“Nehemiah 9–10: The Power of the Word,” Old Testament Seminary Student Study Guide (2002), 126
“Nehemiah 9–10,” Old Testament Seminary Student Study Guide, 126
The Power of the Word
We read in the Book of Mormon that “the preaching of the word … had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else” (Alma 31:5). Nehemiah 9–10 contains examples of this truth.
In Nehemiah 9 we read that because they heard the word of God (see Nehemiah 8), the people fasted, confessed their sins, and worshiped the Lord. The priests then gave the people an overview of their history from the time of Abraham, showing how merciful the Lord had been to them up to their day.
In Nehemiah 10 we read that the priests made covenants to fully keep the commandments. The rest of the people followed the example of their priests and also made this covenant. The events recorded in chapters 9–10 show some of the blessings of reading, studying, pondering, and applying the scriptures in our lives.