Verse: Nehemiah 8:10 Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who
has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your
strength. ESV
70 years after Israel’s captivity in Babylon, YHWH stirred in the heart of Cyrus King of Persia to release
the Israelites and allow them to return to the city of Jerusalem. Not only did he release them, but he
financed and provided for the rebuilding of the Temple. This took place under the leadership of
Zerubbabel. This release was prophesied through Jeremiah the prophet even before the Israelite
captivity began.
Jeremiah 29:10-14
"For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I
will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for
you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and
find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I
will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have
driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into
exile.” ESV
Several years after their return, the Temple was rebuilt and it was dedicated on the Feast of Passover
(Ezra 6:19). Yet, Israel did not return all at once, there were three separate waves in the return to the
Promised Land through Zerubbabel, then Ezra, and then Nehemiah. After 70 more years in the city of
Jerusalem, the walls had not been rebuilt and Jerusalem was still not a fortified city. Also, the people did
not understand the covenant of Moses to which they had been restored even though the Temple had
been built. There were many practices of the returning Jews that were contrary to Torah lifestyle. The
culture of Babylon had infected the people for several generations and they were living in a lot of
ignorance and error.
Ezra the scribe, who was a knowledgeable and dedicated student of the Scriptures, started a public Bible
study to restore the people to righteous covenant living.
Nehemiah 8:1-4
And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told
Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. So
Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could
understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it facing
the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men
and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive
to the Book of the Law. And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. ESV
The first day of the seventh month.
Notice that this teaching started on the first day of the seventh month. This of course is the day of Yom
Teruah! Seventy years AFTER the return to Jerusalem YHWH began to release His Teruah through Ezra
the scribe. This time, the Teruah was the TORAH itself!
Nehemiah 8:8
They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the
people understood the reading. ESV
This understanding brought deep conviction in their hearts and they wept and mourned for their sin.
The words of Torah pierced into their hearts, this was no ordinary Bible reading or study. But as they
continued to look into the Scripture, they discovered the Feast of Tabernacles that was ordered by the
Law of Moses, which was just a few days ahead.
This day Is holy.
Nehemiah 8:9-18
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who
taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or
weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, "Go
your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing
ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your
strength." So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be
grieved." And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make
great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Feast of Booths celebrated.
On the second day the heads of fathers' houses of all the people, with the priests and the
Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law. And they
found it written in the Law that the Lord had commanded by Moses that the people of Israel
should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, and that they should proclaim it
and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive,
wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written." So the people
went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their
courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the
square at the Gate of Ephraim. And all the assembly of those who had returned from the
captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua (Joshua) the son of
Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. And
day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They
kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule. ESV
Holiness returns to the nation.
After 70 years of captivity and then 70 years of working on the restoration of the Temple and the walls
of the city, YHWH intervened through Yom Teruah. He brought understanding and renewed the genuine
fear and awe of Himself, the Magnificent One. The nation began in mourning, but later they celebrated
the Feast of Tabernacles as never before. Not since the first celebration after they crossed the Jordan
River under the leadership of Joshua (the leader subsequent to Moses) had there been such a
celebration. The Feast of Tabernacles looks to the completion of our restoration. There is abundant JOY
in it as we enjoy the unhindered goodness of God in His eternal sanctuary (tabernacle, sukkah). Through
these events in the history of Israel we can also see the purpose of the Teruah and the Ten Days of
Teshuva (repentance) – they usher us into the complete bliss of YHWH where His desires for us are
complete and our satisfaction is full.
Holiness means “pure”, “devoted”, and “set apart”, and “entirely other”. It is not so much about
following long lists of arbitrary rules as it is about positioning and purpose. A holy people is entirely set
apart for God’s will, they are devoted to no other, set apart from every earthly persuasion. Their hearts
are given to God and to Him alone. God in response dedicates all of Himself, His resources and His
affections towards them. It is a mutual relationship of genuine love. It is pure, solid and undefiled by any mixture.
Education in the Torah was not enough, and the release from captivity was not enough, it took the
intervention of YHWH to change their hearts
The people of Israel confess their sin.
Nehemiah 9:1-4
Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting
and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from
all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they
stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of
the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God. ESV
The Feast started on the 15th of the seventh month, it lasted for 8 days, which brings us to the 23rd day
of the seventh month. On the very next day, the 24th day, the people went right back to seeking and
learning and repenting of their sin and the “iniquities of their fathers”. Because of the tremendous
change in their hearts, generations of sin were being reconciled.
1 John 1:8-9
If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves
astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts]. If
we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His
own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously]
cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose,
thought, and action]. AMP
The experience of complete restoration is so important to YHWH that He brings us to it even before it
happens. Every year for seven days, no eight, God commands us to be joyful and experience the
unbridled joy of the LORD. We are truly His delight and He is willing to remind us of this on a regular
basis. Israel at the time of Nehemiah stepped into eternity in their celebration of the feast. They heard
and saw things that completely changed their society. They became “perfect” while they were still being
perfected. This is God’s heart to encourage us as we move along and see the goal that is set before us.
As we keep the feast, we too will have new hearts and find genuine repentance from our old ways. Jesus
is the real fulfillment of the feast and this is what He says:
John 15:9-11
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my
commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and
abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your
joy may be full. ESV
Terms & Conditions
Subscribe
Report
My comments