Isn’t it interesting that the people of ancient Judah needed instruction in the Law of Moses as Ezra read it to them? If they needed help understanding the Law, how much more should we need it? There is a reason it’s difficult for us to understand.
What is even more interesting is that what was read to them caused the people to weep in grief for their failure to obey. That grief led to confession of their sins and a renewal of the covenant between them and God. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that “the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” That sharpness was demonstrated in the people’s sorrow for their sin. But notice that their confessions and subsequent commitment to obey God’s covenant demonstrated that they were not just listening to God’s word; they were hearing. Remember how God described His Old Testament people as hearing but not understanding? They understood at the time of Ezra’s reading because they were hearing as God intend His words to us to be heard: heeding followed the hearing.
Are we willing to hear the truth God gives us as we read His word and hear it preached and taught in our churches? What if that truth reveals a need for us to confess our failures or sins? I believe that if we are not willing to confess, if we are so confident that we’ll hear nothing that will require us to confess, we are demonstrating that we don’t have ears to hear. Further, if we aren’t willing to commit to God what is needed to heed His word, we demonstrate that we don’t have ears to hear. He only comes on the thirsty ground. If we want to experience the transforming power of God’s word, we must hear prepared to confess how we are not conformed to it, and to commit to conform.