Nehemiah 9:1- 4
“Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the wrongdoings of their fathers. ” (1-2) These expressions of repentance took place in the context of separation from ungodly influences and honoring God’s word. Their celebration of God’s Word brought an awareness of the need for repentance. They not only confessed their own sins, but the sins of their fathers who impacted their behavior. We do not see the need or have the will to repent until we separate ourselves from ungodly influences and turn to the Word of God. This continuing repentance and worship flowed from the discovery of truth when reading the Law: “While they stood in their place, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.” (3). Ongoing repentance as seen in the confession and worship is made possible by understanding God’s Word. True worship is not merely an emotional response to good music, but is rooted in the revelation of God through communication of Scripture! God’s Word is critical to all true worship.