“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.” (Nehemiah 8:9 KJV)
The book of the law is read. Just read. No thunder and lightning or a thick cloud from Mount Sinai. Yet, in verse 9, “For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.” Why? Have you ever stopped all your busyness and really heard what God was trying to say? Even more, realized that it was you (both individually and as a group) that His words were written for? Now the weeping becomes a bit clearer. We are cut to the heart because something in His word convicts us and shows us both how far off His path that we have been and how futile our efforts to date really are.
In verse 12, there is great rejoicing “because they had understood the words that were declared to them.” Something else that is found in His word is a glimpse of His goodness, mercy, and grace. Proverbs 2:6 was right. Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding do in fact come from the Lord. When you hear Him, you hear more than just words of regulation. You hear Him. You hear his character. You begin to see why He prepared those words for you.
“For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” (Matthew 13:15-17 KJV)