joy

The joy of the LORD is your strength

Nehemiah’s completion of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 6:15) was followed by Ezra reading from the book of the Law. It says in Nehemiah 8:1-2, “All the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard on the first day of the seventh month.” “People can perceive by means of their senses: eyes (Pr 7:7); ears (Pr 29:19; touch (Ps 58:9[10]); taste (Job 6:30). But actual discerning is not assured. Those who hear do not always understand (Da 12:8). In the final analysis, only God gives and conceals understanding (Is 29:14). Understanding what was being read was important because without understanding the people wouldn’t be able to appreciate the significance of what had been accomplishment.

The people’s eagerness to learn prompted some of the Levites to step in and provide additional insight to assist the Jews in their understanding of the text. It says in Nehemiah 8:8 that the Levites gave the sense of the Scriptures, “so that the people understood the reading.” The Hebrew word that is translated sense, sekel (sehˊ-kel) means “intelligence, good sense. This intelligence is more than just mere book knowledge or learning about a particular subject. It has a greater significance and means insight or understanding. This insight is a gift from God (1 Ch 22:12); and God holds the freedom to give it or to take it away whenever he chooses (Job 17:4).

The reading of the Book of the Law and the Jews understanding of it led to several responses from the people. At first, the people were dejected and sad as a result of understanding what Ezra was reading to them; but Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites told the people not to mourn or weep. Nehemiah told 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 the Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Nehemiah used two different words to refer to the LORD. When Nehemiah said, “this day is holy to the Lord,” he used the word ‘adown and when he said “the joy of the LORD is your strength,” Nehemiah used the word yehovah or Jehovah, the Jewish national name of God (H3068). When ‘adown occurs with Jehovah is signifies “His sovereignty” (H113).

Nehemiah wanted the people to rejoice and be glad because the God who is sovereign over everything had brought them back to their homeland and had helped them to rebuild the walls of protection that had been destroyed by their enemies. The Jews knew they didn’t deserve God’s blessing because they had rejected God and turned away from his Law before they were taken into captivity (Nehemiah 9:29-31), but their hearts were strengthened by their contemplation and understanding of God’s essential glory and his constant grace toward them (Prayer as Confession, The Spiritual Growth Bible, p. 463).

Joy is an important part of being in a relationship with God. “Celebration brings joy into life, and joy makes us strong. Scripture tells us that the joy of the Lord is our Strength (Neh 8:10). We cannot continue long in anything without it…Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). Joy is the motor, the thing that keeps everything else going. Without joyous celebration to infuse the other disciplines, we will sooner or later abandon them. Joy produces energy. Joy makes us strong” (Celebration Brings Joy, The Spiritual Growth Bible, p. 462). After the Jews celebrated the feast of booths and confessed their sins to God, they rededicated themselves to obeying the Law of God (Nehemiah 8:13-10:29). The people were able to do this because of the strength they received as result of them celebrating their understanding of God’s Word (Nehemiah 8:12).

Rejoicing

After the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem was completed, there was a celebration in which the wall was dedicated. Nehemiah’s description of what took place showed that it was a very joyous occasion. He said, “And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgiving, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps” (Nehemiah 12:27). Nehemiah choreographed a sequence of steps and movements that involved dividing the Levites into two great companies. According to Nehemiah’s plan, “One went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate…with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them…And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and half of the people upon the wall” (Nehemiah 12:31,36,38).

Nehemiah went on to say, “Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off” (Nehemiah 12:43). One of the songs that was likely sung at the dedication of the wall was Psalm 126. This short psalm is part of a collection of psalms known as the songs of degrees which were sung by Jews that traveled to Jerusalem for festivals. Psalm 126 focuses on the fulfillment of God’s promise that his chosen people would return to the Promised Land after their captivity was completed. It says:

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126)

A key statement in this psalm is actually a promise that reveals God’s intent in sending his people into captivity. Psalm 126:5 states, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. God dispenses his blessings based on a system of sowing and reaping. Jesus eluded to this in one of his teachings known as the beatitudes which means supreme blessedness (Matthew 5:3-11). Before they went into captivity, God’s people lacked faith and were unresponsive to his warnings about the dangers that lay ahead of them. After they returned to the Promised Land, the Jews were thankful and felt extreme joy even though they were dealing with great affliction and reproach from the nations around them (Nehemiah 1:3).