Nehemiah 8:1-18: The Joy of the LORD Is Your Strength

With the walls of Jerusalem complete, the people of God now gather to hear the Word of God. Ezra the scribe and many helpers provided that the Word of God be read and proclaimed to the people from early morning until midday. As the people gave their attention to all that God said, Nehemiah and the Levites encouraged the people to rejoice. Not only did the people listen to the Word of God, they also sought to do what God had given them. They celebrated the Feast of Booths for seven days and held a solemn assembly on the eighth day, as God had commanded. Rev. Sean Smith, pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mason City, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Nehemiah 8:1-18. "God Brings His People Home” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. After 70 years in exile, the LORD began to fulfill His promise to bring His people back to the Promised Land. In the years that followed, faithful clergy and dedicated laity worked together to rebuild Jerusalem physically and restore the people of God spiritually. Through it all, God was at work to keep His promise of bringing the Savior into the world in the fullness of time.