“So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.

And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths, for from the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing.”

Nehemiah 8:16-17 ESV

Last time we saw the leadership gather to become wise in handling Holy Writ, obeying Kol Yahweh, the voice of God. Today we see how the people responded to the commands in Torah.

The people obeyed the joyful command to collect branches of all kinds and make booths to live in for the days of the festival. However, where each family placed the booth seemed to vary: some on the roof (gag – rooftop, housetop) some in courtyards (chatser – enclosure, yard) and some in an open square (rechob – broad open place, plaza, streets), including the Water Gate and the Gate of Ephraim.

This is tender to me as there are so many solid Truths of God we as His people are to obey. But the way He designed each of us to follow through on that obedience gets to be creative and unique and point to His glorious vastness. While no family was hiding their booth or obedience, some were more out in the streets, in a wide open place, than others. Perhaps this had to do with space or temperament. Maybe those in the streets and open courtyards would have gladly set up camp in a more enclosed space but did not have access. Perhaps they were visitors from other villages or the country and had no roof on which to camp. Or maybe they wanted to experience the ultimate slumber party with the community.

Whatever the reasoning of each family, this section makes me smile. All obeying, but carrying out faithfulness in unique ways. That is unity.

How about us? Are there specific commands from God’s Word you have no problem carrying out, but they may look different from the way your neighbor obeys? If you are putting yourself in groups which challenge your thinking, the answer is likely a resounding yes! Let’s aim to encourage one another in our unique paths while clinging to never-changing Truths. After all, the purpose of this Feast is to remember His faithfulness to their ancestors while in the wilderness. Surely we can remind each other of the ways He has taken care of us individually and communally as we walk this thing out in a way that points to Him.

I appreciated looking up the meaning behind Ephraim’s name: Ephrayim – double fruit, from apher – a covering, bandage, turban. The name itself refers to one of Joseph’s sons who, along with Manasseh, received a blessing by their grandfather Jacob to be as one of his children, named in the 12 tribes of Israel.

While the double blessing is intriguing, I am curious about the name coming from something that means a bandage or covering. Binding wounds is significant and have we not all needed our own shame covered at one point or another? While the name of the Gate in front of which the community parked their tents is not the main point of our verses today, it touches me someone who is to receive a double blessing, a significant inheritance, carries a name that points to our Tender Healer. Can we be that to one another in our day, too? This world surely needs it. And the more blessed you are, the more you have to pour out for others.

Our narrator then reminds us as readers how this whole assembly (kol qahal) are those who had returned (shub – turn back, brought back, restitution made) from captivity (shiby – captive, prisoner, exile). The significance of this group obeying the parameters of this festival, after just being reminded in Torah and recently completing an astonishing wall building project, is once again emphasized. These are the ones who chose to return to Temple and God’s Holy City after living among those who did not worship the One True God. But they turned back when given the opportunity. They saw the offer of freedom and the opportunity to begin again among the watching world to live like God was good and enough and worthy. And they took it.

Another reason this festival obedience is significant for our group is because it had not been properly celebrated since the people of God first entered the Promised Land during the days of Joshua’s leadership. All the way back to Moses’s successor. So much of Israel’s history had happened between entering the Promised Land and the people returning from exile, but obedience to this command was clearly not part of it. Many commentators point out the festival itself had been celebrated, though not perhaps with the proper dwelling in booths. However, others point to the next section as missing in Israel’s story since Joshua: the very (meod – muchness, force, abundance) great (gadol – exceedingly marvelous) rejoicing (simchah – mirth, joy, delight, pleasure, glee, unconcern). There was an abundance of marvelous mirth.

If you have ever come to the point in which God’s Law is no longer a good idea but an experienced reality of how to have a life worth living, you know the difference between observing a festival and an abundance of marvelous mirth. When your idols fail and God-given, holy relationships insist on being human, He delights to become your Life Source. And these returned captives had the same joy, delight, and unconcerned glee as their forefathers when finally arriving into the Land promised years before to Abraham.

May we ask from Him and seek the kind of hearts which long to hear what is best for us. Let’s assume what He says is smarter and better and truer than what we come up with on our own. May we obey with the kind of gladness of captives who have returned, made restitution, and have the opportunity to celebrate a glorious Redeemer.

Let’s have an abundance of marvelous mirth.

“On the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law. And they found it written in the Law that the Lord had commanded by Moses that the people of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month and that they should proclaim it and publish it in all their towns and in Jerusalem, ‘Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.’”

Nehemiah 8:13-15 ESV

Last time we watched the Levites both calm and hush the people, helping them take the sense they’d been given from Holy Writ and obey the command to party with marvelous mirth. Today we see the next step of leadership in reading and obeying Torah.

The second day of people celebrating, the leadership (rosh – head, chief) of the folk gathered (asaph – gather, remove, rear guard) with the priests and Levites and met with Ezra the scribe (saphar – recount, proclaim) in order to be prudent and wise (sakal – to be prudent, expert, skillful, success, wisdom) in studying the words of Torah.

What a good idea. Heads of families coming together under leadership established by Yahweh, seeking how to be successful and skillful in handling Holy Writ. What they found is the charge (tsavah – appointed command) laid upon the people of Israel by (yad – hand) Moses is they should dwell (yashab – abide, sit, remain) in booths (sukkah – temporary shelter) during the feast of the seventh month.

We have recently revisited the Feast of Booths together on here, remembering how after fasting and corporate confession of sin, God’s commands were to celebrate with joy. And while putting together a temporary shelter may sound tiring to those of us at a certain age, it would sound like the ultimate fort for those with childlike happiness. I was interested to find out the Hebrew word for booth comes from sakak which means “to weave together.”

Isn’t that just what He does? Taking those of us from all ages, various backgrounds and stories, weaving us together to form a rich tapestry of Love. Being weaved is painful – much easier to remain a single strand or do our own thing. But the collective good brought forth from letting Him work on our hearts outweighs the inconvenience. The knowledge we gain of our blind spots and shortcomings is worth more than any independence we may think we desire. The heartache that comes from caring about others’ concerns that would be easier to ignore is proof we have let Him in. And He was weaving together this grieving community’s collective purpose in obeying Torah and relearning how to live as His.

Not only were the people to do this, they were to proclaim (abar – pass on) and announce (shama – listen with intent to obey) a proclamation (qol– a report) in their cities (iyr – towns, excitement) saying (amar – advise), “Go out and gather branches to make booths as it is written.”

You may have seen that word qol written as kol, as in Kol Yahweh, the voice of God. In our text it is being used as a noun, like a report or announcement one would pin on a bulletin board. This is possibly one of the reasons the ESV renders it, “publish it in all their towns.” They were all to pass on a report in their cities, their excitement, advising all the folk to gather branches as written in the Holy Scriptures. Again with a charge to listen with intent to obey. After all, the Word is His Word. Kol Yahweh. Obedience is the only acceptable response.

If you were to pin something on a bulletin board, virtual or otherwise, in which to advise others how to obey God’s Word, what would you hang for all in your city to see? Would it have to do with joy and building? Celebration and beauty? Would you seek to scare or seek to draw others in? Do you picture color or a design? Something soothing or more electric? I hope whatever comes to mind, love is at the forefront.

Because all we do to love those immediately in front of us is obeying Kol Yahweh. The more we seek to draw others into this joyful dance of selfless giving, the more we find obeying what is written isn’t a burden but a blessing. Let’s celebrate with childlike happiness and love with life-giving abandon.

Obeying His voice yields present and eternal beauty.

So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

Nehemiah 8:11-12 (ESV)

Last time we saw Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites declare the day sacred to a weeping people, encouraging them to celebrate as the gladness of the Lord is strength in the battle. Today we see the response.

The past few verses we’ve visited together, Ezra and Nehemiah have made an appearance. Today’s verse specifically points to what the Levites did with the people: Hushed them. The word is chashah – to be silent, still, calm, hush. All the folk were clearly still crying after the leaders’ command to go their way and celebrate.

When grief is sincere it does not end simply or quickly. Perhaps the people were also in shock that, after learning of their corporate falling short, their next move was to party. So the Levites reinforced the command, urging the people to be calm. In fact, the phrase used is be quiet (has – hush! silence!)

This word is only used six times in Scripture:

• Caleb quieting the people after an unbelieving report from the spies to Canaan
• The king of Moab sending out witnesses from his chambers to hear a secret message
• Amos’ woe to those comfortable and rich who say, “Silence! Don’t speak of the LORD”
• Amos’ prophecy of exile resulting in wailing rather then worshiping
• Habbakuk’s command for silence before Yahweh in His temple
• Zephaniah’s command to those who had turned back from following Yahweh to be silent before Him
• And Zechariah’s call that all flesh be silent before Yahweh.

The first word used to describe the Levites’ actions seems almost gentle: chashah – to still, calm, hush. But this one is a stern command as from one in authority.

Beating yourselves up with guilt and grief will not fix this. Hush! Let God work through your corporate sorrow. The day is set apart and your job is not to be vexed or worried.

Grieving with no hope is as debilitating as it sounds. Often when going through gut-wrenchingly hard times, one thing we can cling to is how our walking through it will somehow help others in the future. But we have to have a future in mind, we must know there is a purpose in pain and hope on the horizon. Otherwise we are too prone to give up and wallow in sorrow. And that, in itself, can serve as an excuse to not engage.

So it is a relief to see the next section: “And they went their way (halak – go, go forth, walk, become, continue, brighter, flow, grow, live, travel, wander) greatly (gadol – exceedingly marvelous) rejoicing (simchah – mirth, joy, delight, pleasure, glee, unconcern).

They grew in marvelous mirth. The picture is one of unconcerned delight. Not the privileged kind, the trusting kind. The way Jesus could weep at death and unrepentance and yet intimately know His Father’s work.

It’s what we are called to, friends. Not a lack of engagement, not building walls between us and others. In fact, quite the opposite. Throwing in with our head and heart and hands precisely because we can trust Him with how much it hurts. And how can we know He’s that trustworthy?

“Because (ki) they understood (bin again – to discern, act wisely, interpret, perceive, to think) the words (dabar) declared (yada – know, clearly understand, intimate, experienced, to ascertain by seeing) to them.”

Our grieved gathering was able to obey the command to go on their way with joy – and share with those not ready or rested – because they were given the sense from God’s stinging Word. It was declared to them – intimately known and experienced. While they themselves may not have had such clear and lived understanding of Holy Writ, they could take it on the word of those proclaiming it.

I’ll never forget something recounted a few years ago on social media about a women’s gathering of believers. An older saint stood up to tell the women, “I’m 87 years old. And I’m here to tell you it’s all true.”

How many heartaches had she lived through? Had she buried loved ones? What disappointments and tears into the lap of her Savior had she entrusted? How many times had she had to tell herself, “Just breathe”? And as she looked back, she could say with certainty He was Who He said He was. He was everything His Word declares Him to be. And not only that, she was Who He said she was.

When we don’t know the actual experience of walking with a Living God, we can step out on others’ experience with Him. We can choose to let down our guards and put our faith in the One Who has seen others through the storm and come out not only stronger and wiser, but less concerned with hanging on. Because they know they are being held.

Friends, go your way. Continue your work led by Him, growing brighter as lights in this world. For heaven’s sake, engage! And yet.

Trust. Live in anxious unconcern of others’ approval, opinion, or the ultimate outcome. The ultimate outcome is decided, bought with a humiliating and painful death of the God-Man. Evil and darkness in all forms: white supremacy, hatred, love of power, deception, dishonor, and dehumanizing will all come to an end. We work now with Him to usher in shalom, knowing its fulfillment will be more devastatingly glorious than we could glimpse in even 87 years here.

And such knowledge will grow marvelous mirth.

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:9-10 (ESV)

Last time we looked in on the Levites translating Holy Writ to the awaiting people, helping them discern their next steps wisely as a sacred assembly. Today we see the people’s response and Ezra and Nehemiah’s exhortation.

“This day is holy (qadosh – sacred, consecrated) to Yahweh Elohim. Do not mourn (abal – lamentations, grieve) nor weep (bakah – bewail, cry, sob). For all the people wept (bakah again) when they heard (shama – listen with intent to obey) the words of the Law (torah).

Not only was the assembly of people and the reading of Torah set apart as sacred, so was the day. Nehemiah as governor, Ezra as scribe and priest, and the Levites as translators declared the day to be set apart as holy to Yahweh Elohim. Therefore the people were to no longer lament and cry. When reading this it feels sudden. When did the tears start? We are actually told they are to stop weeping before we know they were.

The next sentence helps us see the why behind the grief: as the people understood the Torah, listening with an intent to obey, they wept. Have you ever been there? Perhaps seeing yourself or a situation clearly for the first time while viewing it against the backdrop of Perfection? When God allows His sorrow to sweep over us it can crash like waves. Maybe they were grieving their lack of knowledge about how to please the God Who had called them His own. Perhaps they could not believe how far they had to go in becoming the kind of sacred assembly as described in the Law. Whatever each person’s specific reason, their hearts were broken.

If the crying comes as a surprise to us as readers, the leaders’ next command is even more so: “Go (halak – come, walk, be eased, be conversant), eat the fat and drink the sweetness and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready (kun – to be firm, appointed, carry, made ready, ordered, rested) for this day is holy to our Lord (Adonay – Master).”

Far from rubbing the people’s noses in their corporate mess, the wise leadership invited them to celebrate. Perhaps because the collective grief proved the congregation’s sincerity in desiring to hear and follow Holy Scripture.

Okay, you’re sad. You see how much you all fall short – individually and collectively. Now let’s wipe our tears and celebrate that on our own we cannot fix this. This is God’s Work and God’s Word and God’s People and it will come together in God’s Way.

I’m interested in the section about sending portions to those who have nothing ready. The Hebrew for ready is kun – to be firm, appointed, carry, made ready, ordered, rested. The gathered people were descendants of those whose idolatry caused the exile. They did not ask to be part of a generation requiring rebuilding, and yet there they were.

Here we are, too, friends. We are appointed to the days in which we find ourselves. Far from victims, we do have to deal with decisions made long before our time to lead. And our choices will affect those coming after us for better or worse. We may not have directly contributed to every piece of the current environment in which we live, but there is no way, after hearing the holy sting of God’s Word, we can ever think we are guiltless.

We must be firm in our choices right now. Not obnoxious, firm. Calling out what is dark and evil, refusing to choose anything other than the Narrow Path of His Way. We must make daily decisions that order love as highest and seek first His Kingdom, carrying the aroma of Christ to those who are being saved and those who are perishing. And we must rest, too, friends. Burning out “for Him” does no one any good. Engaging in God-given cycles of work and rest, we are better able to engage His Spirit and those around us.

Which leads beautifully into the why behind the leaders’ exhortation: “Do not be grieved (atsab – displease, hurt, grieve, vex) for the joy (chedvah – gladness, from chadah – rejoice) of the Lord is your strength (maoz – a place of safety, means of protection, fortress, helmet, defense, stronghold, rock).”

Or:

“But come, walk, be eased, conversant, eat the fat and drink the sweetness for this day is set apart as sacred to Adonai, our Master. Don’t be grieved or displeased for rejoicing in the gladness of our Lord is our fortress of safety, a helmet of protection, our Rock.”

If we are flippant toward the suffering right now, we are far from love or being the aroma of Christ. He is the Father of Compassion and God of all Comfort, never turning a privileged eye from the hurting. But if we lose all sight of walking with Him, rushing ahead or living in anxiety, and shutting out the small delights He gives among the pain, we will not be compelling. His way will seem like one more burden people can never live up to, rather than a light yoke of other-worldly joy filled with unforced rhythms of grace.

Crimson leaves and the golden hour in fall; lighting fires and belly laughing with heart friends; weeping at sin and rejoicing in reconciliation in the same hour; toddlers in Halloween costumes and the sweetness of S’mores. Reading and learning and making baby steps; worshipping with our own sacred assemblies and choosing kindness over yelling; listening to a symphony or worship music, as if there is a difference; new babies born and casseroles to the grieving; weddings, funerals, and fundraisers for those in need. Watching communities and neighborhoods embrace their unique history and relationships and loving each other; knowing He is actively at work in a thousand cultures and families, workplaces and hearts. Watching His Bride rise to our time in history.

It’s there, friends. This gladness, the rejoicing in our Lord in the midst of so much evil. In fact, in the fight of faith to which we are called it serves as a defense, a helmet protecting our minds from desperation and defeat. And when we do not detect a single earthly pleasure, our gladness can rest solely in His gladness. In the knowledge of a Creator God Who is never stressed or out of control. Who, while grieving brokenness, is not caught off guard by it. Rehearsing this to ourselves, too, is a place of safety, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Hold onto your joy, friends. Eat the fat and drink the sweetness, sharing your faith with those reeling right now. The joy of the Rock is our rock.

Joy in Him is strength.

“They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”

Nehemiah 8:8 (ESV)

Last time we looked at the last six Levites listed who were helping the people gaze at the Holy Scriptures with discernment and intelligence, enabling them to remain in their places. Today we glimpse some follow-up responsibilities.

The first thing that strikes me in our verse is how it is no longer Ezra who is reading the Book. Now, after naming some, it is our Levites. “So they read (qara – to call, proclaim, read, become famous, invite, shout, summon)…” The simple act of reading a Book with such power can be a summons, a call. No one need shout for it to be an invitation to make famous the Author.

And as before, this book (sepher – document, writing, scroll, writ) of the law (torah – direction, instruction, law) is of God – Elohim. Holy Writ, instruction on life’s purpose and design, direct from the Designer. A Law of Love, only known if revealed, only freeing as it is obeyed.

More specifically, our Levites read from this Holy Writ clearly – parash. Used only in this form here (and its root word only five times altogether in the Bible), it means “to scatter, make distinct, pierce, sting, to separate, to disperse, to specify, by implication: to wound.”

The whole message of this Word has the potential to sting. If we are not willing to see the truth of our state – full of beauty as made in His image, and full of sin as willing participants in rebellion toward His goodness – we will never know the sting of antiseptic that ultimately cleanses and heals. Some wounds are a mercy.

These three synonyms for our word are intriguing: to specify, make distinct, to separate. In reference to reading the Word clearly to a people listening with an intent to obey, the Levites seem to be separating what is genuinely true from misconceptions the former exiles had about God, His will, and His ways. And not only would it wound in order to heal, it would require a transformation of the mind.

Friends, in what ways do we need to gaze into Holy Writ to make distinct what is genuinely true of Yahweh? How have cultural assumptions, the American Dream, personal goals, or our idols ushered in misunderstandings of the way of Jesus? What of our background or perspective do we need to separate from genuine Biblical wisdom? Far from splitting hairs to pridefully prove ourselves right, the fruit of this type of gazing will be increasing love.

Until we specify these areas in our own hearts and communities, we are not specifying our next steps in joining Him. Some things must be left behind in order to walk the path ahead with freedom. And trust me, I know this hurts. Some of the things up for discussion once were held in high value by those we love. Others we used to sense His permission to continue in but now we know in our hearts He’s asking us to give up. Change is not comfortable and dying to ourselves is still a death to grieve.

But now for a beautiful byproduct of our obedience from the definition: “to disperse, scatter.” This specifying, stinging separation of God and not-of-God can cause True Beauty to disperse beyond our personal walks and individual communities. Love and law, grace and Truth, can scatter with the Wind. Glory.

The next section in our verse reads, “and they gave (sum/sim – to set, attach, establish, show) the sense (sekel – prudence, discretion, insight, repute, shrewdness, wisdom).”

A couple of versions of this verse use the word translate here: “translating to give the sense” (NASB) and “translated the Book of The Revelation.” (MSG)

“The Law was written in Hebrew, but in Babylonia the Jews had adopted Aramaic as the language for daily life. Because of this a translation was necessary…They read God’s Law and then translated it, explaining.” (source)

I haven’t forgotten an interesting insight into the act of translating from when we lived overseas. A national friend who was a veteran worker, translator, and learner of American culture pointed out why one of our newest translators for a conference was exceptional: she translated idea for idea rather than solely word for word. Her knowledge of American slang and point of view helped her not only translate the words we as foreigners were using, but the position from which we were coming.

In order to “give the sense” to an awaiting people, the Levites needed to attach insight into their translating. They needed to show the wisdom, the good repute of these Words, the prudence and shrewdness in obeying them for this rebuilding community’s daily life.

We need this same sense now, in our day. We need to reckon with the situation in which a majority of God’s Word was written: in slavery, wandering, subservient to godless nations, and full of persecution. We need to know the position from which the writers of this Law were coming and resist the urge to make it match our personal situations here and now: Good guys (obviously us – me and my tribe) on top and the rest of the world meeting our needs.

Instead, we view these God-breathed Words in light of what is most true of our state: we are but a breath. We are sojourners in a land that is not our True Country. No matter how much or little power, influence, wealth, or pleasures we have, we are not God. But we are held lovingly in His hand, our next heart beat dependent not on ourselves.

From such a perspective we are ready for the final section of our Levites’ job description: “…and helped them understand (bin – to discern, act wisely, interpret, perceive, to think).”

We saw this word last time, but here it is used in reference to the reading (miqra – convocation, reading, summoning). This word can mean “a holy convocation,” “summon the congregation,” and “sacred assembly.” In fact, each time we see “sacred assembly” in Leviticus 23:1-8 it is this word miqra.

This is more than the mere reading of words, and even deeper than translating from the proper perspective. This was a summons and the people knew it. The Levites’ job as they translated was not simply changing from Hebrew to Aramaic, but helping the people discern how to act wisely in what was next. They were summoning the people, and it was holy.

A sacred assembly differs highly from mob mentality. Remember, this understanding involved discernment. As we look squarely at our individual and corporate situations, do not abandon peace for fear or joy for panic. Let’s resist principalities and love people.

A glorious example of this sacred assembly is from Isaiah 4:2-6:

“In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel. Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; he will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire. 

Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.”

The LORD’s glory will be a protective canopy for all who assemble (miqra) on Mount Zion. Sins cleansed, stains purged, the holy convocation will have one Savior to adore.

He is all our Sense.

“…Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places.”

Nehemiah 8:7 (ESV)

Last time we examined the names of the first several Levites helping our crowd understand God’s Word, remembering our splendor, authority comes from Yah. Today we see the next six helpers and exactly how they served the people.

The first listed today is Maaseiah whose name means “work of Yah.” This comes from the word maaseh – accomplishment, occupation, vocation, workmanship, art, task, sculptured. I appreciate how this Hebrew word for work is different from melekah meaning a business, cattle, labor, project. While they have overlapping synonyms, the latter implies doing while the former paints a picture of being.

When focused on being in the presence of God, the majority of us are still doing many things. Action continues but it flows from being connected to the Source. And what is produced is a lifestyle, an art, a work of Yah.

Our next Levite is Kelita whose name comes from qalat – to be stunted, to maim, lacking in his parts. Its only use is in Leviticus 22:22-25 when talking about a less-than-perfect sacrifice for a freewill offering:

“Don’t try giving God an animal that is blind, crippled, mutilated, an animal with running sores, a rash, or mange. Don’t place any of these on the Altar as a gift to God. You may, though, offer an ox or sheep that is deformed or stunted as a Freewill-Offering, but it is not acceptable in fulfilling a vow. Don’t offer to God an animal with bruised, crushed, torn, or cut-off testicles. Don’t do this in your own land but don’t accept them from foreigners and present them as food for your God either. Because of deformities and defects they will not be acceptable.” (MSG)

Did you notice the phrase “food for your God?” Obviously God does not require sustenance the way we creatures do, but the act of offering sacrifices for the Israelites was also described as giving “a pleasing aroma” to a God with no nose. The actual animal meat offered on the altar was to be the priests’ share, Aaron and his descendants after him. (see Leviticus 2:10, 5:12, 6:17-18, 7:6, 7:31-32)

But although Yahweh did not use a nose or mouth for consuming sacrifices, ultimately they were to be unto Him. And the repeated command in their instructions ended with, “I am the LORD.” Therefore, they must be acceptable.

How grateful are you the only Acceptable Sacrifice, the Lamb of God without blemish or defect, not only came as the God Man with a nose and mouth and heart that breaks, but took our place so we, stunted and lacking and imperfect folk can not only be accepted by a holy God, but turned into a work of art?

Our next Levite is Azariah whose name means “Yah has helped.” It comes from azar – help, further, supporting, protect, restrains, granted, helper. I’m so grateful Yah’s ultimate purpose is not to further our particular agenda or grant whatever we wish. No, when using such words in relation to a Holy God, we can know perfect motives are behind the helping. He supports and protects us as we surrender our will to His in this harsh world. He grants and supports the ways we are walking according to His Word. He helps and furthers works He begins in and through us for His fame. And He restrains His holy wrath on the kingdom of darkness until it is time. “Yah has helped” can indicate acts accomplished that can only be explained by His involvement. Especially changed hearts.

Jozabad is our next listed Levite whose name means “The LORD has bestowed” or “Jehovah-endowed,” from zabad – to bestow upon, endow with, to confer, endure. Our Heavenly Father is so good at being one. He doesn’t give us stones when what we need is bread. Nor does He say Yes to what would destroy us.

But He does confer on us a kingdom. One that is dominated by selfless love, seeks the bottom, loves even enemies, and dies in order to live. We can know such a kingdom will endure for eternity and whatever we are swept up in now that smells like these things has been bestowed by a good God and matters forever.

Our next Levite is Hanan whose name means “gracious, favor” from chanan – to show favor, be gracious, bend or stoop in kindness, fair, merciful. Have you ever been anyone’s favorite? Perhaps when it was the last thing you deserved? When others are gracious, or stoop in their kindness to love us, we’re getting the sweetest glimpse of a Love so humble and gracious it would make us weep nonstop if we saw it now in all its kindness. New mercies, no strings.

Pelaiah is our final Levite listed. His name means “Yah has distinguished” from pala – to be surpassing, extraordinary, deal marvelously, miracles, monstrous, show your power, wonderful acts, wondrous works, wondrously marvelous. Believers, this is our birthright into this Kingdom. He has set us apart, sanctified us, in this beautiful and harsh world by the Truth living inside us. Because of that – because of His empowering presence we allow to take over more and more of us – we can deal marvelously in the ordinary. He makes it extraordinary, full of miracles visible and invisible to us now. We allow Him to show up as monstrous, give Him a platform to show His power.

“The Levites helped the people (am – folk) to understand (bin – discern, act wisely, carefully consider…) the Law (torah – direction, instruction, teaching) and the people stood in their place (amad – take one’s stand, abide, endure, station, withstand).

I wonder how the Levites felt in this moment of time. After doing what is likely menial tasks historically and in the newly-built temple of Jerusalem, they were now on. Center stage, it was time to take what they knew of both Hebrew (to a Babylon-raised generation) and Torah (to a formerly-exiled audience) and help the people understand (see source).

The Hebrew word for understand here is bin: “to discern, act wisely, carefully consider, explain, gaze, gain understanding, intelligent, interpret, investigate, observe, perceive, show regard, skillful, teacher, turn your attention, to distinguish, to think.”

Yes, please. Let’s all get on board with such prudence of mind. With social media hot takes, a culture of outrage, and enflamed amygdalas abounding, this feels like a sane way forward. That we would all take the time to gaze at situations, gain understanding, and simply think in our focus-fractured days seems a significant improvement. And when we turn such attention, interpreting, and regard to the Holy Scriptures? Nothing but goodness can help but emerge.

As we open His Word and let it open us, a beautiful thing happens: we are able to take our stand (amad – take one’s stand, abide, endure, station, withstand). Regular folk, digging into the banquet of the Word, filling up on precious Truth, enables us to withstand the winds blowing here and there. To abide in love when we experience hate. To endure scorn and slander and a world that can look so unlike its original blueprint.

Let’s trust it together, friends. That believers all over the world, leaning into their specific struggles and suffering, are abiding and taking their stand on the only Holy Law and its Author. Then lean into our stations.

“Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”

Nehemiah 8:7-8 (ESV)

Last time we saw the listening people who had stood as Ezra opened the scroll were now face down to the ground worshipping and waiting. Today we see the first section of Levites who help our crowd understand God’s Holy Word.

The first Levite listed has a name we’ve seen before: Jeshua. Yeshua, Joshua, the Hebrew name for Jesus. No greater High Priest, and here representing the temple workers, the Levites. So grateful He Himself came not to be served but to serve. A King never above practical service.

The next helper listed is Bani, from banah (built, construct, fortify, rebuild, restore). This name seems particularly significant for our gathered crowd, with a recently built wall and a determination to know the God of Scripture. They had worked hard to construct and rebuild the physical aspect of their vulnerable city. They were now turning their attention to their vulnerable souls.

How are our souls, friends? One glance at the news can confirm our collective soul is in trouble. What is being played out on a national (international?) stage right now only reflects the broken state of our smaller, more local stages. There are so many beautiful examples to the contrary, but by and large, we have forgotten how to treat each other with dignity. More pointedly, from the helpless unborn child to the precious mother desperate enough to end his or her life, we have somehow lost our capacity for empathy. From the diligent but privileged saver to the hard-working, never-enough single parent being evicted, we cannot seem to come together. From those who have benefited from generations of race majority and supremacy to those still struggling to have their stories and worth acknowledged, we are far from one another.

Indeed, rebuilding is necessary. Like the wall of Jerusalem, some areas might simply require restoring. Others, however, may need new construction, rebuilt from the ground up. A baptism – dead to the old, alive to the new. I’m so grateful our Creator God specializes in doing New Things.

“For I am about to do something new.
    See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
    I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”

Isaiah 43:19

Our next Levite listed is Sherebiah whose name means “Yah has sent burning heat.” It comes from sharab – land, burning heat, parched ground. After a gorgeous verse of rivers in dry land, this is a shock to the system. But how often does it take a scorching fire to get our attention? If the ground is not parched and our souls dying of thirst, would we look to Him?

As our gathered crowd begins to look to the Word to know their God, we can rest assured this same God never promised our road forward would be without struggle, burning heat. If anything, the rougher the go, the greater the persecution, the more this God made Himself and His salvation known in the Scriptures. I’m sorry to say, friends, but it will not be any different in our day. If we are waiting for the right formula of ease and abundance to move ahead, we are likely trusting in princes who cannot save. The God of Angel Armies, Jehovah-Saboath, knows how to use a parched ground to surface heart idols, and burning heat to melt away the dross.

Which is a perfect segue to our next Levite name, Jamin. His name comes from the Hebrew yamin meaning “right hand.”

“Your right hand, Lord,
    was majestic in power.
Your right hand, Lord,
    shattered the enemy.”

Exodus 15:6

This verse, nestled into a worship song by the Hebrews after their salvation at the Red Sea, reminds us how perfectly capable Yahweh is. It seems, too, how perfectly capable He has made His people to help one another in His strength. After all, Jamin was a temple worker whose task was to explain God’s Word to those who did not understand. It makes me smile that this morning I read:

“So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked,

‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ 

And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’

And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.”

Acts 8:30-31

Only as we come together, offering our capable hands to each other, can we fully understand the meaning of His Word. We were made for community, we sin as a community, and we repent, grow into maturity, and learn about the God of the Bible in community. But more on this as we travel forward.

For now let’s see our next Levite listed, Akkub, whose name comes from aqeb – heel, hind part, footsteps, rear guard, trail. It gives the impression of someone in the back. For some of us, that position is a relief; for others, a burden. What would it look like to come together in such a way? To have each other’s backs, be a rear guard for one another, even at the expense of our own position or comfort? Apart from the Holy Spirit, this is only possible in limited ways. But those of us who have the Yahweh living inside us, as fully as He abided in the Tabernacle in the wilderness, the only thing holding us back is our pride. We can use our voice, experiences, and relational trust to have the backs of our brothers and sisters. Even (especially?) those with whom we disagree. As we do that for one another, those areas are covered in sacrificial love.

The next Levite listed is Shabbethai whose name comes from shabath – to, cause to, make to cease, desist from exertion, leave, celebrate. This is the name in our verses today which personally challenges me daily. That is because it often does not take much for me to cease exertion in certain areas. If I am tired of a fight or weary from lack of fruit or allowing fear and hurt take center stage, leaving or ceasing is, unfortunately, often not far behind. Oh, but celebrate is part of this equation, too.

I experienced this just two days ago in a stand-off with my son. I didn’t want to fight him to get in the car, and he wasn’t coming. I left and took the other 3 boys in my charge to school, planning to come back and have a major talk. In the meantime, he had run out of the house in tears and a neighbor took him to school. But when I came back 7 minutes later and he was gone? So was my breath.

The God Who leaves the 99 to go after the 1 filled my soul when I finally saw him again several long minutes later in the school entryway. Both of us fearful and apologetic and adrenaline-filled, we embraced, and I could only imagine the kind of love our Good Shepherd feels when He reunites with His lost sheep. Pure celebration, along with all the hosts of heaven.

We cannot cease or desist from exertion, friends. And, trust me, I’m talking to myself. Whether it is losing hope, leaving a sticky situation when we are called to stay, or ceasing to fight the good fight, we must stay in the race. We will all suffer in this life. May we finish our race in His power.

Our final Levite helper today is Hodiah whose name means “my splendor is Yah.” It comes from the Hebrew word hod – splendor, majesty, vigor, beauty, authority, glory.

Accurate name, don’t you think? One that is the true state of all believers in Jesus. Any beauty, all authority, the vigor comes from Him. It is to Him we point and from Him we experience splendor. A distant lighting storm held my gaze on an evening drive this past week. Who of us can control the lighting? If we were suspended above the Pacific Ocean, in all its vastness and depth, who of us could change the tide? All majesty is His. We join Him.

Our splendor is Yah.

And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:6 (ESV)

Last time we looked more fully at the men who stood beside Ezra on the left and how the people stood to their feet when the Scroll was opened. Today we see Ezra bless God and the people’s response.

Ezra blessed (barak – kneel, abundantly bless, congratulate, boast, persist in blessing) the LORD (Yhvh) the great (gadol -bitter, deep, greatest, marvelous, mighty, spacious, vast) God (Elohim).

And all the folk answered (anah – testify, sing, shout, announce, begin to speak, give account, bear witness), “Amen! Amen!” (amen – truth, from aman – believe, endure, faithful, establish, lasting, verified, sure, trustworthy, assurance) while lifting up (moal – lift, from alah – climb, ascend, arise) their hands (yad) and bowing (qadad – bow low) their heads and worshipped (shachah – bow self down, prostrate, weigh down) Yahweh with their faces (aph – nostril, anger) to the ground (erets – land, earth).

OR:

Ezra persisted in abundantly blessing Yahweh, the marvelous, mighty, spacious Creator God. And all the folk answered (testified, sang, shouted, bore witness), “Amen! Amen!” (Truth! Enduring faithfulness! Trustworthy assurance!), while lifting up their hands high and bowing their heads low, worshipping Yahweh with their faces to the ground.

Ah yes, persist in blessing. No matter what is going on around us or the turmoil within us, He is worthy. We do not have to wonder if He’s up there wringing his hands, falling asleep on the job, or just oblivious to evil. He is the almighty, all-marvelous, spacious Creator God. The One without Whom we’re all sunk, and we know it. No matter what cleansing He is doing in our nation, churches, cities, or selves, He remains worthy of persistent blessing. The only One Who is.

The beautiful thing in our scene from Scripture today was the gathered crowd represented a prepared group of people ready to hear from God with an intent to obey. And when the first thing out of Ezra’s mouth is boasting in the depth of Elohim, the people joined in to bear witness. They, too, testified to His greatness, shouted in agreement to the Truth that He is the only One of perfectly enduring faithfulness. Absolute trustworthy assurance. And as a people they are lost without Him.

Friends, as it becomes increasingly clear we, too, are lost without Him as a nation, what will our response be? Even if we disagree on the best way to fix certain problems, can we at least agree we are helpless on our own? And if our spaciously magnificent God has been showing us old ways must die, can we come together in the aftermath to move forward in the new? If I had all the answers I would gladly give them. But as more junk rises to the surface, and as hate and blame tire us all, we may have to sit in the broken before we are ready to know the next step. After all, acknowledging our helplessness is always step one to receiving help. And the Wonderful Counselor has not fallen asleep on the job.

Perhaps we need to take a cue from our group today. Let’s lift up what we know to be sure: our hands to He Who is faithful. And let’s bow low at what else is true: our heads as we all have fallen short of perfection. And with the anger, the heavy weight of sorrow, our whole selves prostrate to the ground, worship and wait.

“…and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. (Nehemiah 8:4b ESV)

“Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people (“every eye was on him” – MSG). When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.” Nehemiah 8:5 (NLT)

Last time we saw Ezra take his place on a platform prepared for the Word, flanked by the men who stood on his right side. Today we see those who stood beside him on his left and the people’s reaction to the Word.

First let’s talk about the names of those taking their stand with Ezra: Pedaiah (“Yah has ransomed”), Mishael (“Who is what God is?”), Malchijah (“My king is Yah”) and Hashum (“Ambassador” from chashman) for starters.

We have seen both Pedaiah and Malchijah before in our narrative. But “Who is what God is?” and Ambassador are new to us. What incredible names. Truly, who can compare to God – not an idea or social construct of a god – but Ha Shem, El Shaddai, Jehovah-Sabaoth, Jehovah-Rapha, Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah-Tsidkenu…Yeshua. The God of the Holy Scriptures. The only God, Who has not spoken in secret or in a land of darkness. He is not a man that He should lie, a son of man, that He should change His mind. He does not play games, His glory in full view for everyone with eyes to see. He is more than simply the best person you can think of – He is El Elyon. He is God.

Our name may not mean all that, but we get to stand like Hashum – as ambassadors. This is the God to Whom we point. We do not try to explain what is unexplainable, we do not get to say who is welcome and who is shunned. We live and love like the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the Only God – Who chose to walk around on our same dust as the God Man.

How about the other three, flanked on Ezra’s left? We have seen Zechariah (“Yah has remembered”) and Meshullam (“allied” from shalam – make amends), but Hashbaddanah is new. His name is from chashab (think, consider, determine, mindful, plan) and din – to judge, govern, defend. “Considerate Judge.”

To be mindful and consider deeply areas in which we are given to govern is a good idea. The situations in which we are given influence to judge or defend (and we all have such areas daily) necessitate we think through how our various judgements or defenses impact others. We each influence others in every moment. There’s a way to do this with an us-versus-them mentality, defensive and fearful and ashamed. I’ve been there.

There’s also a way to recognize how we influence others in every moment in a we mentality, collectively coming together out of need for each other. Acknowledging we cannot know what the Ultimate Judge knows – and so we fall short when thinking through how our actions impact others. But we care. We desire to grow and learn. I’m learning to be here as well. In our most honest moments, I think we all want to be. The other way is just too tiring.

Ezra stood in full view of the people – the eyes (ayin) of all the folk were on him. When he opened (pathach – appear) the book (sepher – writing, scroll) all the folk arose (amad – act, take one’s stand).

Indeed, when the Sacred Scroll is opened, it opens us. Like a sword straight through joints and marrow, intentions and motives of the heart. We are laid bare, knowing the God Who sees knows all. And yet, when the Living Words appear, even ordinary folk can take their stand. Dressed in His righteousness alone, we can trust Him for the impossible – that His Word will not return empty but will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it. No longer needing to sell or spin, justify or police others, we all come as one: Paupers in need of grace. And He doesn’t rub our faces in it. Ever.

Then with our eyes are opened to His majesty and our need, we joyfully arise to our feet.

“And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand…” (ESV)

Last time we saw Ezra comply and bring out the Revelation – the Book of the Law – to the congregation of men and women, all capable of listening with an intent to obey. Today we see where Ezra stood and part of the men who stood by his side.

Scribe Ezra stood (amad – take one’s stand) on a platform (migdal – tower, podium, watchtower) of wood (ets) which they had made (asah – accomplished) for that purpose (dabar – word, account, fulfillment). And stood (amad) beside (etsel – beside, near, with) him Mattithiah (“gift of Yah”), Shema (hearing, proclamation, fame, report), Anaiah (from anah – “Yah has answered”), Uriah (from ur – “flame of Yah”), Hilkiah (“my portion is Yah”), Maaseyah (“work of Yah”) on his right hand (yamin – hand)…

OR:

Ezra took his stand on a platform prepared for this word. And with him Gift of Yah, Fame, Yah has Answered, Flame of Yah, My Portion is Yah, and Work of Yah took their stand at Ezra’s right hand.

Were you as struck by those names as I was? Upon my first pass-through reading, I shut the laptop and muttered how I would get stuck in their meanings. Happily stuck.

But let’s chat about Ezra’s platform. If you remember, the people of Jerusalem have gathered during the 7th month of their calendar, the month of Tishri. We have talked on here before about this month’s significance. The beginning of the month (which spans the Gregorian calendar months of September and October), the people of Israel were to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), followed by the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) 10 days later. Rounding out the month of feasts is the Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles).

We will see special significance of the people learning more about these festivals and their duty, delight, in keeping them as our verses continue. For today, let’s focus on the Feast of Trumpets and the commanded national introspection. As a group, they were to think through whom they had sinned against and how it could be made right. In ten days, after being washed in the blood of the sacrifice, the priest was to enter the holy place and atone for the community’s sins.

Seems to me most nations could use some individual and communal introspection these days as well. Spending time thinking through wrongs we can make right, ways individual and systemic sins are perpetuated, acknowledgement of how we are complicit, and recognition of how society treats the most vulnerable would do much to usher in Shalom to our broken world.

It is significant Ezra was able to read the Revelation high on a platform, a watchtower, during such an important month in Israel’s history. And it had been specifically made for this purpose, prepared for this word. As we will see, national introspection does follow reading of the Book of the Law. Knowledge of our shortcomings usually calls for it.

I’ve been thinking about how Ezra’s platform clearly was large enough for multiple people. On either side of him were men also taking their stand. People whose names meant things like Yah has Answered and Flame of Yah.

Who are your people? Those willing to link arms and take their stand on Truth and Love? Those unafraid of climbing the watchtower with you to see where God is on the move?

As much as those friends mean to us, I have been reminded again this week they, too, are finite. Taking our stand together is beautiful. But making sure the platform belongs to the Only One worthy Who goes with us all the way is essential.

Let’s link arms with those He’s given us and take our stand.