June 28, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Nehemiah? Here’s today’s reading:
Nehemiah 9 (NIV)
The Israelites Confess Their Sins
1 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.…..Continue Reading
Confession before God is so important and what a picture of confession this chapter is! Confession is about our heart and should lead to repentance. We must acknowledge our sin before we can truly turn away from it and live differently. However, there must be humility not excuses. They started by fasting, wore sackcloth, and put dust on their heads to put themselves in a humble place before . They didn’t just revisit a list of mistakes but praised God and acknowledged Him through all of it and the many times God was there to discipline when necessary and pick up the pieces when it was over.
He is always there for all of us when things go astray and yet so many times in our human weakness we mess up again and again. Overwhelming to think we have a God so forgiving and with such a desire for relationship with us that He can keep picking us back up no matter how many times we fall….thank you Jesus!
I read this verse and I heard the song we “God is an awesome God”. Despite that the Jews kept disobeying His La, God forgave them over and over. He is awesome.
Nehemiah 9
Besides the many times that Ezra prayed in both books of Ezra and Nehemiah there are two main prayers by him in both books. In Ezra chapter 9 and Nehemiah chapter 9. They are two different prayers given at two different years. The first one in Ezra 9 is when he came to Jerusalem in the second return and the prayer in Nehemiah 9 is when Nehemiah came in the third return. In Ezra 9 he prayed with fasting and rent his garment and was astonished because of the great sins of the people. He asked for revival. In Nehemiah 9 the people assembled and together they fasted, and with sackclothes, earth upon them. In Ezra`s prayer he reminds the people of there history how they were chosen and their many sins against God. Yet God kept helping them when they called out to Him in repentance. For He is a merciful God. Thank God that He so merciful to each one of us.
It’s remarkable to see the recap of their exodus from Egypt and the countless times God saved them and provided for them, yet they turned to their own devices and pride and away from God becoming “arrogant and stiff-necked” disobeying God and worshiping idols…..yet God had compassion on His chosen people….God’s Grace and Mercy is amazing.
If we could just remember this prayer, let it live in our hearts, and believe it daily, and let it be a starting point to remember that He is God, and we are not.
“Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.”
Confession should be a natural result from reading the word as it reveals the truth and faithfulness of God along with His standards that we so often fall short of. And even more so for the Jews as their books of history show how defiant they were to a God who so consistently provided for them and forgave them. How fitting to declare His praises amongst the people and make a covenant committing to not make the mistakes of the past and be faithful to the Law and to the God who had given it.
Nehemiah 9
Nehemiah 9
And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.
The people seal the covenant. “these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes: …..they commit to some significant life choices regarding relationships, possessions and use of their time. Hmmm.
The Lord alone is to be praised, he made all things and he is a loving, compassionate, gracious God. Although the Israelites turned away from him time after time, God forgave because of his great mercy; he is slow to anger, abounding in love. Therefore, he would not desert them or forsake his covenant with them. And he will not abandon us when we sin against him because Jesus is our Savior. Psalm 37:33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
Here is another verse I came across that I would like to share: Psalms 94:14 The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession.