Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:1-18

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. So 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. 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.

They 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 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.”

On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written

Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.

Why?

Ezra is the teacher of the Law, so he may explain the meaning of the Law, and let Israelites know the word of the Lord. Nehemiah has the mission to lead people to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Two of them together to rebuild the faith of the Israelites in their hometown.

When Israelites listened to the law of the Lord they wept because they knew they had against the Law of the Lord. So they suffered so heavy disaster and lost their land. So they wept and sad, and Nehemiah told them not to grieve, for the joy of the Lord is our strength.

How?

Be rejoyed for the joy of the Lord is my strength!