Do you sometimes wish that you can wipe the slate clean and start all over again?
• Like after messing up a drawing or a writing, you can crush the paper and start with a clean sheet?
• Or your computer hit by viruses and you were unable to get rid of them, you can format the whole hard disk and reinstall everything new.
• It’s good to be able to do that in life too, right? It feels good, to be able to set your RESTORE POINT back to, say, 1995 when everything was good.
Suppose you are given that chance to start life on a clean slate, what would you do? I mean, what would you want to put them back into this life?
• You are wiser by then, having learnt the mistakes. You know what are important and necessary, and what not to put back in.
The people of Israel was given that chance, in a sense. When Ezra and Nehemiah led them back to the homeland after 70 years of captivity in a foreign land.
• Back in Jerusalem, they have the chance to rebuild their nation and their lives from scratch, literally.
• They have to rebuild the Temple, the city walls and their homes.
It is interesting to note therefore what they pledged to do.
• With all the wisdom and experience that they’ve gained over the generations, let read what they are going to do.
Read Nehemiah 10:28-39. The people MADE AN AGREEMENT with God.
It all started from Chapter 8 when the people gathered to listen to the Book of the Law being read out to them – the Pentateuch.
• [BTW we are launching a Bible Reading plan beginning 1 June and we’ll read through these 5 books.]
• The people knew they had sinned against God. Their forefathers had chosen to disobey God and they had tasted the consequence of it.
• The whole of Chapter 9 was their response to hearing God’s Word – a prayer of confession, of their sin and of God’s goodness and compassion shown to them.
Chapter 10 – they decided to make an agreement with God. This is what they are going to do as they rebuild their lives before God.
• They made FOUR decisions. They are determined to do this 4 things – (1) submit to God’s ways, (2) be separated from the world, (3) observe the Sabbath (honour God) and (4) support God’s work and never to neglect God’s church again.
This is worthy our attention today. The first thing they mentioned in verse 29 is to FOLLOW the Law of God and OBEY carefully all He commands.
1. SUBMISSION to God’s Word
They were the living testimony of the fruit of their nation’s disobedience to God.
If His Word is true, if it is good, right and perfect, then the only rational response must be one of submission.
• If God is all-knowing and all-wise, then it makes good sense to listen and obey Him. The people learnt it the hard way.
• Man has chosen to take detours, rather than the straight and narrow path. They had taken the long route to where God wants them to be.
Submission to God is giving due honour to God, because His Word and ways are true, right, good and perfect.
• To doubt that (and therefore disobeying Him) is a great dishonour to His character. What God delights in is to see this submissive heart in us.
Did you notice that this is what He looks for in a man (throughout the Scriptures)?
• 2 Chron 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
• Look at all those whom the Lord has called, throughout the Scriptures. There is no record of God choosing the talented, the skilful, the strong or the wise.
• In fact, we have records mostly of the called ones being fearful, unprepared, feeling small and not confident - like Moses, Gideon, Mary…
This is what the Lord is looking for – the right heart. One of SUBMISSION.
• The depth of their submission determines their impact. The more they trust God, the great the miracles they see.
• The depth of our submission to God determines the impact of our lives.
• God is not looking all over the earth for strong people, for perfect people, for smart people, or even for religious people.
God looks for the shepherds rather than the Pharisees. He is looking for submissive people; empty vessels whom He can pour His strength out on. Are you one?
The second thing they commit to is in verse 30: "We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.”
2. SEPARATION from the World
They are drawing a line, between what is of God and what is of the world.
• This is not new thing. God instructed them even before they stepped into this land 1000 years ago that they should not marry the Canaanites women.
• The Lord said through Moses - Deut 7:3-4 “Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.”
Let’s make this clear. It’s not about race. It has nothing to do with the Israelites being the better breed.
• It has to do with their faith in God. To keep the purity of their faith in the one true God, they need to keep a distance from anything that can draw them away.
• The Canaanites will draw them away from the true God and into idolatry.
This line needs to be drawn, in our own lives. Anything that can potentially draw us away from God needs to be CUT OFF.
• Separating ourselves from the world is just the opposite of saying we need to be close to God. If we are united with Christ, we are separated from the world.
• When two persons get married, we say it is the union of a man and a woman. And by that we mean they are to separate themselves from all other mates.
• A union means a separation from something else. We cannot draw near to God without a corresponding separation from all that is not of God.
• Separation is our devotion to God. By drawing a line, you are honouring Him.
They made a third pledge. 10:31 “When the neighbouring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.”
3. SABBATH for God’s People
After pledging to submit to the Word of God and live separated lives, they vowed to observe the Sabbath.
• It is a day set aside to honour God. It is different from the rest of the days because it is given to God in worship and service.
• If our Sunday (their Sabbath day) looks the same as the rest of the week, something is not right. It must be dedicated to God.
• Some worship the Lord on Sat because they cannot do it on a Sunday. That’s fine. But one day of the week must be distinctly different from the rest. It is the day we honour Him by worshipping and serving Him.
It is also a day of rest. God set the pattern for this when He rested on the 7th day after His work of creation.
• God needed to emphasize this because the Israelites were made to work every day without rest when they were slaves in Egypt.
• This is not the right way. God did not create us to function that way.
• So keep the rest day special. That’s why it is a public holiday. Sunday must stay different from the rest of the days. Draw near to God and find rest for your soul.
The people even promised to observe the “Sabbatical Year” which is also commanded by God.
• Every seventh year, they were to let the land lie idle so that it might restore itself. Even the land needs a break.
• To do this means you will have an idle year with no sowing and therefore no harvest the following year.
• If the people are to obey this command, they need to trust God. You know what God will do?
Leviticus 25:18-22 “Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land. 19Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. 20You may ask, "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?" 21I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. 22While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.”
• God will provide, not just for the 7th year. After one year of break, the 8th year will be sowing year. But you are not going to have an immediate harvest. There is a lead time between sowing and harvesting.
• So God provides them with 3 years of crops on the 6th year, more than enough to feed them through.
God will always do His sum right. He will never miscalculate. When He provides, it will be more than enough.
• If He commands, He will enables. If He commands you to do it, He will provide what you need to obey it.
• The principle is clear to me – those who observe the Sabbath will be blessed abundantly. You STOP WORK to honour Him first and you are blessed with MORE.
And lastly, they pledged to… (verses 32-39):
4. SUPPORT for God’s Work
We will not neglect the house of our God again, that’s their pledge. That’s us saying, we will always remember the work of God.
• The phrase “house of our God” is used 8 times in this section. Their lives revolves around the Temple of God.
• They come to Him with all kinds of offering – thanksgiving (grain offering, burnt offering), firstfruits (of the crops), and tithes. They bring in their money, their crops, their animals, and even dedicating their firstborns.
• They “assume responsibility” for the offerings, they say. They are planned offerings, systematic, organised, proportionate and sacrificial. Everyone has a part to play. Everyone contributes to the work of God.
They are determined to do that and not neglect the house of God.
• They are making investments that last. Let’s do the same today.
• Do not neglect the church of God. We will always be mindful of the work of God.
