THE KING’S BUSINESS .
1117
to the, people (cf. Luke 24:45; Acts 8:30- 35). But the great interpreter of the Bible is the author of the Bible—The Holy Spirit Himself (John 16:12-15; 14:26; 1 John 2:20-27). They were model readers of the word in three important respects: ( 1 ) “They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly." Many modern pulpiteers have much to learn from them in this respect. No book in the world today is usually so poorly read as the Bible. No book can be made so interesting if prop erly read as the Bible. (2) “And gave the sense :" They did not attempt to allegorize or explain away what God had said, they made plain to the people what God had said. That is model preaching. (3) They " caused them to understand the reading:” They were not content with giving the sense, they made sure that the people had caught the sense, that they really under stood. The Revised Version is very sug gestive here ; it tells us “they read . . . they gave sensé, so they understood the reading.” v. 9. “And Nehemiah which is (was) the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the peo ple, 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.” Listening to the Word of God produced, as it always does, conviction of sin: “all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law” (cf. Heb. 4:12). There is nothing that produces conviction of sin like the Word of God ( cf. 2s Kings 32:11; Acts 2:37 note preceding context: John 3:20). While the Word of God produces convic tion of sin, Bible .religion is a very joyful thing; the people were bidden not to mourn, nor weep, as the day was “holy unto the LORD.” The way to keep a holy day so as to please God, is not by weeping over our sins, but confessing putting away our sins to serve the Lord with gladness. vs. 10, 11. “ Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them (him) for
whom nothing is prepared for this day is holy unto our Lord : neither be ye sorry (grieved); for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.” The ultimate outcome of the reading of the word) was very great joy (cf. vs. 12 and 17; 1 Chron. 29:32). There is always very great gladness when God is obeyed with the whole heart. The Word of God first brings conviction of sin, and thus plunges man ' into deep sorrow, but the ultimate result is greater, joy than was ever known before (cf. Acts 2 :37 with Acts 2:46). The people were instructed to show their.grati tude as well as their pity by remembering those who had nothing. , A true Thanks giving Day should be a day of giving gifts to the poor, not of giving gifts to our rich friends. It is the very essence of Bible religion to share what we have with those who have not (cf. Acts 2:44, 45 ; 4:34, 35). The joy of Jehovah is the true believer’s strength ; not the joy of the world, but the joji of Jehovah, that is, the joy that Jeho vah imparts. It is a Christian’s duty to be always happy in the Lord and not to be down-hearted (Phil. 4:14; Jer. 15:16). The reason why so many Christians are so weak, is because they have so little of the joy of the Lord. True religion is of the joyous kind, not the kind that we find set forth in people who are morose and melan choly. v. 12. “And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send por tions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.” There is always great gladness where God is obeyed with the whole heart. It was not only a day of great gladness, but of “great mirth.” True religion is a merry thing. Note that the thing they made merry over was that they had understood the words that were declared unto them. There is nothing that will cause truer, greater or more abiding mirth than to understand the words of this Book.
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter