Nehemiah 9:26–38 - 26 “But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, And cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets who had admonished them So that they might return to You, And they committed great blasphemies. 27 “Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them, But when they cried to You in the time of their distress, You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors. 28 “But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You; Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them. When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven, And many times You rescued them according to Your compassion, 29 And admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law. Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your ordinances, By which if a man observes them he shall live. And they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen. 30 “However, You bore with them for many years, And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets, Yet they would not give ear. Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 “Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them, For You are a gracious and compassionate God. 32 “Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness, Do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You, Which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria to this day. 33 “However, You are just in all that has come upon us; For You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly. 34 “For our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers have not kept Your law Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your admonitions with which You have admonished them. 35 “But they, in their own kingdom, With Your great goodness which You gave them, With the broad and rich land which You set before them, Did not serve You or turn from their evil deeds. 36 “Behold, we are slaves today, And as to the land which You gave to our fathers to eat of its fruit and its bounty, Behold, we are slaves in it. 37 “Its abundant produce is for the kings Whom You have set over us because of our sins; They also rule over our bodies And over our cattle as they please, So we are in great distress. 38 “Now because of all this We are making an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.”
What does today’s passage say?
In today's passage, the Israelite leaders continue their earnest prayer, confessing decades of rebellion and idolatry in spite of God's repeated warnings and discipline (vv. 26-28). They admit that God was justified in allowing foreign oppression due to their stubborn disobedience. Yet even in judgment God showed faithfulness, giving chance after chance for them to repent, turn from wickedness, and follow Him. Ultimately their suffering brought revival and return to righteous living (vv. 29-31). As the prayer closes, the leaders praise God's trustworthy compassion and covenant loyalty; though Israel forgot their promises, the Lord remained true (vv. 32-38). With contrite, thankful hearts, the people now rededicate themselves completely to worshiping the one true God who persevered in mercy when their sin surely deserved destruction.
How can I apply Nehemiah 9:26-38 to my life?
In this passage, we glimpse the heartfelt prayer of Israelite leaders interceding for their nation before God. As they reflect on generations of disobedience met by God's tireless mercy, we witness a turning point - the genesis of national revival. Their honest confession gives way to renewed commitment. We see a model for shepherding God's people not just through surface sins but toward deeper repentance revealing the root rebellion in all human hearts. Leaders guide the flock to admit failures without equivocation, submit willingly to the Refiner's fire of discipline, and rededicate their lives completely to the faithful God. As we walk alongside these men of God crying out for their nation, we too discover powerful principles showing us how godly leaders can guide their communities to restore fellowship with the Almighty. Here are some basic principles from this passage that we should apply to our lives:
1. Go To God Humbly in Confession, Knowing He Will Forgive (vv. 26-28): As the Israelites reflect on their history of disobedience, they openly acknowledge their guilt before God. Despite His patient discipline and correction, time and again they rebelled, following their own stubborn ways. With humility and contrition, they seek His pardon. Likewise, when we stray from God's paths into sin, we must come to Him without pretense or excuse, sincerely confessing our waywardness. Pride insists on minimizing faults; true repentance holds nothing back. Simply own your failures before your compassionate Father. Do not equivocate or rationalize but lay bare your guilt. His grace awaits the truthful plea. Though we often transgress, He never tires of forgiving the penitent heart. So let go of the fear or shame that would hinder transparent admission of wrongs. His mercy gives us freedom. Meet God with humility, receive His cleansing, walk unhindered in joyful obedience. Laying aside pride, self-justification and excuses, let us freely admit our sins to God, trusting completely in His promise to forgive us when we confess them. He cleanses our conscience and draws us close when we sincerely seek His pardon (Psalm 32:1-5, Psalm 51, 1 John 1:7-9).
Food for Thought: Why is it important to confess our sins promptly to God rather than ignoring them? What obstacles keep you from freely admitting your failures and transgressions to God?
2. Submit to God's Discipline with a Repentant Heart (vv. 29-31): As the prayer recounts, when Israel rebelled, God disciplined them according to His faithful promises. Though it grieved Him, He allowed foreign oppression to wake them from sinful complacency, calling them back to covenant faithfulness. Despite repeated warnings, stiff-necked refusal to repent brought intensifying judgment. Still, God's purpose was not to destroy but refine. Had punishment sparked true change of heart, mercy awaited. Even painful consequences flowed from tireless love. The prayer admits the people got no more than they deserved. Like Israel, believers today may require difficult correction to awaken and preserve us from self-destruction. Though we may weep under God's rod, let us receive it with humility, remembering His compassion. He chastens those He loves and always prefers restoration over retribution. His discipline proves His attentive care, not rejection. It aims not to harm but heal, rescuing us from sin's downward pull. Yielding brings redemption; rebelling brings ruin. Submit patiently, seek Him earnestly in the trial. His unrelenting mercy responds when cries for help replace stubbornness. Walk in new obedience. The Refiner's fire, though agonizing for the moment, purifies unto greater usefulness. Let love and trust govern our response to God's loving correction (Deuteronomy 8:5, Revelation 3:19, Psalm 119:71).
Food for Thought: Why does God discipline His people? How have you responded to past chastening from God? Did it eventually yield positive changes in your life?
3. Rededicate Your Life in Faithfulness to the Always Faithful God (vv. 32-38): As the prayer concludes, the people acknowledge God's unfailing compassion and covenant loyalty despite their chronic failure. Though righteous anger would have justified complete destruction of this perpetually wayward nation, the Lord remained faithful to His promises. Judgment served His loving purpose - bringing cleansing, revival, and restored relationship. In the end, God's pursuit of their hearts eclipsed even their worst rebellion. Now, with contrite spirits, the Israelites rededicate themselves - no longer calloused, complacent, or blind to God's faithful care. Past deliverance evokes present praise while securing hope for continued blessing. This magnificent, merciful God merits wholehearted devotion. Like Israel, believers today may require strong medicine to free us from sin's anesthetizing effect. But let the moment of awakening become our rebirth, the genesis of new fervency. What wondrous grace that our Father never disowns His children but waits eagerly to reinstate the prodigal! Seeing His tenacious faithfulness, how can we offer less than full surrender? The gift of another chance demands our very lives in return. Yield every corner of your heart without reservation. Cling to Him with passion. Pour yourself out in worship, obedience and selfless service. The road behind reminds us of human frailty; the road ahead beckons with divine strength. Walk in glad surrender to the beautifully reliable God (Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 Chronicles 16:34, Lamentations 3:22-23).
Food for Thought: What aspects of your daily life might God be prompting you to fully surrender and dedicate to Him? What tangible things can you do this week to demonstrate wholehearted devotion to God in response to His faithfulness?
In this passage, we see Israelite leaders guiding their nation into corporate repentance through humble confession, willing submission to discipline, and wholehearted rededication of their lives to God. Though the people had sinned grievously for generations, God remained faithful, patiently drawing them back through both mercy and judgment. As the prayer concludes, we find a nation on its knees, revived and restored to proper covenant relationship with the Almighty. For believers today, this model of shepherding God's flock through deep repentance contains vital leadership principles we must apply. God calls every leader to instill in their community the courage for unflinching admission of sin, the humility to receive correction, and the passion to yield their lives completely to their loving Father. As we lead others to walk in sincere repentance, we guide them to experience afresh the unfailing mercy of God. His grace transforms brokenness into wholeness, failure into faithfulness. May we as leaders shine the light toward His open arms.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that You would give me courage to promptly admit my sins instead of hiding them. Break down the obstacles of fear, pride, and shame that keep me from honestly confessing my failures to You and to others I have wronged. I ask You to make me humble enough to receive Your loving discipline without resentment or anger. Help me remember that You only correct me because You want me to enjoy lasting peace and fruitfulness. Whenever I face trials, replace my bitterness with gratitude because it shows You are at work to rescue me from myself. Most of all, I pray that every day You would give me a fresh revelation of Your endless faithfulness and compassion toward me, so that my heart will overflow with praise and passion to serve You wholeheartedly.
I pray these things in the most precious name of Jesus, Amen.
Nehemiah 9:31 - “Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them, For You are a gracious and compassionate God.”
With His Blessings,
Pastor Corby
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