The Bible and church history bear witness to the fact that particular people in particular places have experienced extraordinary movements of God. During these exceptional times of ‘revival’ (as they have been commonly called), God’s people were moved to radical, life-changing faith.

Because I long to see this type of abnormal movement, I want to draw attention to one such season from the Old Testament and invite you to join me in pleading with God to bless us in this way.

The details of this ‘revival’ are recorded in Nehemiah chapters 8-10. Approximately 140 years after Jerusalem was destroyed and nearly every Israelite had been exiled, tens of thousands had returned.

The temple and the walls of the city had been rebuilt, but this generation of Israelites had never experienced fellowship with God the way theirs ancestors had. They had not read from the Scripture or sacrificed in the temple or celebrated a commemorative feast. In returning to this once great city, God was calling them to return to Him.

The people – most likely 50,000 or so – gathered in the city to hear God’s Word read and explained in early October 445 BC. Upon hearing the Law read for hours, the people respond with repentance and worship. They weep and mourn because of their sin, but Nehemiah encourages them to celebrate.

During the next 3-plus weeks, the people celebrate a long-ignored feast, assemble regularly to hear God’s Word, fast, mourn, and confess their sin. Finally, led by a group of men, they renew their commitment to God and His Word.

This season of revival is important for understanding the history of the Hebrew nation and God’s relationship with them. Moreover, studying these events can also be valuable for understanding God’s extraordinary blessings of revival.

Please take time to follow these posts during the next several weeks and join me in praying for an extraordinary work of God.