Together As One: The Word Unifies

God’s people love the word of God. Love for God’s word is born from a regenerated soul. When a person is transformed by the Holy Spirit, they begin to crave the spiritual food of the word of God like new born babies crave their mother’s milk. The word of God also unites. In the book of Nehemiah “all of the people gathered together as one man” (Nehemiah 8:1) to hear the word of God read. Not some, but all gathered. We later read that “men, women, and all who could hear…and understand” (8:2, 3) came to hear the word of God. The people of Israel had returned to Jerusalem from the exile, rebuilt the temple, rebuilt the walls, and now it was time for revival and repentance. Revival always begins with seeking God and that is exactly what you see from both Ezra and Nehemiah. Both had also been praying and now it was time to read the word. Nehemiah goes on to describe the result of Ezra reading the word, (1) Ezra “blessed the Lord” (8:6), (2) the people lifted their hands and shouted Amen, (3) they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Not only do people need to hear the word of God, but they also need to understand it. Amazing things happen when people understand the word of God. In the days of Nehemiah, the people rejoiced, wept, and experienced inexpressible joy. In summary, revival happens when people hear and understand the word of God.

In fact, Ezra’s reading of God’s word resembles a modern day revival or church service where a pastor or evangelist stands above the crowd in a pulpit and preaches from the Holy Bible. Even Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah many years later during a visit to a synagogue. Is the Bible important, you better believe it. There is nothing comparable to it and nothing that can replace it.

Ultimately, Nehemiah describes why people need to come to church, because people need to hear the word of God preached. There is something special about hearing the word read and preached and when it’s done right, souls are stirred and hearts are convicted. The word brings awareness of our guilt before God. The word can rebuild and stabilize our spiritual lives. The word demands worship. Prepare your heart and never forsake meeting together as “one man.”