God’s Mercy

Notes: God’s Mercy

Pastor Brad Ormonde 

12/12/2017

Nehemiah 9

During these holidays we will experience a lot of people not responding to people the way we should. The most important person to respond to correctly is God.

Responding to God is so important through praying.

Are my prayers glorifying God or are they self serving?

P.R.A.Y.

Praise

Repentance 

Ask

Yield 

1. God’s name.

Nehemiah 9:1-3 NKJV

[1] Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. [2] Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. [3] And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.

Sackcloth and dust on their heads was a strong display of morning.

In their time of distress, they call out to God. That is exactly what we should be doing.

God’s name is glorious. 

When other names are spoken, they don’t compare to the glorious name of God.

God’s names:

Elohim

El Shaddai

Yahweh / Jehovah

Adonai

Jehovah-JIREH

Jehovah-RAPHA

Jehovah-NISSI

Jehovah-M’KADDESH

Jehovah-Shalom

Jehovah-Tsidkenu

Jehovah-Rohi

Yahweh-Shammah

Yahweh-Sabaoth

El Elyon

El Roi 

El-Olam

El-Gibhor

God has so many names, He is all things to all people.

Nehemiah 9:10 NKJV

[10] You showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, Against all his servants, And against all the people of his land. For You knew that they acted proudly against them. So You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day.

Apart from Him, there is no God.

They reference God as “You” over 30 times in chapter 9.

2. God’s Mercy.

What is God like in response to our failures?

6 times are mentioned in this chapter.

Nehemiah 9:16-17 NKJV

[16] "But they and our fathers acted proudly, Hardened their necks, And did not heed Your commandments. [17] They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage. But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.

Nehemiah 9:18-27 NKJV

[18] "Even when they made a molded calf for themselves, And said, 'This is your god That brought you up out of Egypt,' And worked great provocations, [19] Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, To lead them on the road; Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go. [20] You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And gave them water for their thirst. [21] Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out And their feet did not swell. [22] "Moreover You gave them kingdoms and nations, And divided them into districts. So they took possession of the land of Sihon, The land of the king of Heshbon, And the land of Og king of Bashan. [23] You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, And brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers To go in and possess. [24] So the people went in And possessed the land; You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, The Canaanites, And gave them into their hands, With their kings And the people of the land, That they might do with them as they wished. [25] And they took strong cities and a rich land, And possessed houses full of all goods, Cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves, And fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and grew fat, And delighted themselves in Your great goodness. [26] "Nevertheless they were disobedient And rebelled against You, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets, who testified against them To turn them to Yourself; And they worked great provocations. [27] Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, Who oppressed them; And in the time of their trouble, When they cried to You, You heard from heaven; And according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them From the hand of their enemies.

There will always be consequences to our sins. God forgives, but you still face the consequences.

We have a gracious and merciful God. 

Jesus speaks to us about mercy and forgiveness over and over again.

Nehemiah 9:32-33 NKJV

[32] "Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. [33] However You are just in all that has befallen us; For You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly.

The message of this section;

God is good to His people, even when His people are not good to Him.

3. God’s Salvation 

Over and over again, we see rebellion and mercy.

God’s mercy is not cheap, it cost Him, the blood of His son.

God gives us far more than we deserve.