Old Testament: Neh 8.2–3

To read the Bible in a year, read Nehemiah 7–8 on June 18, In the year of our Lord Christ 2022

By Don Ruhl 

What changes everything, according to the Scriptures, is when people turn to the Lord, and they do that when they also turn to his word. You can see this in the Book of Nehemiah as the people rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem and then wanted the word of God read to them: 

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. 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.

– Nehemiah 8.2–3 

Did you catch what Nehemiah wrote? Ezra read the Law publicly from morning until midday! These people realized that their fathers and that they themselves had forsaken the word of God and for that, the Lord had brought upon them all that he had prophesied. 

They were ready to hear the word, and they listened to a reading of it for a good part of the day. 

Questions: 

• What does it take to want to hear the Bible? 
• What is the longest period that you have read the Bible? 

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