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The People Confess Their Sins

1On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.2Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.

4And the Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani—stood on the raised platform and cried out in a loud voice to the LORD their God.5Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting:

Blessed be Your glorious name,

and may it be exalted

above all blessing and praise.

6You alone are the LORD.

You created the heavens,

the highest heavens with all their host,

the earth and all that is on it,

the seas and all that is in them.

You give life to all things,

and the host of heaven worships You.

7You are the LORD,

the God who chose Abram,

who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans

and gave him the name Abraham.

8You found his heart faithful before You,

and made a covenant with him

to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites,

of the Amorites and Perizzites,

of the Jebusites and Girgashites—

to give it to his descendants.

You have kept Your promise,

because You are righteous.

9You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt;

You heard their cry at the Red Sea.a

10You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,

all his officials, and all the people of his land,

for You knew they had acted with arrogance

against our fathers.

You made a name for Yourself

that endures to this day.

11You divided the sea before them,

and they crossed through it on dry ground.

You hurled their pursuers into the depths

like a stone into raging waters.

12You led them with a pillar of cloud by day

and a pillar of fire by night,

to light for them the way

in which they should travel.

13You came down on Mount Sinai

and spoke with them from heaven.

You gave them just ordinances, true laws,

and good statutes and commandments.

14You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath

and gave them commandments and statutes and laws

through Your servant Moses.

15In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven;

in their thirst You brought them water from the rock.

You told them to go in and possess the land

that You had sworn to give them.

16But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked

and did not obey Your commandments.

17They refused to listen and failed to remember

the wonders You performed among them.

They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader

to return them to their bondage in Egypt.b

But You are a forgiving God,

gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in loving devotion,

and You did not forsake them.

18Even when they cast for themselves

an image of a calf and said,

‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’

and when they committed terrible blasphemies,

19You in Your great compassion

did not forsake them in the wilderness.

By day the pillar of cloud never turned away

from guiding them on their path;

and by the night the pillar of fire

illuminated the way they should go.

20You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them.

You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths,

and You gave them water for their thirst.

21For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness,

so that they lacked nothing.

Their clothes did not wear out

and their feet did not swell.

22You gave them kingdoms and peoples

and allotted to them every corner of the land.

So they took the land of Sihonc king of Heshbon

and of Og king of Bashan.

23You multiplied their descendants

like the stars of heaven

and brought them to the land

You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

24So their descendants went in and possessed the land;

You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land.

You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land,

to do with them as they wished.

25They captured fortified cities and fertile land

and took houses full of all goods,

wells already dug,

vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance.

So they ate and were filled;

they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.

26But they were disobedient and rebelled against You;

they flung Your law behind their backs.

They killed Your prophets,

who had admonished them to return to You.

They committed terrible blasphemies.

27So You delivered them into the hands

of enemies who oppressed them,

and in their time of distress they cried out to You.

From heaven You heard them,

and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers

who saved them from the hands of their enemies.

28But as soon as they had rest,

they again did evil in Your sight.

So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies,

who had dominion over them.

When they cried out to You again,

You heard from heaven,

and You delivered them many times

in Your compassion.

29You admonished them to turn back to Your law,

but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments.

They sinned against Your ordinances,

by which a man will live if he practices them.

They turned a stubborn shoulder;

they stiffened their necks and would not obey.

30You were patient with them for many years,

and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets.

Yet they would not listen,

so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.d

31But in Your great compassion,

You did not put an end to them;

nor did You forsake them,

for You are a gracious and compassionate God.

32So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God

who keeps His gracious covenant,

do not view lightly all the hardship

that has come upon us,

and upon our kings and leaders,

our priests and prophets,

our ancestors and all Your people,

from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

33You are just in all that has befallen us,

because You have acted faithfully,

while we have acted wickedly.

34Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers

did not obey Your law

or listen to Your commandments

and warnings that You gave them.

35For even while they were in their kingdom,

with the abundant goodness

that You had given them,

and in the spacious and fertile land

that You had set before them,

they would not serve You

or turn from their wicked ways.

36So here we are today as slaves

in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness—

here we are as slaves!

37Its abundant harvest goes to the kings

You have set over us because of our sins.

And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please.

We are in great distress.

38In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names ofe our leaders, Levites, and priests.”

1. Acknowledge God's Faithfulness
InNehemiah 9, the Israelites begin by acknowledging God's unwavering faithfulness throughout their history. They recount how God kept His promises from the time of Abraham to their present day. This reminds us that "You are the LORD, You alone. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You" (Nehemiah 9:6). Recognizing God's faithfulness in our lives can inspire gratitude and trust in His plans.

2. Confess and Repent
The Israelites openly confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors, demonstrating the importance of repentance. They say, "But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments" (Nehemiah 9:16). Confession is a powerful step toward spiritual renewal, allowing us to realign our lives with God's will and receive His forgiveness.

3. Remember God's Mercy
Despite their repeated disobedience, God showed mercy to the Israelites. "But in Your great compassion You did not put an end to them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God" (Nehemiah 9:31). This lesson teaches us that God's mercy is abundant and available to us, no matter how many times we fall short.

4. Embrace God's Guidance
The chapter highlights how God provided guidance through the wilderness with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. "You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to light for them the way in which they should go" (Nehemiah 9:12). In our lives, we can seek God's guidance through prayer and Scripture, trusting that He will lead us on the right path.

5. Value God's Provision
God provided manna from heaven and water from a rock to sustain the Israelites. "You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought them water from the rock for their thirst" (Nehemiah 9:15). This reminds us to be thankful for God's provision in our lives, recognizing that He meets our needs in ways we might not expect.

6. Learn from Past Mistakes
The Israelites' history is filled with lessons from their mistakes. They acknowledge, "Our kings, leaders, priests, and fathers did not obey Your law or pay attention to Your commandments and warnings" (Nehemiah 9:34). By learning from past errors, we can avoid repeating them and grow in wisdom and understanding.

7. Commit to Obedience
After confessing their sins, the Israelites renew their commitment to follow God's law. "In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, Levites, and priests are affixing their seals to it" (Nehemiah 9:38). This teaches us the importance of making a conscious decision to obey God and live according to His Word.

8. Recognize God's Sovereignty
ThroughoutNehemiah 9, the Israelites acknowledge God's sovereignty over all creation. "You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham" (Nehemiah 9:7). Recognizing God's sovereignty helps us trust in His ultimate control over our lives and the world around us.

9. Celebrate God's Deliverance
The Israelites celebrate God's deliverance from Egypt, a powerful reminder of His ability to rescue us from our own "Egypts." "You saw the oppression of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea" (Nehemiah 9:9). Celebrating God's deliverance in our lives strengthens our faith and encourages us to rely on Him in times of trouble.

10. Cultivate a Heart of Worship
Finally,Nehemiah 9 is a beautiful example of worship through prayer and praise. The Israelites' heartfelt worship acknowledges God's greatness and goodness. "Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: 'Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise'" (Nehemiah 9:5). Cultivating a heart of worship keeps us connected to God and focused on His eternal glory.

Repentance and Confession
Ask God for forgiveness for personal and communal sins, seeking a heart of true repentance.

Commitment to Obedience
Pray for strength and resolve to follow God's commandments and live a life that honors Him.

Intercession for the Community
Pray for your community, that it may recognize its need for repentance and turn back to God.

Guidance and Wisdom
Seek God's guidance and wisdom in making decisions that align with His will and purpose for your life.

2.Nehemiah 9:11 recounts the Red Sea parting; what historical or natural explanation exists to support such an event?

3.Nehemiah 9:21 says the Israelites lacked nothing during 40 years in the wilderness; where is the archaeological evidence that millions of people could survive so long in such harsh conditions?

4.Nehemiah 9:22–24 references the conquest of Canaan; why do some ancient records and archaeological findings not align with the timelines or extent of these victories?

5.In Nehemiah 9:29–31, why does God repeatedly rescue a people who continually rebel, and how does this align with other biblical texts suggesting divine judgment upon persistent disobedience?

1. How does the act of national confession in Nehemiah 9 relate to personal confession in our lives today?

2. What can we learn from the Israelites' acknowledgment of their sins and those of their ancestors?

3. How does the retelling of Israel's history help you understand God's faithfulness?

4. Why do you think God continued to show mercy despite the repeated disobedience of the Israelites?

5. How can we apply the lessons from Israel's cycle of disobedience and God's mercy in our lives today?

6. How does the renewal of the covenant in Nehemiah 9 inspire you to recommit to your personal faith journey?

7. How does the response of the Israelites in times of prosperity reflect our tendencies today?

8. What does it mean to you that God is "just" as described in Nehemiah 9?

9. How does the setting (Jerusalem) influence the events in Nehemiah 9?

10. How does Nehemiah 9 inspire you to remember and retell God's work in your life?

11. In what ways can the practice of confession and repentance impact our communities today?

12. How can the reflection on God's provision in the wilderness inform your understanding of His provision in difficult times?

13. How might we create "written agreements" or tangible reminders of our commitment to God in today's world?

14. What can we learn from the Levites' leadership in this chapter?

15. How does the response of the Israelites to God's mercy inform your understanding of grace?

16. Can you identify a personal experience that parallels the cycle of disobedience and mercy seen in the Israelites? How did you respond?

17. How do you respond when you recognize you have not served God as you should, as the Israelites confessed in verse 35?

18. How can we ensure we remember God's goodness and faithfulness during times of prosperity?

19. What role does community play in repentance and commitment to God, as demonstrated in Nehemiah 9?

20. How does the story of God's unwavering faithfulness to the Israelites inspire you in your current circumstances?