“Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them….. Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.” (Nehemiah 9:32–34,38; ESV)
Following the destruction of Jerusalem by the invading Babylonian armies in the eighth century B.C., the Israelites ended up in bondage. Their soldiers were killed in battle. The Temple was destroyed. The walls of the city of Jerusalem were torn down. Many fled the country. Thousands were taken as slaves to Babylon. Thus began the period known as “The Exile”.
The Exile was the result of sin of Israel. This was recorded in the scripture above from the prophet Nehemiah, “our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and warnings that you gave them” (Nehemiah 9:34). This sin of the people of Israel caused The Exile to occur. God was faithful to the covenant with Israel. The people of Israel were not faithful to the covenant, nor to God. This fact was made crystal clear in Nehemiah 9:34 with the words: “you [God] have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly” (Nehemiah 9:33). Despite the sin of Israel, God reached out in love and reaffirmed the covenant. God freed the Israelites from bondage in the days of Cyrus of Persia (Isaiah 45:1). Now what was to happen to Israel?
In the days when The Exile ended, God called for the people of Israel to return to Judah and Jerusalem. Prophets like Nehemiah and priests like Ezra encouraged the people to begin to rebuild the Temple and reaffirm their faith. Nehemiah, following the will of God, then went one step further. In today’s scripture, Nehemiah demanded that the people of Israel returning from the exile “make a firm covenant in writing” and sign it with their names as a promise to return to the covenant with God. Nehemiah 10 actually lists the names of the prominent leaders of Israel who put their names to a written document promising a return to faithfulness. Many princes, priests, and holy men signed the document, thus rededicating themselves to the covenant with God. They gave their word. They signed their names.
Some of the most important things in your life will involve you signing your name upon making a promise. Many schools require parents and/or doctors to sign documents verifying the acquisition of vaccinations for the children. When you are married, you will sign a marriage license. When you buy a house, you will be required to sign the deed documents and/or loan documents. When you join a church, you will “sign on” to membership requirements. Putting your name on a formal document implies a contractual obligation and should not be taken lightly.
When Nehemiah asked the leaders of Israel to sign a document reaffirming the covenant between God and Israel, those leaders were making a promise to be in a relationship with God. It’s one thing to say you’ll keep a promise. By signing your name, it’s a whole other level.
When George and Linda went to their pastor for marriage counseling, their relationship was strained. George thought Linda was being unreasonable in her demands. Linda thought George was being unloving and unkind. Both gave examples for their reasoning to the pastor. After three counseling sessions, the pastor asked both George and Linda what they needed from each other. He wrote these “needs” (not wants!) down on a piece of paper. He showed the paper to the couple and said, “So these are things that you need from each other? These are things you believe God wants as well?” Both nodded their heads. Then, the pastor turned the document around to face George and Linda. He said, “I want you to go home and do these things for each other for the next month to honor each other and God. Then, come back and see me for our next session. As a sign of your faithfulness in keeping this promise to God and each other, I want you to sign this list. And I will make a copy for you to stick it on the refrigerator or somewhere where you’ll see it every day. In one month, we’ll regather and see how well you keep your promises to each other and to God.”
George’s eyes grew large, and he said, “You mean we both really have to sign this?”
“Yes, for each other and for God,” replied the pastor.
With some amount of trepidation, the two signed the document. They took a copy home and did as the pastor said.
A month later, the pastor met with George and Linda. They seemed different. They actually were smiling! The pastor found out that the two kept their word. They not only kept an eye on the document but followed every word. During that month, their arguments slowed and then ceased. They felt more love coming from each other. While keeping that “covenant” on the refrigerator, they found a renewed commitment to love each other.
There are times when you might need to write up a document and make a new or special “covenant” with God. Then, you will need to sign it. That document might list something special you promise to do for God. It might be a short-term covenant meant to bring you closer to God. It might be a long-term covenant in which you promise to do something for God for the rest of your life. Nehemiah knew the power of having the leaders sign the document to renew the covenant with God. Sometimes, it takes the seriousness of a written and signed promise to fulfill one’s obligation to Jesus.
Is there some area of your life that might benefit from you signing a covenantal promise to God? Will you keep a promise to Jesus? Are you willing to go so far as to sign your name to a document fulfilling the will of God? What might that look like?
A friend of mine drank alcohol to excess for years. When he finally went to get help from an Alcoholics Anonymous group at his church, the leader asked him to memorize the ten steps of recovery known to the group. Then, after three months sober, the leader gave a small copy of the ten steps to my friend. It was on a small piece of paper. It had a line at the bottom. There, my friend signed and dated his willingness to follow the ten steps. He carries that piece of paper in his wallet to this day as a reminder of a promise to keep sober that he made to himself, to the group, and to God. I am thankful for his faithfulness! I am glad he has kept covenant with Jesus!
Have you kept your covenants with Jesus? Might a signed copy of a promise to God help you to renew your love for your Lord? Would you sign on the dotted line a commitment to your Savior?
The Exile was the result of sin of Israel. This was recorded in the scripture above from the prophet Nehemiah, “our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and warnings that you gave them” (Nehemiah 9:34). This sin of the people of Israel caused The Exile to occur. God was faithful to the covenant with Israel. The people of Israel were not faithful to the covenant, nor to God. This fact was made crystal clear in Nehemiah 9:34 with the words: “you [God] have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly” (Nehemiah 9:33). Despite the sin of Israel, God reached out in love and reaffirmed the covenant. God freed the Israelites from bondage in the days of Cyrus of Persia (Isaiah 45:1). Now what was to happen to Israel?
In the days when The Exile ended, God called for the people of Israel to return to Judah and Jerusalem. Prophets like Nehemiah and priests like Ezra encouraged the people to begin to rebuild the Temple and reaffirm their faith. Nehemiah, following the will of God, then went one step further. In today’s scripture, Nehemiah demanded that the people of Israel returning from the exile “make a firm covenant in writing” and sign it with their names as a promise to return to the covenant with God. Nehemiah 10 actually lists the names of the prominent leaders of Israel who put their names to a written document promising a return to faithfulness. Many princes, priests, and holy men signed the document, thus rededicating themselves to the covenant with God. They gave their word. They signed their names.
Some of the most important things in your life will involve you signing your name upon making a promise. Many schools require parents and/or doctors to sign documents verifying the acquisition of vaccinations for the children. When you are married, you will sign a marriage license. When you buy a house, you will be required to sign the deed documents and/or loan documents. When you join a church, you will “sign on” to membership requirements. Putting your name on a formal document implies a contractual obligation and should not be taken lightly.
When Nehemiah asked the leaders of Israel to sign a document reaffirming the covenant between God and Israel, those leaders were making a promise to be in a relationship with God. It’s one thing to say you’ll keep a promise. By signing your name, it’s a whole other level.
When George and Linda went to their pastor for marriage counseling, their relationship was strained. George thought Linda was being unreasonable in her demands. Linda thought George was being unloving and unkind. Both gave examples for their reasoning to the pastor. After three counseling sessions, the pastor asked both George and Linda what they needed from each other. He wrote these “needs” (not wants!) down on a piece of paper. He showed the paper to the couple and said, “So these are things that you need from each other? These are things you believe God wants as well?” Both nodded their heads. Then, the pastor turned the document around to face George and Linda. He said, “I want you to go home and do these things for each other for the next month to honor each other and God. Then, come back and see me for our next session. As a sign of your faithfulness in keeping this promise to God and each other, I want you to sign this list. And I will make a copy for you to stick it on the refrigerator or somewhere where you’ll see it every day. In one month, we’ll regather and see how well you keep your promises to each other and to God.”
George’s eyes grew large, and he said, “You mean we both really have to sign this?”
“Yes, for each other and for God,” replied the pastor.
With some amount of trepidation, the two signed the document. They took a copy home and did as the pastor said.
A month later, the pastor met with George and Linda. They seemed different. They actually were smiling! The pastor found out that the two kept their word. They not only kept an eye on the document but followed every word. During that month, their arguments slowed and then ceased. They felt more love coming from each other. While keeping that “covenant” on the refrigerator, they found a renewed commitment to love each other.
There are times when you might need to write up a document and make a new or special “covenant” with God. Then, you will need to sign it. That document might list something special you promise to do for God. It might be a short-term covenant meant to bring you closer to God. It might be a long-term covenant in which you promise to do something for God for the rest of your life. Nehemiah knew the power of having the leaders sign the document to renew the covenant with God. Sometimes, it takes the seriousness of a written and signed promise to fulfill one’s obligation to Jesus.
Is there some area of your life that might benefit from you signing a covenantal promise to God? Will you keep a promise to Jesus? Are you willing to go so far as to sign your name to a document fulfilling the will of God? What might that look like?
A friend of mine drank alcohol to excess for years. When he finally went to get help from an Alcoholics Anonymous group at his church, the leader asked him to memorize the ten steps of recovery known to the group. Then, after three months sober, the leader gave a small copy of the ten steps to my friend. It was on a small piece of paper. It had a line at the bottom. There, my friend signed and dated his willingness to follow the ten steps. He carries that piece of paper in his wallet to this day as a reminder of a promise to keep sober that he made to himself, to the group, and to God. I am thankful for his faithfulness! I am glad he has kept covenant with Jesus!
Have you kept your covenants with Jesus? Might a signed copy of a promise to God help you to renew your love for your Lord? Would you sign on the dotted line a commitment to your Savior?