|
|
|
Mission Statement
|
WHAT IS A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY AND WHY HAVE ONE? Jerusalem has long been the “City of God.” The center of the Jewish religion, it was the place where the people gathered to worship God, to seek and receive forgiveness and hope. When the gates were burned, her walls torn down, the city plundered and burned and many of her people carried off into captivity, it was obvious that the people had not paid attention to the fact that this was the “City of God” and they were the “people of God.” Off in captivity, when his brother gave Nehemiah a report on the condition of the city and her survivors who had not been carried away, he wept, mourned, fasted and prayed for days. Why? The walls of a city are what delineates the boundaries. They keep out invaders. Without walls there is no safety, no security. When the walls are in place, the gates then become the entrances into that city, allowing in only what is permitted. If they are burned, there are no guidelines or avenues to exercise discretion or discernment as to what comes in or goes out of the city. No moral or political compass. In Nehemiah’s day, his brother reported that the mood of the people was one of distress among themselves and reproach among the nations around them. Consequently an atmosphere of fear and death permeated the vary air. Nehemiah 1:3 Is it any wonder that Nehemiah was so heart broken? But he didn’t just cry in his soup. With the favor of the Lord, he took courage, fought incredible physical and spiritual battles with fortitude and got that city rebuilt. When the walls were finally rebuilt (chapter 7) an atmosphere of joy prevailed. A Solemn Assembly was called and the people gathered together in unity 8:1 and “felt” like they were once again God’s children in God’s holy city. They were pretty confident of their position and standing before God because of what they had done. But then, they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses out and read it. This was important stuff because they had the whole family there - men, women and children. 8:2 But you know, once understanding of the Word of God comes, your first reaction is sorrow because you do not measure up. And that’s what happened to the people. In fact, so much so that God immediately rushed to comfort them, give them joy and the ability to celebrate. He graciously ministered to them and they, in turn ministered to those who had less than they. It is in this context that the Word says, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 So they fulfilled the law of Moses and went through the celebration of the Feast of Booths. But one of the results of all this was that they realized that, no matter how good they looked on the outside, no matter how much of God’s goodness they were enjoying, they were not enjoying God Himself. They had gifts but not the Giver; Blessings but not the Blesser. To correct this situation, a second Solemn Assembly was proclaimed. This time, there was no cockiness before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. They were willing to face reality; to face the kinds of things we prefer to ignore, are afraid to face, and/or keep ourselves purposely ignorant of. For this Solemn Assembly they did 14 things. 1. They gathered themselves together. 9:1 Everyone made the effort and got involved. 2. They fasted. 9:1 They were too hungry for God to eat food. 3. Dressing in humility, they wore the culturally appropriate clothing: sackcloth and covered themselves with dirt as an outward sign of how worthless and unworthy they felt on the inside. 9:1 4. They separated themselves from all that would be foreign to a holy people of God living in a holy city. 9:2 5. They stood before the Lord. 9:2 6. They confessed their personal sins. They stopped pretending. 9:2 7. They confessed the iniquities of their fathers: identificational repentance. 9:2 8. For three hours, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God. 9:3 9. For three more hours, they confessed and worshipped. 10. They made an agreement with God, put it in writing complete with signatures, sealed it and presented it to the Lord. 9:38 11. They took on “themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law, to keep and to observe all the commandments of God our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes.” 10:29 12. They placed themselves under obligation to contribute yearly to the house of the Lord, the support of the ministry, and the support of full-time workers in God’s vineyard. 10:32-39 13. They agreed to relocate their homes and families at the direction of the Lord rather than where they would choose. In other words, they agreed to physically move out of their comfort zones. 11:1-2 14. They actually got rid of all the “foreigners” they’d identified and separated from at point #3. 13:1-3 Thus the people were purified, and the worship and work of the Lord God of Israel was established in the land. Revival is not cheap but they were willing to pay the price. Will we? This story shows us how, through the work of a Solemn Assembly, the spiritual climate over a region can be established. And we can see how such an event is to be a deliberate gathering of the people of God with a planned focus on restoring their relationship with Him. There are other stories of Solemn Assemblies in Scripture but this story in Nehemiah is perhaps the most complete. However, the prophet Joel voiced the call that we are so familiar with. These words need to be heard and heeded just as much today as when they were written. Consecrate a fast, Proclaim a solemn assembly; Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord. Joel 1:14
|
|
Mission Statement | RaJean's Bio | Gary's Bio | Current Events | Teachings | Products | Contact Us | Home Page |
