expository meditations on the book of nehemiah

IN the last chapter we found the remnant in Jerusalem under Nehemiah being convicted by the Law of God given to them through Moses, and being deeply repentant for their sin and the sin of the nation in the past. God is gracious to them, and in their sorrow called them to rejoice because the joy of the Lord was their strength. God had been gracious and forgiveness and reconciliation had been bestowed upon them by the Lord.

Forgiveness and reconciliation needs to be maintained. The problem of our sinful nature is still present with us. Whereas justification before God, our forgiveness and reconciliation with God, is of free grace, given once and for all, and an act of God�s mercy, which we have no part in or contribution towards; the process of sanctification is one which we do take an active part, and we must engage in all the time. It is true we can�t grow in holiness without the grace of God working in us, and strengthening us, but we are called on to co-operate and to work hard. Sanctification does not save us. God saves us by his grace. But the outcome of God�s saving grace is the desire to be pleasing to the Lord in the way we live. This is a response of love to the Lord�s great love in saving us.

It is this process of sanctification which the people in Jerusalem at this time were beginning to exercise. In these first 5 verses of this chapter, there are 5 principles for progress in sanctification that we can take to heart.

SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD.

We notice in verse 2 that the Israelites had separated themselves from all foreigners. The reason for this was that their problems of disobedience to God stemmed from the influence of the foreigners upon them. Far from the Israelites influencing the foreigners towards faith in Jehovah and his ways, the reverse had taken place in their past history, and Israel had taken on board the ways and culture of the foreigners. This meant that they forsook Jehovah for idols, and the ways of the idol culture became the ways of Israel.

In the Old Testament times complete separation was the only way. This did not mean that Israel did not do business with the foreigners all around, but they did not intermarry with them and they did not socialise with them. This separation was commanded by God, and was his loving and gracious purpose for keeping the Israelites from harmful influences.

Things are much more complicated today. There is not that same distinction between the church and the world. The church can�t become a nation all on its own. Further the church is divided and fragmented, and the different parts find it very difficult to reconcile differences in belief and practice. It is left to individual believers prayerfully to work out for themselves what separation from the world means in their individual lives.

This is a big subject. Fifty to sixty years ago there were some ground rules laid down in certain Christian cultures as to what separation from the world entailed. This tended to set limitations as to what Christians could or could not do, and those who broke these ground rules were considered unsanctified and looked down as worldly Christians. This only bred spiritual pride and bondage. However the motives behind such rules were good, which was to keep believers from the evil influences of the world, and from the love of the world.

In the end each believer needs to notice those things in the world which tend to draw them from the Lord and love for the Lord. Of course we must put away all that is sinful, and have nothing to do with such things. The problem lies with all the legitimate things. Each of us is different, and almost anything can be a spiritual danger to us if it becomes something that is harmful to our devotion to the Lord. Where we find our spiritual life is being harmed by some action or activity, this we must put away. It may be for ever, or it may be just for a time. In this process we must be entirely honest with our self. This is a process which we must be firm in carrying out. The love of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the pride of life, John tells us in his first letter, are terrible dangers to the Christian.

CONFESSION OF SIN

It is common to all Christian churches that a place is given in public worship to confession of sin. Confession of sin is a very important element in the process of sanctification. Confession, if it is to be worthwhile and genuine, must involve self examination. Unless we examine our lives to see where we have fallen short of the glory of God, we shall never be in a position truly to repent, and we shall fail to notice those areas in our life which need correction.

Confession also is important as a means of keeping us humble before God, and relying only on the merits of Christ for our acceptance before God. By confession we acknowledge our sinfulness, and this will leave no room for pride or complacency, and we shall be less tempted to come before God with some idea that we merit his favour because of the goodness of our lives.

Confession always brings us to place our trust and confidence in Christ as our Saviour and sin bearer. By confession we see our need and our own inability to save ourselves, and so we shall be constantly living in the faith of Christ. Together with this, we shall be conscious of our debt to God, and God�s infinite grace and love towards, and so this will motivate us to show our gratitude and love in living to please him. So we will be more ready to crucify our corrupt affections, and put away from us all those things that excite and stimulate those corrupt affections.

In confession we need to guard against over reaction, and for ever searching for and dwelling upon our sin and failure. In confession there must always be a constant realisation of our complete and free forgiveness in Christ, and that through faith we are counted righteous before God on the grounds of the perfect work of Jesus for us in atoning for our sins forever, and live in the joy and security of this.

THE WORD OF GOD

We read in verse 3 that the people stood where they were and read from the book of the law. By this we understand that they read in the first five books of the Bible, which are the writings of Moses and the record of God�s gracious dealings with his people in their history up to the time when God brought them to the land of promise. It is the fruit of this reading that is seen in verse 6 to the end of the chapter. Reading in the Book of the Law did not just mean reading the commands and regulations of God, but the ways of love that God had blest his people.

The Bible is essential to our progress in sanctification. God has spoken to us in the Bible, and it is God�s revelation to us for our lives. It contains all that we need for life and godliness. Our progress in sanctification depends on spending time in reading and learning from the Bible, so that we know the ways of God and the blessing of God. By reading the Bible we dwell in God and God dwells in us. We permeate our being with the life of God, and the atmosphere of heaven.

Further, in the Bible we find strength because God tells us there the extent and completeness of our salvation, and so we have defence against all the temptations and assaults of the devil. In the Bible we learn the love of God for us, and find our love for him growing, and so we have this new powerful affection which supplants in our lives the love of the world.

The Israelites here gave time for reading and learning from the Book of the Law. Time given to listening to God in the Bible is never wasted, and the more time we give the better it will be, and the more we will love the things of God. It is one of the ploys of the devil to keep God�s people from spending time with the Bible, and will suggest all sorts of things we need to do, or would like to do, to prevent us from spending time with our Bibles. He does this just as we are planning to read our Bibles. We need to resist this temptation of the evil one.

PRAYER

In verse 4 we read that the Levites called to the Lord. In other words they engaged in prayer. In those days much of the spiritual activity of the people was done by the priests and levites on behalf of the people. The Christian church still has this in public worship and prayer, but also each individual Christian should spend time with God in prayer.

Both public worship and private prayer are means by which we promote our sanctification. It is not the purpose of this meditation to go into the subject of prayer and how we engage in prayer. All that we assert here is the importance of prayer for the growth of our spiritual life. Those Christians who pray are Christians who grow and are strong. There should be some time set aside each day for prayer, and throughout each day we should engage in prayer, as the various activities, duties and difficulties of the day unfold. By this we live in the presence of God; place our dependence upon God in all things; seek the guidance and direction of God as we meet each challenge, and give glory to God for all he is doing in our lives.

Living a life of prayer in this way will mean that we are constantly conscious of God, and seeking to live in his presence and will. Thus our progress in holiness will be maintained.

PRAISE

Lastly we find the Levites leading the people in praise to God. Notice that the praise is to our God, who is therefore our Lord. Notice that he is acknowledged as being from everlasting to everlasting, that is eternal. By this was understood that God did not change, and that the God who had blest them in the past was still with them and would bless them in the future.

Praise promotes worship, because in praise we remember all that God is in the glory of his person, and all he is in the wonder of his power, grace and love. As we behold the glory of God in this way, we bow in wonder, love and praise, and lift his name high in our minds and hearts, and give him all the obedience of our hearts.

Praise, because it is the thing we were created for, and will be our activity in heaven, is so fulfilling and uplifting. We are unable to genuinely engage in praise without being uplifted in the heavenlies, and find ourselves experiencing something of the blessing of heaven.

Praise in this way promotes sanctification. How can we not desire the Lord more, and to please him more, when we have dwelt in his presence in this way, and have seen his glory. Let us pray and praise our God more and more.

CONCLUSION

Such is the life which promotes sanctification and the growth in holiness. There is no knew secret for the instant promotion of our spiritual lives. These means of grace have always been the way we grow in pleasing God. Those who are continually looking for some new secret which will instantly transform their spiritual life, will find themselves always seeking and never finding. If they suddenly feel they have found some new way in the spiritual life, and pursue it, they will only find it leads to a spiritual back water where there is no progress in the long run.

Sanctification is rewarding, but also it is hard work. We are pilgrims in a hostile world. The only way to be safe is to dwell in the presence of God in these five ways set before us here. The fact that God�s people engaged in these activities here, reveal that this has been, and always will be, the way of life for the people of God