Study the Scriptures

December 31, 2017

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:13-18

I. You study the Bible to obey it.

A. In vs. 13 we read about what happened on the second day of the seventh month of the year. The men and the fathers among the Jews came back to Ezra after the long Bible reading on the first day of the month and said, “We need to know the Bible better so that we can teach it to our families.” If you are looking for a good resource to use to learn the Bible for yourself, I would recommend a daily blog written by D.A. Carson (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/d-a-carson/).

B. Ezra read the Bible, and in vs. 14 the fathers immediately heard about something that directly applied to them. In this month, the seventh month, they were supposed to celebrate a holiday with their families called the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Tabernacles. The people obeyed. Immediately. See vs. 16-17. No questions were asked. No excuses were made. And no delay was given. And we obey today because of Jesus’ words in John 14:15: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

II. You study the Bible to rejoice.

A. The result of the people’s obedience to God’s command in the Bible to celebrate the Feast of Booths is found in vs. 17: “And there was very great rejoicing.” It was the best celebration of this holiday ever. Some people think that obedience to the Bible will not produce joy. It will only produce a deadly legalism. Not so. Legalism to human rules takes all the joy out of your relationship with Jesus. But obedience to Jesus is actually something that produces joy in those who love Jesus. We enjoy obeying Jesus because of our love for Jesus.

B. You can choose joy. It is because you can choose joy that Paul wrote in Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” Some people would say, “How can God command somebody to rejoice? How can God command me to have a certain feeling?” God can command us to rejoice because of how good He has been to us. He can command our joy because of how much love He has shown us. We rejoice in God’s love for us and in the forgiveness He has given us through Christ’s death on the cross.

III. You study the Bible to know God’s love.

A. The people’s obedience to the Bible’s command to celebrate the feast of booths reminded them of God’s love in two ways. First, as they lived in their tents of tree branches for that week, they remembered what God had done for Israel in the wilderness in protecting them for those 40 years. Second, the people remembered how God had provided food and water for Israel while they lived in the wilderness. Jesus went into the Temple on the eighth day of the Feast of booths and said in John 7:37-38: “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me,’ as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” What was Jesus saying at this Feast of Booths? I am the fulfillment of all that this feast anticipates. I will bring the rain that will produce fruit and blessing over all the earth. I am the one you are thirsty for.

Application:
If you are thirsty for joy, life, love and God, come to Jesus in the pages of the Bible

Sources:
Commentaries on Nehemiah by Derek Thomas and James Hamilton Jr.
Commentary on John by D.A. Carson