在水门前的复兴
尼希米记八章1至12节
1到了七月,以色列人住在自己的城里。那时,他们如同一人聚集在水门前的宽阔处,请文士以斯拉将耶和华藉摩西传给以色列人的律法书带来。
2七月初一日,祭司以斯拉将律法书带到听了能明白的男女会众面前。
3在水门前的宽阔处,从清早到晌午,在众男女、一切听了能明白的人面前读这律法书。众民侧耳而听。
4文士以斯拉站在为这事特备的木台上。玛他提雅、示玛、亚奈雅、乌利亚、希勒家,和玛西雅站在他的右边;毗大雅、米沙利、玛基雅、哈顺、哈拔大拿、撒迦利亚,和米书兰站在他的左边。
5以斯拉站在众民以上,在众民眼前展开这书。他一展开,众民就都站起来。
6以斯拉称颂耶和华至大的神;众民都举手应声说:阿们!阿们!就低头,面伏于地,敬拜耶和华。
7耶书亚、巴尼、示利比、雅悯、亚谷、沙比太、荷第雅、玛西雅、基利他、亚撒利雅、约撒拔、哈难、毗莱雅,和利未人使百姓明白律法;百姓都站在自己的地方。
8他们清清楚楚地念神的律法书,讲明意思,使百姓明白所念的。
9省长尼希米和作祭司的文士以斯拉,并教训百姓的利未人,对众民说:今日是耶和华─你们神的圣日,不要悲哀哭泣。这是因为众民听见律法书上的话都哭了;
10又对他们说:你们去吃肥美的,喝甘甜的,有不能预备的就分给他,因为今日是我们主的圣日。你们不要忧愁,因靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量。
11于是利未人使众民静默,说:今日是圣日;不要作声,也不要忧愁。
12众民都去吃喝,也分给人,大大快乐,因为他们明白所教训他们的话。
信息分享
当你读出这段经文的第1节时,岂不感到很振奋?以色列人都聚集在水门前,为的是要聆听神的话语。他们聚集在这里只有一个目的。他们要求以斯拉做些甚么?以斯拉将律法书带来,要诵读给百姓听。
第4节提到的木台,可说是圣经唯一一个提及的讲台。以斯拉站在讲台上,高声称颂神是至大的神(6节)。百姓都同应「阿们!阿们!」,并一同敬拜神。
当以斯拉诵读神的话语时,由于律法是用希伯来文写成,有些百姓是在巴比伦长大,只听得懂阿拉伯文,所以便需要别人为他们传译,让他们能清楚明白律法的意思。参与其中的百姓,一定很珍惜此次经验。
百姓为到有机会聆听神的话语,固然觉得高兴;可是,当他们明白了神的律法后,却又忍不住哭起来。因为神的话语进入他们的内心,让他们醒觉自己的罪,于是便在神的面前放声痛哭。
百姓都为自己的罪而深感哀恸,但尼希米却对他们说:「请听我说,神既然指出你们的罪,你们又愿意悔改,那么,神必赦免你们。你们应该为此而欢喜快乐!」你有过这种破涕为笑的经验吗?
此外,他们还互相分享食物。请看第10节。我们也要学习与人分享神的赐予,不要将神的赐福留为己用。
接着的几节经文,还提到他们遵从律法的教导去守住棚节(参利未记二十三34)。经文提到,自约书亚的时候到他们当天,他们都一直没有遵行律法的要求去守节,这次可说是他们的「创举」了。
这段经文为我们描绘了一幅美丽的图画,当中包含了很多真理及原则。但愿你能反复细读,明白研读神的话语和听命而行的重要性。
经文反思:
「因靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量。」(10节)
REVIVAL AT THE WATER-GATE
Nehemiah 8:1-12
1 Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel.
2 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.
3 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.
4 So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.
Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place.
8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, 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 nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”
12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.
Message
Isn't the picture in the first verse thrilling? All the people packed around the water-gate standing ready to hear the Word of God. They came together for a purpose. What did they ask Ezra to do? Ezra was to bring the Word of God and read it aloud to them.
Verse 4 has the only reference to a pulpit in the Bible. Ezra stood on it and praised the Lord, the great God (v. 6). The people all agreed, saying, 'Amen, Amen', and they worshipped God together.
Then there was a need to translate and to explain the meaning of the words. These people had lived in Babylon and understood Aramaic, while the law had been written in Hebrew. What a wonderful experience it must have been.
The people were very happy. But at the same time, as the law of God was explained to them, they burst into tears. They realised their sin as the Word spoke to their hearts. They could only weep in repentance.
There was great conviction, but Nehemiah said (v. 9), 'Listen to me, if God has spoken to you about your sin and you have repented, then he has forgiven you. Therefore you ought to be happy and joyful' Do you know that feeling?
One thing more. They were to share it with someone else. See verse 10. That is what we need to do also. Don't keep your blessings to yourself. They are to be shared with others.
In the verses that follow they did what they hadn't done for years-they kept one of the feasts which God had instructed them to keep many years before (Leviticus 23:34).
The picture is wonderful. The truths and principles are even more so. Look again at these verses and see what God has to say to you today about the reading of his Word and your obedience to it.
A VERSE FOR TODAY:
'The joy of the Lord is your strength' (v. 10).

