The Water Gate Incident

So considering all of this, it should not surprise us that immediately after the reconstruction of the walls was complete,

There was a great hunger among these people for re-instruction from the Word of God.

And so they all gather before the Water Gate (which is probably the gate that led to the Spring of Gihon outside the city walls).

This morning, we’re going to look through chapter 8 at some lessons and principles about the Word of God that we can use in our lives today.

THE FIRST LESSON that caught my attention as I read Nehemiah chapter 8 was at the end of verse 3:

"And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law."

And the lesson is this: THE BIBLE DESERVES YOUR COMPLETE ATTENTION!

Turn to Luke chapter 10

We should be eager to learn what the Bible says

If there was a student at SLU who enrolled for 28 units, would you say he was "eager to learn?" Probably.

But what if he only went to one class each week for one hour?

Would you say he was "eager to learn"? NO!

In the same way, if the only time you spend studying God’s word is Sunday morning for about an hour,

Then I would say that you also are not "eager to learn" God’s Word.

Verse 3 says that the people listened to the Word of God from dawn until noon!

That is eagerness, and we should all be the same.

This lesson reminds me of Mary and Martha:

Luke 10:38-42 — As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Here was Martha — so busy; cooking, cleaning, washing....

And here was Mary, listening to the words of Jesus.

Learn this lesson today from the response of Jesus:

Reading your Bible (learning the Word of God) is more important than cooking.

And reading your Bible is more important than cleaning.

And reading your Bible is more important than washing.

The people at the Water Gate in Nehemiah chapter 8 gave God’s Word their COMPLETE ATTENTION.

And so should we.

Well, let’s move on...

Nehemiah 8:4-6 — Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Matti-thiah, Shema, Ana-iah, Uriah, Hil-kiah and Maase-iah; and on his left were Peda-iah, Mishael, Malki-jah, Hashum, Hash-bad-danah, Zechariah and Meshullam. Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

The next lesson from Nehemiah chapter 8 is that THE BIBLE DESERVES YOUR RESPECT.