b]given to Israel. 2 Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from [c]early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. 8 They read from the book, from the law of God, [d]translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.
“This Day Is Holy”
9 Then Nehemiah, who was the [e]governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to [f]celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.
It’s one thing to hear God’s word, and quite another to understand how it applies to our lives. When the people first heard the law, they were weeping. I suspect they thought they would all die because of their sin, and their subsequent failure to obey the law as it was given to Moses.
But the leaders and the Levites encouraged the people, because they knew more of the law and their history than what had been read. Notably, one can look at the various times where God told them that if they returned to Him that He would show mercy and grace.
Likewise, we might look at God’s requirements and wonder how in the world we could ever come before such a holy God. We might look at His judgment, and wonder how He could be a loving God. But it is all missing context, which is why we have the whole Bible, and also why we need the Holy Spirit to give us understanding. Certainly, good teachers are in great supply, but so are false teachers. So we lean on the Spirit to help us tell the difference, and ultimately we can read His words for ourselves.
Indeed, we must read His Word for ourselves, or we could fall victim to false teaching very easily. So dig in, read His word, find His heart, and do not be dismayed, but comforted. Yes, God is a holy God, but He gives us instruction to help us, not so that He has an excuse to destroy us with a bolt of lightning.