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Nehemiah 10
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can also download our service at Baptist-Christian at iTunes. Most everyone, including many children, have entered into some kind of binding agreement with someone for some purpose. In every agreement both parties have obligations. Today an agreement becomes binding when all parties sign it. The agreement in our text today was in response to the great distress caused from Israel’s constant rebellion towards God. As always, finally, God wins!! There are at least three truths we see in this agreement.
- IT WAS IN RESPONSE TO DISTRESS! (9:37, 38) It’s sad that far too many times we respond to God out of distress. Israel had chosen to force God to punish them severely for their continued disobedience and rebellion to Him over the last 100-150 years. The chapter reveals that no part of Israel’s life was left untouched by God’s severe punishment. Ponder this: what great distress are you in today? Like Israel, we tend to think because we believe in God and “are not as bad as…” we are ok in God’s eyes. Are we really in such great distress? You be the judge! When was the last time you spent 30 minutes or more along with God letting you speak to Him from His Word? I don’t mean reading on some schedule or devotional, I mean meditating, thinking deeply, letting the Word go clear to the motives and intents of your heart! Maybe you did that just this morning or last evening. Maybe you can’t remember the last time. Do you not see the lack of intimate communication with your Heavenly Father as distress? He does! The covenant was also
- SURE, SIGNED, AND SEALED! (9:38) It was sure or binding, firm, stable, remaining in its proper state. The signing and sealing were two very personal and legally binding actions that held the participants fast to the terms of the agreement. There is no doubt that at this time the people meant business with God. On a personal note, when was the last time you signed your name to a personal covenant with God? When was the last time you sealed a covenant with God by telling another Christian walking with the Lord and became accountable to them, as well as to God? The only way God will bless you and your family is if you follow His doctrines on His terms. Notice also the covenant was
- VOLUNTARY! (9:38; 10:28, 29) In the very deepest reaches of your heart do you want to give all of yourself unconditionally to God? The immediate answer that popped into your mind is the truth! The only reason anyone ever does anything for the Lord is pure desire. God never forces us to do anything. Because He doesn’t we have come to believe some sin is tolerable; mediocrity is acceptable and complacency has no consequences. Can you support those beliefs with Scripture? (No!) We must come to the point where we realize that our most fundamental fear is what God might do if we completely submit ourselves to Him and cut all strings. Go read Jer. 29:11 and follow the chain references through Scripture and see if the results sound bad. God can give you more than all you ever ask or imagine if you declare Him the only Sovereign Lord in your life, then get out of the way and follow His leadership.
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