Meeting: Bible Study
Date: 22nd May, 2026
Minister: Pastor Laide Olaniyan
(Nehemiah 8:1-11) – “1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved”
(Ezra 2:63) – “And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim” The priests were appointed to give the people the law of God, in the return from Babylon, many things had been compromised, they needed a most holy priest to divide most holy things and to be able to partake of these things as ministers at every level, there is a sense that should be gotten, the sense is an understanding of God or an eye with which you use to interpret scriptures. You cannot interpret or understand beyond the sense that has been installed into you.
A baby has the sense of the supernatural, but the goal of milk is to tune the sense into righteousness. There is a difference between the supernatural and spiritual, but milk starts tuning you as unto spiritual. The sense in which milk puts into you is to tune you to a person who wants to make you spiritual. This is why the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ are things that do not necessarily amplify the supernatural, but train a soul to be spiritual. When we take milk properly, we should have a sense that is inclined to the spiritual. One piece of pieces of evidence that we have taken milk well is that we appreciate and gravitate towards the spiritual.
Every kind of ministration gives us a kind of sense. Some teachings can infuse a sense of money. By the time a person takes meat, he is given a sense of a spiritual man. A spiritual man who has been taught the gospel of Christ, who has been grounded in faith, hope, charity, who has become a man of peace has been given a sense of understanding. It also changes our being, value system, and decisions; it changes what you excuse, changes your judgement, and rule of judgement. When we are well exercised in Faith, Hope and Charity and have become a man of peace, we start looking for something higher, even the same way we sought for the meat after drinking milk. There is a lack a true spiritual man sees. The hallmark of a spiritual man is that he is able to see what he lacks. He knows there is a lack which is the Everlasting Life of the Father. God will have to visit the spiritual man with another sense that will then open him up to a world he doesn’t know.
Nehemiah saw this through, which is why he said no one should eat of the most holy until there stood up a priest with the Urim and Thummim, or in other words, until there arose a priest with a sense.
All our study is done within the allocation of a particular sense. Breakthrough into another sense is actually something that is done by ministry gift which is done mostly by apostolic work to bring us into dispensations in the gospel.
(Eph. 3:1-2) – “1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward…”
Dispensation is not just the giving, it is also an allocation. This allocation was given specifically to Paul and wasn’t given to every apostle. It was given to Apostle Paul, and it was given for the sake of the Ephesians. This means Paul was sent by God to install a particular sense in the gospel. A prophet may prophesy to you within a particular allocation not because he is not sincere but that is a dispensation that is given to him. For example Agabus, a prophet warned Paul not to go to Jerusalem, it was not because he was trying to discourage him or make him fall short but he was doing it sincerely from a good heart, but their dispensations were different, what God had committed to Paul, Agabus could not understand even though they were two prophets. Agabus could predict the future happenings but couldn’t break into the counsel of God (Act 21:10-13).
(Nehemiah 8:8) – “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading”
When a sense has been fully installed, light will shine properly for you to see what you are lacking; it is not a condemnation, it is actually an elevation, it is a mercy of God to eve up the soul because as long as you don’t know what you are lacking, you can’t be healed of it.
God will not delete all our darkness at once; He will first show us. God will show us first to seek our consent to take it away. This should be a season of Joy for us, knowing God will take away our infirmity in deliverance. When God takes away our infirmities, it should be a season of joy and not bitterness or heartbreak or loss but appreciation. This is why Ezra said it’s not a time for mourning, but rather a time for joy—”Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
One of the greatest ways to approach the word of God is willingness to do everything that the word instructs; otherwise, the bible starts closing up. If you are not reading, studying, or looking at the word for the purpose of doing the commandment, then you are just playing games. If we refuse to read the Bible for the purpose of doing the commandments, the Bible will close up; that is; sin starts to dull our senses to respond to the instructions. Sin dulls our perception and understanding; it makes us sluggish in the spirit. The ministration of the word is like a solvent that breaks the deceitfulness of sin. The deceitfulness of sin can dull our minds, and the only solution to it is the word. This is why we should hear the word daily, to dissolve the stickiness around us; then we will be able to move and walk in the spirit. A heart that is not resolved to do the word will get frozen in a state.
When God opens a dispensation unto us, He expects us to explore it and be established in it. To be established in it is for us to dig into its length, breadth, depth and comprehend how it works. How it works within that dispensation until the work of that dispensation is wrath inside of us because every dispensation has a particular work that should be wrath inside a soul.
(Ephesians 3:3 – 6) – “3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel…”
Taking in and out to find pasture within a particular dispensation is the work of an overseer to ensure that there is proper grounding or proper execution of that dispensation.
There are three things that make up the dispensation Paul spoke about. First, that the gentiles should be fellow heirs, secondly to be of the same body, and thirdly, to partake of the promise in Christ. The Promise they gave Christ is Everlasting Life. Of the same body means they should come to the same stature, to be one with the hope that has been revealed in Christ. These are the clear goals of the dispensation of God to Paul.
(Ephesians 3:7-8) – “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. [8] Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ…”
Paul classified all the 3 objectives of the dispensation as the unsearchable riches that are in Christ. God has his unsearchable riches.
(Romans 11:32 – 33) – “32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out…”
God is rich in judgment; God has his unsearchable riches but Christ also has unsearchable riches. Being rich towards the gentiles refers to the provisions the gentiles can access through His magnanimity. The description of these riches is life, It is nature conforming to His person. These riches will make us like God.
(Ephesians 2:11-12) – “ 11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world…”
What is the common wealth of Israel? This is answered in Romans 9:4-5 “4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen” The commonwealth of Israel isn’t gold or silver or in material possession but the heritage of God.
An average Jew is wealthy because of his link to God so anywhere a Jew goes there is blessing because of the heritage. To be alien from the Commonwealth is to be cut away from the promise, from the covenant, hope of adoption, heritage of the fathers, no link to the promise. It is not in what is in my pocket but my link to the God of all creation. The promise that hangs upon the head of a jew is his hope of becoming a Son of God. To be poor is when we do not have any link to a God or nothing that ties you to God. A man is rich towards God not because he is giving alms but because he can take the laws of God and obey them. He can see the judgments of God and then do them. Being without God is a terrible state for any soul to be in. The real wealth is in having hope, it is in having God!!!
(Ephesians 2:13) – “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” Your hope is not hope because you believe in a better tomorrow. Hope is waiting for the invisible things of God. Hope is a powerful thing it is called having your Helmet, the hope of salvation in 1st Thessalonians 5:8
Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ”
The blood of Christ slew the enemy, the blood of Jesus paid the price, the blood brought us near. Ephesians 2:5 says you are seated in Christ this shows a walk in the spirit. Nearness is another faculty of your person that is gaining proximity and it is a present on going work. One of the things learning truth will do is to give you mastery of everything, you are actually learning God but you would learn everything, you cannot be learning God and not comprehend things. The soul is brought closer to Christ.
Ephesians 2:14-15 “14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace…”
The new man being made is Christ Ephesians 4:19-24. A man of Christ is peace, He is our Peace means He makes a man of peace, it also means a man that is at peace with God. This man isn’t a Jew or gentiles, but a new man called Christ. The project Christ dissolves the Jew and Gentile race to raise a new man, who is an heir of God, of one body, and a partaker of the promise that is in Christ, the promise is the promise of Everlasting life, which is the promise of the Hope of Glory (Colossians 1:27). Christ is the new man, Christ is our peace. When people start coming to Christ, Christ erases all class, all social reputation, to raise a new man – “27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” Galatians 3:27-28. The only thing that avails in Christ is a new man – 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:16-17
Ephesians 2:17-18 “17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father”
The privilege of the Jews is that they were near towards God, they were rich towards God, they had the oracles, covenants etc so they were rich towards God in heritage.
Scriptures cannot be interpreted in isolation, it must be interpreted side by side other scriptures to have a balanced and holistic view.
John 14:20-23 “20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”
Also referencing Romans 4:17, God can speak in present tense concerning a thing, but he hasn’t started it. If we don’t understand this principle, we will pick the things God has said, and run with it foolishly. It’s wisdom to agree with what God has said and yield to the process of making. As a church, we need to submit to the process. God speaks from a concluded space. God said it because God does not dwell in time.
Ephesians 2:18 “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father”
It’s by the spirit of Christ that we can access the Father. The work called Christ is an allocation in Jesus to bring us to the Father. Not just anyone with the Holy Ghost can access that Father. For us to access the Father, we need the spirit of Christ, which is a portion of the Holy Ghost, to access the Father. Then, when we come fully into the spirit of Christ.
Ephesians 2:19 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God…”
We are citizens, fellow citizens; it shows we are kindred with saints of old. Because of citizenship, we share privileges, which we should enjoy. Because you understand your Nativity, some things fall away, like a family curse.