Meant to Be Read and Understood

5. (a) If at all possible, what should every one of us possess? (b) In ancient Israel, how did people find out what the Scriptures contained? (c) How does Psalm 19:7-11 affect your attitude toward Bible reading?

⁵ In our day, copies of the Bible are readily available in most lands, and we urge every reader of The Watchtower to obtain a copy. During the time when the Bible was being written, there were no printing presses. People in general did not have personal copies. But Jehovah arranged for his servants to hear what had been written. Thus, Exodus 24:7 reports, after Moses had written down what Jehovah had directed, he “took the book of the covenant and read it in the ears of the people.” Having been witnesses of the supernatural displays at Mount Sinai, they recognized that what Moses read to them was from God and that they needed to know this information. (Exodus 19:9, 16-19; 20:22) We too need to know what is recorded in God’s Word.​—Psalm 19:7-11.

6. (a) Before the nation of Israel entered the Promised Land, what did Moses do? (b) How might we imitate Moses’ example?

⁶ As the nation of Israel prepared to cross the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land, thus leaving behind their nomadic life in the wilderness, it was appropriate for them to review Jehovah’s Law and his dealings with them. Impelled by God’s spirit, Moses reviewed the Law with them. He reminded them of details of the Law, and he also highlighted underlying principles and attitudes that were to influence their relationship with Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 4:9, 35; 7:7, 8; 8:10-14; 10:12, 13) As we today take on new assignments or face new situations in life, we too do well to consider how the counsel of the Scriptures should influence what we are doing.

7. Shortly after the Israelites crossed the Jordan, what was done to impress Jehovah’s Law on their minds and hearts?

⁷ Shortly after Israel had crossed the Jordan River, the people again gathered to review what Jehovah had told them by means of Moses. The nation assembled about 30 miles [50 km] north of Jerusalem. Half the tribes were in front of Mount Ebal, and half were in front of Mount Gerizim. There Joshua “read aloud all the words of the law, the blessing and the malediction.” Thus the men, the women, and the little ones, along with the alien residents, heard a timely restatement of the laws governing conduct that would result in Jehovah’s disapproval and of the blessings they would receive if they obeyed Jehovah. (Joshua 8:34, 35) They needed to have clearly in mind what was good and what was bad from Jehovah’s standpoint. Furthermore, they needed to etch on their hearts a love of what is good and a hatred of what is bad, as does each one of us today.​—Psalm 97:10; 119:103, 104; Amos 5:15.

8. What was the benefit of the periodic reading of God’s Word at certain national assemblies in Israel?

⁸ In addition to readings of the Law on those historic occasions, a provision for regular reading of God’s Word was outlined at Deuteronomy 31:10-12. Every seventh year the entire nation was to gather to hear a reading of God’s Word. This provided spiritual food for them. It kept alive in their minds and hearts the promises about the Seed and thus served to direct faithful ones to the Messiah. The arrangements for spiritual feeding that were instituted when Israel was in the wilderness did not dry up when they entered the Promised Land. (1 Corinthians 10:3, 4) Instead, God’s Word was enriched by including the further revelations of the prophets.

Personal Response and Application

12. (a) When Moses read the Law to the people, how did the people benefit? (b) How did the people respond?

¹² Reading of the inspired Scriptures was not meant to be merely a formalism. It was not done simply to satisfy the curiosity of the people. When Moses read “the book of the covenant” to Israel on the plain facing Mount Sinai, he did so in order that they would know their responsibilities before God and fulfill these. Would they? The reading called for a response. The people recognized that, and they spoke up, saying: “All that Jehovah has spoken we are willing to do and be obedient.”​—Exodus 24:7; compare Exodus 19:8; 24:3.

13. When Joshua read the curses for disobedience, what were the people to do, with what objective?

¹³ Later, when Joshua read to the nation the promised blessings and the curses, or maledictions, a response was called for. After each of the maledictions, the instruction was given: “And all the people must say, ‘Amen!’” (Deuteronomy 27:4-26) Thus, point by point they went on record as agreeing with Jehovah’s condemnation of the cited wrongs. What an impressive event it must have been when the entire nation thundered its agreement!

14. In the days of Nehemiah, why did public reading of the Law prove to be especially beneficial?

¹⁴ In the days of Nehemiah, when all the people gathered in Jerusalem to hear the Law, they saw that they had not been fully carrying out the instructions written there. On that occasion they promptly applied what they learned. What was the result? “Very great rejoicing.” (Nehemiah 8:13-17) After a week of daily Bible reading during the festival, they realized that yet more was required. Prayerfully they reviewed the history of Jehovah’s dealings with his people from the days of Abraham onward. All of this motivated them to take an oath to conform to the requirements of the Law, to refrain from intermarriage with foreigners, and to accept obligations for maintaining the temple and its service.​—Nehemiah, chapters 8-10.