FAITHFUL TO THE FAITHLESS. Nehemiah 9:1-38

Transcription

1 FAITHFUL TO THE FAITHLESS Nehemiah 9:1-38

2 Faithful to the Faithless Nehemiah 9:1-4 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshipped the LORD their God And they cried with a loud voice to the LORD

3 Faithful to the Faithless Nehemiah 9:4-7 their God Then the Levites said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him

4 Faithful to the Faithless Nehemiah 9:7-10 out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham. You found his heart faithful before you, and made with him the covenant to give to his offspring And you have kept your promise, for you are righteous. And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew they

5 Faithful to the Faithless Nehemiah 9:10-13 acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day. And you divided the sea before them so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go. You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with

6 Nehemiah 9:13-15 them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them. (ESV) Faithful to the Faithless

7 Confession,ידה) ydh) Literally to throw out a true estimation Of God (recognizing who he is, resulting in praise) Of Man (recognizing who he is, acknowledging sin) Faithful to the Faithless

8 HOW GOD ACTED You made a name for yourself, as it is to this day (9:10)

9 God Acting in History Creation (9:6) Abraham (9:7) Egypt/Red Sea (9:9-11) Desert/Sinai/Law (9:12-21) Conquest of Canaan/possession of land (9:22) Judges (9:26-28) Prophets (9:29-31) In captivity and exile (9:36) Faithful to the Faithless

10 HOW ISRAEL ACTED But they acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck (9:16-17)

11 Faithful to the Faithless Descriptions of Israel Presumptuous/arrogant (16), stubborn/stiffnecked (16), did not obey (16), refused to listen (17), not mindful/failed to remember (17), made idols (18), disobedient (26), rebellious (26), turned their backs (26), killed the prophets (26), blasphemed (26), did what was evil (28), sinned against law (29), paid no attention (34), did wrong (33), did not turn from evil (34), ignored warnings (34), did not serve God (35).

12 Israel s Response to God s Provision Creation Abraham Egypt/Red Sea Desert/Sinai/Law Conquest of Canaan/possession of land Judges Prophets Faithful to the Faithless

13 HOW GOD RESPONDED But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them (17)

14 Faithful to the Faithless Descriptions of Israel Presumptuous/arrogant (16), stubborn/stiffnecked (16), did not obey (16), refused to listen (17), not mindful/failed to remember (17), made idols (18), disobedient (26), rebellious (26), turned their backs (26), killed the prophets (26), blasphemed (26), did what was evil (28), sinned against law (29), paid no attention (34), did wrong (33), did not turn from evil (34), ignored warnings (34), did not serve God (35).

15 Descriptions of God Promise/covenant keeping (8), faithful (8), righteous (8), listens to cries (9), performs miracles (10), comes to the rescue (10), gives direction (12), provides needs (15), forgives (17), gracious (17), compassionate (17), slow to anger (17), abounding in love (17), never deserts or forsakes (17), gives instruction (20), provides for needs (22), subdues enemies (24), gives good things (25), provides deliverance (27), warns (29), admonishes (30), patient (30), shows mercy (31), will not abandon or forsake his people (31). Faithful to the Faithless

16 Confession,ידה) ydh) Literally to throw out a true estimation Of God (recognizing who he is, resulting in praise) Of Man (recognizing who he is, acknowledging sin) Faithful to the Faithless

17 HOW ISRAEL RESPONDED Because of all this, we make a firm covenant in writing (38)

18 Nehemiah 9:32-33 Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love... you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. (ESV) Faithful to the Faithless

19 Revival While prayer, Bible reading, and worship are always precursors to revival, confession and repentance are the signs of revival s arrival. Faithful to the Faithless

20 s HOW GOD ACTED You made a name for yourself, as it is to this day (9:10)

21 How God Acts God was pleased through Him [Christ] to reconcile to himself all things by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col 1:19-20, NIV) But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. (Eph 2:4,5, ESV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16, ESV) Faithful to the Faithless

22 Faithful to the Faithless Because of Christ Sins are forgiven God s wrath is absorbed Legal demands of the law are met Condemnation is taken away We can be made holy, blameless, & perfect We can have a clear conscience We are given the Holy Spirit We are called Children of God We are promised eternal life

23 HOW ISRAEL ACTED But they acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.

24 2 Timothy 3:2-5 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. (ESV) Faithful to the Faithless

25 Faithful to the Faithless Descriptions of Israel Presumptuous/arrogant (16), stubborn/stiffnecked (16), did not obey (16), refused to listen (17), not mindful/failed to remember (17), made idols (18), disobedient (26), rebellious (26), turned their backs (26), killed the prophets (26), blasphemed (26), did what was evil (28), sinned against law (29), paid no attention (34), did wrong (33), did not turn from evil (34), ignored warnings (34), did not serve God (35).

26 HOW GOD RESPONDED s But you were patient with them.

27 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (ESV) Faithful to the Faithless

28 2 Timothy 2:11, 13 The saying is trustworthy if we are faithless, he remains faithful. (ESV) Faithful to the Faithless

29 Descriptions of God Promise/covenant keeping (8), faithful (8), righteous (8), listens to cries (9), performs miracles (10), comes to the rescue (10), gives direction (12), provides needs (15), forgives (17), gracious (17), compassionate (17), slow to anger (17), abounding in love (17), never deserts or forsakes (17), gives instruction (20), provides for needs (22), subdues enemies (24), gives good things (25), provides deliverance (27), warns (29), admonishes (30), patient (30), shows mercy (31), will not abandon or forsake his people (31). Faithful to the Faithless

30 HOW ISRAEL RESPONDED Because of all this, we make a firm covenant in writing (38)

31 Nehemiah 9:32-33 Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love... you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. (ESV) Faithful to the Faithless

32 1 Peter 3:21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (ESV) Faithful to the Faithless

33 FAITHFUL TO THE FAITHLESS Will you be found faithful?