Jan 24, 2025
Nehemiah 8:1-10, Psalm 19, Luke 4:14-21
The Law That Refreshes the Soul
How can the psalm writer describe the law as “refreshing the soul,”
“giving joy to the heart,” “more precious than gold,” and “sweeter
than honey”? For many, this is puzzling, especially when faced with
laws like those in Leviticus about mildew in houses, requiring
priests to inspect walls and prescribe scraping and replacement of
plaster. These instructions may offer sound hygiene advice, but do
they inspire joy or seem sweeter than honeycomb?
This sentiment reflects how we often view laws—as dry, tedious regulations. But for the people of ancient Israel, the law was far more than mere rules.
The Law’s Deeper Meaning
The laws included principles of justice, compassion, and care for
the vulnerable. Commands like treating foreigners as equals
(Deuteronomy 10:17–19) showed that God’s law was deeply ethical,
emphasizing love for the stranger, the widow, and the orphan.
Moreover, the term "law" in the Old Testament often meant much more than rules. Jewish poetry, like Psalm 19, uses parallelism, equating "law" with terms like "statutes," "commands," and "decrees"—or, in modern translations, "teachings" and "instructions." The law represented wisdom for living faithfully, revealing God’s character and guiding His people in love and righteousness.
Even more profoundly, "the Law" referred to the first five books of the Bible, known as the Torah. These books contain not just rules but also stories, poetry, and promises. They recount how God created the universe, made it good, and remained faithful to humanity despite sin. They include the promises to Abraham, the liberation of Israel from Egypt, and God’s covenant with His people. Together, these elements tell a grand narrative of God’s love, justice, and redemptive plan.
Joy in the Law
When the psalmist called the law "sweeter than honey," it reflected
an understanding of the law as a source of joy and life. If
chocolate had existed in the psalmist’s time, they might have said,
"The law is better than fine chocolate!"
This joy is evident in the story of Ezra and Nehemiah. After the Jewish people returned from exile in Babylon and rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, they gathered to hear the law read by Ezra. As they listened, they wept.
Why did they weep? Perhaps it was sorrow over their failure to
live by the law’s commands to love God and neighbour. But perhaps
it was also joy—joy at hearing the stories of God’s faithfulness,
promises, and deliverance. They realized they were part of this
ongoing story, for God had brought them back from exile, just as He
had rescued their ancestors from Egypt.
Nehemiah encouraged them, saying, “Do not grieve, for the joy of
the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
Fulfilment in Christ
Centuries later, Jesus stood in a synagogue in Nazareth and read
from Isaiah, proclaiming good news for the poor, freedom for
captives, and healing for the brokenhearted. He then declared,
“Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus was not only announcing God’s promises; He was the fulfilment of them. Through His teachings, healings, and ultimately His death and resurrection, Jesus brought freedom, justice, and healing to humanity.
The law, as fulfilled in Christ, is no longer a mere set of rules but a living promise of God’s love and grace. It reveals the path to true freedom and joy—a restored relationship with God and one another.
Our Place in the Story
Today, like the people in Ezra’s time, we may feel small and
overshadowed by challenges—declining church attendance, global
crises, and fractured communities. Yet, we are part of the same
story of redemption.
The law calls us to weep—over our failures to love God, our neighbours, and the strangers among us. But it also calls us to rejoice, for God’s promises remain true. He heals, redeems, and includes us in His plan of restoration.
The law indeed “refreshes the soul,” “gives joy to the heart,” and is “sweeter than honey.” It is an invitation to accept our place in God’s ongoing story of love, justice, and hope.