Studies in Nehemiah

Studies in Nehemiah Presentation 09

Learning From History Chapter 9v1-38 Presentation 09

Introduction The famous historian H. A. L. FISHER wrote : “Men wiser and more learned than I have discerned in history a plot, a rhythm, a predetermined pattern. These harmonies are concealed from me. I can see only one emergency following upon another as wave follows upon wave.... I am unable to find any meaning in history” As far as he was concerned, history was going nowhere. Not only does it not have some ultimate conclusion so that it is impossible to make any sense of world events, but history did not have any lessons to teach. It was simply something to be observed, of less benefit than staring at a bunch of fish in a goldfish bowl. What a sad and unenlightened view of history he had. Presentation 09

Introduction In contrast, the Bible provides us with the means of interpreting and understanding the world and its history, in relation to God. This is precisely what the people were doing in Nehemiah's day. They were reflecting upon their nation's history, and upon God's involvement in that history, they came to terms with the mistakes which they had made in the past, they recognised the consequences of their sin and resolved, with God's help, to be different. Presentation 09

Behind A Fresh Commitment First, note the background to this fresh commitment. Their fresh understanding of God's Word in Chap 8 now produces a fresh resolve to be the people of God. Just as hitherto their quickened understanding of God's Word produced a confession of sin so now as they rehearse their nation’s history and disobedience they want to be different. They decided to learn from the folly of their past when after God's miraculous deliverance from Egypt, the credit for that deliverance was given to a molten calf! “But they, our forefathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey your commands” v16. Presentation 09

Behind A Fresh Commitment Next, after God had led them into the promised land and driven out their enemies then, “they were disobedient and rebelled against you they put your law behind their backs. They killed your prophets who admonished them in order to turn them back to you” v26. When God chastened them during the period of the judges did they learn their lesson? No, “You warned them to return to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen”v29. After the establishment of the monarchy the nation lapsed into idolatry resulting in the exile from which they had so recently returned. Presentation 09

Behind A Fresh Commitment Ezra and the Levites pointed out that they were in danger of being caught up in this repeating process. Stubbornness of heart was the backdrop against which again and again God had intervened in her national history. A lesson which they were quick to grasp. It is easy to read biblical history in a detached sense, thinking, “that could never happen to me. I could never turn by back on God like that! I could never forget the riches of his grace”. Presentation 09

Behind A Fresh Commitment But look at 1 Cor.10v11 “These things happened to them [Israel] as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come.” Paul is saying, we need to learn the lessons of history and see the potential dangers that lurk within our own hearts. But not only potential dangers, for like the people in Nehemiah's day we need to review our flawed history and take personal ownership of it. Like Israel, we need to admit that we have sinned against the lavishness of God’s grace and then cry out to God to ask him to put the broken pieces back together again. Presentation 09

Rehearsing God's Greatness These verses not only expose Israel's past failure they also rehearse God's greatness. You see it is open to question on scriptural grounds whether a prolonged bewailing of one's sin and a preoccupation with one’s unworthiness is in fact part of a healthy spiritual life. It is possible to be morbidly taken up with sin and to become introspective and self-preoccupied. Confession, which loses sight of God can be a self-defeating thing. There is an enemy who loves to keep our faces in the dust, he loves to see us getting no further than constantly beating our breasts. Presentation 09

Rehearsing God's Greatness Whenever we lose sight of God in a situation, yes even when conscious of our most repugnant sin we are not acting in faith. When we turn to the N.T. it is helpful to see that sin was not a major preoccupation in Paul’s life. His eyes were primarily focused upon the greatness of God and his grace and on the unsearchable riches of Christ. This is not to suggest that he did not think sin was serious [you just need to read Romans 6] or something to be resisted on a daily basis. But what was his focus? Surely it was with the wonder of God's grace rather than the stench of his own sin. This is always healthy. Presentation 09

Rehearsing God's Greatness God is the focus here as the God of history, who chose Abraham with the purpose of redemption in mind. Nehemiah's hearers were caught up with the knowledge that they had a part to play in God's grand plan of salvation. To this end he was at work in their nation and in their personal history. When we become aware of sin and experience deep heart conviction then grasp that God has engineered this not to shame you. Rather his end is that you might confess and repent of your sin thus dealing with those things which hinder your spiritual growth and fruitfulness in his service. God has purposes of grace for your life! Presentation 09

Rehearsing God's Greatness Note the great truths concerning God outlined here. He chooses men and women and has purposes of destiny for their lives [v7]. He enters in a covenant relationship with his people [v8] binding himself to them with promises of blessing. He exercises his mighty power on behalf of his people [v9-11]. He leads and gives direction to them [v12]. He legislates for their welfare and keeps them safe [v13] and he provides for all their material needs [v15]. Overshadowing his people's confession of sin is this overwhelming awareness of his greatness. Presentation 09

Rehearsing God's Greatness When you think about it our confession of sin is likely to be the more meaningful when it is seen against the wonder of God's love and the strength of his commitment towards us. As we gaze at the fullness of his provision for our need then our hearts are more likely to melt as we become increasingly conscious that we have sinned against such grace. Presentation 09

Rehearsing God's Greatness But there is another dimension of this confession worthy of note - the truly remarkable patience and long-suffering of God. Look at v17, 19-21, 22-25, 27, 28-30 and 31... God's love can't be exhausted by human sin. He refused to let them go. We find this hard to grasp because it is not a component of human nature to forgive and forgive and forgive again. We tend to operate with cut off points. Consider Peter's enquiry, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Matt 18v21. He thought that extravagant! Jesus’ reply spoke of limitless forgiveness, something impossible for fallen human nature but expected of the new men and women Christ has made his people. Presentation 09

Rehearsing God's Greatness Some people find it difficult to accept the rich forgiveness of God. They imagine themselves too bad for God, and tell themselves that they are the worst of sinners and there is no hope for them. Some people insist upon carrying around a great burden of guilt and shame because of their sinful past. In some respects they have adopted a martyr role. This whole outlook fails to magnify the grace of God and exalt the patience of God. Often they are unaware of having allowed their sin to make them self-centred rather than God centred. Presentation 09

Rehearsing God's Greatness There is a perfect balance in scripture. By saying all that has been said about forgiveness there is no suggestion that God is a soft touch as far as sin is concerned. Nor should we conclude that we are able to abuse the grace of God. If this passage highlights the fact that God did not reject Israel because of her sin, it also underlines the fact that he chastised her because of it. He delivered Israel over to her enemies v27, 28, 30. God's love for them was strong enough to resist pity UNTIL discipline and grief had done its gracious work in their lives. Presentation 09

Conclusion The text recognises there was a stark contrast between what had been Israel’s experience and what it might have been if she had walked in obedience to God. And yet there is also the acknowledgement that were it not for the intervening mercy of God how much worse might Israel’s state have been. And that is surely true of the life of every believer. “There is the history that God permits, and there is that which God produces. There is the history of what man does in his folly, and the trouble into which he gets himself, and there is the history of the intervention of God”. M. L. Jones Presentation 09

Studies in Nehemiah