Day 278 Reading Schedule: Nehemiah 8~10 

Nehemiah 8: The People of Judah Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles

[Summary]

Under the leadership of Ezra, a scribe and priest, a Bible-centered revival movement took place. All the people gathered in the square and listened to Ezra reciting the law. In addition, the middle leaders under Ezra interpreted and taught the people so that they could clearly understand the meaning of the law. True repentance occurred among the people who understood the law, and true joy overflowed (verses 1-12). This large-scale revival movement took place in the seventh month. After meditating on the law, the people learned that the Feast of Tabernacles was held during the seventh month, so they gathered branches from the mountains and built tabernacles on their roofs, in the courtyards, and in the squares, and reminisced about Israel’s life in the wilderness for seven days, and on the eighth day, they gathered in the city according to the regulations (verses 13-18).

Nehemiah 9: Israel's Repentance and Covenant Renewal

[Summary]

The Israelites held the Feast of Tabernacles on the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month as the beginning of a national assembly, reciting the Book of the Law, confessing their sins, and praising God (verses 1-5). Next, the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, and Hashabneiah, who were middle leaders under Ezra's teachings, offered prayers to God on behalf of the people's repentance and devotion. The content of the prayers is a review of Israel's history, gratitude for the God of the covenant faithfully keeping the covenant he had established, and a pledge that the Israelites who had now returned from captivity would dedicate themselves to God's work.

Nehemiah 10: Israel's Oath

[Summary]

As Ezra's law-centered revival movement intensified, the representatives of the people put their seals before God and pledged obedience and devotion (verses 1-27). All the people swore an oath to keep the Law of Moses with a curse. In accordance with that oath, the people abstained from intermarriage with foreigners, did not buy or sell on the Sabbath, observed the Sabbath year, paid regular temple taxes, offered grain offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings, and paid tithes. In short, all the people tried to put God's word into practice in their lives (vv. 28-39).