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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Nehemiah 8:8
They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.
The wall was completed.
It took 52 days (under two months) because everyone played their part and Nehemiah galvanised the troops despite the opposition and refused to get sidetracked.
Then it was time to get back to the Book of the Law. Interesting sequence. Most of us, as Christians, would go back to the Book and then start rebuilding the wall. Nehemiah - under the hand of God didn’t. Why? Surely every problem is a spiritual problem and we have to deal with that before we can make any progress? Not according to Nehemiah, and not according to God.
But surely the Law is more important? God’s righteousness is more important? No. This is where, by our actions, we confuse people as to who God is. Here is another fundamental ‘Ring of Truth’. God did not give the people the 10 Commandments in Egypt and say, “O.K., obey these, and I’ll bring you out of Egypt and slavery”. No. No. No. God rescued them from slavery by a mighty deliverance, which was totally and utterly through grace alone. God has not changed.
Grace didn’t start with Calvary. It has always been the very nature of God. The Law was given once the people had been redeemed (not before), so that they could continue to enjoy a redeemed lifestyle. As someone has said, “Before we are saved, the 10 Commandments are laws - after we are saved they are promises.”
But we see here, in this passage, not just the way of God, but what is proven psychology. You can counsel or want to counsel as much as you like, but if the counsellee is not ready or is unwilling to receive and act upon the counsel, you are completely wasting your time. How often Jesus would minister to the body and soul before the mind.
These people were broken, lost, displaced and discouraged. They had lost virtually all self-respect. They didn’t need the Law - they needed grace. They needed a sense of dignity, a focus, a future and a hope. Nehemiah and the job did that. When the task was complete, the people were not arrogant; they were excited and humble. The job had been done but they knew God was on their side and had helped them. They had been galvanised into a team; they had been given direction, unity and success. They had been delivered and redeemed. Now was the time for instruction and the development of their spiritual lives. God gives us principles in Scripture and we ignore them at our peril.
Ezra had to explain the Law, not because it was complicated but because as a nation, they had removed themselves so far from it. The Scriptures were written so that all can understand - not just the theologians. But we need to constantly make it plain to the culture in which we live. Who are you helping to understand the Bible?
(That’s also one of the reasons why I have written this book.)
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