Neh 8:8-9 "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. "
Jer 31:9 "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn."
Behold, the preciousness of God's word. The psalmist said that he rejoiced at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. How important it is to know it! It is as to know God. But, oh, how many of God's children lack fervent diligence in learning and knowing the Holy Scriptures! We must take heed to distinctly conduct our lives in such a way as to give place to deep communion with our Lord through His word. This is what it means to drink of the waters of Life. Jesus knows that our tounges are parched and dry from lack of hydration, and in His great mercy, He has extended His cup and offers us to drink deeply. As you drink your energy and vitality is restored and you will notice that your spiritual breath is no longer irregular.
Living here in Arizona (which is where I live) is a constant reminder of the necessity of drinking. And when the average temperature is 115 degrees there is no such a thing as sipping for conservation. The thrist that I experience on a daily basis on this earth is a constant provoking and stirring up of my soul to drink deeply of the Living Water that God has provided us through His word. It is no wonder the Scripture says my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary (Ps. 63:1-2). Without such quenching of spiritual thirst the soul will dry up alongside the wasteland that is this dark world.
Matthew Henry states concerning Nehemiah Chapter 8:
"Reading the scriptures in religious assemblies is an ordinance of God, whereby he is honoured and his church edified. And, upon special occasions, we must be willing to attend for many hours together on the reading and expounding of the word of God: those mentioned here were thus employed for six hours. Let those that read and preach the word learn also to deliver themselves distinctly, as those who understand what they say and are affected with it themselves, and who desire that those they speak to may understand it, retain it, and be affected with it likewise. It is a snare for a man to devour that which is holy (Pro. 20:25)."
Notice the importance of being personally affected by the word. Our minds and hearts must have the desire to be affected by the Scripture. Anything accomplished outside of personal quenching is personal vanity. The reason for such depth of drink is because of the depth of thirst. If we are not thirsty we must cry out to God to remove the mirage that is bringing in such a horrible illusion and deception to our actual state. For the ungodly, the oasis of God's word is as a desolate place, for it contains not the cesspools of hatred and immorality that they love, and thus, Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes (Psa 119:155).
As the prophet says,
Isaiah 59:8-11, "The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us."
May the Lord's children be not so, but rather be overfilled with water from Heaven, to such an extent that the soul cannot contain it inside and sees no assuagement but through the tear ducts; that it may be said we came with weeping, and with supplications, trusting that it is the Lord who will lead us, for it is He who said, "I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble."
Thus, the ignorance of doctrine and Christian living will be flooded away through the knowledge and comfort of our Saviour through His word.
May this truth reign supreme in our lives,
by His grace,
David Ardito
