Historical Books Nehemiah

The Grace of God

Discover Jesus as: Builder Nehemiah 9 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 327 of 730
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INTRO

Why do we spend so much time in the Old Testament and studying the historical books? George Santayana said, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to relive it.”1So if we don’t learn from the folks in our past, how can we ever grow? Do you remember the old church cliché; history = His story? During this time, Zerubbabel and Jeshua led the people in rebuilding the temple while Ezra and Nehemiah led the people in rebuilding the walls and the city. With everything in place, Ezra began reading the Word of God to the people. They were going over His story. In the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel, there are three major prayers considered to be national prayers of Israel. We read Ezra’s prayer for the nation in Ezra 9, and today, we’ll read Nehemiah’s prayer for the nation in Nehemiah 9. We’ll read Daniel’s national prayer in Daniel 9. It’s important to understand each of these prayers is based on 2 Chronicles 7:14.2

TEACHING

Nehemiah 9:1–6: Warren Wiersbe referred to these verses as “the greatness of God.”3As the Israelites assembled, they were fasting, wearing sackcloth, and had put dust on their heads (v. 1). According to John MacArthur, they were cultivating a demonstration for their sin because they truly mourned for where they were.4Those who were the descendants of Jacob (Israel) separated themselves from the foreigners (v. 2). It had been thirteen years since Ezra first read the Word of God to them, and now these men under Nehemiah called on those who had married foreigners to recognize their sin and separate themselves from their foreign wives.5In the presence of the greatness of God, they confessed their sins. For one-fourth of the day—that’s three hours—they read the Word of God, and then for another three hours, they confessed their sins and worshipped God (v. 3). In 1 Timothy 4:13, Paul told believers to focus on public reading. The Levites stood on a raised platform and encouraged Israel to stand up and praise God (vv. 4–5). In their prayer, they focused on God as the creator (v. 6). They recognized that God was incomparable and the One who truly created all things.

Nehemiah 9:7–12: As Wiersbe suggests, these verses shift from the greatness of God to the goodness of God.6In His goodness, God chose Abram (v. 7) and gave him the land of the Canaanites (v. 8). Sixteen times in this chapter, we see the word “give” because of God’s goodness. The covenant with Abraham was based on God’s faithfulness. God promised this land to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 15:18; Exodus 3:8; 33:2). In Nehemiah 9, the people honored what God had done for them. They remembered what God had done for their ancestors when He brought them out of Egypt (vv. 9–12). Through all of these layers—the creation, the covenant, the exodus, the Red Sea—they kept building until they got to the point where their city had been rebuilt. These events revealed God’s goodness to them. The people coming back into Jerusalem where the temple had been rebuilt needed to know God’s story in all of this.

Nehemiah 9:13–21: These verses described the events that occurred at Mt. Sinai. God gave them good commands (v. 13), the Sabbath (v. 14), and spoke to them through Moses. He gave them bread and water and then told them to go in and possess the land He had given them (v. 15). But their ancestors were stiff-necked and refused to listen to God’s commands or remember His wonders (vv. 16–17). Instead, they appointed a leader to take them back to Egypt and to bondage (v. 17). Nehemiah knew the people of his day faced the danger of repeating the mistakes of their ancestors. But Nehemiah recalled God’s goodness in forgiving them because He didn’t abandon them in the wilderness even when they made an idol and worshipped the golden calf (vv. 18–19). Instead, God sent His Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold manna or water (v. 20). God provided for them in the wilderness for 40 years (v. 21). Nehemiah reiterated what Moses had written in Deuteronomy 8:4 when he recalled that “their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.”

Nehemiah 9:22–25: These verses recounted Israel’s entrance into the promised land under Joshua, the son of Nun. God gave them the land (v. 22) and multiplied their descendants (v. 23). God subdued their enemies (v. 24). The word subdued brings to mind the truth in Exodus 15:3 NLT version, “The Lord is a warrior; Yahweh is His name.”

Nehemiah 9:26–30: These verses describe the days from the judges to the time of the Babylonian captivity. They were disobedient and rebelled against God; they killed His prophets (v. 26). God then handed them over to their enemies until they cried out to Him (v. 27). This became their pattern of behavior (v. 28).

Nehemiah 9:31–38: After considering the greatness of God and the goodness of God, Nehemiah called them to experience the grace of God.7He reminded them that because God is gracious and compassionate, He did not destroy or abandon Israel (v. 31). In verse 32, the phrase “so now” implies that great revival took place as Ezra read the Word of God. Nehemiah emphasized that as they experienced revival, they should remember the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant. They couldn’t take what happened to them and their ancestors lightly. As MacArthur pointed out, Nehemiah’s prayer turned to a present confessing of unfaithfulness.8By going through the history of everything that the Israelites had experienced, they realized they were no better than their ancestors (vv. 35–36). They realized that they had gotten to this point because of their unfaithfulness. In verse 38, they made a renewed commitment to the Mosaic covenant. In view of all of this, Israel was all in. They realized what God had done to get them to that point, they confessed the sin in their lives, and they made a binding agreement to God. As MacArthur said, they made a pledge and a promise to obey God and repented of the sins of their fathers because they didn’t want to go back. They wanted to see change.9

CLOSING

The Word of God will do the same thing for you if you allow it to be part of your life. God is looking for a little remnant who realizes how big God is, how great He is, how good He is, and that the grace of God is still in our lives so we can now walk out our ministry.

  1. Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: Old Testament (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 778.

  2. Wiersbe, p. 778.

  3. Wiersbe, p. 778.

  4. John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2005), p. 547.

  5. MacArthur, p. 547.

  6. Wiersbe, p. 778.

  7. Wiersbe, p. 778.

  8. MacArthur, p. 548.

  9. MacArthur, p. 548-549.

Questions

  1. The Israelites had just finished the Feast of Tabernacles where they were filled with great joy. Why, in verse 1, were the people fasting and dressed in burlap?
  2. How had the Israelites, according to the prayer, responded to God’s great kindness, great mercy, and great goodness (Nehemiah 9:18, 26)? What did their rebellion lead too? (Nehemiah 9:37)
  3. Why was it important for the Israelites to confess not only their sins but also the sins of their fathers/ancestors? When was the last time you examined yourself and confessed the sins the Lord revealed to you? (2 Corinthians 13:5)
  4. In what four ways was God’s greatness described in verse 6?
  5. How is verse 33 a great model for confession? How does this verse also affirm the righteousness of God? How are believers to confess today? (James 5:16; 1 John 1:9)
  6. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in Nehemiah 9 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin Nehemiah 9:29–31

“You warned them to turn back to Your law, but they acted arrogantly and would not obey Your commands. They sinned against Your ordinances, which a person will live by if he does them. They stubbornly resisted, stiffened their necks, and would not obey. You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit warned them through Your prophets, but they would not listen. Therefore, You handed them over to the surrounding peoples. However, in Your abundant compassion, You did not destroy them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.”

The Israelites assembled, fasted, wore sackcloth, and put dust on their heads as a sign of mourning for their sins and spiritual condition. Then they prayed and praised the Lord. They spent time remembering God’s faithfulness to the covenant He made with Abraham. They confessed their disobedience and recognized the Lord’s compassion. He rescued and delivered them. He never abandoned them because He kept His gracious covenant. As a remnant, they made a binding agreement to follow the Lord.

The Lord will never abandon you. He will never leave you. God is your deliverer and your rescuer. He is a compassionate God. The Lord hears you when you cry out in distress. Maybe you feel abandoned by someone—a parent, sibling, or friend. Maybe even by God. However, unlike the others, the truth is God will never abandon you. He promises He will be with you always; nothing will ever separate you from His great love. Nothing. God’s love is a free gift you receive by saying, “Yes, Lord, I receive Your grace.” No binding agreement necessary. Today, accept His free gift; believe His promises.

“You warned them to turn back to Your law, but they acted arrogantly and would not obey Your commands. They sinned against Your ordinances, which a person will live by if he does them. They stubbornly resisted, stiffened their necks, and would not obey. You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit warned them through Your prophets, but they would not listen. Therefore, You handed them over to the surrounding peoples. However, in Your abundant compassion,

You did not destroy them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.”

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

— Nehemiah 9:29–31

  • Deuteronomy 31:8 — “The Lord is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

Romans 8:38–39 — “For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!”

Ephesians 2:8–9 — “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.”