Introduction: How do you feel when you have rented or purchased a new
home and you are all moved in? Exhausted? Happy? That is the mind set
for our study this week. God’s people have finished building the wall
and have moved into Jerusalem. They are back in their homeland and
their repaired city. Let’s plunge into our study of the Bible and
find out what happens next!
- The Reading
- Read Nehemiah 8:1. Whose idea is it to bring out the Book
of the Law? (The Bible says that “the people” told Ezra to
bring the Book of the Law.) - Read Nehemiah 8:2 and Numbers 29:1. Why does Nehemiah give
us the specific day of the reading? (It is the time of the
Feast of Trumpets.) - What did the Hebrews do at this feast? (They rested
and they blew trumpets.) - Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,
Revelation 8:6, and Revelation 11:15. Many Christians
believe that the Old Testament Jewish Feasts point to
later events in history. For example, Passover
pointed to the coming sacrifice of Jesus. After
reading these texts, what do you think the Feast of
Trumpets foreshadows? (The Second Coming of Jesus.
This is a feast which, obviously, has not been
fulfilled.) - The Bible does not say a lot about the Feast of
Trumpets. Let’s assume that the people thought that
it was connected with a coming time of judgment. In
this context, would their request to read the law
make sense? (It is always helpful to know the
standard for judgment when you are judged!) - Read Nehemiah 8:3-6. What do the people do to prepare for
the reading of the law? (They make sure everyone can see
and hear. They praise and worship God. They stand.) - Read Nehemiah 8:7-8. What do you think Ezra was reading?
(I think the “Book of the Law” refers to the Pentateuch,
the first five books of the Old Testament. An important
part of the Pentateuch is the history that brought them to
this place both spiritually and materially. Some of the
law is what God commanded the people so that they would be
blessed and give glory to Him.) - Why is it important to have the law clarified? Why is
instruction needed? Let’s look at that next. - Instruction
- Read Acts 8:29-31. Do you agree with the assumption
contained in the question that you cannot understand the
Bible unless it is explained? - Read Acts 8:32-34. Now that we see what the man in the
chariot was reading, do you think this needs an
explanation? (Philip knew that this was a prophecy about
Jesus. The man in the chariot would not be able to piece
together this prophecy and the facts of Jesus’ life and
death.) - Note the actual question asked is more fundamental –
is the prophet writing about himself? - Read Acts 8:35. What does this teach us about studying the
Bible? (Philip starts with the Bible (“Philip began with
that very passage.”) Bringing together the experiences and
understanding of others gives us a better picture of the
Bible’s meaning. In addition to writing this lesson, I
teach it. Sometimes, after hearing the class discussion, I
wish we had the discussion before I finished writing the
lesson.) - Let’s re-read Acts 8:29. What do you see in this text that
is critical to Bible study? (The Holy Spirit arranged this
meeting. The Holy Spirit is essential to sucessful Bible
study.) - Is there a place for private Bible study? How would you
compare it with studying with others? Do you need an
“instructor?” - Reaction
- Read Acts 8:36-38. What is the reaction of the man in the
chariot to Philip’s explanation of the Bible prophecy
about Jesus? - Read Nehemiah 8:9. Why are the people weeping? Is this
different than the reaction of the man in the chariot? (It
seems logical that the people saw the difference between
what the law commanded and what they had been doing. That
made them sad. The man in the chariot also decided that he
needed to make a change. Thus, their reactions are quite
similar.) - Read Nehemiah 8:10. Do you feel guilty about past sin? Are
you sad about how your life has departed from God’s law? - If you answered “yes,” is that how you should feel?
(No! If we have confessed our sins (see Nehemiah 9:1-3), if we accept Jesus as our Substitute, then “the
joy of the Lord is our strength.”) - Read Nehemiah 8:11. Have you ever read that worship should
not be a time of celebration? That we should be serious
and sad because of our sins? What does this example tell
us? (They were instructed that “this is a holy day. Do not
grieve.”) - Read Nehemiah 8:12. What should we be doing on Sabbath?
What should we be doing when we recognize the seriousness
of our sins and what Jesus has done? What should we do
when we understand God’s will for our life?(We should
“celebrate with great joy.” Friend, sin is a terrible
thing. Sin will ruin your life and your witness. But Jesus
came to rescue you from sin and to pay the penalty for
your sin. It is as if you just received a pardon when you
are awaiting your execution. Celebration is the right
attitude!) - Feast of Tabernacles
- Read Nehemiah 8:13. Why do the people want to hear more of
the law when they had such a negative reaction? (They want
to know God’s will for their lives. What a great
attitude!) - Do you desire to know more about God’s will for your
life? - Read Nehemiah 8:14-16. What is this new learning about
temporary shelters? (Read Leviticus 23:39-42. This is
called the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths.) - Read Leviticus 23:43. What did this feast celebrate?
(Their release from slavery in Egypt.) - Think about the series of facts we have studied in
this lesson. Are those listening to the Law of God in
a similar situation as those freed slavery? (Yes!
They realize what God has in mind for them, and they
realize how they have departed from it. They now have
the path to freedom. The path to a better life.) - Is that how you view the law? Something that frees
you? - Have you ever thought “I’ll sin now, enjoy myself,
and confess when I get to be old – so I can go to
heaven?” - If so, what does that say about your attitude
toward the law? (You have things completely
reversed. The law gives you freedom from the
slavery of sin.) - Read Nehemiah 8:17-18. What is the mood of God’s people?
(“Their joy was very great!”) - Friend, do you want to have great joy? The formula we have
studied in this lesson is first, learn God’s will for your
life. Second, be convicted that you need to change. Third,
rejoice over what God has done for you. Rejoice that you
better understand His will for your life. Will you, by the
power of the Holy Spirit, welcome this joy into your life? - Next week: Our Forgiving God.
