The Second Exodus - 26 Week

LESSON 22 2. Notice the reference to God and all the “you” statements about Him. Write down what you learn about God’s nature and His works.

FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH

GOD’S MERCIES “God’s mercy is compassion and kindness toward someone experiencing hardship, sometimes even when such suffering results from the person’s own sin or foolishness. God displays mercy toward his people and they, in turn, are called to display mercy toward others (Luke 6:36). The mercies of God run like a stream through Nehemiah chapter 9, answering the disobedience of the people repeatedly with something much better than they deserved. The first mention of mercy (9:17) directly echoes Exodus 34:5–6, in which God proclaimed his name before Moses and then rewrote the two tablets of the law—after Moses had broken the first ones in anger over the people’s sin. Nehemiah 9:18–19 recalls the making of a golden calf and God’s ‘great mer- cies’ in not forsaking this blasphemous people. The language of ‘saviors’ and ‘deliverers’ (9:27–28) points clearly ahead to the Savior who came to deliver his people finally from sin. The prayer’s sweep of history climaxes in a state- ment bookended by mercy: ‘In your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God’ (9:31).” 60

3. Compare Nehemiah 9:16–21 with Exodus 34:5–9. What do you notice about God’s mercy and justice?

4. Notice the cyclical nature of Israel’s behavior in verses 26–31. (Hint: Look at how they sin, what they do, and what happens.) In what way have you ex- perienced a similar cycle with the Lord? How does the following verse help break the cycle? “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” —Romans 6:6

60 Ezra and Nehemiah . Kathleen B. Nielson, Knowing the Bible, pg. 79 & 82.

Nehemiah 9:1–10:39 | 223

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