Tishrei 22 – On the eighth day there was an assembly…

October 7, 2023

Tishrei 22, 5784; from sunset October 6, 2023, to sunset October 7, 2023

This is an image of a portion of the wall rebuilt by Nehemiah and company.

When the people returned from the Babylonian exile, they set about restoring the proper worship of the LORD as prescribed in the Torah. Today we read about the conclusion of their observances.

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. – Nehemiah 8:18 (NIV)

The Bible tells us that Ezra had fixed his heart to search the Torah, to do it, and to teach in Israel its statutes and judgments…and this autumn, we’ve seen his sincerity in action. May we all have a heart like Ezra and like those who returned from the Babylonian captivity. Even though there was no physical Temple structure…they kept the feast anyway in anticipation of the day when it would return.

To read all of our posts on Nehemiah, click on the image above.