God Is Right, Just And Fair

HoHum:

Some folks think they are really good people. Let’s suppose that a person sins 3 times a day. A sin in the morning, a sin during the day, and a sin at night. Sounds like a pretty good person! Let’s think for a moment. If that person is saved at 10 years old and dies at 80 years old that person will commit 76,650 sins in their lifetime! Imagine nearly 80,000 sins and this is from the life of a “good person.” The truth is we have all sinned (more than we would really like to know) and all need Jesus.

WBTU:

Journey with me quickly through the book of Nehemiah. In chapter 1, Nehemiah receives word while serving as the cupbearer to the Persian king that Jerusalem is in a desperate state. The wall is in disrepair. The city is unprotected and in a condition of despair and great reproach. Chapter 2, Nehemiah secures King Artaxerxes blessing, and journeys to Jerusalem to lead the effort to restore the city. In the third chapter the work of rebuilding the wall is started with great excitement and awesome teamwork. In chapter four, enemies surrounding the city of Jerusalem are getting concerned with the progress, and begin plotting and planning attacks to disrupt the work. Chapter 5, the grumbling begins among the people doing the work. They have been making significant sacrifices to focus their efforts on rebuilding the wall, and it is beginning to take a toll on them financially, physically, and emotionally. Nehemiah takes steps to correct this. In chapter six, the villains of the story Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem, scheme and plan to pull Nehemiah away from the work, but he stands firm to the great work that he has been called. And the wall is completed in 52 days in chapter 6. Chapter seven provides us a genealogical listing of those individuals who were a part of this great reconstruction effort. Nehemiah is concerned about the lack of people in the city so he looks at the genealogical records and this will be important later. With the physical structure restored, in chapter eight it is time to focus in on the spiritual condition of the community. So Ezra gathers all the people together, and reads from the law of God. Reestablishes the order of feasts and celebrations that God had commanded of His people. And spiritual renewal, revival begins to take place within the nation. In the midst of the Feast of Tabernacles, the people wanted to weep and grieve as the Word of God was read but Nehemiah and the leaders told them to rejoice. Here in chapter 9 we have a solemn ceremony to address the people’s grieving and repentance first expressed in chapter 8. We have now arrived at the twenty-fourth day of Tishri, after the feast of Tabernacles- Read Nehemiah 9:1-7- This is the Longest prayer of confession- others being Daniel 9 and Ezra 9- The prayer starts with acknowledging who God is, Maker of heaven and earth and animals, humans

Thesis: God is right in…(Nehemiah 9:33- for thou hast done right- KJV)

For instances:

A. In Goodness

God’s goodness is seen in 4 ways in the opening of this prayer:

1. Forming (read vs. 7-18)

God chose Abram and brought him out of Ur and made a covenant with him. Then, when God’s people were suffering in Egypt, verse 10 says that God made a name for Himself by dividing the sea and releasing His people from bondage. In verse 13, they recall God’s goodness in the giving of the Law and in verses 14 and 15, they praise God for how the newly formed nation was given possession of the land that was promised to them. The nation is guilty of abandoning God but we find in vs. 17 that God is a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.

2. Leading (vs. 19-21)

After forming the nation, God was committed to lead His people on a daily basis ­even when they disobeyed Him. We see that Verse 19 that God directed them in miraculous ways. Verse 20 says that God gave His Spirit to the people to provide for their spiritual needs and food and water to meet their physical needs. Verse 21 tells us that for forty years, as the children of Israel wandered in the desert, their feet did not swell and their clothes did not wear out.

3. Providing (vs. 22-24)

God’s goodness is seen through His forming of the nation and by how he led them on a daily basis. He also provided them with everything they needed. He helped them defeat their enemies and gave them kingdoms and nations. He multiplied their numbers by blessing them with children. Verse 25 is a good summary of how God showed His goodness by providing for their needs- read vs. 25. In a similar way, God has given us everything we need as well. 2 Peter 1:3: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” Next part is alluded to with words already read like arrogant, stiff necked, refused, rebellion, committed awful blasphemies