(Nehemiah 9:18-31) The Story of God's Patience (Part 1)

Nathan Sehi

Nehemiah • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

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After summarizing Israel’s sin and God’s grace in v. 16-17; he recounts the story of God’s patience and mercy. He describes three examples in Israel’s history that demonstrates how in mercy God did not forsake Israel. It is meant to be a praise to God and a reminder to the people.

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INTRODUCTION:

Christians often forget the patience of God

and scoffers often mock the patience of God.

ILLUSTRATION:

Robert Ingersoll (the famous atheist) was lecturing,

the famous atheist,

was lecturing,

- he once took out his watch and declared,

- “I will give God five minutes to strike me dead for the things I have said.”

- When the five minutes were up, Ingersoll put the watch into his pocket.

When the five minutes were up, Ingersoll put the watch into his pocket.

Believing he had proven that God doesn’t exist.

But what did he really prove?

When that incident reached the ears of a certain preacher, Joseph Parker,

he asked, “And did the gentleman think he could exhaust the patience of the Eternal God in five minutes?”

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching God’s Patience

When Robert Ingersoll, the famous atheist, was lecturing, he once took out his watch and declared, “I will give God five minutes to strike me dead for the things I have said.” The minutes ticked off as he held the watch and waited. In about four-and-a-half minutes, some women began fainting, but nothing happened. When the five minutes were up, Ingersoll put the watch into his pocket. When that incident reached the ears of a certain preacher, Joseph Parker, he asked, “And did the gentleman think he could exhaust the patience of the Eternal God in five minutes?”

We live in a culture where we don’t wait.

>>>>>and We get mad when we do.

We expect prompt

We can’t wait 5 minutes without tapping our foot, playing with our phone, or reading a magazine.

We can’t wait 5 minutes without

- tapping our foot,

- playing with our phone,

- or reading a magazine.

Our patience towards one another is often just as inch deep,

Because all it takes is one sin to make us forever bitter and distrustful against each other.

And when we sin, we expect God to turn his back on us as well.

But God doesn’t respond to our sin with bitterness and anger,

But with enduring patience.

Peter asked Jesus about forgiveness -

Matthew 18:21–22 ESV

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

That comes out of a character of God’s patience.

The Last few weeks we have been studying

- which summarizes the exceeding sinfulness of Israel,

- and the overwhelming forgiveness and love of God.

>>>>The History of Israel is how we know that God is patient with us.

gives us the story of God’s patience.

Consider this morning a praticum

Nehemiah 9:16–31 ESV

“But they and our fathers 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 and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies, you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. “And you gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner. So they took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. You multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and you brought them into the land that you had told their fathers to enter and possess. So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would. And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness. “Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies. And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

What do we learn from Ezra’s prayer about God?

That -

PROP: God is Exceedingly Patient.

Trans: and in the next few weeks our text will show 3 monumental examples of God showing his patience.

This week we will examine the - The first monumental example:

The first monumental example:

Israel forsake God,

(1) Israel Choose Idolatry at Mount Sinai. (; , )

Nehemiah 9:18–21 ESV

Nehemiah 9:18–25 ESV

Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies, you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. “And you gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner. So they took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. You multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and you brought them into the land that you had told their fathers to enter and possess. So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would. And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

Nehemiah 9:18-

Neh 9:18-21

This event recorded in Exodus is an appalling story of Israel’s sin.

The Bible even starts out by saying, “even when”

We often marvel at the hard hearts of Israel - Because

Slide

God has just delivered Israel with 12 incredible plagues.

Each which demonstrated the awesome power of God against every other empty idol.

Each which demonstrated God’s care and provision for Israel.

And then he parts the red sea and crashes it upon the Egyptians that are chasing Israel.

God’s mighty hand literally brought Israel out of Egypt.

And so we would expect a grateful nation.

We would expect them to be faithful at least for a little while.

But according to ,

Israel in a short time comes to Mount Sanai.

God tells Moses to go on top of the Mountain.

And God’s very presence manifests itself on that mountain.

Exodus 19:16–20 ESV

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

Exodus 19:16-20

A simple, unsophisticated, and honest observation of this should have done what?

The

Slide

(a) The Wonders of God in the Exodus and the awesomeness of God's presence on Mount Sinai should have caused them to love and fear God.

EXPLANATION:

We often think, if only we saw a miracle from God, we would live more faithful lives?

If we only saw a miracle, we would know that we should follow God.

> But again this nation has seen numerous miracles and has actually seen the powerful manifestation of God.

> God's presence is echoing a giant storm of lightning and thunder, which is so awesome it puts everyone on their knees in fear.

Yet, when we read , we learn that they commited idolatry in the midst of God’s presence.

That is when they worshipped the golden calf that Ezra talks about.

Most likely, they committed idolatry while they could still see the awesome quaking presence of God on Mount Sinai.

And so read what they do -

Exodus 32:1–6 ESV

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

Exodus 321-8

(b) Their Idolatry was an impatient response to waiting on God. (, )

“When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain”

What was Moses and God doing on the mountain?

And the idea is that Moses was receiving the Law. That is primarily what is found in .

Exodus 24:18 ESV

Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Israel was so impatient that while they were looking up at the very presence of God on Mount Sinai, they could not wait 40 days for Moses hear the law and come down and tell it.

ILLUSTRATION/APPLICATION:

We often talk about how modern culture makes us inpatient; but Israel couldn't even be patient without

phones

cars

while looking up the most amazing sight that anybody ever seen.

[[[I mean, why not just sit down and watch the amazing sight of God on the mountain, but instead they got impatient and bored. ]]]

This is the scene that we all druel over wishing we had seen it.

Our patience problem is not because of technology or a modern problem; it is principally a heart problem.

So often impatience leads into the depths of sin.

Impatience is always a sign of self-centeredness and self-worship.

Because we would be patient, if we truly were willing to wait and trust on God.

Romans 8:25 ESV

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

James

James 5:7–8 ESV

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

I challenge you to be patient and hope in God.

But observe how-

(c) Their Impatience Lead to Illogical Blasphemy. ()

The Sin:

God’s Mercy and Patience:

When we talk about impatience in the secular world,

what we mean is that people cut corners and the job gets halfway done.

But when we talk about spiritual impatience, what we mean is we look outside the truth living God for answers to our struggles.

When Israel got tired of waiting; they didn't just ignore the Exodus. Instead they sacrificed their gold to make a golden calf.

- They then, claimed that Goldin calf was the one who brought them out of Egypt.

- In other words, they claimed in this empty Golden half caused the 12 plagues in the parting the Red Sea.

In other words, they claimed in this empty Golden half caused the 12 plagues in the parting the Red Sea.

Now let's be honest – that makes no sense.

There is no way an empty man made of metal could of done that.

It was a illogical and it was a lie against God.

Why did they lie?

Because they got tired of waiting on God.

ILLUSTRATION:

(2) Their Rebellion After the Conquest (The Time of the Judges and the Kingdom). ()

So often – we get tired of waiting on God.

And when I say this; I'm speaking to the choir.

The Sin:

God’s Mercy and Patience:

Because I get tired of waiting on the God.

The third monumental example:

Maybe its finances,

(3) Their Unworthiness in the Exile: ()

maybe it's a sickness,

maybe it's training your children,

maybe it is for your marriage to turn around,

may be it's that vacation or hobby you want to do.

Maybe you're tired of hurting,

The Sin:

Maybe you're tired of hurting, maybe you're tired of being depressed, maybe you just want to feel like God is alive in your life.

maybe you're tired of being depressed,

God’s Mercy and Patience:

maybe you just want to feel like God is alive in your life.

CONCLUSION:

Consider the Gifts God has given them.

And what happens so often when we have to wait on God – is we start to look at other ways to solve our problems.

The Land

We look to five-step plans, self help books, hobbies, work, TV, alcohol – and the list goes on to

>>>either give me it now or at the very lest dull my impatience.

The Kingdom

These ways are often illogical, and are lie against God.

His Spirit

The Prophets.

These are neutral distraction, but we abuse them as means to get what I want now.

What do you look for to when you get impatient with God?

And everyone of us probably can make a list of solutions that seem to help, but simply cover up our impatience. with God

So often we would rather look to the emptiness of this world, then to wait for true living God.

It is ironic,

Psalm 27:14 ESV

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

we who are exceedingly sinful are quick to hold a grudge.

We ought to wait on the Lord, and guard our impatient hearts against idolatry.

But is not prayer without hope.

This text is about the idolatry of Israel, but also the wonderful patience of God.

(d) Yet - God Never Forsake Them.

When someone lies to me, the last thing I want to do depend upon them.

When someone lies about some, I never want to speak to them again.

One lie is enough to usually destroy a relationship.

Two lies is a sure bet to destroy a relationship.

And what does the idolatry of Israel show?

We might expect God sitting on the mountain Sinai to strike all of Israel dead.

But that is the opposite to what our text says.

Nehemiah 9:19–25 ESV

you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. “And you gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner. So they took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. You multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and you brought them into the land that you had told their fathers to enter and possess. So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would. And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

Nehemiah 9:18–21 ESV

How do we know that God didn’t forsake them?

God did not simply withhold his resentment,

but he blessed Israel despite their idolatry.

1. He lead them by a pillar through the wilderness. (v. 19)

2. He gave them the Spirit to instruct them in obeying the covenant. (v. 20a)

3. He provided them daily provision of manna and water. (v. 20b)

4. He miraculously sustained them (including their cloths and protecting their feet) (v. 21)

But God who is pure and holy,

We get into the details; we learn just how hopeless Israel was in the wilderness without God.

is exceedingly patient.

- In every way Israel was dependent upon God.

- We often think that God wanted to judge Israel in the wilderness; he would've just brought fire down from heaven.

We often think that God wanted to judge Israel in the wilderness; he would've just brought fire down from heaven.

But all God had to do to destroy Israel was to withhold is blessings.

There's the old saying – don't bite the hand that feeds you.

If God stopped blessing Israel it would have been a death sentence.

- The one thing that we know about Israel's history is gone did not forsake them in the wilderness.

- Israel's children would go on to claim the promises of the covenant.

The one thing that we know about Israel's history is gone did not forsake them in the wilderness. Israel's would go on to clean promises of the covenant.

Despite the incredible idolatry of Israel - we can confess v. 19.

English Standard Version Chapter 9

you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness.

CONCLUSION:

This morning, I'd like to ask you if you struggle with waiting on God?

We are told over and over in Scripture that we need to wait on God.

We are told over and over in Scripture to be patient as we wait on God.

And on what basis are we to do this?

Because we worship the one true living God

– we ought to hope and wait on the one true living God.

God often allows us to wait so that

> we can learn to run to him.

> we can learn the emptiness of the world without God.

You say -

why does God allow me to suffer?

why does God allow me struggle with sin?

why does God not just glorify me today?

why does God allow the wicked to get away with sin?

And the answer - because God is patient.

Patient - not to forsake you; though you deserve to be judged.

Patient - to teach you to fear the Lord and rest in the Lord.

I call us to rest in the patience of God.

Our God is a merciful patient God; who in perfect wisdom will put every evil and wicked thing in our lives under his feet in his all wise timing.

In many ways God providentially causes us to wait.

We just need to be patient and wait on his perfect timing.

James 5:7–8 ESV

Zephaniah 3:8–13 ESV

“Therefore wait for me,” declares the Lord, “for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed. “For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the Lord and serve him with one accord. From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. “On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord, those who are left in Israel; they shall do no injustice and speak no lies, nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.”

Zephaniah

James 5:7 ESV

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord ()

Response:

a. What challenges you the most about Israel’s Idolatry? What does teach about Idolatry in the Christian life?

b. How do you struggle with patience in waiting on God? What are you tempted to look for to meet your desires when God says wait?

c. How does God respond to the impatience and idolatry of Israel. What does this teach about his character?

d. How should God’s wisdom lead us to patience? What are we ultimately waiting for?