| Isn't the picture in the first verse thrilling? All the people packed around the water-gate standing ready to hear the Word of God. They came together for a purpose. What did they ask Ezra to do? Ezra was to bring the Word of God and read it aloud to them. Verse 4 has the only reference to a pulpit in the Bible. Ezra stood on it and praised the Lord, the great God (v. 6). The people all agreed, saying, 'Amen, Amen', and they worshipped God together. Then there was a need to translate and to explain the meaning of the words. These people had lived in Babylon and understood Aramaic, while the law had been written in Hebrew. What a wonderful experience it must have been. The people were very happy. But at the same time, as the law of God was explained to them, they burst into tears. They realised their sin as the Word spoke to their hearts. They could only weep in repentance. There was great conviction, but Nehemiah said (v. 9), 'Listen to me, if God has spoken to you about your sin and you have repented, then he has forgiven you. Therefore you ought to be happy and joyful' Do you know that feeling? One thing more. They were to share it with someone else. See verse 10. That is what we need to do also. Don't keep your blessings to yourself. They are to be shared with others. In the verses that follow they did what they hadn't done for years-they kept one of the feasts which God had instructed them to keep many years before (Leviticus 23:34). The picture is wonderful. The truths and principles are even more so. Look again at these verses and see what God has to say to you today about the reading of his Word and your obedience to it. A VERSE FOR TODAY:
'The joy of the Lord is your strength' (v. 10). | 
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