Bring the Book! (A SOAP Journal from Nehemiah 8:1-3, 8-9)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

In addition to regular articles, I regularly post some simple SOAP journals that were produced during a regular small group gathering to read, journal, pray, and encourage one another. These are not exhaustively studied as they are generally the work of 20 minutes of reading, 20 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of sharing with each other what we have written. Whether we are Christian leaders or new believers, this group approach to Bible journaling is encouraging.
If you are not familiar with the term, we used the SOAP acronym as a simple devotional guide, standing for:

• Scripture—what verse or short section caught my attention today? 
• Observation—what can I briefly notice that the passage specifically says?
• Application—what will I do differently as a result of having read this today?
• Prayer—what will I ask the Triune God to do for, in, and through me today?

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S = Nehemiah 8:1-3, 8-9

And 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.

And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate

                               from early morning until midday,

                              in the presence of

          the men and the women and those who could understand.

And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law…

v. 8-9

        They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, 

  and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

 And Nehemiah, who was the governor,

 and Ezra the priest and scribe,

 and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, 

         “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.”

                                  For all the people wept

      as they heard the words of the Law.

Photo by Nicole Honeywill on Unsplash

O = In this passage, we read about a unique request. The people gathered “as one man” and told Ezra to “bring the Book” (of the Law) and read it. As a pastor and Bible teacher for over 30 years, I love it when people want to know more about what God has said in the Bible, and then they respond to it on a heart level. In Nehemiah 8, it was not the priest, prophet, or governor who called for the reading of the Law, but the people who said, “Bring the book!”

It is quite possible that they realized that their re-entering the land was a new start and remembered something about how Joshua had gathered the Israelites at Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim (in obedience to the Lord) to publicly read the Law and declare the covenant blessings and curses at the beginning of the campaigns of conquest (Joshua 8). The reading by Ezra was explained by faithful men so that all could understand. But their understanding was not just on an intellectual level; at this moment, the hearts of the people were softened to respond. Their reaction to hearing and understanding the Law was to weep, likely with conviction and shame, for as a people and as individuals, they had all violated the law. The Law also makes it clear that they could not hope to stand on their own and they had to be encouraged that “the joy of the Lord was your strength” (v.10). Despite their unworthiness, they could rejoice that “his steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 136). The same is true for us today, as it is written,

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:4-10)

Photo by KEEM IBARRA
on Unsplash

A = In this passage, the reading of the Law was done publicly, and the explanation was public as well. Theological concepts and terms were interpreted so that all those gathered that day could understand. The law of God was not about secret knowledge for an elite few but was given as a gracious message for all—men, women, and children alike. In applying this passage, I find myself asking questions like: How eager am I to hear the Word of God? How well can I explain it to others? How readily do I respond on a heart level to God’s written Word?
This passage, in concert with many others, is a reminder to me of my need to hear, understand, and respond to the Word of God together in community, not just in introverted isolation. To the degree that I understand the Word of God, I should respond in humility, but also in the faith that it is the Lord who lifts my head and strengthens me with his joy! This situation reminds me of Luke 15:21-24, where the prodigal son comes back “weeping” but is gathered up into the joy of the Father’s overflowing love. Just as the father rejoiced in the return of his “unworthy” son, and picked him up off the ground, clothed him in a special robe, restored him with a ring, and prepared a feast for him, the Lord Jesus does the same for us! How can I not repent and return to him?

P = O Lord, let not my heart become disinterested in what you would say, nor let it become hardened to my need to hear from you, the Lover of my soul. May my heart respond in mournful humility for I regularly fall short, but also in joyful faith because you have made a way and desire to share your joy with us! May I, like Ezra, “bring the Book” to read it not only to others but to allow it to read me and conform me to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29)

Breathed out by God (A SOAP Journal from 2 Timothy 3)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

In addition to regular articles, I will once again be posting highlights of some simple SOAP journals that were produced during a regular gathering of pastors to journal, pray, and encourage one another. These are not exhaustively studied as they are generally the work of 20 minutes of reading, 20 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of sharing with each other what we have written. These brief devotional journal posts will begin in the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus). Hopefully, they will be encouraging to the readers of this blog.

We used the simple SOAP acronym as a devotional guide... which stands for:

• Scripture—what verse or short section caught my attention today?
• Observation—what can I briefly notice that the passage specifically says?
• Application—what will I do differently as a result of having read this today?
• Prayer—what will I ask the Triune God to do for, in, and through me today?

S = 2 Timothy 3:15-17

“…and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

O = I have heard many sermons on the teaching, reproof, correction, and training part of this verse…it is truly amazing what the Bible can do to equip us as messengers of God’s love to the world. This verse is also used often to defend the authority and inspiration of all parts of the Bible, which is also correct. However, I think we often miss the forest for the trees. “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” Think about that for a moment. As I recently read those words again, I had the phrase “all scripture” echoing in my mind, referring to the whole, not just the collection of the various parts we like to read. It is the whole thing, the great majestic story of God’s redemptive love for mankind that equips us. It is the whole counsel of the Word of God that corrects, encourages, and trains us in righteousness. We need to learn to see the parts in relation to the whole if we are to avoid misunderstanding, error, and imbalance.

How is the Scripture described in this verse? I think we tend to jump to the word “profitable” (e.g., what is in it for me, my position, or for my mission) to the point of overlooking that it is first “breathed out by God.” It is the Triune God’s sharing of his life with us!

What happened the first time the breath of God was mentioned in the Bible? It is in Genesis 2:7, “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

A = What if I looked at the Bible as God’s breathing into me his life (Eze. 37:9), his very Spirit (John 20:22)? How would it change the way I read it? What life does God want to breathe into my soul this week? What dry bones does he want to raise up to a life of effective ministry in me during the weeks to come? I find I need to read the Bible:

• Quickly — to pick up the overarching story of God’s love, catching God’s personality in how he speaks, acts, and thinks.
• Devotionally — so that I hear him speaking life and truth to me in the process.
• Continually — so my bearings don’t become confused and my love for him doesn’t grow cold.
• Communally — so that we can share and embrace what we are hearing together as a community. 

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

I must not approach the Bible as merely a vehicle for advancing my cause, but rather for receiving the divine life that God shares with us. 

P = O Lord, thank you for breathing out your Word for us—first in history lived out, then in words written on scroll or page so that your story could enter into and change our future for the better…that what was once dust and without life or meaning might become a living creature, and better than that a child of God in Christ by the Holy Spirit. May others catch wind of your invitation and be joined together in your great story! Amen.