Theme: Leading Light
Text: Nehemiah 9:9-21
Greetings:
THE LORD IS GOOD AND HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER!!
Today, I would like to appreciate the Elders of our Church. They are an honor to our Church. They are pillars of the Church through their prayer support, financial support, regular attendance in the Church Services, and in other spiritual activities. They keep up the traditional values of the Church. They have greater responsibility in making the youth, children of the Church. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph taught their children and grandchildren about the fear of God. Imparting religious traditions, doctrine and disciples are significant for any believing elder. God bless your love for the Church and its blessings.
Introduction to the Theme:
“Moreover, you led them by day with a cloudy pillar, and by night with a pillar of fire, to give them light on the road Which they should travel.” (Nehemiah 9:12).
Leading light through Pillars
Leading light through Persons
Leading light through Problems
1. Leading Light through Pillars - (Nehemiah 9:12).
In 52 days, the construction of the wall of Jerusalem city was completed. The obedience of the people brought significant work into their lives of people. They Fasted to show their lowly, humble state. They were wearing sackcloth to show their complete poverty of spirit before God (Enduring Word, Nehemiah 9:1).
We have here a general account of a public fast which the children of Israel kept, probably by order from Nehemiah, by and with the advice and consent of the chief of the fathers. This prayer was a penitent confessional, thanksgiving, and acknowledging the greatness, goodness, and providence of God. (Matthew Henry).
Having delivered them so wonderfully and powerfully God had made full provision for His people in the wilderness. He was present with them in the form of the pillars of cloud and fire and led them day and night. They traveled both day and night (Nehemiah 9:12, Exodus 13:20-21). The exodus community was under his mighty cloud of pillars. So, Egyptians could not spot them. It helped them to cross the Red sea and delayed the Egyptians until Israel had crossed (Exodus 14:19-20).
Through the Pillar of Fire God manifested Himself (Exodus 19:18; Exodus 24:17). Furthermore, the descent of the pillar of cloud regularly indicated His presence in the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:9-10; Numbers 12:5; Numbers 14:14; Deuteronomy 31:15). God was personally shepherding His people (Petts Commentary)
2. Leading Light through Persons – Exodus 18:12
God led them through Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, and Jethro (Exodus 18). God uses the servants of God to lead others into eternal life. We are strengthened through the counsel of men of God. God sent his servants to lead us. God sent Prophet Nathan to strengthen Kind David. God sent Ananias to strengthen Paul.
In Exodus, Moses' father-in-law is referred to as Reuel (Exodus 2:18) Jethro (Exodus 3:1), and Hobab (Numbers 10:29). He visited Moses after many years of separation, during exodus. He brought his daughter Zipporah, who was Moses’ spouse, and his grandchildren Gershom and Eliezer to leave them in the wilderness to send them to Canaan (Exodus 18:2-4). Moses met Jethro, Zipporah, Gershom, and Eliezer but he kissed his father-in-Law rather than his wife.
Exodus 18:12 suggests that Jethro sacrificed offerings to Yahweh and worshipped with Moses and Exodus community. He served as a priest of the Kenites but worshipped Yahweh.
Jethro observed that Moses was the center of all things. So, he taught him leadership principles. It is clear from Exodus 18 that Jethro was a wise and experienced administrator whom God chose to be a role model to Moses. In spite of his position, “Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said” (Exodus 18:24). A wise leader is open to advise and counsel. (The Adventist Echo)
Moses had a problem. He was exhausted. He was managing the affairs and issues of 2 million people. Every problem was brought before Moses for him to judge and render his decision. Jethro suggested that Moses appoint able men to assist him in judging his people, thus founding the Hebrew judiciary (Exodus 18). He told Moses three leadership Principles: Teach others, train others, and handle only difficult situations (Exodus 18:21-22). (Leesa Renee). It was necessary for Moses to delegate some of his heavy responsibilities to spiritually mature and capable individuals. This principle allowed Moses enough time with God, time with his family, and time to attend to other weightier matters of his office. (The Adventist Echo)
Jethro was a very good Father-in-law at the same time Moses was a good son-in-law to accept his advice. Moses did not tell his wife to keep her dad calm and quiet. He did not scold his wife to her dad not to put his nose into his business. God took Moses from the royal family and assigned him to look after sheep for forty years. This new responsibility taught Moses to be selfless, long-suffering, and humble (Numbers 12:3).
3. Leading light through Problems -
My troubles turned out all for the best. They forced me to learn from your textbook. Truth from your mouth means more to me than striking it rich in a gold mine (Psalm 119:71-72).
Life is a series of problem-solving opportunities. The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them. God uses painful ways and means as problems to give directions (Proverbs 20:30). God uses many kinds of problems to have introspections (James 1:2-3). You intended to harm me but God intended to bless me (Genesis 50:20).
The people of Israel had many problems on their wilderness Journey. The problems related to their stay, their food, their drinks, their protections, etc., God’s involvement is recorded as ‘You led them, you came down and spoke with them, you made known to them, you gave them bread from heaven, and brought forth water.’ God protected them (Nehemiah 9:19), gave them instruction (Nehemiah 9:20), met their sustenance (Nehemiah 9:21), and made them possess the promised land (Nehemiah 9:22-24), though they had rebelled against Him (Nehemiah 9:18). Their rebellion did not cause Him to cease from providing fully for them.
Their leading was accompanied by instructions through His commandments, statutes, and laws (Nehemiah 9:13-14). His leading was with uninterrupted supplies of tasty food and sweet drinks to satisfy their hunger and thirst (Nehemiah 9:15).
Conclusion:
“This is my belief: that through difficulties and problems, God gives us the opportunity to grow. So, when your hopes and dreams and goals are dashed, search among the wreckage, you may find a golden opportunity hidden in the ruins. “— A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Wings of Fire.
