269 - The Law is read.

Kathleen thoughts

Nehemiah 11: 10-36, 7: 73, 8: 1-18, 9: 1-31

The priests
The Levites
The gatekeepers
Further distribution of the people The rest of Israel, the priests, and the Levites were in all the villages of Judah, each on his own inherited property. The temple servants lived on Ophel;
The leader of the Levites in Jerusalem.

Ezra reads the law So the priests Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants and all Israel settled in their towns.

Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said. "Amen, Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Festival of Booths They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month. So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout all their towns and in Jerusalem, saying. "Go out to the hill country and brink back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm and other leafy tress to make booths, just as it is written.

The had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy.
Ezra readout of the book of the law of God every day, from the firsts day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eight day there was an assembly, according to the ordinance,

The people confess their sins

God's goodness remembered Stand up, bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Praise Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise,
But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in faithful love, and You did not abandon them.

You sent Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your Manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst. You provided for them in the wilderness 40 years and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell

You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit warned them through Your prophets, but they would not listen. Therefore, You handed them over to the surrounding peoples.

Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord's faithful love we do not perish, for  His mercies never end. Lamentations 3: 21-22.

Blessings
Kathleen.