November 13 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Nehemiah 8:1-12:

¹And 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.
²And 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.
³And 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.
⁴And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit 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.
⁵And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
⁶And 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.
⁷Also 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.
⁸So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
⁹And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, 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.
¹⁰Then 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.
¹¹So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
¹²And 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.

Devotional

The Israelites, who returned from Babylon, were assembled to hear the law of the Lord—men, women and children. When they heard the words of the law, they wept. "Whence knowest thou thy misery? Out of the law of God." But the word of the law was explained to them, and their sorrow was turned into joy, "because they had understood the words that were declared unto them." Where the word of the Lord is under­stood, there even the law becomes Gospel, and there is great joy. And this joy is the strength of the believer.

Every true believer experiences this joy. There was great joy when the prodigal son returned home. There was great joy in Samaria after Philip preached there. The Ethiopian eunuch went on his way rejoicing.

This joy is present even in sorrow. "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you . . . Rejoice and be ex­ceeding glad." Paul and Silas sang praises in prison. The He­brews "took joyfully the spoiling of their goods."

And this joy is everlasting. "Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads." Therefore, "be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice."

Prayer

O Lord our God, teach us Thy truths. Help us to understand Thy Word. Open our eyes, that we may behold wondrous things out of Thy law. May we be fully assured, that all our sins are forgiven for the sake of Christ. Thus may we be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, always rejoicing in him. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Neh. 8:9, 12; Luke 15; Acts. 8:8, 39; Matt. 5:11, 12; Acts 16:34; Isa. 35:10; Ps. 32:11; Phil. 4:4.

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