In this Bible lesson on Nehemiah 9, we explore how God’s Word leads to confession, worship, and revival. Discover how the story of Israel’s faithfulness and God’s patience can transform a youth ministry in Fort Collins today.
Introduction
There’s a reason people cry at weddings, laugh at reunions, and avoid high school yearbooks… because memory is powerful. It stirs us. It sobers us. And sometimes, it surprises us. But memory, when surrendered to God, is not just about stirring up feelings of nostalgia… but about spiritual transformation.
Nehemiah 9 has one of the longest prayers in the Bible and it is drenched in memory. The people of Israel, freshly returned from exile, having rebuilt the wall under Nehemiah’s leadership, now turn their hearts toward rebuilding their covenant relationship with God.
And how do they do that? … by remembering… by rehearsing the narrative of God’s faithfulness in the midst of their failures… this is a historical chapter… reaching into the metanarrative (the broader story) of Israel’s history… but it is history retold as doxology, a worshipful prayer. It’s not the Israelites giving God new information (as if they could). It’s the people of God freshly awakening to old truths and letting those truths lead them into repentance and renewal.
And that’s what we need. We’re not so much in need of a new word… we are need of Old Words. There’s an old worship song that celebrates Scripture… it’s called “Ancient Words” – speaking of the Bible, here’s how the chorus goes: “Ancient words ever true, Changing me, and changing you. We have come with open hearts, Oh let the ancient words impart.” Remember these Old Words. The Old Words bring revival. We need the light of God’s Old Words piercing our hearts anew.
When that happens, transformation occurs. That’s exactly what’s happening in Nehemiah 9… as they remember the stories written in God’s Word, the weight of God’s goodness collides with the reality of the people’s sin… and God’s faithfulness through it all comes front and center… and His goodness stands in stark contrast to the faithless lives they lived in return…
And they remember their history and how good God has been to them through their entire story. And as much as this is a history lesson… it functions like a mirror. As we walk through the text today… we can see our stories in this story… and more than seeing ourselves, we see the faithfulness of our covenant-keeping God… in their lives… and in ours… let’s read:
A People – Humbled and Set Apart – Nehemiah 9:1–5
“Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. 2 The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God. 4 Now on the Levites’ platform stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Chenani, and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God. Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, “Arise, bless the Lord your God forever and ever!”
The wall is finished in chapter 6. The community begins to take some shape in chapter 7. Chapter 8 shifts from construction to reformation… the physical work has given way to spiritual renewal for God’s people.
Ezra the scribe steps forward, and the people gather eagerly… not for a festival, not for a war strategy meeting… the people gathered to hear the Word of God. They stand attentively for hours while Ezra reads from the Book of the Law. As they listen, the Levites explain and interpret the meaning, and God’s Word does what God’s Word does…
Their hearts are cut to the core. They weep as they recognize how far they’ve drifted from God’s commands. But Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites urge them not to mourn. Why?
Verse 9 says, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” … Verse 10 continues, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
So instead of wallowing in sorrow, they celebrate with feasting and generosity and unity. They rediscover and reinstate the Feast of Booths (AKA Tabernacles), which was a festival they hadn’t celebrated (at least not properly) for generations. The chapter ends with great joy, obedience, and a renewed hunger for God’s Word.
And that all sets the stage for chapter 9… chapter 8 ends with joy… and also conviction. And this conviction leads to confession. The people have tasted the goodness of God’s Word, and it’s like they’re realizing, “We needed a wall, sure… but more than that, we are people in need of mercy!”
Chapter 9 is the natural result… a national prayer of confession, filled/rich with memory, theology, lament, and grace… it teaches us not only about confession and repentance of sin, but also how to remember God’s faithfulness in the middle of our failures.
They went from rejoicing to sackcloth, dust, and confession… it’s a pretty fast turnaround from party to penitence! They went from “God is good all the time!” to “We’ve messed this thing up pretty bad.”
What happened? What caused that shift?
For days, they had been reading and listening to the Law of God. And when God’s Word was clearly taught and plainly understood, it brought both joy and conviction. God’s Word still does that! Its been said that God’s Word “makes the saints shout and the sinners squirm” … often at the same time, in the same people.
So now, they gather again. But this time, with fasting and mourning. Fasting and sackcloth and dirt were signs of humility and brokenness. They were external indicators of internal sorrow over sin. The people are doing what James 4:8-10 calls us to do: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
Verse 2 says they separated themselves from foreigners… meaning this wasn’t about blaming outsiders for their problems. This was family business. No scapegoats, no deflections… just honest confession… taking responsibility for their own sinfulness. And they “confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.” This isn’t performative. They’re not just following a script. It’s deeply personal and generational. They’re not just confessing what they have done wrong, but they’re acknowledging the legacy of rebellion they’ve inherited and perpetuated.
Did you notice the details in verse 3… they spent a fourth of the day reading Scripture… and another fourth of the day in confession and worship. This is probably just counting waking hours… but with that in mind… that’s six hours in a worship service. In Barbados, they didn’t call it a sermon if it wasn’t at least 45 minutes long… any less than 45 minutes was just a devotion… some of you think we preach long here… we’ve got nothing on these folks in Nehemiah… they are clocking in for a double shift at the altar! Six hours of Bible and confession. Imagine that. Compared to a world of 30-second sound bites and distracted worship, here is a people who can’t get enough of God’s Word or His mercy.
The leaders in verses 4 and 5 get up on the Levites platform and cry out, “Arise, bless the Lord your God forever and ever!” They were modeling a kind of worship that’s not cold or calculated, but expressive, corporate, and rooted in the character of God. The Levites took leadership in this moment. They lead the people in praise and confession… preparing them for the great prayer that follows.
This is a community of people responding corporately to the Word of God. They are not blaming others. They are not excusing themselves. They are not minimizing their sin. They are confessing and worshipping.
We live in a culture that celebrates image, comfort, and distraction. But in Nehemiah 9, the people of God strip away comfort, ignore image, and lean into the pain of remembrance. Could it be that what we need isn’t more comfort… but more confession? I know confession is not a popular word, nor a popular discipline… but I would contend that in the humility that confession requires, God is at work to bring about revival and restoration.
I know we long for revival… and we pray for revival… and we’re right to do that… but I think this chapter reveals to us the nature of revival… and I would even say that the order of revival is important… Revival doesn’t begin with emotion… it begins with exposure to the Word… and exposure to the Word brings conviction, which leads to confession, which results in worship. Let’s take a look at the great prayer that follows…
A Prayer – Rooted in God’s Character – Nehemiah 9:6–15
This prayer is long… and we don’t typically pray this way… they tell God about what He’s done… and that informs them of Who He Is… and they worship Him for it… so, as we read about Israel’s history and heritage, we can worship with them because this is our history and heritage, too. In Christ, we are Abraham’s descendants… we’ve been grafted in… so we can worship with them through prayer… because our stories don’t look a whole lot different from theirs. Because the faithful God they worshipped then is the same faithful God we worship now.
And I wanted to try something here… and my prayer is that it is worshipful for you all…I’ve got the whole prayer on slides… and along the way I’ve got a handful of lines highlighted… so I want us to stand (if you’re able, for as long as you’re able), and we’re gonna go through this prayer together, as an act of worship, like actually think about the words and pray them to our great God, and I want you all to read the lines that are highlighted… I’ll read the rest, but you all read the highlighted parts out loud… not trying to give anybody flashbacks to Catholic mass… just wanting to honor God’s Word and read it from a posture of worship… please stand if you’re able and feel free to sit back down if/when you need because it is long, and let’s worship together:
Nehemiah 9:5b-37, “O may Your glorious name be blessed And exalted above all blessing and praise! 6 “You alone are the Lord. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You. 7 “You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees, And gave him the name Abraham. 8 “You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give him the land of the Canaanite, Of the Hittite and the Amorite, Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite—To give it to his descendants. And You have fulfilled Your promise, For You are righteous. 9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, And heard their cry by the Red Sea. 10 “Then You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, Against all his servants and all the people of his land; For You knew that they acted arrogantly toward them, And made a name for Yourself as it is this day. 11 “You divided the sea before them, So they passed through the midst of the sea on dry ground; And their pursuers You hurled into the depths, Like a stone into raging waters. 12 “And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go. 13 “Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. 14 “So You made known to them Your holy sabbath, And laid down for them commandments, statutes and law, Through Your servant Moses. 15 “You provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger, You brought forth water from a rock for them for their thirst, And You told them to enter in order to possess The land which You swore to give them. 16 “But they, our fathers, acted arrogantly; They became stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments. 17 “They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness; And You did not forsake them. 18 “Even when they made for themselves A calf of molten metal And said, ‘This is your God Who brought you up from Egypt,’ And committed great blasphemies, 19 You, in Your great compassion, Did not forsake them in the wilderness; The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, To guide them on their way, Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go. 20 “You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst. 21 “Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not in want; Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell. 22 “You also gave them kingdoms and peoples, And allotted them to them as a boundary. They took possession of the land of Sihon the king of Heshbon And the land of Og the king of Bashan. 23 “You made their sons numerous as the stars of heaven, And You brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers to enter and possess. 24 “So their sons entered and possessed the land. And You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, And You gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, To do with them as they desired. 25 “They captured fortified cities and a fertile land. They took possession of houses full of every good thing, Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, Fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled and grew fat, And reveled in Your great goodness. 26 “But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, And cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets who had admonished them So that they might return to You, And they committed great blasphemies. 27 “Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them, But when they cried to You in the time of their distress, You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors. 28 “But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You; Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them. When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven, And many times You rescued them according to Your compassion, 29 And admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law. Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your ordinances, By which if a man observes them he shall live. And they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen. 30 “However, You bore with them for many years, And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets, Yet they would not give ear. Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 “Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them, For You are a gracious and compassionate God. 32 “Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness, Do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You, Which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria to this day. 33 “However, You are just in all that has come upon us; For You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly. 34 “For our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers have not kept Your law Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your admonitions with which You have admonished them. 35 “But they, in their own kingdom, With Your great goodness which You gave them, With the broad and rich land which You set before them, Did not serve You or turn from their evil deeds. 36 “Behold, we are slaves today, And as to the land which You gave to our fathers to eat of its fruit and its bounty, Behold, we are slaves in it. 37 “Its abundant produce is for the kings Whom You have set over us because of our sins; They also rule over our bodies And over our cattle as they please, So we are in great distress.”
Amen. Pretty amazing prayer. It’s a prayer that isn’t just about sin… it’s about God’s story… and we see a God who is faithful through every failure. And it seems kind of like an abrupt ending to me… they tell God about what He’s done, which informs them of who He is… and the implication in ending that way is that they can rest there because they trust that God can do again what He’s done before.
Robert Robinson was just a boy when his father died. He fell in with a rough crowd in London and lived a rebellious, reckless life as a young man. But something stirred in him when he went to hear the evangelist George Whitefield preach. He showed up to mock him that night, but that night, the Spirit of God was at work in his life. And a softening took place… A few years later, he gave his life to Christ and eventually became a pastor.
At age 22, Robinson penned the hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” The lyrics are full of deep theological reflection and raw honesty… there’s one famous line in particular that echoes the heart of Nehemiah 9… “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love…”
Years later, Robinson did wander. He left the ministry, walked away from his faith, and spiraled into a life of instability and regret. But God had not given up on him. Robinson, later as an older man, found himself traveling in a carriage with a young woman who he did not know. She began to hum a hymn. Unaware of who he was, she asked what he thought of the words. It was his own song. Talk about a divine appointment!
Overwhelmed, Robinson broke down and said, “Madam, I am the poor, unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds to enjoy the feelings I had then.”
The rest of his story is somewhat lost to history, one account I read says this experience brought him to repentance… though I can’t say that with certainty… but we know this: God pursued him. Even when he wandered. Even when he failed. Even when he forgot the melody of grace he once wrote down. God is patient, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
That is the story of Israel. That is the story of Nehemiah 9 that the people are remembering. That is our story, too. In that prayer:
We see God as the Creator and the Covenant-Keeper… they start at the beginning… “You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens… the earth… the seas….” The people begin by acknowledging God as Creator. Before they get into their sin, they anchor their hearts in who God is. And that’s good theology. Repentance isn’t about self-loathing; it’s about turning toward the One who made us and sustains us. God is exalted first. They chose worship first, then confession. They remember that God chose Abraham, made promises to him, and has been faithful to His covenant. Then,
We see God as the Rescuer… God saw their suffering in Egypt. He acted in power and mercy. He split the sea, led them with fire and cloud, gave them food and water, and…just to be clear… He didn’t do it because they deserved it. He did it because He is good. God didn’t just save them from Egypt. He saved them for Himself. He gave them His Word at Sinai (v. 14). He gave them freedom and formation. It’s all about God’s faithfulness… He was faithful to Abraham… He was faithful to deliver in the Exodus… He was faithful to provide in the wilderness. Then,
We see God the Patient Redeemer… We See a Rebellious People… and a God abounding in Mercy… Here the tone shifts to confession… the prayer makes a turn in verse 16… “our ancestors became arrogant and stiff-necked…” They refused to listen… they didn’t obey Your commands. Even after miracles, they longed to return to slavery. There’s a repeated rhythm in this prayer: They rebel. God shows mercy. They forget. God remains faithful.
Even when they made a golden calf, God did not abandon them (v. 18). Even in the wilderness, He gave them bread, water, guidance, and sustenance. Verse 21 is stunning: “For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness…their feet did not swell, nor did their clothes wear out.” That’s divine durability! I’d pay full price for those jeans! Then,
We see God the Just and Merciful Judge… The pattern continues. God gives them the land. They enjoy His blessing. But they disobey. God sends prophets. They ignore them. Eventually, He disciplines them. In verse 31 we see that even in discipline, God did not abandon them: “But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.”
Let’s be honest… we don’t have this kind of patience with each other. We cancel people. We ghost them. We rant and rage and show our incredibly short fuses for the foolishness of man. But God’s mercy outlasts their rebellion. It’s not just second chances here… it’s seventy-times-seven chances.
Look at all the rebellions mentioned: the golden calf (v. 18), the wilderness wanderings (19-21), the conquest and corruption in Canaan (22-26), the repeated cycle of judgment and mercy during the period of the Judges (27-31)… verse 28 describes the cycle, “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight…”
God’s grace has always been abundant and undeserved. And that becomes the recurring refrain of this prayer. It’s amazing to read… because it pictures God’s love on full display… and yet it’s a little painful too because it’s deeply familiar, isn’t it? It’s the pattern of our hearts. Verse 17 is the theological heartbeat of the chapter: “But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them…”
That verse functions like a hinge… in the midst of rebellion after rebellion… that verse and it’s precepts stay front and center… and finally…
We see A Call to Renewed Covenant Commitment – Nehemiah 9:32–38
Now the prayer moves from the past to the present: “Now therefore, our God… do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes…” (v. 32). They’re saying: “Lord, we’ve seen what You’ve done, we know what we’ve done, and we’re asking You to look upon us with mercy again.”
Verse 33 is honest: “In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong.” They don’t blame God for their exile. They own it. That’s true repentance. They recognize that God’s hand was not unjust but loving… even in discipline.
They say, “We are slaves today… because of our sins … we are in great distress.” (vv. 36-37)… The people are free to worship, but still living under Persian rule. They realize that external restoration (the wall, the city) isn’t enough. What they need is a restored heart.
So what do they do? “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement…” (v. 38) They covenant to walk in obedience again. And that will continue in chapter 10.
Application: The Story of Grace—Then and Now
And that’s the narrative of Nehemiah 9… there’s so much in there for us to learn from… but I just want to highlight a few ways for us to hear and heed God’s Word this morning:
- Let the Word of God Lead You to Confession and Repentance – True repentance is Word-driven. We need Scripture to show us our sin… and to show us our Savior. Are we regularly opening God’s Word with a posture of humility? Are we open to God’s Word revealing the parts of our hearts that still need to be discipled?
- Let God’s Faithfulness Fuel You Faith – Nehemiah 9 is a history lesson with a purpose… to reveal God’s nature and awaken hope. If God was gracious to them, how much more to us in Christ? Remember His faithfulness to them and to you.
- Confess Specifically, Not Generally – Notice the prayer names specific events and patterns of sin. We often say, “God, forgive me if I’ve sinned…” That’s not confession… that’s evasion. The example here is specific and honest confession… from a broken spirit and a contrite heart. We need to name our sin before God.
- Rest in the Character of God – What gives us confidence to confess our sin isn’t our track record, but God’s. He is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” His nature and His pattern and His faithfulness and His grace… makes confession of sin not something to run from or do begrudgingly… but an invitation to the ocean of grace in God’s loving embrace. Scary as it may be, it is a gift that God has given to us for our spiritual wellbeing.
- Renew Your Covenant Commitment – We are not under the Old Covenant… but as baptized believers, we are invited to walk in the newness of life through Christ. Every time we take the Lord’s Supper, every time we confess, every time we renew our devotion, we are saying: “I belong to You, Lord. I am Yours. Not because of my faithfulness, but because of Yours.”
Conclusion: The Greater Story
This whole chapter points us to Jesus, who is the culmination of God’s grace… He just keeps coming after us… so I’ll close by drawing your attention to Him. Nehemiah 9 tells the story of a people who couldn’t get it right… and a God who never gave up. But even their best efforts couldn’t fix the problem of the heart. That’s why Jesus came… not just to restore a city, but to redeem a people. On the cross, Jesus took the weight of the world’s rebellion, and that includes ours. And now He invites us into a better covenant… one sealed not with ink on scrolls, but with His own blood.
This chapter isn’t a pity party… it’s a grace party. A celebration that His mercy is deeper than our mess. They heard the Word. They remembered their story. They confessed their sins. They celebrated God’s faithfulness. They renewed their obedience. That’s revival.
May the same things happen among us today.