Introduction

Right before Jesus was crucified, he warned his disciples, “In the world you (will) have tribulation” (John 16:33). This world is brutal. No matter how hard you try, tribulations are inevitable. How’s that for a downer to begin.

But how do you think about your tribulations? What do you do when you are staring tragedy in the face or the next wave after being pummeled by 100 others? In particular, how you think about suffering that is your fault, the result of your sin. That’s where Israel was in Nehemiah 9.

They were slaves in their own land (really just the tiny portion of that land). The Persian tax burden was crushing. They were poor, and they lived under constant fear of foreign invasion. They were struggling to process it.

We often wrestle with the same questions—Why is this happening? Where is God? How can this be good? We can learn a lot about how to process tribulation (especially when it is the chastening of the Lord) by looking at Nehemiah 9. But I must emphasize a few qualifiers.

I.  Qualifiers

Israel is confessing their ancestors’ sins more than their own. Remember that we are at the tail end of OT history. Israel rebelled for generations, and God finally sent them into captivity. But then God graciously brought them home. In Nehemiah 8–13 they are striving to relearn their religion and to get right with God.

In Nehemiah 9 they gathered in sackcloth and ashes to confess their sins. Last week I said the primary significance of this chapter for you is that it sets an important example for how you should approach confession. But one big difference is that your confession will be mostly personal; whereas, Israel confessed 1,000 years of sin in Nehemiah 9.

I want to be clear that Nehemiah’s generation was not liable for their ancestors’ sins. When you stand before God someday, you will be judged for your own deeds. But Nehemiah’s generation was enduring the consequences of their ancestors’ sins. They needed to understand why they were suffering.

More importantly, they needed to confess how wicked those sins were and distance themselves from them. They needed to declare a new direction, which they will do in chapter 10.

Sometimes we also suffer the consequence of the past sins of our nation or the church. We must see the cause, call that sin what it is, and forsake it by God’s grace. This would be the first application of Nehemiah 9. But we can still learn a lot from this chapter about the practice of personal confession.

Regenerate believers should not mimic Israel’s severe cycle of rebellion. Most Israelites were not saved, and even those who were did not enjoy the same indwelling power of the Spirit that you do if you are born again. So, the sins we’re going to confront today should not be normal for you.

You will sin, sometimes badly. You may have cycles of besetting sins. And your sin is rooted in the same core issues. But this psalm reflects on the failures of a largely unregenerate people. By God’s grace, that’s not us. That’s an important distinction between Israel and us to remember as we go.

Much of your suffering is not a direct consequence of sin. Please remember as we go. Israel was under God’s wrath. However, God has no wrath toward Christians. Christ already bore God’s wrath on the cross. So, never assume your suffering is rooted in God’s wrath. Sometimes it is simply the consequence of living in a fallen world. Sometimes God has another good purpose we may not fully understand.

But Hebrews 12:6 states, “Those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” Like any good father, our Father lovingly disciplines us. It’s good that sin has consequences because you don’t want to stray. You want to stay close to Jesus.

So, recognize God’s discipline and give thanks. But don’t assume God is punishing you every time you suffer. It’s simply not true, and that thinking will create unhealthy guilt. God has many good purposes in your pain.

But sometimes your suffering is your fault. Your home is tense, your boss is mad, or your bank account is empty because of your sin and foolishness. This chapter provides an important pattern for how you must respond.

In particular, I said last week the overall message of this chapter is that God-honoring confession begins with a clear vision of God’s grace which creates a proper perspective on my sin. I should add, “and a proper perspective on my suffering” (repeat).

Then we covered vv. 5–15. We saw that the psalmist doesn’t begin with confession. Instead, he begins with God’s goodness. God created all things, he graciously chose Israel, he rescued them from Egypt, and he gave them the Law. But today, we’ll pick up with v. 16, and the story stops being so rosy.

We’re going to walk through 4 stages of Israel’s history, and we’re going to swing back and forth from God’s amazing grace to Israel’s sin and its consequences, and back to grace. It sets a great example for how you should reflect on your life. The 1^st stage of reflection is on…

II.  The Wilderness Wanderings (vv. 16–21)

Verses 9–15 just described God’s incredible grace in the exodus and in giving the Law. But incredibly, vv. 16–17a say, “they…” The psalmist is blunt, and his example is good for your soul. When we sin, we want to make excuses (“He hurt me first”) or downplay what we did (“I wasn’t completely honest”). But learn to say things like, “I’m arrogant and stubborn.” “I refused to listen.” “I lied.” It’s true. And you won’t hate your sin and run to Jesus until you confess it for what it is. Then the text mentions a couple specific examples.

The Coupe (vv. 17b): The first is a coupe against Moses. You know the story. 12 men went to spy on Canaan, and 10 of them returned with a hopeless report. Israel panicked, they lost all hope in God’s promise, and they made plans to return to Egypt. It was forgetful, rebellious, and stubborn. So, God judged them with 40 years in the wilderness.

God’s judgment was severe. But the psalmist doesn’t complain; instead, he admits that Israel deserved worse. He doesn’t glorify Israel as a lowly victim, he glorifies God for his grace and patience and wonders at the fact that God “did not forsake them.”

When someone asks us how we are doing, Christians will sometimes reply, “Better than I deserve.” That’s true, and it’s a good perspective. Don’t complain, and don’t relish being the victim. See your sin for what it is. Marvel at the mercy of God, not how bad your life is. The next specific is with…

The Calf (vv. 18–19): Again, you know the story. God just told Israel not to make a graven image, then they did exactly that. Once again, the psalmist doesn’t skirt the issue. It was blasphemy.

Have you ever confessed the sin of blasphemy? You blaspheme anytime you misrepresent God. Do you have the stomach to call your sin something so severe, or is it too painful to admit?

Christian, you can be honest because God is faithful. Notice that vv. 18–19 focus on the wonder of God’s grace. Even when they did something so wretched, God “did not forsake them.” He threatened to, but he ultimately forgave and remained near through the pillar of cloud and fire. Israel didn’t deserve it. But God is kind and faithful to his promise.

Similarly, if you are saved, God has promised to keep you, to love you, and to bring you to glory. This fact transforms confession. You don’t need to fear God’s abandonment; therefore, you don’t have to hide from your sin or pretend it’s not that bad. Your Father’s love is certain. The gospel frees you to be brutally honest about your sin. So, trust his love, face your sin in the assurance of that love, and rest in his promise. The final specific is…

The Compassion (vv. 20–21): Sadly, 40 years in the wilderness did not cure Israel of sin. They constantly rebelled and complained. Yet God abundantly provided. He taught them his Word, he provided manna, he made water come out of a rock, and he even miraculously preserved their clothes.

But Israel didn’t see it that way. The manna was boring, the grass wasn’t green enough, and their clothes were old. As silly as it was, we are often no better. We arrogantly think we deserve more, and we are blind to God’s abundant kindness and to what we truly deserve.

In sum, the psalmist sets a great example for us. Instead of whining about suffering, he focuses on Israel’s sin and God’s amazing grace. That’s where you must also focus. Be like John Newton who said as he neared death, “Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” The 2^nd stage of reflection is…

III.  The Conquest (vv. 22–25)

These verses reflect on Joshua’s story. When we read Joshua, we get excited about the battles and the awesome miracles. But the psalmist remembers God’s faithfulness and grace.

Verse 8 said that God promised Abraham a wide land and a great nation. But Abraham never lived in anything more than a tent, and Israel spent centuries in Egyptian slavery. But God was faithful. 1^st, he gave…

A Home: God defeated Israel’s enemies and gave them the large home they had been waiting centuries to receive. God kept his promise. 2^nd, he gave…

A Nation: God promises Abraham that his descendants would be as “numerous as the stars of heaven.” And the psalmist rejoices that God did exactly that. That’s our God—faithful and generous. 3^rd, he gave…

Abundance: God didn’t just give them a land; he gave them a developed land. Verse 23 says they moved into fortified cities with nice homes and hewn cisterns. They immediately ate from mature vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees. Joshua’s generation “reveled in your great goodness.” God was good.

Seeing God’s goodness was essential to Israel rightly seeing their sin and God’s judgment, and it’s also vital to your perspective. Again, when we sin and suffer, we love to play the victim. “Sure, I lost my temper, but I’m under a lot of pressure.” “Yeah, I shouldn’t act that way, but if God gave me a different spouse, it would be a lot easier.” “I’d be more respectful, if I had better parents.” Time after time, we hide from the darkness of our sin by blaming the circumstances God has ordained.

The only way to strip away those lies is to see God’s goodness. Sure, you’re not in heaven yet, so your circumstances could be better. But get over the arrogant lie that you are entitled to this heavenly life on earth. God is overwhelmingly generous. See it so that you can rejoice, but also to expose lie of victimhood so that you see your sin for what it really is. The psalmist starts to really drop the hammer with the 3^rd stage of Israel’s story.

IV.  The Judges and Kings (vv. 26–31)

This section mostly focuses on the time of the Judges, because that period so clearly highlights the contrast between God’s grace and kindness and Israel’s sin and the suffering it produced. It does this by focusing on the cycle that repeats itself over and over in Judges. The first stage was always…

Rebellion: Notice the stark contrast between vv. 25 and 26. Verse 25 ends with “(They) reveled in your great goodness,” but v. 26 says, “But they became…” Again, God’s grace cuts away our excuses and puts the spotlight on our rebellion. Here, it’s an ugly picture.

Hopefully, your picture is not this ugly. Christian, you have the Holy Spirit. But your sin is disobedience, rebellion, and sometimes even blasphemy. Do you know how you sinned this past week? Did you minimize it, or did you call it what it is? Israel’s rebellion led to the 2^nd stage of the cycle.

Retribution (v. 27a): You know the stories of how the Edomites, Canaanites, Midianites, and Philistines oppressed Israel. They got what they deserved. But it was also a grace of God because it drove Israel to the 3^rd stage…

Repentance (v. 27b): When Israel would get desperate, “They cried to You in time of their distress.” God would be just to ignore them, especially since he knew they would rebel again, but God is gracious and faithful. He always responded with the 4^th stage…

Restoration (v. 27c): God raised up Ehud, Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson, and God used them to do great things. Considering Israel’s glaring and repeated idolatry and rebellion, each deliverance was so obviously an incredible display of unmerited grace.

But do you see your glaring sins, and are you as amazed at God’s mercy to you as you are his mercy to Israel? Use what God did for Israel as a mirror to your own story. The way you sin and the way God forgives is simply amazing.

Then, vv. 28–31 describe how this cycle repeated itself over and over (vv. 28–29a). Again, a Christian’s rebellion should not be as severe, but the songwriter was write when he said, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” We hate it, but we are all “prone to wander.”

Yet God remains generous. Verse 30 says, “You bore with them for many years…” Aren’t you thankful for the steadfast love of the Lord? God sent prophets, and they told it like it was. Read them sometime. They were very direct, and people got mad. They even killed some of the prophets. But every word was a gracious warning. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” Sadly, Israel didn’t listen, but incredibly, v. 31 says, “Nevertheless…”

God has made even stronger promises to NT Christians. Romans 8 promises “no condemnation” and that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If you are in Christ, you are secure. Praise God that he will never abandon you.

And praise God as well that this security frees you to face your sin like the psalmist does, to hate it, to remain secure, and to have hope for the future. Praise God for the gospel! The 4^th stage is…

V.  Captivity and Return, Mercy and Justice (vv. 32–37)

This section jumps head to the people’s present plight. It’s a hard section to read because these people really had it hard. They were slaves to a Persian king in the land God had promised Abraham.

They were working so hard provide for their families, but due to King Artaxerxes’ heavy taxes, the land’s “abundant produce is for the kings whom You have set over us.” They’re starving while a pagan king gets fat on the fruits of their labors. It wasn’t just the heavy taxes; the Persians “rule over our bodies and over our cattle as they please.” They invaded every part of the Israelites’ lives. They had no freedom and no hope of a better life.

There was nothing just or benevolent about Persian rule. Artaxerxes was greedy, arrogant, and tyrannical. How do most people respond in that situation? They riot, and they accuse God of injustice. Their hearts are full of bitterness, anger, and restlessness. You tell God, “I deserve better.” “Why don’t you love me?” “This is not fair.”

But Israel’s leaders direct them toward a stunningly different response. They don’t blame God or the Persians. In a remarkable display of humility, they blame themselves, and they set a powerful example for us that I’d like to summarize in 4 challenges.

Acknowledge God’s goodness. They do that right away in v. 32a. Whenever you are suffering the consequences of your sin or enduring an unexplainable trial, there is no truth more critical to your soul than the goodness of God. Without it, your sin is justifiable, and your suffering is meaningless or even evil. You have a right to be bitter and no obligation to confess your sins.

But God is always good, and you must hold fast to this truth and soak your heart and your mind in its truth. You don’t always know what God is doing, but you know he is good. He proved it at the cross and many other times also. Stay anchored to God’s goodness. 2^nd…

Admit your sin (vv. 34–35). These verses put a bow on what Israel has said over and over. They didn’t make excuses, they didn’t hide their sin, and they didn’t minimize it. Call your sin what it is. Use words like rebel, pervert, blasphemer, and liar. It will hurt, but you don’t cure a deadly cancer by calling it a bump. You have to see it for what it is before you can fix it. Admit your sin.

Accept sin’s consequence. Consider the fact that this was probably one of the most godly assemblies Jerusalem had ever known. They are the faithful few who left the comfort of Babylon to come home. They trusted God with their lives and rebuilt the wall. They diligently observed the feasts of the 7^th They’re not perfect, but they had godly credentials if they wanted them. They certainly could have looked down their noses at previous generations of Israelites.

But look at what they say in v. 33. That’s tremendous humility. When you tell a lie, don’t demand people’s trust. When you lose your temper, expect that you will have to reearn intimacy. And v. 33 also demonstrates a wonderful team spirit. These people were reaping the consequences of other people’s sins. But they don’t look down their nose, get angry, or flee. Sometimes, you suffer for your family’s sins, the church’s sins, and your country’s sin. Be a team player. Don’t whine about where you are. Help the team move forward.

Anticipate God’s restoration (v. 32). The only request in the entire chapter is, “Do not…” That’s a gentle request, isn’t it? They weren’t there to demand new circumstances but to confess their sins. But they ask God to see their suffering and to look on them with kindness.

And the mention of God’s faithfulness to his covenant and his lovingkindness, implies that they expected God to look on them with grace. Our God is good. “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Ps 30:5). Your suffering is not eternal. God will be faithful.

Conclusion

God-honoring confession begins with a clear vision of God’s grace which creates a proper perspective on my sin and suffering. I am so thankful that God is my Father and that the gospel allows me to run to him when I fail with absolute certainty of his love and faithfulness. That is a precious gift. Do you know that certainty for yourself? Are you resting in the finished work of Christ on the cross? You don’t have to spend your life wondering if God accepts you and terrified of falling short. You can know God as your Father. Just repent of your sin and receive Christ. Please do that today.

Then Christian, practice gospel-centered confession. Love the Lord, and hate your sin. Ask God to search your heart. When he reveals it, call it what it is. Rest in his grace. Forsake your sin. Pursue holiness.