Nehemiah 8:10-18

Ne 8:10

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

 

Now the assembled people were to be dismissed to their homes since they had been congregating in the hot sun for six hours.  Then since this was a day of joy for the people, they were not sorrow instead they were to eat the fat which means they were to enjoy a day of feasting and were to drink the sweet which was something sweet like grape juice or grape wine and then they were not only to eat the feast themselves but were to send portions to those who didn’t prepare anything which may be those who are poor, widows, fatherless, or even strangers so they may enjoy the day along with the others.  Since it was a holy day unto the LORD there should be no sorrow among the people for today is a new day in Jerusalem and should be celebrated as such.  The joy of the LORD may be the joy that he is experiencing when his people are in such a good spirit and as long as the LORD is showing gladness toward his people, no one will ever be able to attack them or hurt them.  That joy is also imputed to the believer.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (Galatians 5:22)  Joy is also a fruit of the Holy Spirit which is given to the believer and that everlasting joy can bring a believer through some of the most roughest times in life.  The word “joy” also carries with it the meaning of “calm or delight.”  Sometimes the world is bewildered that Christians can remain so calm in the midst of many types of disasters and that is the joy of the LORD at work.

 

Ne 8:11

So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

 

Then there were still those in the congregation who had wept at hearing the words of God being read and explained so the Levites stilled or calmed all the people down.  They were to refrain from weeping and mourning and is a holy day set apart for feasting along with joy and gladness and they were not to bask in any grief they had.  Unfortunately there are many Christians who live in perpetual mourning and they never seem to have the joy of the LORD.  They are always walking around with a long face.  They think that walking around like that will please the LORD, well it doesn’t and if it did, then why would he give us his joy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit.  We can be sorrowful for our sins or we can be sorrowful when we lose a loved one, but perpetual mourning is not the true testimony of the believer.

 

Ne 8:12

And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

 

Then the crowd had finally dispersed and went to their homes after they finally understood that the day was not a day of mourning but it was a day of great mirth or great joyfulness once they finally understood the words that were spoken to them concerning the law and also the day of joy which they were to experience and how it was ordained of the LORD that they should enjoy the present time because the enemies of God will not hold back forever and will make every attempt to falsely accuse them of insurrection and cause them much dismay.

 

Ne 8:13

And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law.

 

Then after Ezra presented the words of God and the teachings from the Scriptures to the people, the next day he called together all the Elders, Levites, and priests to give them the understanding of the law since in Babylon they would not have had access to the Hebrew Scriptures.  So basically Ezra was re-teaching the leaders about the law of God and the requirements found in the law so their projects and their homes and city could once again be a center of the worship of God.  This is also a great idea for the modern church leaders.  They should all have refresher courses in the Scriptures because many times as people get deeper into theology, theology takes the place of the Scriptures as we see today on a massive scale.  When Israel was in Babylon, they had written the Babylonian Talmud which was a commentary and Ezra wanted to teach the Scriptures so the Jews would not rely solely on the Talmud.  The word “Talmud” comes from a Hebrew word “to learn.”

 

Ne 8:14

And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:

 

Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. (Leviticus 23:39)  Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: (Leviticus 23:42)  The Feast of Tabernacles or Booths was a celebration commemorating the redemption of Israel from Egyptian bondage and also the faithfulness of God during the wilderness wandering for forty years.  The month was Tishri or September/October.

 

Ne 8:15

And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

 

And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. (Leviticus 23:40)  Then they were to go to the forest and gather the branches of certain trees be able to construct booths or tabernacles.  They would construct them like a house with the stronger branches being supports and the other tree branches for the sides and the roof.  The Feast of Tabernacles also represented the church in the wilderness of this world as we live in temporary housing until we get our permanent home in Heaven.  This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: (Acts 7:38)

 

Ne 8:16

So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

 

So the people did as the Scriptures commanded and they gathered the necessary branches from the trees which surrounded Jerusalem.  There were booths all over Jerusalem as some people placed the booths upon their houses.  In those days houses had flat roofs so they were able to place booths upon the houses.  The common people would use the courtyards and the Levites and priests would use the courtyard in the temple. Then they placed them in the street where the Watergate was.  It was close to the temple where the Nethinims brought in the water for the temple service.  Then the gate of Ephraim was the gate which had the road which led to the tribe of Ephraim.  And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits. (2 Kings 14:13) 

 

Ne 8:17

And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

 

All those who came out from the Babylonian captivity, the ones who came with Ezra and the ones who came with Nehemiah and no doubt those who were the descendants of those who came with Zerubbabel 70 years prior.   The time of Joshua was approximately 1406-1386 B.C. which means that Israel did not celebrate the feast of booths for 953 years.  Once again they were a very happy people because this was the resurrection of a feast which was not done in almost 1,000 years and the people were happy to celebrate the feast as they reflect on their freedom from bondage in both Babylon and Egypt.  It was also a feast which celebrated the harvest.  Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: (Deuteronomy 16:13)  There may have been a celebration of the feast of Tabernacles in the time of Solomon.  Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles. (2 Chronicles 8:13) 

 

Ne 8:18

Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.

 

Then during the feast each day Ezra would read from the book of the law but on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly which would have been the Sabbath.  Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. (Leviticus 23:39)  Actually the first and eighth day were sabbaths and the feast was celebrated in between the two sabbaths.

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