Nehemiah 8:1-18
1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpita of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sightb of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha,c and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, 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.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understandd the words of the law.
14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded bye Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:
15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.
16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.
17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.
The Joy of the Lord
I. INTRODUCTION
II. THE RESULT Nehemiah 8:1-12 (NKJV) Now all 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.
2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who [could] hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month.
3 Then he read from it in the open square that [was] in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, 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.
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 Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, [and] Meshullam.
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.
6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with [their] faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people [stood] in their place.
8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped [them] to understand the reading.
9 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.
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."
11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day [is] holy; do not be grieved."
12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.
A. Nehemiah 8:8-9 (NKJV) So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped [them] to understand the reading.
9 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.
1. Notice that the reading was a clear exposition of the word not just a casual reading.
a) they read distinctly from the book,.... and they gave the sense, and helped [them] to understand the reading
2. Please keep in mind that this is most likely one of the greatest day's of victory most of them had ever seen. THE WALLS WERE UP!
3. As they heard the Word it convicted the people of their sin and they wept!
a) Why would the Lord do that? Why would He cause such conviction on such a great day of victory?
(1) I believe it is because we are most vulnerable on the mountaintop!
(2) Often in victory there is a subtle mind set that we are "awesome"!
(3) There is a tendency to let our guard down!
III. NEHEMIAH'S ANSWER TO THEIR CONVICTION
A. Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV) 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."
1. Conviction is from the Lord and it is a wonderful thing, but if not allowed to produce it's intended result, satan will turn it into condemnation!
a) Condemnation is not from the Lord and it simply paralyses.
(1) satan loves phrases like "You're never going to get this right, why not give up?"
(2) "Your worthless and nobody cares about you!!"
(3) Please keep in mind, phrases like, "Boy, your awesome!" can sometimes be even more destructive!
b) If satan can get us to dwell on ourselves instead of the grace and mercy of the cross, we are defeated!
2. The main purpose of the sweet conviction of the Holy Spirit is to bring us to the end of ourselves!
a) As long as we believe there is some hope or strength in ourselves the cross will remain secondary.
b) Also, conviction's end result should be joy!
(1) Not necessarily happiness, nor laughter, nor emotion, but the joy of the Lord!
IV. WHAT IS THE JOY OF THE LORD?
A. First it is an understanding of God's forgiveness!
1. God's forgiveness does not come just because one is sorry!
2. God's forgiveness is not something that is earned!
3. God's forgiveness is only and entirely in the death and resurrection of His Son the Lord Jesus!
a) Without Jesus we can beat at the door of forgiveness all we want but it will never come!
(1) We can feel as guilty or as "awesome" as we want but we will die in our sins!
b) But as Christians, God's children, we need not beat at the door of forgiveness at all. It is for forgiveness of His children that he died!
(1) 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
4. Conviction is meant to bring us to an end of ourselves, to bring us back to the cross, and that gives us joy.
a) To know our sins are forgiven!!
B. Second unlike happiness, joy is often "green housed" in affliction.
1. James 1:2 (NKJV) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
a) Self-pity is the opposite of the joy of the Lord.
b) The person with joy usually doesn't dwell on the trials in his life, though you can be assured they are there!
(1) They have learned from the trials and afflictions how little they are and how big God is. The cross is in full view!!
(2) There comes an understanding with age and spiritual maturity that the trial is but for a season. But the purposes of God for the trials are forever!
(a) We have this promise from the Lord out of Isaiah 61:1-3 (NKJV) "The Spirit of the Lord God [is] upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to [those] [who] [are] bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."
C. Third Joy is dependent upon obedience to the Lord, not upon sacrifice, nor our service to Him.
1. Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
a) Here we have the perfect example of the difference between happiness and joy!
(1) Rest assured, Jesus was not happy about the cross!
b) But, doing His Father's will brought Him joy!
(1) John 4:32-33 (NKJV) But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."
33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him [anything] to eat?"
(2) You see, even our trials can be a "gift" to the Lord!
c) God doesn't want anything we hate to give.
(1) 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NKJV) [So] [let] each one [give] as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
(2) That includes our heart, our time, or our money and even a good attitude in times of trouble.
d) There are so many things in life that seek to rob us of our Joy in the Lord!!
e) Even our service to Him can be very disappointing!
(1) In almost everyone's eyes, Jesus' ministry had failed.
(2) In our service there may be little or no tangible results.
(a) It may appear in our eyes and in the eyes of others that we have failed.
(3) But, if we keep our eyes on the Lord and we are content doing the will of the Father, our joy will remain.
V. CONCLUSION
A. The joy of the Lord is independent of circumstances!
1. Circumstances determine happiness.
2. But, Godly joy is at the cross, it is in our forgiveness.
3. Joy is in God's provision for my weaknesses.
a) Romans 5:8 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
4. Joy is knowing that heaven awaits.
5. Joy is knowing Psalms 30:5... weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.