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More Nehemiah commentaries
Nehemiah 6:1-9
Conspiracy Against Nehemiah
Nehemiah 6:10-19
The Wall Completed
Nehemiah 7:1-38
The Captives Who Returned to Jerusalem
Nehemiah 7:39-73
The Living Link Between the Past and the Future
Nehemiah 8:1-12
Nehemiah Called for a “Bible conference”
Nehemiah 8:13-18
The Feast of Tabernacles
Nehemiah 9:1-8
The Greatness of God
Nehemiah 9:9-25
The Goodness of God When they Didn’t Deserve it
Nehemiah 9:26-31
The Results of Rebellion
Nehemiah 9:32-39
Slaves in Their Own Land
Nehemiah 10:1-31
The Agreement of The People
Nehemiah 10:32-39
Importance of Giving The First Fruits to God
Nehemiah 11:1-19
People Asked to Move Inside The City
Nehemiah 11:20-36
The Israelites Who Lived Outside The City
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Slaves in Their Own Land
Nehemiah 9:32–39
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
One Saturday afternoon I said to my two children, “I’ll give you 75 cents to wash my car.” My younger son Chuck said, “Who in the world wants to wash a car for 75 cents?” So I turned to Colleen, our younger daughter and said, “Honey, I’ll give you $1.50 i … More
The history of the children of Israel is brought up to date (v. 32). In the past they had enjoyed abundant blessings even though they had sinned against God. They were back in the land, but they could not enjoy the land; for everything they worked for was given to somebody else. They were slaves in their own land (v. 36). Being slaves meant that they had to pay taxes to Persia, and Judah’s governmental leaders had to give the Persian kings money from the produce of the land.
The people recognized that all the problems that came from their captivity were well deserved, “But we have done wickedly.” (v. 33). They had acknowledged God’s greatness and goodness; and now on the basis of His grace they asked Him for a new beginning. They couldn’t change their servitude situation, but they could surrender themselves and seek His help. The Israelites did more than ask God for mercy; they also made a solemn covenant with God to obey His law and do His will. On the basis of their repentance and prayer, they made an agreement with God. This agreement was made on a sealed document. They agreed to separate from the heathen and to continue keeping the commandments of God.
Application
I need to ask myself the question, “Do my blessings make me thankful to God and draw me closer to Him or do I allow them make me feel self sufficient and forgetful of Him?"
Nehemiah 9:32-39 (English Standard Version)
"Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them. Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works. Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress. "Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests."
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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