Nehemiah 8:9- 12
Nehemiah, Ezra and other spiritual instructors exhorted the people not to mourn or weep because, “…’This day is holy to the LORD your God;…” (9d). God’s Word illuminated how far off they were from His commands, but they were exhorted not to mourn or weep, but celebrate: “…’Go, eat the festival foods, drink the sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is HOLY [capitalized for emphasis] to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your refuge.’” (10:b-c). Continuous grieving will make us a prisoner of the past, but celebration releases us from the past to embrace a future rooted in God’s Word. When we come together to hear His Word and understand it, we need to celebrate this as a holy day with great joy. Spiritual leaders value and encourage celebrations: “So the Levites silenced all the people, saying, ‘Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” (11). Then the people began a grand celebration. “…because they understood the words which had been made known to them.” (12b). There are many who fail to move forward in God because they fail to celebrate what God says. While godly sorrow is necessary for repentance, celebration is necessary for remembrance and application of God’s Word. We need Holy Days of celebration.