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Nehemiah 8 – Praying through the Bible #155 – A Prayer that is Revival
Opening our Bibles to Nehemiah 8 shows us that the Jews were opening their “Bibles” (8.1). The result is a revival. “Revival” is used today to describe an event instead of a result. Churches have “revivals” with no revivals. One curmudgeon suggested we shouldn’t call these special meetings “revivals” because a church can’t be revived in just a few sermons. Maybe this was an unintentional indictment of his preaching?! Nehemiah 8 shows a great revival, after just one sermon. Of course, this sermon did last about six hours (8.3)! What makes revival possible?
- Desiring to hear the word of God (8.1).
- Accepting the “Bible” as given by God (8.1).
- Agreeing God gave these words for them (8.1).
- Understanding God could be understood from children to adults (8.2-3).
- Reading the word of God (8.3).
- Listening to the word of God (8.3).
- Respecting the word of God as seen in them standing up (8.5).
After this, the result is a praying revival: “Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, ‘Amen, Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground” (8.6). Revivals can turn into just a short-lived emotional experience if not careful. These Levitical leaders ensure this revival is more. They “explained the law to the people as they stood in their places. They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read” (8.7-8). They understood emotions must follow the intellect, and not lead them.
Frederick Buechner, wrote, “The Gospel is bad news before it is good news.” That bad news is personal and divine. Personally, we are sinners. Divinely, we deserve punishment. What is salvation if there is not first damnation? In this Jewish revival, they experienced the bad: “All the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law” (8.9). Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites also give the good news, telling them to stop mourning because this day was holy to the Lord (8.9). They celebrate (8.10-12). The next day they keep being revived by reading (8.13) and discover new but old truths: “The whole community that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. They had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy” (8.17). Revival results in restoration. If we want revival, start by opening our hearts and Bibles.
Prayer Challenge: Today cannot be holy without accepting the gospel. If you need someone to share that news with you, pray God will send someone. If you have accepted it, praise the God who makes you and today holy and keep being revived.
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