Nehemiah 8-10

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Nehemiah%208-10&version=ESV

Ezra 8:1-3 " ¹And 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. ²So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. ³ 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."

Have you ever read the Bible or listened to the Bible for basically half a day, or have you listened to the Word of God and been attentive to it for that long of a duration?

Probably, most of us haven't. The people of Israel were honoring the completion of the building of the wall. Ezra read the Scriptures. Chapter 9 says that the Israelites later read the Word for a quarter of a day, which led to confession of sin and worship of the Lord their God for another quarter of a day.

The Israelites are a model for us in what to do and not to do. We have seen from our readings in the Old Testament of so many things we should not do, based on what the Israelites did.

In this case, I think it would be wise to model ourselves after the Israelites in this instance.

Now I am not saying we need to read the Bible everyday for half a day or quarter of a day. What I am saying is, that we should read our Bibles intentionally. It is great that we are reading through the Bible in a year. And I commend all who are on this journey with us.

But if a person really wants to get saturated with Scripture, some prolonged times of reading the Scriptures are necessary, and it will be enjoyable.

As Peter said, we are to long for the Word of God.

1 Peter 2:2 "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation"

Soli Deo Gloria.

Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.