Articles
We Have Come to Hear God's Word
This week, we have a guest speaker coming to us to bring God’s word to us, and we will be gathering together a few more times than usual this week to worship our Lord and hear lessons from His written word, the Bible. Before we begin, let us consider another occasion where God’s people came together to hear God’s word, and let us note from that example the responsibilities of the speaker and the hearers.
The occasion is in Jerusalem, after the faithful Israelites had returned from captivity in Babylon, and Nehemiah had returned and moved the people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. This is sometime after the 20th year of the reign of Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:1) and, having completed the rebuilding of the walls within 52 days (Neh. 6:15). The day of gathering was the first day of the seventh month (Neh. 8:2). Let us note a few worthwhile points that should be relevant to God’s people today.
The People [The Hearers]. Let us first consider some lessons about the hearers on this occasion that should be examples for us even today who are God’s people.
They wanted to hear God’s word. The first point that should be noted is “the people…told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel” (Neh. 8:1). This tells us the people had a desire to hear God’s word — not man’s opinion or just words to fill a designated period of time. They wanted to hear God’s word.
For the faithful ones who were in Jerusalem at this time, this was not a surprising turn of events, for they were the faithful — the ones who had continued serving the Lord throughout their captivity. Now, free from captivity, they knew that they had to be guided by God’s word if they ever hoped to be pleasing to God once again.
When we gather together, is this also our desire? Even when we are not assembled together, is this our desire? Peter’s admonition of the first century is still needed today: “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). To grow spiritually, we need a regular diet of God’s word, but we also must desire it.
The people respected the word of God. It is said that when Ezra brought out the book before the people “and when he opened it, all the people stood up” (Neh. 8:5). I think we all know that such actions demonstrate the respect the people had for God’s word, as we see in such situations where a judge enters a courtroom or a high political official enters a room. Out of respect, people stand.
Do we have such high regard for God’s written word? We may not necessarily have to stand whenever it is being read, but in our hearts, do we have high regard for those words? This is, after all, “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68), and “words by which [the hearers] will be saved” (Acts 11:14). That being the case, we should have the highest regard for the written word of God! Do we?
The people listened attentively. In the example under consideration, it is said that the word of God was read “from morning until midday…and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law” (Neh. 8:3). There was no complaining about a “long-winded preacher” or how they had other things to do, but they “were attentive to the Book of the Law.” They were paying close attention to what was being read to them!
This points back to the previously-noted desire of the people to hear God’s word and their respect for it! Ones who desire to hear God’s word and respect it for what it is are naturally going to be attentive to what it says; ones who have no desire for God’s word and/or no respect for it will not care to listen too closely, lest they hear something that would demand personal application and action! Which are we?
The people responded to the word of God. It is said that, at the reading of the Book of Law, “all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law” (Neh. 8:9). Later revelations show that it might have been because they discovered they had not kept the word as faithfully as they might have thought (Neh. 9:1, 2; Neh. 13:1-4; Neh. 13:25-27). But let us not miss the point that when they heard and understood God’s word and how it applied to them personally, they took it personally, rather than looking for how it applied to their neighbor, or even trying to excuse their failures by devaluing the word of God or labeling it ‘outdated’ or ‘unfair.’
How do we respond today when God’s word is spoken, or when we read it? Do we make personal application, or do we see those words as merely ‘stories’ or, worse, meant only to apply to ‘someone else’? A proper response would be to make personal application, for God’s written word is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). But we have to accept it and respect it and apply it first!
The Speaker(s). The hearers are not the only ones who have a responsibility when we are gathered together to hear God’s word; the speaker [or speakers] also has some important responsibilities.
Bring the word of God. It is said that after the people called for the word of God, “Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly” (Neh. 8:2). He didn’t just speak from memory or waste their time telling funny stories or delve into motivational speaking to pump up the crowd. He brought God’s word, because that is what was needed!
Paul’s admonition to Timothy is still just as needed today as it was in the first century: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2). No other words are as important as these, for no other words have such power (Rom. 1:16).
Make sure it is understood by the audience. When Ezra read from the Book of Law, he had several helpers, and it is said “they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading” (Neh. 8:8). This point should not be overlooked or minimized, for what good would these words be if the people did not understand them?
That is not to say the word of God cannot be understood, as some now argue; the brethren of the first century could understand the written word (Eph. 3:3, 4), so we can, too. But, for the speaker, it should not be used as an occasion to “wow” your audience with your vast vocabulary or your knowledge of Greek or Hebrew. Speak God’s word in a way that it is easily understood, and can be applied properly.
Now, let’s open our Bibles! — Steven Harper
