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.
The above revival of the hearts of the people is recorded by Nehemiah to teach us a very valuable truth. The chapter starts out by telling us it is the 24th day of the month. Because of the chapter separation, we need to be careful we don’t miss what was just happening the days before this 24th day revival takes place. Let’s just read some of the contents of chapter 8 to see what might have been the catalyst of this revival:
Nehemiah 8:1 (ESV)
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.
Nehemiah 8:3 (ESV)
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.
Nehemiah 8:5 (ESV)
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood.
Nehemiah 8:8 (ESV)
They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
Nehemiah 8:13 (ESV)
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.
Nehemiah 8:18 (ESV)
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.
Don’t underestimate the power of reading God’s Word. This month long reading of the Word of God produced a repentance toward God. They heard God’s Word and that pricked their hearts into obedience. That obedience to the Word of God always ends up in revival in the hearts of man. If we want a revival in our churches, our homes and/or our own lives it begins with reading God’s Word, understanding God’s Word and obeying God’s Word. When that series of events unfolds revival is right around the corner. In this case, 24 days later people are confessing their sins and making changes in their lives. We will always be blessed when we read and obey God’s Word. Even the last book of the Bible tells the same truth:
Revelation 1:3 (ESV)
Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
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