Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
—Nehemiah 8:1-6
by: Linda Harris.
Ezra returned from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Nehemiah came to reconstruct the wall. Their roles corresponded to their activities—Ezra as the spiritual leader, Nehemiah as the governmental overseer. As Ezra read God’s Word, the people paid close attention. They hadn’t heard it during their exile, and they responded with joy and worship.
Are you so accustomed to hearing the Bible read that you tune it out? When you read it, do you assume you already know what it says? To gain new insights, try reading different translations, such as The New Living Translation or The Holman Christian Standard Bible, or a paraphrase like The Message. You may see things you’ve never noticed.