Articles
The Water Gate Revival
The Water Gate Revival
The most well-preserved section of the Great Wall of China is 5,500 miles long (for comparison, the US border with Mexico is not quite 2,000 miles). The Great Wall was designed to keep out invaders from the north. Every gate was fortified with a castle.
The Great Wall ultimately failed to protect China, because one part was weak. It wasn’t the height—at 15-30ft high, it was much too tall to climb. It wasn’t the thickness—at 15-25ft wide, it was much too thick to batter through. It wasn’t the quality of craftsmanship—it has endured for thousands of years. It was the people manning the Wall! The Chinese paid the guards very little. And the Mongolians sometimes simply bribed the guards to open the gates.
The story of Nehemiah is regarded as the story of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. But that wasn’t the only project taking place. Nehemiah helped the people of Jerusalem build a much-needed physical wall. Ezra helped them build a spiritual wall, consisting of faith and obedience to God. Building structures without building people is insufficient. Ezra called the people of Israel to an assembly at the Water Gate, recorded in Nehemiah 8. Here’s why this spiritual building project was successful.
They Desired God’s Word. Who was in attendance? Nehemiah 8:2 says, “Men, women, and all who could listen.” What did they want? Verse 1 says, “They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the Law.” They didn’t ask for Chicken Soup for the Soul, they didn’t ask for Ezra’s advice and wisdom, they asked for God’s revealed word.
They Pursued God’s Word. The people were supposed to have a public reading of the Law every seventh year (Deut. 31:10-13) but it had been a long time since that had happened, and it showed. Now, the people were ready to listen. Nehemiah 8:3 says that Ezra, “read from it before the square … from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women … and all the people were attentive to the book of the Law.” Such Bible study would’ve required desire and endurance! Accompanying the reading were thirteen Levites who circulated among the crowd “explaining the Law” and also “translating to give the sense so they understood the reading” (8:7-8).
It takes time and repetition to learn and digest all of God’s word. The heads of households came back again the next day, “that they might gain insight into the words of the Law” (8:13). This pursuit of God’s truth lasted the whole week, as Ezra “read from the book daily” (8:18).
They Respected God’s Word. Ezra brought the book up to a wooden podium that had been built for that purpose, with thirteen other men. “When he opened the book, all the people stood up.” They weren’t honoring Ezra, nor worshiping the Bible. They were worshiping the God who revealed the Bible. You wouldn’t remain slouched in an armchair when the President walked in; similarly, they signaled their readiness to receive a special message by their reverent posture.
They Obeyed God’s Word. This was the season of the Feast of Tabernacles. While studying (Lev. 23:39-44) “they found written that … the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast” (8:14). They had attended the Feast, but had neglected this part of it. Undoubtedly, it would be inconvenient and uncomfortable. But, they hastened to fix what was lacking, sent out a proclamation, gathered boughs, built booths throughout the city, and lived in them.
Shockingly, “Israel had not done so since the days of Joshua” (8:17). How quickly the people move away from truth! Such assemblies hold the ingredients of true revival. As a result, they went from “weeping when they heard the words of the Law” (8:9) to “celebrating a great festival because they understood the words” (8:12). –John Guzzetta
