Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. Nehemiah 8:5 HCSB
Dr. Winfred Moore was the senior pastor at First Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas when I served on staff as the Youth Minister. One thing I can remember that impressed me was that every time He read the Word of God in a worship service, he asked all the people to stand in respect, honor, and reverence of the reading of God’s Word.
In this Scripture we learn that when Ezra opened God’s Holy Word to read, all the people stood up. The Scripture does not tell us why they stood, but possibly it was to show respect, honor, and reverence for the reading of God’s Word. The law of Moses, the Torah, was regarded to be holy. Therefore, the people wanted to show their respect for God’s Holy Word by standing for the reading.
Challenge: Do you treat God’s Word as holy? Do you have a natural reverence for the reading of God’s Word? Are you spending time in God’s Word to learn how He wants you to live? Use God’s Holy Word as a lamp and a light to show you God’s will for your life. Pray that as you read your Bible God will reveal His perfect will and plan for you.