“As in the book of Ezra, the written Word has a prominent place in Nehemiah. When the people were settled in the newly- restored city, they called upon Ezra the scribe to read the book of the Law of Moses in their hearing. All of the people who were able to understand gathered together and listened attentively while the Scriptures were read from morning until midday.
It ought to be noted that in times of great spiritual awakening, both in Biblical times and in subsequent history, a particular mark of the movement of God's Spirit among His people has been an increased and lively interest in the reading and preaching of God's Word. These people stood and listened with eager attentiveness to the reading of Scripture for half of a day! Can you imagine such a scene? Have you ever witnessed this?
Our age is marked by a desire to keep worship short and convenient. In the 20th chapter of the book of Acts, as God's Spirit moved mightily through the Apostles of Jesus Christ, we read of Paul preaching to the assembly at Troas from evening until daybreak! True reformation is established on the ground of hunger for the Scriptures…
When God stirs the hearts of His people to forsake their own ways and to look attentively into His revealed Word, determining to follow His commands, there is a great reason for joy and celebration. ‘There was the very great gladness,’ we are told, ‘as day by day, from the first day until the last, [Ezra] read from the Book of the Law of God.’ Sadly, many professing Christians today regard the reading and exposition of God's Word as a stale and unexciting activity, preferring instead to fill their worship assemblies with innovations and gimmicks designed to appeal to their emotions. The more the emotions are stirred by these man-made novelties, the more the people are assured that they are witnessing a revival. Yet the Scriptures make it clear that genuine revival restores to the hearts of God's people a fervent love for His written Word, and a heartfelt desire to conform to its mandates and forsake the folly of will -worship.” (Comin, 162-163)
