A Sketch of Revival History
By Pastor Jim Jester
July 2, 2023
SCRIPTURE READING: Nehemiah 8:1-6, 8
In today's scripture reading, the words understanding, understand and understood appear. The first two, according to context, likely mean that the people could audibly hear clear enough to understand. In the last “understood” (v 8) it means to comprehend because of the words “clearly” and “they gave the sense.”
Also in this passage we can see things that we do today when Christians meet for a worship service. Ezra stood on a “wooden pulpit” (a raised platform) so his voice would reach greater distances by not being obstructed by the crowd. They did not have electrical amplification back then. Also, the people stood up for the reading of the words of God. We do that too; and we also say “Amen,” raise our hands (sometimes) and bow our heads (but not usually to the ground lying flat). More from this passage as we continue.
My opening thesis regarding a genuine spiritual revival is this. I see two prerequisites for true revival. 1) Revival is born out of truth; and 2) Revival is born among God’s people.