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Wednesday, September 29, 2004
After rescuing the city of Jerusalem from ruins, Nehemiah and Ezra decided it was time for the Jewish remnant to become a light to the world again. After a 7-month period in which the dispersed Israelites moved back to the city, a worship service was held...smack in the middle of the public square.
They read the Word. They stood in excitement, bowed in reverence and began to grieve at their own sin.
But Ezra and Nehemiah noticed the mourning and weeping and were forced to remind the Israelites that this day was for celebration. For what we call "fellowship." To take part in a great feast, and in fact, found in the Law a festival of booths to which they immediately spent a week celebrating...and part of the food & drink was a steady diet of the Word of God, too.
And, on the 8th day, a solemn assembly was held. And recorded in Nehemiah 9.
They began fasting. Now lots of books have been written that include the discipline of fasting (self-denial, usually of food for some pre-determined period of time), and I'm not sure that I fully understand the ins and outs of it, but they were doing it. Another echo to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, too.
The put sackcloth and ashes on themselves. They were dirty. The symbolism is obvious. Personal poverty before God. An admission that God is God and I'm not. Poor in spirit. Sermon on the Mount, again.
Verse 2 tells us that the Israelites gathered together and had a national day of repentance. They confessed their sins. They talked about where their forefathers went astray.
I've been thinking about confession, too.
It doesn't really benefit God...us sitting down and grocery listing sins. He knows what we did anyway.
It benefits us. And not because we get a clean slate to begin living a better life, either...that's a false view. See, when Christ died for our sins, how many of our particular sins were in the future? Obviously, all of them. They're already forgiven. So, why confess?
I think it comes down to the sackcloth and ashes thing. That we are spiritually poor. Remember Jesus' phrase in the Sermon on the Mount? "Blessed are those who mourn..." We're at peace with God when we realize how impoverished we are before Him. That He is God and I'm not.
And that's what gives us the freedom to run the good race of Hebrews 12: 1, "Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus..."
It doesn't hurt to notice that Hebrews 12 follows the famous "Hall of Faith" listed in Chapter 11. When we review God's work in people of history and His faithfulness, for some reason, the next logical steps is celebration. Then confession.
It happens in Nehemiah 9, too.
And the obvious mind vitamin today: Do you really sense a spiritual poverty before God? Why or why not? And if so, when will it be "clearinghouse" time for you so you can run the race unencumbered?
And, if you're so inclined to comment, re-read the section above that ends with "why confess" and tell me if you agree or disagree.
Brent 4:45 AM
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