“Now therefore, our God-the great and mighty and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love-do not treat lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until today. You have been just in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly; our kings our officials, our priests and our ancestors have not kept your law or heeded the commandments and the warnings that you gave them. Even in their own kingdom, and in the great goodness you bestowed on them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their wicked works. . .” Nehemiah 9: 32-35, NRSV.
We are grateful, oh God, that You have not rewarded us according to our works. As we study Your Word, please help us to appreciate the “wideness” in Your mercy. This we pray, in the holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Aren’t you glad that God does not deal with us according to what we deserve? Is it not a great blessing that the ways of God are not the ways of man? Should we not live rejoicing in His goodness and “steadfast love?” As we study God’s dealings with His people of old, and even His dealings with us, is this not more than enough reason, to praise Him “without ceasing?” I believe it is!
Here the prophet is making a special request of God He is asking God not to “treat lightly all the hardship that has come upon” them. His request is followed by an acknowledgement on his part, that the hardships that had befallen them, is deserved! He admits that they have brought upon themselves every affliction that they have suffered. Time and again, he compares the faithfulness of God, to their wickedness. No one among them, is innocent. Their political leaders (kings, officials), as well as their religious leaders (priests), and their forefathers, have been unfaithful to the “great and mighty and awesome God,” who has faithfully kept His part of the covenant, and has continued to love them, in spite of themselves.
They had turned a deaf ear to all of the warnings that YHWH had sent them; and had broken the laws and commandments that He had given them as a protection. Next, the prophet goes on to mention some of the benefits that they had received from the hand of God, in spite of, their unworthiness: “their own kingdom;” “the great goodness;” “the large and rich land,” were all undeserved blessings!
This band of slaves, who had been born in slavery, and who, under normal circumstances would have raised families, and would have lived their entire lives as slaves, and died in bondage, had, under the guidance and blessings of God, been freed from the most powerful empire of its time, and had become a great nation; a kingdom, if you please! I am not sure all that “the great goodness” could be referring to. There had been so much goodness proffered on Israel as a nation that it could have been a number of things.
Manna from heaven! Water from a rock! Customized clothing and shoes, to resist the rigors of desert life! The fact that God brought them into this land of giants, and gave them a name among these warrior nations. This fledgling army of people who were not even warriors, had fought and conquered great and mighty nations! According to His promise, He had brought them into a land that flowed with milk and honey (Numbers 13: 27)! Indeed, God had done “the great goodness,” for them; not one time, but over and over again! In spite of all of this, they had not turned from their wicked ways!
Just in case we should attempt to wag our fingers in the faces of the Israelites, let us not forget, that we have not done much better ourselves! In Psalm 103 we read the following: “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (10-14).
Remember that this is said of, “those who fear Him.” That includes Christians! May God help us, as we ask Him not to “treat lightly the hardship that has come upon us,” may we also pray for bowels of mercy, to forgive those who have wronged us.
NOTE: MY regrets for the late publication of today’s devotional.