I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 9-10.

    After celebrating the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall and the Festival of Shelters, the returned Exiles gathered to mourn and confess their sins. For the second time the entire Book of the Law was read to them, which took three hours. They followed this up by spending another three hours confessing their sin and worshiping God…and we think the service is too long if it goes over an hour. At the end of this service of confession and worship the leaders prayed acknowledging that the difficult situation the people found themselves in was a just punishment for the sins which they had committed. They concluded the service by renewing the covenant which the people of Israel had made with God at Mt Sinai.

    While they promised to follow all of God’s commands, a little can be learned about being faithful from paying attention to the commands of God which they highlighted. First, they refused to intermarry with the pagan people of the land (saying nothing about those people of the land who gave up pagan worship and began worshiping God). Second, they promised to keep the Sabbath, including the Sabbath Year. They promised to make provisions for the maintenance of the Temple (the place of worship) and for the services conducted there. Finally, they promised to acknowledge that everything they had was a gift from God by giving a portion of it back for God’s ministry.