Nehemiah 8:9-10 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said to all the people… I. BELIEVERS IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ARE CALLED UPON TO REJOICE. Would that this were more remembered by us, and experienced by us, and gloried in! 1. None but the believer ought to rejoice. I do not deny that there is such a thing as natural joy in natural objects. There is such a thing as natural joy oftentimes stirred up on spiritual subjects. It is like the arrow that passes through the air; it is like the early frost — the sun arises and it is gone. Oh! no one can rejoice but the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ; the worldly man does not know what true joy is. You cannot explain it to him; he cannot receive it; he calls it enthusiasm, fancy, and imagination. A Christless man, a graceless man, a prayerless man, a thoughtless man, a godless man, a hopeless man, how can I expect him to rejoice. In this one thing thou canst rejoice: thou canst rejoice that the door of mercy is not closed. For their own sakes, the Lord will have His people to rejoice. He loves them; and therefore He commands them to be happy. For the sake of others, He would have them to rejoice. He would have them bring the grapes, to show the fruit of the land. And not only so, but for His own great name's sake, for His glory's sake, He would have His people rejoice. As He is Himself infinitely happy in Himself, He would have His people reflect Himself. II. As THIS JOY IS NOT A NATURAL JOY IN NATURAL OBJECTS, SO IT IS NOT A NATURAL JOY IN SPIRITUAL OBJECTS, BUT IT IS "THE JOY OF THE LORD." 1. It is pre-eminently and peculiarly the joy of which the Holy Ghost is the author. Nature gives it not; nature maintains it not. It is the fruit of the Holy Ghost: "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace." 2. But observe, it is not only the joy of the Lord, but it is joy in the Lord. That which made the eunuch's heart rejoice was Jesus. And if you and I see Him with the eye of faith at this moment, we shall rejoice and be glad too. Oh! there is everything in Jesus to make the soul to rejoice. What is there not in His work, to make the soul to rejoice? The completeness of His atonement. Is there not enough cause in the matchless, majestic, glorious righteousness to make the soul rejoice? III. THAT THIS "JOY OF THE LORD" IS NOT FOR OUR OWN ENJOYMENT MERELY, NOR FOR OUR SELF-GRATIFICATION, BUT TO STRENGTHEN US. There are two passages of Scripture, to which I would direct your attention here. In the first place, remark in the first of the Epistle to the Philippians, the twenty-fifth verse — "And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith." See how "furtherance" stands connected with "joy of faith"; icy springing from faith, and that joy furthering, advancing, leading onwards and forwards, in the Divine life. Observe too in the third of the Epistle to the Hebrews, the sixth verse, there is that same rejoicing, "the rejoicing of hope," and see how it stands Connected with the confidence of hope: "if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." We have some precious instances in the Word of God, to show the strengthening power of joy. Observe one in the thirtieth of the first of Samuel. David was, as you and I often are, "greatly distressed," "for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons, and for his daughters; but" — ah! that "but," it is a volume, it is a folio — "but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." Observe how that strengthened him. Do you ask, What is that which strengthens for service? It is "the joy of the Lord." Take the instance of the prophet Isaiah. Now observe — "Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." "Then" said I. "The joy of the Lord was his strength": "whithersoever Thou wouldst send me I go." And now there are some few remarks I would make by way of conclusion. 1. In the first place, I would say, that the believer is placed by his covenant God and Father in that position that he requires day by day fresh accession of strength. 2. Then the question now arises, How comes it to pass that there is so much feebleness amongst many of the real children of God if the "joy of the Lord" is our strength? May we not at once answer, Because they do so little enjoy "the joy of the Lord"? 3. Remember that this is a joy which the Holy Ghost alone can give; ask it, then, of Him; wait on Him for it; use every means for it. (J. H. Evans.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. |
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