October 5, 2026
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 and 1 Peter? 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
Next: 1 Peter 3
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Back: Nehemiah 8
Nehemiah 9
Confession and praise are such appropriate responses to the reading of God’s word and that is what we see here. The Jews at this time recognize their failings to follow God at various times in their history in spite of His goodness and faithfulness to warn them and call them back to Himself. They recognize they are in the place that they are because of what they have done and so they decide to take measures to make sure they don’t make the same mistakes. They desire to commit themselves to follow God which we all should do to solidify our will to be faithful to Him.
Good anthology of the Old Testament
Nehemiah 9
Nehemiah 9
It is easy to read accounts like this and feel like why didn’t they just learn their lesson and cut it out, but that would be hypocrisy on many of our accounts. We too continue to fall to sin and need to repent before God. Our sin might look different all these years later, however, the root sins are still the same; pride, selfishness, and idolatry. The things that get between us and God and cause us to sin. The proper response is repentance and praise because just like the Israelites, He is always with us warning us of the dangers of sin, watching us make the same mistakes, and ready to forgive us when we realize what we have done and ask Him to restore us and in humble gratitude praise Him for His gracy and mercy!
The people read, repent and worship. A good order to one’s day.
The Levites give a good overview of the history of Israel and Gods interaction with them.
“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.”
Nehemiah 9:3 NKJV
Nehemiah 9:1-3
Worshipping God is coming together with separating from sins(being holy), absorbing God’s word, and confession.