Community of Confession
Nehemiah 9:2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 30-36
International Sunday School Lesson
August 11, 2013
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
How often do you think about those who have gone before you? I think we obviously consider a great deal concerning those in the Bible who preceded us just as we are doing today in Nehemiah. They are after all serving as examples for us as we are told in 1 Corinthians 10. The other kind of example we are instructed in is to be like Paul as he followed the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). So we are instructed how to be, what to do and what not to do. It is a pretty good system if we care to follow what we are told.
This week we can use Israel’s example by considering our own people’s history whoever that might be. Though the vast majority who visit this blog are American’s there are many other countries represented in our number who are studying the very same thing week after week. Therefore, rather than separate by nationality let us consider ourselves as one as we consider those who preceded us in the church.
We have the distant past and we have the recent past along with our present. As we consider all these points in the church history where do you consider us to be if we compare ourselves to Israel of the Bible? Put us in their timeline.
Our current position is not one of being in the beginning because ours is 2000 years old. Since that time we have seen the church grow in numbers and spread even as it is doing now in parts of the world. But in other parts of the world where the church was strongest it has become weak and fallen away. At some point like Israel, parts of the church became like the people of Israel, as we can read in non-included verses of Nehemiah 9, becoming arrogant and stiff necked.
Unlike our examples, we were also given Christ and we see the ultimate fulfillment in Him but we know that first that unlike Israel in today’s example there will come a time when those who are arrogant will stay arrogant (Revelation 16 and of course several others).
In my opinion it would seem for us, the church, there needs to be a repenting for our arrogance. Sure we need to be like Israel and consider past history because we know the error of those who don’t remember the failures of the past are destined to repeat them. But… we need to remember the success of the past and live it and consider what we know of the future so that we do not live that!
For Discussion:
1. Discuss how we can use Israel as an example
2. Discuss the process Israel went through in their confession of sin from the scripture found in Nehemiah 8-10
3. Read Daniel 9
4. Discuss the numbers of those you think are involved in this act of repentance and compare it to what you feel would be required of the church today
5. Discuss those who preceded you in your church
6. Discuss those who preceded you in your faith
Upcoming Lessons:
8-11-13: Community of Confession Nehemiah 9:2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 30-36
8-18-13: Dedication of the Wall Nehemiah 12:27-38, 43 or 12:27-36, 38, 43
8-25-13: Sabbath Reforms Nehemiah 13:10-12, 15-22
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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