THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COVENANT

PROCLAMATION

“They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of The Lord our Lord, and His judgments and His statutes.”  Nehemiah 10:29 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia.  Chapter ten begins with a listing of the names of the people who sealed the new covenant. (Nehemiah 10:1-27)  The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, and the temple servants, along with all who separated themselves from the people of the land, took an oath not to give their daughters to the people of this land or to take their daughters for their sons. (Nehemiah 19:28-30)  They also agreed not to buy any goods or grain from the people of the land on the Sabbath or any holy day.  They pledged to bring money, bread, grain, and meat for burnt offerings and certain feasts.  They agreed to dedicate their first born sons to The Lord as it is written in the law.  They agreed to bring the first fruits of their crops, cattle, and herds to the house of The Lord as their tithes.  The children of Israel and the children of Levi agreed to bring offerings of new wine and oil to the temple to fill the vessels of the sanctuary. (Nehemiah 10:31-39)

 

APPLICATION

It is not good enough to just read The Word of God, or to listen to it being proclaimed, or to recite verses from it, we must also be committed to live by it.  “… Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)  Our actions will speak much louder than any words we will ever say.  When we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, we agreed to follow Him and His teachings.  Our faith without works is dead. (James 2:26)  We must “walk the walk, and not just talk the talk.” (Unknown)  We need to walk in the way of righteousness. (Proverbs 2:20 and 8:20)  Our baptism will not save us; it is only an outward display of our inner commitment.  Our behavior and our lifestyle says more about us that our words.  Christ said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) 

 

THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL CONFESSED THEIR SINS

PROCLAMATION

“And they stood up in their place, and read the book of the law of The Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped The Lord their God.”  Nehemiah 9:3 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia.  After Ezra had read the law to them and the Levites had taken them in small groups and explained the law to them, (Nehemiah 8:1-18) the children of Israel gathered in sackcloth and fasted, and the prayed and confessed unto The Lord their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. (Nehemiah 9:1-3)  They worshiped and praised The Lord.   The even recounted the blessing and mercies bestowed upon past generations after their sins. (Nehemiah 9:4-35)  They admitted that they were His servants and that they were enjoying the fruits of the land which He gave to their fathers.  They said that because of all of these things that they were writing a covenant which was to be sealed by their princes, priests, and the Levites. (Nehemiah 9:36-38)

 

APPLICATION

If we are honest with ourselves we will all admit that we have sinned.  We need to confess our sins to The Lord God and ask to be forgiven.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  Today we are in sad shape individually and as a country.  We need to humble ourselves, and we need to pray; and we also need to turn from our wicked ways. (2 Chronicles 7:14) 

 

 

THEY READ THE BOOK OF THE LAW

PROCLAMATION

“And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up; … So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.”  Nehemiah 8:5-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia.  After Nehemiah had counted all of the people, they gathered in front of the water gate and Ezra the priest read to them from the book of the law of Moses. (Nehemiah 8:1-3)  Ezra stood upon a wooden pulpit so that he was above all of the people and could be seen by them.  When he opened the book all of the people stood up.  And as he read, the men standing with him explained it to the people so that all of them understood it. (Nehemiah 8:4-8)   Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites taught the people saying, “This day is holy unto The Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep.”  They said this because the people wept when they heard the words of the law.  They told the people to go their way, to eat and drink, and to give portions to the people for whom nothing had been prepared for the day was holy. (Nehemiah 8:9-12)  The next day they came together to study the words of the law.  They found that they were commanded to live in booths (temporary shelters) during the feast of the seventh month.  They published this and proclaimed it throughout the land and in all of the surrounding towns, and the people made themselves booths of tree branches for them to dwell in for the seven days of the feast. (Nehemiah 8:13-18)

 

APPLICATION

To paraphrase an old quote, “When we know better, we should do better.”   The quote actually said, “Do your best until you know better; then do better.” (Maya Angelou)  In order to know it for ourselves; we need to read and study The Word of God.  Then we ought to do what it says.  We are responsible for doing that which is right in the sight of The Lord.  “Ignorance of the law is no excuse…” (Thomas Jefferson and Oliver Wendell Holmes)  This quote is first revealed in The Bible as: “And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of The Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.” (Leviticus 5:17)  We should be doers of The Word. (James 1:22)