NEHEMIAH 9 - RENEWAL AND REPENTANCE
Nehemiah 9
With the rediscovery of the Book of the Law of Moses, the people of Israel had a renewed sense of their need for God. It was twenty-four days into the month and the people were becoming more and more aware of how they had fallen short of God’s commands (v. 1).
The more you know, the more you become responsible for.
The continued reading of the law brought a keen awareness of sin before a holy God. Therefore, the people repented. Their repentance was demonstrated by fasting, wearing sackcloth, and putting dust upon their heads (v. 1). The Israelites separated from all foreigners, so as to separate from foreign idols (v. 2). They sought to put themselves in the lowest place, while putting God in the highest place. In this position of humility the people heard the words of God, confessed their sins, and worshipped the Lord (v. 3).
True humility will always lead to true exaltation.
The more they became aware of how great and how good God is, the more they recognized that there were things keeping them back from enjoying him. Repentance is turning from those things that keep us from fully enjoying God. This was not the first time that Israel had repented from sin.
Repentance is an ongoing work of faith in a follower of God.
The people stood and prayed a prayer of repentance, blessing the Lord their God (v. 4):
They recognized Him as Lord, Creator, and Sustainer (v. 5-6)
They saw Him as the Covenant Maker and Keeper (v. 7-8)
They praised Him as their Deliverer and Provider (v. 9-15)
They recognized themselves and their ancestors as proud and disobedient (v. 16-17)
They saw Him as gracious, merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and not forsaking (v. 17-21)
They praised Him for repeatedly saving them from their pride and disobedience (v. 22-31)
And they cried out to Him to save them once again (v. 32-37)
This prayer of repentance was followed up with a renewal of covenant (v. 38) The people had come to the place where they just wanted God, and they wrote out all they ways that they were determined to live for Him. And even if they would go back on that covenant, there would be a God waiting to receive repentant people to himself again.
God will always meet us in our repentance.