Nehemiah 9 - 10
In summary:
From the rebuilding of the walls and the organization of city of Jerusalem, Nehemiah and the people proceed to the most important actions – repentance and the renovation of their commitment to Yahweh’s covenant.
From the rebuilding of the walls and the organization of city of Jerusalem, Nehemiah and the people proceed to the most important actions – repentance and the renovation of their commitment to Yahweh’s covenant.
In more detail:
When Yahweh’s people are guided by the reading of His word (as we saw yesterday in Nehemiah 8), it produces repentance and commitment to a new life (as we see today in Nehemiah 9 – 10).
Notice that Nehemiah 9 gives us a summary of everything we have read in the Bible from Genesis 1 until now. In Israel’s history, Yahweh’s abundant mercies stand out… as well as the obstinate sins of His people. As they consider the more recent example of the exile, they come to the conclusion: “You have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly” (Nehemiah 9:33). They realize that their state of submission to the Persians is due to Yahweh’s just punishment for their sins: “Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. And its rich yield
goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress” (Nehemiah 9:36-37).
And the purpose of this summary of Israel’s history is to close it, to put an end to this chapter of disobedience. With a view to Yahweh’s past mercies, they want to start a new chapter of obedience and devotion: “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our
priests” (Nehemiah 9:38). The purified remnant of Nehemiah in 10:1-28 enters a covenant with Yahweh: “[To] join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and his rules and his statutes” (Nehemiah 10:29).
And in the list of actions that they commit themselves to in Nehemiah 10:30-39, we see some of the biggest challenges that face the community that has returned from the exile:
1) Maintaining the purity of their religion by not intermarrying with the surrounding nations who worship other gods (Nehemiah 10:30).
2) Keeping the Sabbath and the cycle of Sabbath years (Nehemiah 10:31; go back and see Leviticus 25:1-13; 26:33-35 and 2 Chronicles 36:21).
3) Supplying the temple adequately (Nehemiah 10:31-37).
4) Administering the resources of the temple in an orderly fashion (Nehemiah 10:38-39).
But notice a big difference between this declaration of commitment and obedience to Yahweh and similar declarations that we read during the reigns of Hezekiah (2
Chronicles 29 – 31) and Josiah (2 Kings 22 – 23; 2 Chronicles 34 – 35): there is no need to destroy the people’s idols first. The exile, though long and painful, has disciplined the remnant to keep away from idols. There are still many things to change, but on one fundamental point, Yahweh’s people recognize His holiness: He is incomparable to anything in all creation; no other god exists that can compare with Him. Yahweh’s discipline of His people has resulted in their spiritual growth.
When Yahweh’s people are guided by the reading of His word (as we saw yesterday in Nehemiah 8), it produces repentance and commitment to a new life (as we see today in Nehemiah 9 – 10).
Notice that Nehemiah 9 gives us a summary of everything we have read in the Bible from Genesis 1 until now. In Israel’s history, Yahweh’s abundant mercies stand out… as well as the obstinate sins of His people. As they consider the more recent example of the exile, they come to the conclusion: “You have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly” (Nehemiah 9:33). They realize that their state of submission to the Persians is due to Yahweh’s just punishment for their sins: “Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. And its rich yield
goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress” (Nehemiah 9:36-37).
And the purpose of this summary of Israel’s history is to close it, to put an end to this chapter of disobedience. With a view to Yahweh’s past mercies, they want to start a new chapter of obedience and devotion: “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our
priests” (Nehemiah 9:38). The purified remnant of Nehemiah in 10:1-28 enters a covenant with Yahweh: “[To] join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and his rules and his statutes” (Nehemiah 10:29).
And in the list of actions that they commit themselves to in Nehemiah 10:30-39, we see some of the biggest challenges that face the community that has returned from the exile:
1) Maintaining the purity of their religion by not intermarrying with the surrounding nations who worship other gods (Nehemiah 10:30).
2) Keeping the Sabbath and the cycle of Sabbath years (Nehemiah 10:31; go back and see Leviticus 25:1-13; 26:33-35 and 2 Chronicles 36:21).
3) Supplying the temple adequately (Nehemiah 10:31-37).
4) Administering the resources of the temple in an orderly fashion (Nehemiah 10:38-39).
But notice a big difference between this declaration of commitment and obedience to Yahweh and similar declarations that we read during the reigns of Hezekiah (2
Chronicles 29 – 31) and Josiah (2 Kings 22 – 23; 2 Chronicles 34 – 35): there is no need to destroy the people’s idols first. The exile, though long and painful, has disciplined the remnant to keep away from idols. There are still many things to change, but on one fundamental point, Yahweh’s people recognize His holiness: He is incomparable to anything in all creation; no other god exists that can compare with Him. Yahweh’s discipline of His people has resulted in their spiritual growth.
