Nehemiah 8:5-6 (KJV)
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
It is significant, I think, to see Ezra so active in the book of Nehemiah. These men were never isolated. Throughout the Word of God, we see the prophets at work, but we sometimes forget that they were contemporaries of other prophets, laboring together for the glory of God.
The Bible says Ezra stood on a pulpit of wood, a platform, and read from the Scriptures from the morning until midday. It sounds very similar to our Sunday services, where we begin at 10:00 a.m. and conclude sometime after noon. I pity those who come to only one service or the other, or those churches that hold an early service so people can come, "pay their respects" to the Lord, and get on with their day. (As I write this, I want to distinguish those churches that have two morning services with Sunday school between them. The expectation, or at least the desire, is that those attending the early service will stay for Sunday school, while those attending the later service will arrive in time for Sunday school. It is simply a means of ministering to more people in a limited space.)
I think it is proper to view Ezra as not merely reading the Bible for three hours straight, but reading and expounding it in a manner similar to what we do in church today.
I notice that when he opened the Word of God, the people responded with four distinct physical actions.
They stood.
This may have been to gain a better view or perhaps to hear better. I believe it was primarily an act of worship.
They spoke.
"And all the people answered, Amen, Amen." So be it! This is the truth! As God has spoken, let it be.
They lifted their hands.
Whether one hand or both is not specified. It was definitely not to draw attention to themselves, but, I think, as if reaching out to the Lord. Oh, how we long to touch Him!
They bowed their heads.
Mind you, it is possible to do all four at the same time, and I expect they did. They were not statues, sitting idle and taking their ease within the sound of God's Word. They were active participants.
Worship of the Lord is not a spectacle we observe. It is an activity in which we participate.
Come get involved when the church doors are open.
#WorshipTheLord #OpenTheBook #LoveTheLocalChurch #BiblePreaching #Nehemiah8v5
Church Is More Than Attendance: Worship God Desires
How do you show reverence for God's Word when you gather with your church? Share your thoughts in the comments—I enjoy reading them.
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