"Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded Israel... brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding... Then he read from it in... from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law."{Nehemiah 8:1-3}

After the Babylonian exile, Nehemiah, cupbearer for the king of Persia, leads a return to the city of Jerusalem. He led a prayer on behalf of the people for God to forgive their sins.

Nehemiah the prophet made no excuses for the people, they were to blame for their condition. Nehemiah 1:5-7 A truth which will endure in all ages-God will not tolerate disobedience from His people!

One of the commandments God gave them was to teach the law to their children. "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."{Deuteronomy 6:7} Sadly, this they failed to do. What was the result? The children did not know the law of God!

So what effect did the reading have on the people? It had not been lost-it had not been used or taught!

"Then all the people answered, "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground...So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading...For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law."{Nehemiah 8:6-9}

See how God's word touches the heart! The people of God understood how grievous their transgressions were before the God of heaven. Truth, when it contacts the human heart, will get a response of some kind.

Brethren, this vital truth must be understood by the sinner. A sinner must come to understand the ugliness of sin. One cannot be brought to Christ unless they see their true condition before God.

Only one thing can touch the human heart like that-the true gospel of Jesus Christ! More churches need to be reading the "law" and less of human wisdom and thinking of man.