The Book of the Law

“When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.”

Nehemiah 7:73b – 8:1

Last time we looked more deeply at a group of people who could not find family records to prove they were of priestly lineage, grateful we are in the family of God because of the cross, that a Priest ministering with Urim and Thummim has come. Today we see the wrap up of the Ezra 2 records and walk into the fresh, new section of this journey.

But first, how about a recap? Remember, Nehemiah’s primary purpose for leaving his life as cupbearer to the Persian king is to help rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. After 52 days, the wall is completed and the surrounding nations know it was because of Yahweh. Nehemiah’s next move is directed by God: to repopulate Jerusalem by first assembling the nobles and officials and common people to enroll by genealogy. So for the past month in this space we have been walking through the names of people listed in the original record of returned exiles.

Now that our minds are refreshed on a timeline, let’s see what happens later the same week of the wall being completed.

“…all the people (am – folk) gathered as one man (echad – one to another, united, unison) in the square (rechob – open place, town square) before the Water Gate. They told Ezra (whose name means “Help” ) the scribe (saphar – recount, proclaim, tell) to bring out the Book of the Law (torah – direction, instruction, teaching) of Moses, which the LORD had commanded (tsavah – lay charge upon, commission, sent) for Israel.

As I’ve been flipping back and forth from Ezra 2 to Nehemiah 7, the beginning of today’s verses (which lead into Nehemiah chapter 8) struck me as incredibly similar to the beginning of Ezra 3:

“When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled together as one in Jerusalem. Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.” (Ezra 3:1-2)

Compare that to:

“When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.” (Nehemiah 7:73b-8:1)

Seems like God’s people know what to do in times of transition: seek God’s Law. The ordinary folk gathered in unity in the town square and asked Ezra the scribe (whose name means “Help” and whose job is to proclaim the Book of the Law) to bring it out that they may have direction and teaching in the ways He had commissioned them. Pure beauty.

What is your instinct in times of transition or even times of monotony? How about in times of elation or disappointment? Longings fulfilled or dreams dashed? This group of common people knew one task was completed but another was still coming: learning to live together in the City of God as the People of God. As descendants of exiles who had lived in a non-Jewish empire for half a century, these returnees had no idea how to live up to the commission. Or even what the commission for them was.