Nehemiah 8:1-6: a reflection

1All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. 2Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Something moving happens at the Water Gate. The people gather and, of their own accord, ask Ezra to bring out the Book of the Law and read it to them. He reads from early morning until midday, and the whole assembly, men and women and all who could understand, listens attentively the entire time. When Ezra opens the book, all the people stand.

Notice the hunger and reverence in the scene. No one made them come; they asked for the word themselves. They stood when it was opened, listened for hours without drifting, and when Ezra blessed God, they answered Amen, Amen, lifted their hands, and bowed their faces to the ground. Scripture was treated here as something precious, holy, worth standing for and hungering after.

It is worth holding that scene next to how easily we treat the same word, familiar, half-read, taken for granted. These people had been long without it, and it made them hungry. The word of God has not become less precious; we have often just grown casual with it. What would it look like to come to Scripture the way they did, asking for it, standing before it, attentive, ready to answer Amen? Recover a little of their hunger, and let the word be precious to you again.

Lord, the people at the Water Gate hungered for your word, stood before it, and answered Amen. Forgive my casual familiarity, and give me back a reverent hunger for your word. Let me come to it ready to listen and to obey.