Israel Made a Sure Covenant

Minister:	Rev. Ronald Van Overloop
Date:	7/19/2015 PM
Text:	Nehemiah 9:38; 10:28,29
Psalters:	373, 272, 111, 311

The sinful neglect.
1. Spirit-worked spiritual renewal takes place when the wonder of the covenant is truly appreciated: “because of all this…” (9:38)
  1. This takes place when the Word of God is faithfully preached to the understanding of the people (8:3,7,8).
  2. The Spirit works spiritual renewal.
2. An ever-present danger in the church is spiritual complacency, indifference to either doctrine or life, spiritual apathy.
  1. This is especially an ever present danger for those raised in the church so lose the sense of how awesome God is.
  2. The reality of God’s covenantal relationship with Israel was treated with horrible indifference for most of the 90 years.
3. In the prayer of chapter 9 the individual families confessed their spiritual laziness and their repeated rebellion.
“We make a sure covenant” is the repeating of the vow to be faithful to the covenant which God had established with them.
1. The leaders of Israel obligate themselves, through written agreement, to be faithful to God.
  1. This vow to praise and to serve is man’s part in the covenant (cf. third principle part of the doctrine of baptism).
  2. The leaders now want to affirm or renew the relationship, i.e., repeat the vows of confession of faith.
  3. Commitment to duty is a necessary part of the Christian life and God works in us to do His good pleasure.
2. This spiritual reformation was also among the general members (29ff).
  1. They willingly obligate themselves to an obedience to all of God’s commandments (not just some) (29).
  2. Their zeal for God’s covenant was not vague, but dealt with three specific matters (10:30ff).