The Marvelous Joy of Obeying God’s Law in Every Situation (Neh. 8:13-18)

What this episode covers

It may sound paradoxical to find joy in obeying, but that is the encouragement we find in God’s Word time and time again. “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim . . . of human existence.”Aristotle That’s partially true. However, the Bible clarifies that lasting happiness is the result of living according to God’s will (1 Jn 1:3-4). That doesn’t mean we can be free of all suffering as long as we’re obedient to God’s will. But it does mean that we can learn to rejoice in the midst of our suffering because we know that God is using it for His glory and our good (Rom 8:28). In other words, joy in obeying does not remove pain. We will not enjoy all of the benefits of God’s promises when we are not living according to his revealed will. If that is true, then the reverse would also be true. The best way to enjoy all of the benefits of God’s promises is to live according to his revealed will. Read Neh 8:13-18. › This morning we will consider two encouragements regarding God’s Law from this passage. Study God’s Law With Purpose (13-15) According to Neh 8:2, Ezra read the Law to the Israelites on the first day of the seventh month (September). On the next day, the patriarchs gathered together with the priests and Levites to study the Law (13). The priests were a subset of qualified men within the Levitical tribe, but who were “the heads of fathers’ houses”? This could have been every husband and father, but it probably refers to the heads of larger units of tribes or clans. The point of their presence is to study the Law with the spiritual leaders in order to disseminate the information to the rest of the members of their families. It does not tell us where they gathered but the text says they “came together to Ezra” which seems to indicate they found him in his study. As priest and scribe, Ezra probably had a regular station within the temple precincts where he could read and write. I doubt it would have been very large, and he likely did not have many visitors, certainly not any large groups. So this would have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience reflecting the ongoing spiritual revival that is taking place within the Israelite community. The Joy of Studying God’s Law Together So they join him there with a desire to participate in the study of God’s Law. They did not have their own copies to follow along or to study from home. Ezra read from the scroll and explained it while these men listened intently and interjected with questions or points of application. They delighted in God’s Law. Psalm 119:35 “Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.” It’s clear that wasn’t always the case for them. The Law does not appear to have been a delight for them just a few months prior! But something remarkable occurred in their hearts and minds as Ezra read to them the previous day. After hearing the law read and taught the entire morning, they were moved to further study the next day! A pastor friend mentioned how a small group of men would join him at his office or coffee shop to study the passage he was preaching that week. He used the time to teach them his own methods of preparation and their interaction would often give him additional insight to consider. So it was a mutually beneficial time of research and discussion over God’s Word. They sharpened one another with their questions. An Ezra Cohort of this kind is a great application of this passage. Ezra Showed Where They Failed We have to assume that Ezra already knew about this feast and was aware that the Israelites were not celebrating it (14-15). He was an expert, “skilled in the Law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6). Did he intentionally take them to the passage he knew they needed to hear? He, along with the other men, just concluded the previous day by comforting people. They had experienced a deep conviction for their sin, but they needed to know the joy of forgiveness and celebration! It’s possible this was the

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