Part 1: Confessing Our Sins Nehemiah Part 1: Confessing Our Sins

View From Rock Bottom Have you ever hit rock bottom? So far down you feel you’ve lost yourself? So far down your only hope is for God’s deliverance? Would God take us there?

Oh How The Mighty… Beautiful Jerusalem Song of Solomon 6:4 – “You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, as lovely as Jerusalem, as awesome as an army with banners.”

…Have Fallen Psalm 48:2 – “Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion in the far north, the city of the great King.”

Psalm 50:2 “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth.”

But Jerusalem Fell Nehemiah 1:3 – “They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.”

How Did We Get Here? Why did God destroy Jerusalem/Judah? IDOLATRY Jeremiah 8:19 – “Behold, listen! The cry of the daughter of my people from a distant land: “Is the Lord not in Zion? Is her King not within her” Why have they provoked Me with their graven images, with foreign idols?”

Which Is Adultery Jeremiah 5:7-8 -- “Why should I pardon you? Your sons have forsaken Me and sworn by those who are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery and trooped to the harlot’s house. They were well-fed lusty horses, Each one neighing after his neighbor’s wife.”

And For Lying, Theft, Murder Jeremiah 7:9-10 – “Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known, then come and stand before Me in this house…and say, ‘We are delivered…?”

For Rampant Sinfulness “Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away from Him.”

The Need For Repentance Nehemiah’s response Neh. 1:4 – “When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

Genuine Repentance Nehemiah 1:6-7 -- “…let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.”

Calling On God’s Justice Nehemiah 1:8-9 –”Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell….”

Repentance Brings God’s Favor Remember Achan? Joshua 7 Defeated at Ai. Vs. 11: “Israel has sinned….” Achan stole things dedicated to God Stoned to death God relented

God Is Looking For Real Sorrow 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 – “I now rejoice…that you were made sorrowful according to the will of God…[which] produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation.”

Calling On The Name Of The Lord Nehemiah 1:11 – “O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today….”

Great Works Require Great Faith And great prayer! “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Martin Luther