Nehemiah 9:26-27

[26] “Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. [27] Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies.

These verses detail the entire book of Judges. The people fall into idol worship and rebel against God. They fall into the hands of their enemies, and then call out to the God they rebelled against. God then sends a judge who saves them for a time, only to have them fall back into idol worship and rebellion as peace returns.

It’s a sick cycle.

Sometimes I just sit and wonder, why, why did they keep going against God? Why did they keep rebelling?

Then I remember that, well, I do the same thing.

I get stuck in a cycle of repentance, joy, sin, forgiveness, repentance, joy, sin, forgiveness and so on.

Yet His mercy never fails. His grace never ceases.

Sometimes we think there has to be a limit to it, His grace. There must be a line where we cross and can be forgiven no more.

But I don’t see that in the Bible. I see men and women who had done horrible things turned into the most righteous. I see doubters and failures turned into powerful ministers and missionaries.

God isn’t the one that gives up – you and I do.

God still forgives, but won’t keep sending a Savior, because He sent one for all.

Get off the sick cycle, cling to God’s mercies and forgiveness.

Nehemiah 9:22-25

[22] “And you gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner. So they took possession of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan. [23] You multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and you brought them into the land that you had told their fathers to enter and possess. [24] So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would. [25] And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

Blessings.

We want them. We pray for them, ask for them and work for them.

The Israelites were given many blessings in this passage: land, victory over their enemies, houses, food and farms. They ate, were filled, became fat, and delighted themselves in God’s goodness.

But what happened after that?

They forgot God and worshipped idols, instead. They became proud, saying, “Look how hard I worked for these things, look at what I’ve done!”

Sometimes the easiest times in life are when we are most apt to fall, to fail.

Sometimes the blessings, if taken without thankfulness to God, become a curse.

Wish you would win the lottery? – Statistics differ, but lottery winners have a substantially higher divorce rate, and most go broke within 10-15 years.

Without thankfulness, and godly wisdom, all those blessings go to waste.

Delight yourself in the great goodness of God – with thankfulness – today. Blessings may come and go, but God is the one to be praised.

Nehemiah 9:18-20

[18] Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies, [19] you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go. [20] You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst.

God did not forsake them, despite their great blasphemies. Despite their whining, despite their unfaithfulness, He would not leave them.

I don’t mean that He didn’t care that they were breaking rules left and right. I don’t mean that it didn’t break His heart to see them bowing down to a golden calf. I don’t mean that God wasn’t angry with them for what they did.

What I do mean is that He still loved them… still loves us. He provided for all of their physical needs.

But, He wanted them to turn around, to change, to do a 180… just like He wants us to.

God remained faithful, full of mercy and righteousness both. He punished, and was angry with them… but never left them.

God isn’t a God of leaving. It takes a strong will to stand and fight for someone you love, even when they’re against you, unfaithful, whining, complaining – wishing they were slaves.

I’m glad God is faithful, aren’t you?

in Christ,

Isaiah

Nehemiah 9:16-17

[16] “But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. [17] They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

The first two sentences in this passage remind me of myself. I stiffen my neck, don’t obey his commands and just act like a little jerk sometimes. I tell God that his way is not the best, that my way is and, by golly, I’m going to do it my way.

How well does that work out, Isaiah?

Here in this passage, the Levites are remembering when Israel was so distraught out in the desert, that they said they would rather return to the slavery of Egypt than continue with God. They said they would literally rather be slaves, then continue to serve God. The God who saved them, parted the waters, gave them manna and water – He’s not enough.

Have you been there? Have you felt that what God was giving you wasn’t enough?

The end of verse 17 offers an amazing glimpse into the heart of God. It says, “But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.”

When you think your way is best, then find out it isn’t – God is ready to forgive.

When you think slavery is better than your current situation – God is gracious.

When you think that what God has given you isn’t enough – God is abounding in steadfast love.

He will not forsake you.

Seek the God of grace, mercy, steadfast love and seek forgiveness. Especially if you’re a little jerk sometimes, like me.

in Christ,

Isaiah

Nehemiah 9:13-15

[13] You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave them right rules and true laws, good statutes and commandments, [14] and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant. [15] You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.

I’m still slowly getting over my jealousy of the Israelites. This phrase helped me through it though… God came down to speak with them from heaven (paraphrased).

I always seem to forget that God came down later. He sent his son, same in essence, to live in this world. Jesus came to be born, to live and to die. He was an example in life, and a sacrifice for our sins in death.

Hebrews 2:14-18

[14] Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, [15] and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. [16] For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. [17] Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. [18] For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus came down to partake of the same things we partake of, to live like we do, to suffer, to hunger, to thirst. He was made like us, so that he could show that there is another way. Sin does not have to rule our life, and we cannot blame every day temptations, because Jesus went through them and conquered!

He came for us, died for us – for love.

Remember that today. Remember that he’s been through the same types of things you have, and you can call on him to ask for help – because he HAS been there!

in Christ,

Isaiah

Nehemiah 9:11-12

[11] And you divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into mighty waters. [12] By a pillar of cloud you led them in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go.

Some days I’m really bad at being jealous. I don’t mean being jealous about things in the present, of course, I am sometimes. I’m jealous of the Israelites, and the miracles they’ve seen, with their own eyes. The sea divided, the pillar of cloud, the pillar of fire, God showing his glory!

I’m jealous, and then I’m angry at them, because they start to complain.

“You led us out of Egypt to kill us…” Right, I’m sure that was part of God’s plan, save you all from the Egyptian horde, then kill you in the desert. Tons of glory in that, eh.

“We have no food.” So, God sends manna, miraculous food from heaven.

“I can’t stand manna anymore.” So God sends quail, and they have to eat it until they get sick.

God answers every one of their needs, but they still doubt Him.

They still doubt God, the one who caused the sea to part… the one who made a pillar of fire to light the way they should go… the one who sent manna and quail… the one who provided for every one of their needs, but they still doubted that God was good.

So I’m jealous and angry.

Then I stop to remember that God has covered my every need. He has provided forgiveness for my sins, and met every physical need… yet I still doubt Him.

He has done miraculous works in my life, yet I still complain.

I guess I’m not so different from the Israelites after all.

God is still God, and He is still good.

in Christ,

Isaiah

Nehemiah 9:9-10

[9] “And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea, [10] and performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted arrogantly against our fathers. And you made a name for yourself, as it is to this day.

Signs and wonders. The Levites are recalling the days of the Exodus, when God performed miraculous signs, to eventually cause Pharaoh to let his people go. During this time, the people of Israel and Egypt both learned whose God was more powerful. They both learned who was the greatest.

God made a name for himself that day, it says. As if he needed to.

The question for today is simple: “Who are you?”

What is the name you’ve made for yourself?

Is it good or bad?

How are you defining yourself?

How do others define you?

and the final, most important questions:

What does God think of you?

Whose opinion is most important in your life?

Just some thoughts to get you thinking today.