Nehemiah 9:6-31 - Homilies By W. Clarkson

Adoration and thanksgiving.

At this great and solemn gathering, which followed the feast of tabernacles, Ezra and eight Levites led the whole assembly in a reverent address and appeal to God. It is thought by some that the record of it in this chapter (verses 6-38) is the exact copy of it as then written down for the use of the Levites; or it may be the leading topics of it as afterwards recollected and recorded. We have seen that confession of sin is the groundwork and substance of it. But it includes adoration and thanksgiving, for the grateful recital of the excellences of God's character and the graciousness of his dealings would be the very thing to deepen and to quicken penitence for their sin. A realisation of God's holiness and a remembrance of his kindness are inseparably connected with the sense of our own guilt. This recital of the goodness of God, both general and particular, contains reference to—

1 . The essential greatness of God: as the one Lord ; Creator and Preserver of men; Maker of heaven, "with all their host;"… whom "the host of heaven worshippeth" (verse 6).

2 . His distinguishing goodness to Israel: choosing Abraham (verse 7), working great wonders on behalf of the race (verses 10, 11), giving them a day of rest and a human leader (verse 14), establishing and enriching them in the land of promise (verses 22-25).

3 . His miraculous and his abiding care for their wants: giving them "bread from heaven for their hunger," and bringing forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst (verse 15); forty years sustaining them in the wilderness (verse 21).

4 . His faithfulness: "performing his words, for he is righteous" (verse 8).

5 . His pitifulness, and mercy, and patience: seeing their affliction and hearing their cry (verse 9); "ready to pardon, slow to anger, and of great kindness" (verse 17); "many times delivering them" in answer to their cry (verse 28); "not utterly consuming nor forsaking them" (verse 31).

6 . His guidance and teaching: giving the cloudy pillar and the pillar of fire (verse 12); speaking to them from heaven and giving them judgments and true laws, etc. (verse 13), and his "good Spirit to instruct them" (verse 20).

7 . His chastening love (verses 28-30). Let us consider—

I. THE ABUNDANT GROUND FOR GRATITUDE ON THE PART OF EVERY ONE OF US . We worship and bless God as

II. GOOD REASONS WHY WE , AS ERRING BUT ENDEAVOURING SOULS , SHOULD RECALL AND RECOUNT IT . There are four very strong reasons why, in the presence of God and of one another, we should recall his past loving-kindness and his everlasting goodness.

1 . It is in accordance with his will, and will give pleasure to him when we do so reverently and gratefully.

2 . It will deepen our sense of sin; for we shall feel that it is against all this goodness and mercy we have rebelled.

3 . It will give spirituality and intensity to the voice of our praise. Such recollections will constrain us to "make melody in our heart" when we make music with our voice.

4 . It will give depth to our abiding gratitude—that sense of unbounded indebtedness which we carry with us from the sanctuary, and hold in our hearts everywhere.—C.