Sermon Title: Listening to Preaching
Text: Nehemiah 8:1–8
The Context of Nehemiah 8:1–8[1]
Before you can properly understand Nehemiah 8:1–8, you must understand Nehemiah chapters 1–7. Before you can understand Nehemiah 1–7, you must understand God’s work through the nation of Israel.[2] The nation of Israel began when God spoke to Abraham (Genesis 12) to inform him of his future as the father of a great nation: Israel. God formed the nation of Israel as a distinct people for a distinct purpose. Israel remained few but influential until the days of Saul. During Saul’s reign, the reign of David, and reign of David’s son Solomon, Israel experienced growth. This period formed the golden age in Israel’s history. Their flag waved high and proud. However[3], decay started to destroy the nation from within. The nation of Israel, in its pride, experienced a civil war between Judah in the south and Israel in the north. God used three[4] pagan empires as a tool in His hand to bring this nation back to a reliance on Him.
First, Assyria enslaved the Israelites; Mervin Breneman states the Assyrians “harshly suppressed the peoples they conquered; many times they had moved entire populations from one land to another and then replaced them with other conquered peoples. This was the case when they conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C.” [5] First, Assyria enslaved the Israelites;[6] then, the Babylonians had their turn with Judah. II Chronicles 36 tells the sad story of the utter annihilation of Jerusalem and near annihilation of the people. The Babylonians showed no mercy to the young or old, weak or strong, men or women, adults or children. They tortured the men, abused the women and children, burnt the house of God, and tore down the walls of Jerusalem. The city lay a barren wasteland, much like the people.
Jeremiah, often referred to as the weeping prophet, ministered during this time. But this weeping prophet would soon bring joy. He prophesied that the Babylonian captivity would only last seventy years (Jeremiah 25:12), and it did. Soon a second Exodus would begin. The Persians entered the scene as the third pagan empire to overpower Babylon and enslave Israel. The Persians dealt with their captives in a different way. They allowed the captives to return to their homeland, hoping to grow loyalty out of a compliant enslavement. Israel could now return to Jerusalem.[7]
Zerubbabel led the first group of captives back to Jerusalem and Ezra the second. Nehemiah received a report of the utter ruin of the city and its inhabitants from these two groups. One historian accurately paints Jerusalem as these two groups would have seen it– as “an open city, broken-down, economically depressed, low in morale, under populated ([Nehemiah] 7:4), and in no way glorious for God.”[8] When Nehemiah heard the report he fell down and cried… for days (Nehemiah 1:1–4), however, in the middle of brokenness he realized he still had a job to fulfill. [9] Nehemiah held the position of cupbearer to the Persian king, a huge honor in his day. The role of cupbearer included other responsibilities: Nehemiah served as the king’s butler, protector, and confidant. While receiving wine from Nehemiah, Artaxerxes perceived the sadness in Nehemiah and grew disturbed. When questioned by Artaxerxes, Nehemiah blurted out the current state of Jerusalem and requested the king’s permission to return and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah could not stay in comfort as long as Jerusalem lay in waste. The whole time the city lay in waste God was being dishonored. Artexerxes not only granted the request, but also supplied the monetary needs for the task (Nehemiah 2:1–9). The pagan Persian Empire financed God’s work.[10] Nehemiah led the third group of captives back to Jerusalem.
First min-transition: One must keep this context in mind before approaching Nehemiah chapters 1–7.
In chapters 1–7 Nehemiah, despite much opposition, led the city in the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. In destroying Jerusalem and the temple, Babylon had not simply destroyed a city and a building. Rather, they had destroyed the heart of Israel’s identity as a people, causing Israel to question if God’s plan for the ages had failed. The Babylonians destroyed the walls and nearly destroyed Israel’s faith. These doubts lingered for seventy years, but now with the walls standing erect, the doubts seemed miles away. Nehemiah accomplished in fifty-two days what the nation of Israel failed to accomplish in ninety years (Nehemiah 6:15).[11] This corporative effort to rebuild the wall rejuvenated their faith. Daniel Akin observes, “The nation is now well-organized, well-equipped, well-defended, and well-governed.”[12]
Nevertheless, Israel, despite her outward progress, still lacked something. Men and women of all ages stood within the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem with a nagging feeling that something is still missing. Daniel Akin says, “A spiritual dryness has spread across the land, a dryness so great that the people themselves sense the urgency of the situation.”[13]
Second mini-transition: This empty victory sets the stage for what takes place in Nehemiah 8:1-8. Israel’s sin destroyed the walls in the first place, but rebuilding the walls is the easy task; rebuilding the people is the difficult one. J. I. Packer recognizes this shift in this transitional portion of Scripture, he says, “Nehemiah through God built walls; God through Nehemiah built saints.”[14] God is building saints in this passage, not by activity, but by listening to preaching. Christians do not grow by giving them something to do. If they think when a person gets saved the first thing you need to do is get them into service to grow, you have a defect view of Christian growth. People grow by knowing God through His Word. Listening to preaching builds the saints.
Exegesis of Nehemiah 8:1–8
Between the last verse of chapter seven and the first verse of chapter eight, the Israelites had “gone home after weeks of camping in Jerusalem to finish the walls”[15] Nehemiah and Ezra call for a meeting. They did not know if anyone would show up. One historian of this time period said, “There was no guarantee that after their few days at home the builders would be back in the city en masse for the study day, still less that they would bring their families and friends; nor was there any guarantee that the minority whose homes were in Jerusalem would come.”[16]
But,[17] Nehemiah 8:1 says all the nation of Israel gathered together in a courtyard “as one man.” No less than 42,000 people (likely over 50,000) gathered at the square in front of the Water Gate, a site possibly selected because of its nearness to the newly rebuilt temple. Since the congregation consisted of men, women, and older children it necessitated not only a large venue, but also a place where women could attend. Therefore the gathering could not be held in the Temple precincts because in the temple precincts only men were allowed.
50,000 people stood with anticipation to hear the Word of God. Hundreds of them had not heard the Word for many years, some of them had never heard it.[18] The multitudes call for the man of God, a trusted expositor to give “the words of life” (8:1). The congregation knew the trusted Ezra would treat the words “which the Lord had commanded Israel” (8:1) with integrity. Ezra recognized Israel’s longing for something mortar and bricks could not satisfy. This massive congregation not only wanted the unparalleled teacher of the Law, but they asked Ezra to bring his friends: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.
Ezra answered the call and brought the book to a spiritually parched congregation. Thousands of men, women, and older children (all that could hear with understanding—8:2) gathered together. They did not thrust the teenagers to meet at “The Grove,” nor did they meet at “Elevation.” They worshipped as a family. One distinguishing mark of this meeting shows that “it was for families (vv.2–3). And this was not an isolated instance, for it was customary for women and children to be included on such solemn occasions (see Deut. 31:12; Josh 8:35; 2 Kings 23:2). The Lord is always interested in the spiritual nurture of the entire family.”[19] Obviously, some members of this large crowd had children—collectively possibly several hundred babies. These children did not attend the meeting, because they could not “hear with understanding” (8:2). One could safely say that no Old Testament nursery existed with rooms entitled “Bumblebees” and “Lady Bugs,” but particular adults provided some form of tender care for babies so other adults could hear the Word without distraction.
Ezra read the Law before this vast congregation for five to six hours and the people remained “attentive” (8:3). Nehemiah 8 instructs us about listening to the Word. With nearly 50,000 people present, the possible distractions multiplied, including coughing and a lack of private restrooms, causing people to frequently move in and out of the crowd. In spite of the distractions, everyone remained fixed on listening to the Word. Charles Spurgeon said, “They were not only hearers, but they heard with their ears, their ears were into the word; it was read to them and they sucked it in, receiving it into their souls.”[20] In other words, not one woman balanced her checkbook, filed her nails, or colored in the Os in her bulletin while the preaching took place. Nor did one man send out minute-by-minute Twitter updates anytime he encountered a clever quote. The people’s behavior proved they listened attentively. I have been in a church service where a woman clipped her nails while the preaching took place. Truthfully, who am I to judge? I have been guilty of writing a to-do list or even worse zoning out into a day dream while the preaching was going on. Why do we not listen like they listened? I do not intend to rattle you, but the medicine for this sickness is not to stop doing the things I just listed. The answer is to find out why you are not hungering and thirsting after the Word like the these people were.
Ezra showed the same reverence for Scripture the audience showed. One would not find Ezra involved in shameless self-promotion, taking pictures of the audience while preaching in order to send it on Instagram to boast about what a large audience came out to hear him. He would not reduce the preaching event to such triteness.
Ezra’s audience eagerly listened, responded, and absorbed the Word. They show a predetermined commitment to obey the Word. The listeners reverenced the Scriptures, not because of Ezra’s authority, but because the words from the Scroll were the breath of God. When one reads the Scriptures, he reads words that dropped from the lips of God. If you really believed God wrote a book, would you not listen to it better than you are right now?
Nehemiah had just successfully completed the walls surrounding Jerusalem, but he also led in another building project—the “pulpit” (8:4). Ezra stood on this pulpit made of wood flanked by six men on his right and seven on his left. In this instance, the word pulpit literally means “tower.” This pulpit/tower did not function like pulpits today. This text does not imply preachers must preach behind a pulpit. Actually, Ezra did not stand behind the pulpit; he stood upon it. Practically, Nehemiah had to build the tower/pulpit in order for 50,000 people to see and hear the speaker. This wooden tower stood high enough for the vast crowd to see Ezra and strong enough to support Ezra and the thirteen men accompanying him.
Theologically, this act shows nearly 50,000 people willingly submitting to the Word. The design elevated the scroll above the congregation. The hearers sat under the Word. They did not sit under Ezra’s authority; they sat under the Word’s authority. If someone in the audience did not care for Ezra’s personality or the way he conducted things, it did not matter because they were submitting to the Word, not to Ezra. They could dislike Ezra, but still happily sit under the Word. The authority rested in the scroll, not Ezra. Why would some of you even bother to listen to me today? You have more life experience in your little pinky than I have in my entire life. Why should you listen? Because I am the one holding the Bible. You sit under the authority of the Word.
The architecture of some churches demonstrates this unseen conviction by placing the preaching event and pulpit at the center of the church—elevated to demonstrate its importance. Eugene Peterson, author/translator of The Message, recognizes the message in the architecture: “Lectern and pulpit are raised above the nave not only to facilitate hearing but also to signal the nature of the action: the congregation does not look down on or at a book curiously but sits under its word obediently.”[21] Before the reformation, some church leaders placed the pulpits to the side, not the center of the church. Typically, the architecture reveals the values of the builder. Style could betray the truth. Nehemiah and Ezra demonstrate the centrality of the Scriptures by encouraging the audience to gather around and sit under the Word.
On this day, Ezra opened the Word of God and all the people immediately stood, apparently a spontaneous gesture of worship. The people did not stand while Ezra read five or six verses; they stood for five or six hours from morning until mid-day (8:3,5). Then, Ezra opened the scroll in front of all the people (8:5). This vast congregation knew Ezra spoke from the scroll: the Word of God. Ezra did not spark a patriotic rally or promote his preferences. He spoke from the Word. The congregation should know the preacher roots his message in and submits his speech to the Word.
Ezra spoke from the scroll. This does not imply that someone must preach from a scroll today. The binding has changed from scrolls to codex binding, but the content has remained the same. Someone could preach from a scroll, codex, iPad, or screen as long as the content is the Scripture. Matt Carter, pastor of Austin Stone Community Church in Texas, does not carry a Bible to the pulpit. He carries five to six sheets of paper. He has the Bible text printed on the sheets of paper along with other notes. He places the words of Scripture on screens to show that he speaks from the Word. Carter has been criticized for this preference, but theologically there are no grounds to rebuke him. The essential lies in the content (words of Scripture) not the exterior wrappings (iPad, paper, codex, or scroll).
Ezra started to “bless” the Lord (8:6). This massive worship service began when Ezra started worshipping. The content of his message led to worship both for the speaker and the hearers. The sermon led to praise. Ezra worshipped while preaching and the people worshipped while listening. Ezra’s theology led to his doxology. Actually, 50,000 people burst into worship with lifted hands and bowed heads. These people did not worship Ezra or the Bible. No evidence of man-worship or bibliolatry existed. They worshipped the God of Ezra; the divine author of Scripture.
Viewing this event in the context of God’s redemptive history, one can clearly see God’s desire for the restoration of true worship. The Jews had to return to Jerusalem, they had to rebuild the temple, and they had to restore the walls in order to provide safety while worshipping. God made sure all three events took place because He desires worship. God also made sure one more event took place. He made sure Ezra read, explained, and applied the Word. The restoration of true worship required preaching.
Verses 1-7 show you what listening to preaching should look like. Verse 8 shows you what preaching should look like. Nehemiah 8:8 says, “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Brian Chappell recognizes three divisions:
[The] presentation of the Word (it was read); explanation of the Word (making it clear and giving its meaning), and exhortation based on the Word (the Hebrew terms indicate the priests caused the people to understand in such a way that they could use the information that was imparted). Presentation of the Word itself, explanation of its content, and exhortation to apply its truths composed the pattern of proclamation.[22]
Ezra completed three important and distinct tasks in this verse. Ezra read the law, gave the sense, and caused the people to understand. In other words, Ezra read the Bible, explained the Bible, and applied the Bible. Preaching in its purest form involves all three tasks. Ezra’s preaching consisted of three facets: reading, explaining,[23] and applying the Bible.[24] Each facet needs careful consideration.
First, Ezra read the law. Ezra, read the Bible “distinctly.” This means he read it passionately, clearly, and respectfully. Anything less would be a sin. Blowing the dust off the cover was not enough. Ezra needed to open and read the book aloud “distinctly.” He read clearly, accurately, and precisely. He did not rush through the reading in order to reach the sermon. Nor did he stumble through the reading. He worked to have exact pronunciations. He realized reading does not cower in inferiority to explaining or applying the text.
Secondly, Ezra explained the law. Ezra did not just explain the Law, but he explained it faithfully. The verb “gave” speaks of textual integrity. Before Ezra performed “an expositor’s task (Neh 8:1–8),” he confirmed “an expositor’s commitment (Ezra 7:10).”[25] Ezra gives an inspiring example to preachers like me of what an expositor should do. Daniel Akin proposes, “Because of the captivity, many in the audience may have needed the Scriptures translated from Hebrew into Aramaic, interpreted and explained. The thrust of the text is clear. Ezra and his companions expounded the Word of God, helping the people understand the Scriptures and their implications for doctrine and practice.”[26] David Deuel agrees with Akin’s position stating, “Ezra then read the scroll, and with the assistance of a select group, probably understudies, explained the passage’s meaning in whatever way was necessary, be it by translation or by interpretation.”[27]
Ezra read the law, explained the law, and still found it necessary to apply it. Ezra refused to stop at explanation, he plunged into the waters of application. Ezra’s application of the law brought a thousand-year-old text to bear on contemporary lives. Ezra answered the “So-what” question. It is often neglected in preaching. What a senior citizen, married couple, single adult, divorced person, widow, healthy, sick, happy or sad person asks how does this sermon affect my day-to-day life? Ezra told them how the text should rightly work out into their life. That’s application. Ezra did it well.
Viewing this story in whole context of Christian Scripture, we must ask this question, “How did Nehemiah build these walls?” I want to give Nehemiah a lot of credit for building the walls. He is a magnificent example of leadership. Sometimes the leaders get so much credit those that are behind the scene get neglected. Nehemiah had a little help to complete this task. First, thousands of helping hands made that wall go up in record time.
Secondly, something had to happen before Nehemiah ever showed up. Ezra’s faithful fourteen-year line-upon-line teaching laid the groundwork for Nehemiah to come on the scene and organize the Israelites to build the walls.
Thirdly, God made sure these walls were going back up. If they had not been build, parts of Scripture would have gone unfulfilled. Jesus would not have walked through the walls of Jerusalem on his donkey with a triumphal victory (Zechariah 9:9; Matt. 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40). God ultimately build these walls so He could accomplish our redemption through his precious Son Jesus.
Conclusion
I want to give you three take-a-ways from this passage of Scripture.
1. It is the advice given to me through one of my mentors. I will never forget it. Here it is, “people gather for a worship service not a preaching service.” Ezra did not come to hype the crowd up. He came to lead in worship. Preaching is important, but it is a servant to worship.
2. Everyone should have the Bible translated in their own language. J.I. Packer said, “The Levites had to translate from Hebrew into Aramaic, the dialect developed out of Hebrew that had become the spoken language of Palestine. This was comparable to the task of putting Chaucer’s poetry into modern English. Then they had to spell out the application, so that their listeners would see what law-keeping to the Lord would mean for them in practice.”[28] Jesus desires worship of all languages that is why we must get the Scriptures to every existing language.
3. This passage is really a passage about revival. But, it does not give us steps to reach revival. It gives us evidence of revival taking place.
What exactly is revival? What do you see mentally when you hear the word revival? Some of you see week long evangelistic meetings, others a giant tent, still others a leather-lunged preacher garnering lots of amens. You see church signs that say revival June 20-25. Can revival be scheduled? No–you cannot calendar revival.
This chapter does not give steps to reach revival. In fact, no chapter in the Bible does such. Even if you get everything straight in the church it does not necessitate it to come. Revival in the Bible is never a set of conditions met by a group of people that make the spirit work. Contrary to what Charles Finney believed, revival is a gift from God poured on people that do not deserve it. Listening to preaching the way these people listened to preaching is not possible for us unless a spiritual revival takes place that will make us listen this intently. Turning off the phone (show the phone) so you will not surf the net will not do it. Putting the bulletin (show the bulletin) in the back of the Bible so you will not doodle on it will not bring this type of listening. God alone is able to create this thirst for His Word inside of you. Let us seek Him for what only He can supply.
[1] In many sermons I will “work towards the text” meaning explain a similair situation in the 21st century and show how it mirrors a situation in the first century. To keep it fresh I changed this format. Also I do not want my people to become dependant upon it.
[2] Pre-worked
[3] Typically in writing I would not begin a sentence with the word “however,” but in speaking it aids for better communication.
[4] As I deal with each empire I will communicate non-verbally by sticking up one finger then two, then three.
[5] Mervin Breneman, The New American Commentary: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1993), 24.
[6] Purposeful repetition
[7] Emphasize this sentence with vocal inflection.
[8] Packer, A Passion for Faithfulness (Wheaton: Crossway Books. 1995), 145.
[9] Pause after the word cried. While saying the word however show Nehemiah’s frustration with hands out to the side palms up.
[10] Emphasize with vocal inflection
[11] Emphasize with vocal inflection
[12] Daniel Akin, “A Biblical Model for Preaching The Word of God,” 5, http://www.danielakin.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/5.15.2013-Preaching-Conference-Nehemiah-8.1-12-A-Biblical-Model-for-Preaching-the-Word-of-God.pdf (accessed March 24, 2014).
[13] Akin, “A Biblical Model for Preaching The Word of God.”
[14] Packer, A Passion for Faithfulness, xxvii.
[15] Akin, 145.
[16] Packer, A Passion for Faithfulness, 150.
[17] I would not typically begin a sentence in writing with a “but”, however, in speaking it tends to be effective.
[18] Emphasize by saying this sentence slow
[19] Campbell, Nehemiah: Man in Charge, 71.
[20] Charles Spurgeon, “The Joy of the Lord, the Strength of His People,” The Spurgeon Archive. http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/1027.htm (accessed April 2, 2014).
[21] Eugene Peterson, Working the Angles (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 92.
[22] Bryan Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994), 87.
[23] V. P. Hamilton contests the word “explained” should be rendered “translated”, but “the basic meaning still remains, ‘to make/be made clear’ (by revelation, explication or translation).” V. P. Hamilton, Theological Workbook of the Old Testament, ed. Laird Harris (Chicago: Moody, 1980), 740.
[24] Purposeful repetition
[25] Deuel, An Old Testament Pattern for Expository Preaching, 128.
[26] Daniel Akin, “A Biblical Model for Preaching The Word of God,” 9.
[27] Deuel, An Old Testament Pattern For Expository Preaching, 136.
[28] Packer, A Passion for Faithfulness, 152–153.