SonBurn: Prolonged Exposure On Him May Be Good For You - Neh 8:3 and 9:1-3
You may have seen reminders that catch your attention. Warning, prolonged exposure may lead to... Notice some of these notices.
Introduction:
Our lesson today is about how the children of Israel, at the time of their return to their land listened to God's word for a long time. Here is one prolonged exposure that is highly encouraged.
Nehemiah 8:1-3 says, 1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
Also, Neh. 9:1-3 says, 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God.
The people of Israel listened to God's word continuously for 6 hours (Neh. 8:3)and spent another three hours in repentance and worship (Neh. 9:1-3). Prolonged exposure to God and His word is good for you.
Moses had an extended time with God. In Exodus 34:29-35, it described him being in the word (two tablets of the covenant law in his hands) and speaking with God. He was different. People could tell He spent time with God. V. 30, his face was radiant. And people don't know what to do with people who just spent time with God (they were afraid to come near him).
Even Moses could not contain his excitement. He needed to share the word he heard from God (Exod. 34:31-32). Moses would go inside the tabernacle to speak to God and when he comes out, they put a veil on him.
Peter and John felt the same thing after Jesus brought them to the mountain and Jesus' face was transfigured. They heard God speak, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased." (Matt. 17:5) Their prolonged stay excited them and they proposed to just stay and put up some tents. The impact of prolonged exposure to God excites you - as if you don't want to leave. In fact, there is a longing of wanting to be with God more, when you are far away from His presence.
Recently, News channels reported a similar event in Ausbury Kentucky. While the event had ended, it was reported that corporate worship and prayer continued on for over 312 hours and over 10,000 people flocked all over the place to this small place in Ausbury Kentucky. Let's listen in...
Consistent Failure
The Jews of the 5th century BC spent much time looking to God's Word and remembering both the faithfulness of the Lord and their sin because they were coming out of a period of thoroughgoing failure to follow the Creator. Neh. 9:6-35 rehearses this history of failure that we find in other places like in Joshua, Judge, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, and Ezra.
Earthly Reality vs. Spiritual Reality
As part of their confession, the people recognized that despite having returned to the promised land, they were still in captivity because they were controlled by the Persians (Neh. 9:36-37). They were crying out for rescue because the community as a whole was still suffering the consequences of their sin.
As glorious as our salvation in Christ, the truth is that we are still in the flesh. We still groan and face the temptation of sin, spiritual defeat, and momentary disobedience before God. We cry the same prayer Paul said in Romans 8, after he realized that he is still caught in this cycle of doing what He shouldn't be doing, and not doing what He should be doing (Rom. 7:21-24).
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?
God's Word Builds Faith
Romans 10:17 says, "Faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ." Spending much time in the Word of God both corporately in worship and in an individual study is a sound practice.
If we lament the state of the church, the only way to spiritual vitality is through responsive and enduring worship centered on the Scriptures
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