Nehemiah 9:33 - Homiletics

The justice of God in punishing sinners.

"Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly." The words express a just and salutary conviction, and make an acknowledgment suitable to accompany an appeal to the Divine compassion.

I. THE CONVICTION EXPRESSED . Of very great importance that we should not only verbally utter it, but sincerely feel it. How may we arrive at this conviction?

1 . By faith in God's essential rectitude. That he cannot be unrighteous in any of his proceedings (see Deuteronomy 32:4 ).

2 . By considering the rectitude and goodness of the laws against which we have sinned.

3 . By remembering all that God has done to guard us against sin (see on Nehemiah 9:29 ). If we sin notwithstanding, we are justly punished.

4 . By calling to mind our sins. Their essential evil, their number and magnitude, and the circumstances which aggravate their guiltiness (God's varied kindness, our opportunities, advantages, knowledge, convictions, good resolutions, etc.). Such a review will lead us to exclaim with Ezra, "Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve" ( Ezra 9:13 ).

5 . By comparing what we endure with the Divine threatenings. The Israelites had been warned of the consequences of their rebellion against God. He was only fulfilling his word. So it is with us. What we suffer is no more, is indeed less, than we were warned to expect.

II. THE BENEFITS OF SUCH A CONVICTION .

1 . It will prevent our murmuring at our sufferings. "Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?" ( Lamentations 3:39 ).

2 . It will greatly aid in producing repentance. Suffering is likely to do its proper work in humbling us and making sin odious when we recognise the justice of God in inflicting it.

3 . It will lead to an appeal to the mercy of God for deliverance. Such an appeal, made through Christ, will be regarded, while an appeal to justice would be as futile as groundless. Finally, observe that the goodness of God is as conspicuous as his justice in the sufferings he inflicts in this life. They have in view "our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness," and so of true and everlasting blessedness. But if through our perversity they fail of this result, they are followed by the penalties of "judgment without mercy."