TIME TO REMEMBER. Nehemiah 8:13-18 The command to live in booths for a week, the Feast of Tabernacles, was meant to remind the Hebrews that their forebears, who had left slavery in Egypt many centuries earlier, had lived in similar dwellings for forty years. During those years, God fed them, ensured their clothes and shoes didn’t wear out, and protected them from disease. By living as the early Hebrews did in the wilderness, they would be reminded that the God who took care of around two million ex-slaves is the same God who was taking care of them.
What should I do with what I learn and come to know personally? What changes does reading the Word of God make in me? Hopefully, there will be a restoration of spiritual commitment and a resolve not to allow anything to take the place of Jesus as Lord in my life. Reading the Word of God and hearing it read in public gatherings affect our lives, hearts, and minds. It exposes our sins, offers a solution for dealing with them, and teaches our obligations to God and to other people, as the Spirit of God uses it to guide us into all truth. Through the Word, we know how to make serious decisions, learn what is God’s will for us, and confidently go forward in faith. We learn God’s intention for human life, His plans for us now, the way to submit to His sovereign will, and what to expect in the future.
For the Jews in that day, the Feast of Trumpets brought joy throughout the nation. Then came the Day of Atonement, a time of repentance. The last of the feasts was the Feast of Tabernacles, which lasted a week and reminded them of where they had come from and what lay ahead in the future millennium reign of the True Messiah. They would have been reminded for the first time since the days of Joshua that God had brought them out of bondage, protected and guided them through the wilderness, and provided for them all the way to the promised land. The message would have spread throughout the nation - a new Sabbath is coming. "Jesus will reign where're the sun, doth its successive journey run."
Although the Feast of Tabernacles had been partially observed by some people at times, this was the first time “since the days of Joshua” that all the people assembled to keep the feast. Those who lived in Jerusalem built booths on the roofs of their houses. Those from elsewhere went to the hills and brought branches, palm fronds, and whatever they could find to make shelters in the streets and open spaces in the city.
The facts of recovery are not complicated. The Word of God is opened, and the people have gathered to hear what it says. The words are spoken clearly, and the Spirit of God is near. They hear the words first, then the interpretation. When they truly know what it means, it causes great consternation, because when we first hear God’s Word clearly, we find ourselves convicted as the Holy Spirit reveals to us areas of truth we have neglected. There will probably be tears of repentance as we bow in humiliation. But the first step of recovery comes when we give God’s Word real appreciation.
The Jews gathered together the second day to hear what God had to say. They learned from the Word of God that He expected them to obey. Without delay, they rose up to act, knowing that faith is not merely mental assent. Instead of waiting for a convenient time, they immediately rose and went. When the Word of God was read again, remarkable things occurred. They stopped all their secular activities and concurred with the teaching. First came the confession of their wickedness; then of the Lord’s mercies.
When gathered together like that and spending a whole week hearing the Word of God read, talking about what they heard, and connecting with people from all parts of the country, they established a special fellowship based on spiritual things. That brought joy to their souls, strengthening their faith in God.
There are times when we understand more clearly that God is not merely making a suggestion. He makes plain in His Word that He expects obedience; faith then springs into action. In our souls, we are convicted that what God says is truly inspired. The second step of recovery is that God creates in us brand-new desires. Worship follows quickly after confession as we become conscious of God’s presence. Recognizing wrongs brings repentance, as when we have left our first love. Unequal yokes must be addressed; they leave God’s people bereft. Things and people out of place must be changed; high profession and lukewarm practice must go. There is an awareness of the corrections to be made when we set out to right our wrongs.
Sharing the experiences of our lives with others among the Lord’s people is not only helpful; we learn from them what they have learned, and we begin to appreciate our commonality. We learn to value and appreciate our beginning, God’s dealings with us over our lifetime, where we are now, and what lies ahead. “All the way my Savior leads me, what have I to fear beside” helps us have confidence in our Lord as we go forward into the unknown things ahead of us. Thanksgiving arises from our hearts as we review God’s grace to us, His work through us, and His provision and protection. He never fails.
When we take steps of faith and truly seek first the kingdom of God, God's grace becomes real to us, and we commit to following the Lord. Confession and worship express our appreciation as our lives take on a new direction. The third step of recovery is that God uses us, and we experience new accomplishments. Sharing our life of faith with others of “like precious faith” builds us up in “our most holy faith.” It motivates us to commit the rest of our lives to the things that are eternal rather than the temporary things of this passing life. “The things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”