The Word Of God Taught

Raul Ries: Because if you know what's right and you don't do it, to you it is a sin. And that's why it's really important to understand that if you read through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, you are going to be held accountable for every doctrine of the Bible. And that's why it's of importance that we understand what the Bible teaches. Every one of us must obey God rather than men.
Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. We're glad you've joined us as Raul returns to Nehemiah by showing you that the key to growing in your relationship with the Lord is one simple daily action: hearing the voice of God in His word. Stay with us to think about the image of 47,000 Israelites standing for six hours to listen to God's word. You'll be inspired to seek biblical truth with the same attention and humility. Here's Raul Ries in the book of Nehemiah.
Raul Ries: Verse 1 of chapter 8 says, "And now the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel." The first thing you have to understand here is that we have here Nehemiah with all the people gathered together. There were 47,500 people in the open square. There were no PA systems and no video cameras. The people are lined up to hear as Ezra sets up his pulpit, a wooden pulpit. The people are standing with anxiety, getting ready to hear from the word of the Lord. They don't have any Bibles; they have scrolls. So, he takes the scroll—and sometimes the scrolls would be 30 to 40 feet—and begins to spread it out and begins to read the word of God. He reads Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy: the five books of Moses. And yet, at the same time, we see that as the people gathered together here in the street, Ezra is for the first time mentioned here in the book of Nehemiah in chapter 8, verse 1. We see that the people have an attentive ear to listen to the scribe Ezra collectively and unitedly. There's no division. They're not separated, but they gathered together collectively to hear what the word of God has to say to them. Number two, notice in verse 2 of chapter 8 that the people understood God's word as it was read to them. Why? Because it was given in simplicity to the people. And so, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of the men and the women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. This was the holiday of Elul which was the sixth month, and Tishri was the seventh month, which was at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles coming. Many times at Calvary Chapel, when new people come, they don't understand why their children can't be in the sanctuary with them to hear the word of God. They ask, "Why do I have to put them in the classroom?" I'm so happy you're here tonight because here we have the biblical understanding of how God gave us Sunday school and also how He gave us the sanctuary for those who would come to hear the word of God: men, women, and children that can understand. If they can't understand, they have classrooms where they have, at their own level, an understanding of the word of God. Right here, it's established in chapter 8, verse 2 in the book of Nehemiah. Verse 3: "Then Ezra read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday." Now here is another problem. When they came and set up the pulpit and Ezra began to spread the word of God out and began to teach the word of God, the people—you'll see in a moment—were not sitting; they were standing. Do you know how many hours they taught the word of God here? Six hours. A six-hour Bible study. Imagine that, six hours they studied the word of God. Look what it says. "And then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday," which is six hours, "before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law." Notice there was a listening audience. Today, it seems that we've lost that attentiveness to really hear the word of the Lord because we feel like we've heard it all. And sometimes, it's very possible that people don't make it interesting to listen. But it's so cool to be able to go line upon line, precept upon precept, chapter by chapter, book by book, so that we can understand the full counsel of God. That's what we call expository preaching or teaching in the word of God. That's what Calvary does. This way, you get the full counsel of God. To me, it's exciting because, thirdly, the people listened to God's word attentively. They were excited. They didn't want to go home. They wanted to hear more. Probably as we read on, they probably had breaks. And they probably did have breaks because there are 13 men, you'll hear in a moment, that are with Ezra. What they do is, as Ezra is proclaiming the gospel, when they take that little break, these men—like when the pastors come up to the front here and they pray for you and they actually answer your questions, whatever you need—these men would actually explain to them the teaching of the word of God. God had it all planned out the way He did it so there wouldn't be any confusion. This is so beautiful how it's set up right here by the Holy Spirit. So, we see here in the book of Nehemiah chapter 8 that, number one, the people listen collectively and attentively. Then, secondly, the people understood God's word as it was read. And then, thirdly, in verse 3, the people listened to God's word not only attentively, but for six hours they had endurance in listening to the word of God. Then watch this, verse 4: "So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him at his right hand stood thirteen assistants." When Ezra preaches the word of God, they are the ones that explain the word of God to the people of God. Interesting. Pretty neat. And you think I'm going to read those names? You're crazy. You read them. Verse 5: "And 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." Can you imagine standing for six hours? Six hours standing attentively listening to the word of God. And there's probably a break in between. Then verse 6, notice the fourth thing here: the people listened to God's word reverently, with respect. "And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, 'Amen, Amen!'" which means "so be it." "While lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground." There was an incredible move of God after the Bible study as God spoke to the people and they began to worship the Lord in reverence. It's so sad that so many times people do not reverence the word of God. And yet we see here the lifting up of the hands. It's a sign of my surrendering to the Lord, a sign of humility to the Lord. And so here we see the lifting up of the hands, together worshiping the Lord and their faces to the ground. The Lord moved in their midst among them. Then notice verse 7, fifthly: the people listened to God's word intelligently. And also Joshua and all these other names and the Levites helped the people to understand the law; and the people stood in their places. Here are these men so that the people can intelligently understand the word of God. They went to the people and they said, "Now, remember when Ezra was teaching this? It's because this is what the Bible says," instructing them. I love how he does that. Verse 8: "So they read distinctively from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading." Look how beautiful that is. That's where expository teaching comes in. As you're sitting here and we're doing a book and I'm teaching the word of God, we're doing it expository. It's really neat because what we do is we do culture, we do history, and we do theology. Everything's in the teaching, so there's a balance in the teaching of the word of God. So, when you leave here, you'll have an understanding of the chapter or the chapters or the book that we studied by the time we finish it. That's what they were doing here: reading and studying and explaining the word of God to them, just like we do here. Then in verses 9 to 12, now comes the time of rejoicing in the word. He says, notice, the people listen to God's word and there was joy. God's word always brings joy to our hearts. It brings comfort as God answers our questions and our needs. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, 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 nor weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. The Holy Spirit moved and convicted them. Notice as they were weeping and crying, it wasn't in sadness; it's because it's the first time they heard the word of God in many years. Imagine how they must have felt. The heart of the people was open to the Lord Jesus Christ. Here we see the reaction of the people under God's holy conviction to their hearts. They had to move away and be ready for God's word in their own hearts to get rid of all the garbage, all the trash in their lives, and give their hearts in complete and full dedication to the Lord.
Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. For resources to strengthen your faith and guide your steps in God's ways, visit somebodylovesyou.com. Raul's motivational series titled "From Opposition to Victory" is available on CD and USB. We'll tell you how you can get your copy in just a few moments. But first, here's more with Raul Ries and our study: "The Word of God Taught".
Raul Ries: And then verse 10: "Then he said to them, 'Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'" God's Spirit moves upon the people and it brings joy to their hearts. Remember 1 John chapter 1, verse 4, the first purpose of the book? He says, "And these things we write to you that your joy may be full." Joy that God brings in our life is different from peace and different from happiness. The joy of the Lord is a work of the inward Holy Spirit in my life, working in me and working through my life. It's so cool how the Lord here brings all this out to these people just so they can learn not only who God is. For this day, it is holy to our God. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Verse 11: "So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, 'Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.'" Be still and know that I am God. Be still and see the salvation of the Lord. All these things, if you go through a concordance: be still and know that I am God. Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved. And then all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to rejoice greatly because they understood the words that were declared to them. Notice how beautiful that is. They didn't leave confused; they left rejoicing and saying, "Wow, I got ministered to today. The Lord spoke to me clearly." And here, the people after being ministered to through expository teaching of the word of God, all their needs were met. They were going to go eat now and drink and they were going to rejoice in the Lord because it says they understood the words that were declared unto them, just like you leave here as God speaks to your own heart. And then look at verses 13 to 18. Now that we've read the word and now that we've heard the word, we need to obey the word. To much is given, much more is required. Let me say this tonight: the more light, the greater the judgment. I want to make that clear. The more you come and the more you commit to the Lord, the greater the judgment will be to you. That's what the Bible says. Why? Because God holds us responsible to His word. To him who knows how to do right but doesn't do it, to him it is sin, compared to a person that is ignorant and doesn't know it. Because if you know what's right and you don't do it, to you it is a sin. And that's why it's really important to understand that if you read through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, you are going to be held accountable for every doctrine of the Bible. That's why it's of importance that we understand what the Bible teaches. Every one of us must obey God rather than men. God wants us to obey His word. Look what it says in verse 13: "And now on the second day, the heads of the fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law." Again, this is so cool. Why? Because this was the great opportunity for the fathers and mothers to teach your children the word of God. You are responsible to do that. Don't leave it up to the Sunday school. You take the part in the home to be the spiritual priest to your sons and your daughters. Verse 14: "And they found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month." You say, "What is that?" Well, when you study the seven feasts of Israel, one of them here is Tabernacles. The actual Feast of Tabernacles is the feast that speaks of the second coming of Christ. But to them also, because they were Jews, it reminded them they would go outside for seven days and they would build these little houses with sticks. And it was to remind them and their children when their great-grandmother and great-grandfather and their grandmother and grandfather came through the wilderness and they actually were living in the wilderness in the desert looking up to the stars. They're teaching them their biblical traditions. And these people were teaching the history to their children concerning the Feast of Tabernacles, how they built these little houses and they would live outside with their children for seven days looking up to the stars to remind them of their past history coming through the wilderness and how God provided for them. Verse 15: "And that they should announce and proclaim it in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, 'Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, and branches of oil trees, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, and make booths, as it is written.'" Make them as it is written in the word of God. Where? In Deuteronomy 16:13 and 15; Leviticus 23:33 to 44. It's there. God says, "Do this to remind them of what I did for them, to remind them of their disobedience, to remind them of their wandering for 40 years through the wilderness and how I finally brought them to the Promised Land." Verse 16: "And then the people went out and brought them and made themselves little booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in the courts of the house of God, and in the open square in the Water Gate and in the open square in the Gate of Ephraim." Everywhere they were making little booths. And so the whole assembly, 47,500 of those who had returned from captivity, made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. There it is again: joy. They were happy. And it's so cool because look at verse 18: "Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God." So for seven days he was reading to them Genesis, then again Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. And he read from the Book of the Law of God and they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly according to the prescribed manner. You know what that is? In the book of John's gospel chapter 7, verses 37 to 39, Jesus on the day of Tabernacles at that time, at the day of the feast, what did He do? He went down and let me read it to you.