Many Christians follow a Bible reading plan as a core part of their devotional life. We don’t need one; we could open God’s book at random and trust that the Lord will guide us to whatever passage He wants us to read that day.
But most of us see the value in having a dedicated and structured approach to Scripture reading. Of course, having a plan is one thing; doing it is another! We know the benefits of daily Bible reading, but that doesn’t mean we have flawless follow-through. Life gets in the way; incidents arise that swallow up our time. And let’s be honest, we’re easily distracted! It’s more entertaining to check out social media than it is to plow through God’s Word.
Especially when we get to certain passages.
You know the ones I’m talking about! Think of the genealogies in Numbers and 1 Chronicles. And then there are the innumerable details of the tabernacle in Exodus and the sacrificial rituals in Leviticus. Or how about the complaints in the Psalms? I thought God didn’t want us to gripe!Either tough to get through or hard to grasp.
One way around this issue is to drop the plan and stick with what we like. We can fall back on a few favorite books or psalms and call it a day. Restricting our spiritual diet will nourish us on what’s familiar, but it will also deprive us of the comprehensive nutrition our souls need.
Personal Bible study is a valuable spiritual discipline. If we’re literate and we have access to a Bible, we should feed ourselves on God’s Word every day. To know what the Lord thinks, we have to investigate what He’s told us.
But God has given us another approach to Scripture which we shouldn’t neglect–public presentation.
The Bible wasn’t meant to be consumed alone. God wants us to listen to it together, process it together, and practice it together.
Here’s an example from the Old Testament.
Soon after the Jewish exiles had returned to Jerusalem, Ezra the priest teamed up with other leaders to teach the Israelites the Word of God.
“All the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. 2So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.” – Nehemiah 8:1-2
Producing scrolls was an expensive process, so average Jews didn’t have their own copies of the Scriptures. To hear God’s Word, the people had to gather in public. That’s why they asked Ezra to instruct them. He had access to the manuscripts; they didn’t.
Now because we have so many Bibles in print, online, and on apps, we could downplay the significance of meeting in public to hear God’s Word. It’s a nice option, but unnecessary.
Hold that thought!
“He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.” – Nehemiah 8:3
What’s the last church service you attended where you stood for about six hours listening to the Bible? That’s what these stalwarts did! What commitment!
Again, in our day, we have an almost unlimited availability of Bibles. So standing for a six-hour sermon isn’t anything we’re going to tolerate anytime soon!
Aren’t we better off going it alone?
Not exactly.
Even Ezra had help with his assignment.
“Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.” – Nehemiah 8:4
This is one of those genealogy-type verses! Easy to skip over! But the point is that Ezra wasn’t a solitary authority figure. He was part of a larger team dedicated to the spiritual well-being of God’s people.
If we’re part of a church with multiple leaders, we’re in a good situation. One person might make a mistake, but the team of leaders is likely to discern and confirm the will of the Lord.
“Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.” – Nehemiah 8:5-6
We can sense the anticipation in the air. The people were seeking the heart of the God who had blessed them by returning them to Jerusalem. How should they live in their damaged homeland? What did the Lord expect of them? They wanted to find out!
I hope we have a similar attitude when we read the Bible by ourselves or receive it in church gatherings. If we’re open, God will fill us. If we’re hungry, He will feed us.
“The Levites–Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah–instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.” – Nehemiah 8:7-8
Thirteen other Levites (not the elders listed in verse 4) assisted Ezra in the task of proclaiming and explaining God’s Word. And they succeeded. Maybe too well. The people were touched by what they heard; to be precise, they got convicted. The Mosaic Law pointed out their shortcomings, and they had no defense.
Reminds me of a quote erroneously attributed to Mark Twain: “it isn’t the parts of the Bible that I don’t understand that bother me; it’s the parts I do understand.” The Bible was unnerving the people, and they didn’t know what to do about it.
But God aims to build us up, not tear us down.
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” – Nehemiah 8:9-11
Listening to the Word is more than a mental exercise; it involves our whole hearts. Hearing the Law convinced the people of their failures to live up to God’s demands. They were in trouble and broke down.
But the leaders encouraged them that God had honored their hearts and would fill them with joy. The people weren’t wrong; they really had fallen short of God’s standards. But the teachers gave them a broader context; their sin paled in comparison with God’s grace.
Reading the Bible alone carries with it the possibility of being dismayed by what we discover. I’m not saying we shouldn’t study Scripture in private, but we should balance personal devotion with public instruction. Otherwise, we risk missing out on the full wisdom of the message of Christ.
This is what Jesus wants for His church. As His disciples, we should always interpret the Bible in light of who Christ is and what He has done for us. And when we gather in His name, He sees to it that we get the guidance we need.
“Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.” – Nehemiah 8:12
With the final admonitions and benedictions, the people walked in God’s blessings. They got the full picture of God’s plans for them. No wonder they felt joyful–promise fulfilled!
Like the Jewish people, we, too, will thrive by listening to the Scriptures in public. When we do so, we’ll receive comfort and correction. To appreciate the wisdom and majesty of the gospel, we need the perspectives of many disciples who are as committed to Christ as we are. In this way, we’ll learn more of the plan of God, seek to walk in it, and praise the Lord for it.
Be a student of the Word.
Alone and together.
