Israel Gathers for National Confession

Called Into Covenant with God

God's Covenant with the Returned Exiles

Nehemiah 9:1-6 The Message

9 1-3 Then on the twenty-fourth day of this month, the People of Israel gathered for a fast, wearing burlap and faces smudged with dirt as signs of repentance. The Israelites broke off all relations with foreigners, stood up, and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their parents. While they stood there in their places, they read from the Book of The Revelation of God, their God, for a quarter of the day. For another quarter of the day they confessed and worshiped their God.
4-5 A group of Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the platform and cried out to God, their God, in a loud voice. The Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, “On your feet! Bless God, your God, for ever and ever!”
5-6 Blessed be your glorious name,
    exalted above all blessing and praise!
You’re the one,
    God, you alone;
You made the heavens,
    the heavens of heavens, and all angels;
The earth and everything on it,
    the seas and everything in them;
You keep them all alive;
    heaven’s angels worship you!

For Reflection

During the feast of the tabernacles, eight days were filled with the reading of the law and remembrances of previous sins about which during that time they were not permitted to mourn.  On the first day following the feast, the people isolated themselves from the society and rested. The next day, filled with grief over the awakened realization of their sins, they repented mourned their sin in solemn fasting and humiliation.

How often have you spent time with the scriptures and reflected upon those things which separate you from God?  How have you fasted and repented?


Pray
Pray that you will become informed by the Scriptures.  Pray that you will discover in them your sinfulness and the bounty of God's salvation.  Pray to mourn your sin and rejoice in God.