The Law of Moses is read to the people

After the Israelites had settled in their towns, they assembled outside the Water Gate and asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord gave the people to obey. The assembly included men and women and all children old enough to understand.

Ezra stood on a high wooden platform in full view of everyone and as he praised the Lord, the people bowed and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Then the Levites instructed the people and read from the Book of the Law of God and explained the meanings and the people were joyful and Nehemiah told them to celebrate with a feast because the Lord was their strength!

The next day the people celebrated the Festival of Shelters and they were set up to the hills to get branches from the trees with which to build shelters to live during the festival. They put the ranches on their roofs and in their courtyards, courtyard of the Temple and in the squares. The Israelites had not celebrated this way since the days of Joshua. Then on the eighth day, they held a solemn assembly as required by law.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: A scribe in those days was a combination lawyer, notary, scholar, consultant and priest. They were among the most educated people so they were also teachers. Nehemiah on the other hand, was a layman and not a member of the religious establishment. He was motivated by God.
The people may have wanted to set up their new kingdom again as in David's time, but they knew this signaled rebellion against the king of Persia, so they divided up the leadership between Nehemiah and Ezra.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? I want you to imagine Ezra reading the Book of the Law of Moses to the people. This was probably the first five books of the Bible. Can you see the wonder in their eyes as they hear these great things for the first time? Do you think maybe we are immune to the Bible's teachings simply because we have heard the words so often? I hope you are not immune and I hope you listen to each and every verse and ask yourself how each paragraph applies to the life you are leading. What should we do with this knowledge? How do we act upon this knowledge? These are important questions that must be answered from your heart. Praise to the Lord!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is healing but her leg was crushed and will take many months of doctoring. She is in a nursing home for rehab care. Pray for her healing. Also Gabe, Wanda, Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother whose cancer has returned and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. Update on this family: Her mother in law Mary just had a stroke this week. They are being tested by God and need a wealth of prayers. Pray for them now! Pray that they can find a place for Mary that won’t bankrupt the family.
And pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life. Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who was given 14 months to live with cancer, but has made it six years. The pain has returned and she needs our prayers.
Pray for my cousin Diane who is undergoing total mastectomy surgery for breast cancer.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Update on Marthaline Sargent. She lost her battle with health problems and passed away last Tuesday. Our condolences to her son Patrick and daughter Stacey. Continue to pray for her husband Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who will soon undergo chemo for his prostate cancer.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and pray he can stop smoking.
Pray for Debbie who lost her home in a fire last week.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.