Ezra read and explained the Book

8/28/2011 7:44:31 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                                                                    Focus:  He read and explained the book

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                                 Reference:  Nehemiah 8:7-8

                Message of the verses:  “7  Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. 8  They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.”

                The Word of God was written in its original language around 1000 years before Ezra was reading it to the people at the time of this reading and it is doubtless that the language of Hebrew had changed a lot since then.  The Word of God does not change, however languages do change and therefore it is necessary to have new versions of the Bible in order for people to understand what the Bible says. 

                In its original writing the Bible was written in three different languages, Hebrew and Aramaic for the Old Testament of which a small part of Daniel and Ezra were written in Aramaic.  The New Testament was written in a Greek language that is not spoken any more.  There are many old manuscripts that are found today of these texts that Bible scholars will use to translate the Word of God into languages that the people today can easily read.  This was not the case in Nehemiah’s day for the common people of that day did not have any copies of the Bible and so it was necessary for the Levites to assist Ezra in translating the Word of God so the people could understand it.  This was their God given ministry to do this.  “"They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, And Your law to Israel. They shall put incense before You, And whole burnt offerings on Your altar (Deu.33:10), (‘They’ is speaking of the Levites).”  "For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts (Mal. 2:7).”  One must remember that the priests were from the tribe of Levi and from the clan of Aaron.

                Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Life is different today as we live in the age of the New Covenant, the Church age and we are greatly blessed to have the Word of God so accessible to read and have wonderful commentaries to help understand the Word of God.  In this Church Age we are to be instructed by Pastors who preach the Word of God to us similar to the way that Ezra was doing in this passage.  A godly Pastor is very important in the life of a local church today.  The qualifications of Pastors are found in the Apostle Paul’s writings to Timothy and Titus who were Pastors in the early Church age.

                I am so thankful that I have copies of the Word of God today so that I can read and study it every day.  2Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1.       Continue to study the Word of God so that I can be approved unto God and be a workman who does not need to be ashamed.

2.       Continue to learn contentment.

3.       Trust the Lord to make me a better husband to my wife.

8/28/2011 8:17:25 AM