Nehemiah 9:1-6

Introduction

Nehemiah 7- Reviewing the Returnees. They looked at all those who had returned to the land

Nehemiah 8- Reviewing the Torah in the seventh month

Nehemiah 9- Praising God for His mercy and Confessing of Israels sin.

They Recognize the Greatness of God vs. 1-6

We find ourselves in the 24th day of the 7th month. The Israelites had heard the law and were convicted of their sin and were told that it wasn’t a time to weep, but a time of rejoicing that God had forgiven their sin.

The feast had ended, but the people hung around to hear the Word of God.

one commentator said it this way “Feasting had turned to fasting as the word brought conviction and people started confessing their sins”

Notice that the Israelites separated themselves from strangers, stood and confessed their sins, and confessed the iniquity of their fathers

They recognized that just as they had sinned against God their fathers had as well, which is why they were in exile.

Here we find the Israelites worshiping God in the midst of their confession

An amazing thing about God is that He receives our worship vs. 1-5

In verse 3 We see that they read the Law of God for three hours and then confessed and worshiped the lord for another 3 hours

Imagine a church service lasting 6 hours today, it would never happen on purpose.

True Worship involves may elements:

Hearing the scriptures

praising God

Praying

Confessing Sin

Separating ourselves from what displeases God

We find each of these in the first 5 verses of chapter 9

Worship involves the Word of God, because the word of God reveals the God of the Word.

A.W. Tozer in His book “The Knowledge of the Holy” says this “The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of HIm.

What causes our worship services to become idolatry instead of worship is often not understanding what God expects from us because the Word of God isn’t read.

In Scripture God speaks to us and through prayer and praise we speak to Him.

The people took time to confess their sins

We should keep a short account with God. Anytime we sin against God, we should seek forgiveness for that sin.

Again notice verse 3 where they separated from the strangers. True worship requires separation from things that displease the Lord.

Weirsbe said this “Separation without devotion to the Lord becomes isolation, but devotion without separation is hypocrisy.”

Our church should not only look different than the world, but it should act different than the world.

2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Gods deserve our worship because he is God alone vs. 6a

In exile the nation of Israel was surrounded by idol worship and the lifestyles associated with Pagan worship.

God is God alone and deserves all of our worship

Israel continued to fall into Idolatry and were continually punished by God

God deserves our worship because he is the creator of the world. vs 6b

Whenever God wanted to encourage his people he would point to the creation around them and remind them that he made it all

Is. 40:9-26- Turn

He did this to remind them of the foolishness of worshiping idols

Isaiah 41:29 “Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: Their molten images are wind and confusion.”

Romans 1:25 is a good reminder of what Idolatry looks like today

Romans 1:25“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

Augustine said “Thus does the world forget, You, its creator, and falls in love with what You have created instead of with You.

God deserves our worship because He is involved in the affairs of His creation vs. 6c

God didn’t just make everything and then stop taking care of it.

He sees the sparrow fall

Matthew 10:29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.”

He hears the raven cry out for food

Psalm 147:9 “He giveth to the beast his food, And to the young ravens which cry.”

God deserves our worship, because all the host of Heaven worship him vs. 6d

While we can’t imitate the great works of the angels, we can duplicate their devotion to the Lord as they worship before the throne

Isaiah 6:1–3 “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory.”

Someone said “we have more cause to praise Him than they do”

We have been saved by the grace of God and will one day be like the Lord Jesus Christ. we aren’t just servants, we are sons and we will dwell with Him forever.