“On the twenty-fourth day of this month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting, wearing sackcloth, and had put dust on their heads. Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. While they stood in their places, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day and spent another fourth of the day in confession and worship of the Lord their God” —Nehemiah 9:1-3
There’s something about acknowledging and admitting
“Blessed are those who
for they will be comforted” —Matthew 5:4 “The one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever
and renounces them will find mercy” —Proverbs 28:13 “For godly
produces a repentance that leads to salvation” —2 Corinthians 7:10
After reading the book of the Law of the Lord their God for three hours, Gods people confessed and worshipped God for another three hours.
1. What The Scriptures Taught Them About
a. Through the scriptures, they recognized that they were God’s people.
“Blessed be the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting.” Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You, Lord, are the only God. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their stars, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and all the stars of heaven worship you. You, the Lord, are the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and changed his name to Abraham. You found his heart faithful in your sight, and made a covenant with him.” —Nehemiah 9:5-8
As we interact with Scripture, we should come to the conclusion you have a special calling in God’s sight. God refers to his church as his
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” —1 Peter 2:9
*b. Through the Scriptures, they realized that God had
“You saw the oppression of our ancestors in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea. You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly they treated our ancestors. You made a name for yourself that endures to this day. You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging water” —Nehemiah 9:9-11
As we interact with Scripture, we will more clearly remember the deliverance Jesus Christ won for you on his cross.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” —Galatians 2:20
*c. Through the scriptures, it was remembered that God had __provided __for them *
First, he provided his Law to them by speaking with them, giving them right rules and true laws.
“You came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them impartial ordinances, reliable instructions, and good statutes and commands.” —Nehemiah 9:13
As we interact with Scripture, we will also grow to believe God is your provider.
“My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” —Philippians 4:19
d. Through The scriptures, it was revealed that God had given
“So their descendants went in and possessed the land: You subdued the Canaanites who inhabited the land before them and handed their kings and the surrounding peoples over to them, to do as they pleased with them. They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took possession of well-supplied houses, cisterns cut out of rock, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate, were filled, became prosperous, and delighted in your great goodness” —Nehemiah 9:24-25
And, as you interact with Scripture, you will also help you understand his power toward you. You will begin to discover the ways God can powerfully work within you to accomplish his __purposes __in your life
*YET – Interwoven into the stories of God’s calling and deliverance and provision and victory, Gods people remembered something else—they consistently rebelled against Him. *
“But our ancestors acted arrogantly; they became stiff-necked and did not listen to your commands. They refused to listen and did not remember your wonders you performed among them.” —Nehemiah 9:16-17
“Here we are today, slaves in the land you gave our ancestors” —Nehemiah 9:36
2. What The Scriptures Taught Them About
a. He Is
“You have fulfilled your promise, for you are righteous.” —Nehemiah 9:8
“> You are righteous concerning all that has happened to us, because you have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.” —Nehemiah 9:33
b. He Is
“In your abundant compassion, you did not destroy them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and compassionate God.” —Nehemiah 9:31
c. He Is
While God’s grace is when he gives us the
“You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, and you did not abandon them” —Nehemiah 9:17
3. What The Scriptures Revealed About Their
They had awakened to the reality of their situation. Things were bad. Slaves. So they concluded that what they needed was a renewal of the covenant.
“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing on a sealed document containing the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests” —Nehemiah 9:38
The problem, they didn’t keep their promise.
God knew of this problem in his people. He knew of our tendency to commit and fail. So he promised a new way of doing things. He said:
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances” —Ezekiel 36:26–27
At the last supper, on the night he was arrested, when he took the cup, Jesus said:
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” —Mark 14:24
This New Covenant, promised long ago and delivered by Jesus, is what these people really needed.
They needed a new
But this inner newness is precisely what Christ offers. He says:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” —2 Corinthians 5:17
When we find ourselves, as a called, chosen people for whom God has fought, yet enslaved to sin, we must remember this
When we find ourselves in the same old spin cycle of sin, discipline, repentance, and renewal, leading to more sin, we must get back to the New Covenant, where we