A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 9
Nehemiah CHAP. IX.
THIS Chapter is a Narrative of a Solemn Day of Faſting and Humiliation; wherein they make a moſt Humble Confeſſion and an Hearty Acknowledgment; Firſt, Of God's gracious Dealing with them in four Particulars; and Secondly, Of the great and groſs Ingratitude both of their Fore-fathers and of themſelves, for all God's gracious Diſpenſations.
Remark the Firſt; The Marks and Signs of Sincere Repentance are ſet down here, ver. 1, 2, 3. as a Preparative to this Solemn Day. Sanctius obſerves well, thoſe Faſters now had wept at the Feaſt of Tabernacles (when their Conſciences were awakened by hearing the Law Read to them) and had been then ſtilled by Nehemiah and the Levites, Chap. 8.10, 11. becauſe their Sorrow was then as unſeaſonable in a Day of Publick Joy and Triumph, as the weeping of Sampſon's Wife was at her Wedding, Judg. 14.16. but ſo ſoon as the Solemn Feaſt was over, which ended at the twenty ſecond Day, the next Day being a Day of Ceſſation, they begin to keep a Solemn Faſt on the 24th. wherein they might vent their ſorrows for their Sins more ſuitably and ſeaſonably; in order hereunto (ſaith Wolphius) they ſtir up themſelves by many Symbols of Godly Sorrow; as
Mark 1. They Aſſembled all together in Sackcloth, as acknowledging themſelves unworthy of the courſeſt Clothing; and had it not been for ſhame, they could have now ſtrip'd themſelves Naked.
Mark 2. And with Earth upon their Heads, that is, Duſt and Aſhes (ſays Wolphius) as thoſe that had forfeited all, and deſerved to be as far under ground, as now they were above ground, Eſth. 4.1, &c.
Mark 3. The Seed of Iſrael (who were Iſraelites indeed, John 1.47.) did both confeſs and forſake their Sins (in ſeperating from their ſtrange Wives, Children, and other Pagans who had mixed themſelves with them, according to Ezra's Covenant, Ezra 10.3. and Neh. 13.3.) This (ſaith Wolphius) was a true ſign of a ſound Repentance, and ſuch as do ſo after a due manner, ſhall find mercy with the Lord, Prov. 28.13. N. B. Iſrael (whoſe Seed theſe Faſters are ſaid to be) ſignifies a Power with God to prevail, Hoſ. 12.4. Gen. 32.24, 26, &c. and Judah (from whence thoſe Jews had that denomination) ſignifies Confeſſion; denoting 1. That as Jacob or Iſrael was a Prince prevailing with God, ſo every true Iſraelite, ſeeks not God in vain, but concerning the work of God's hands may command him, Iſa. 45.11, 19. And 2. As Judah the Confeſſour, Hebr. got the Kingdom from Reuben; ſo Confeſſion is the way to God's Kingdom for us to walk in thither, and we ſhall ſurely obtain it at the end of that Walk, eſpecially if our Confeſſion of Sin be conjoin'd with the Confuſion of Sin, as here, abandoning their darling Sins, keeping themſelves from their Iniquities, Pſal. 18.23. God receives ſuch as ſo Separate, 2 Cor. 6.17, 18.
Mark 4. Nor had they yet got enough, much leſs too much of Reading the Law, which had ſo prick'd them to the heart, (as Acts 2.37.) and convinced their Conſciences of their great and many Sins, Chap. 8.7, 8, &c. but here again they return to Reading it and to give the ſenſe of it, applying it cloſe to all caſes of Conſcience; this was Preaching indeed; and in this Work they continued for three hours, that is, from Nine to Twelve, for they divided the Day into twelve hours, John 11.9. The firſt three (ſaith Junius) was ſpent in the Morning Sacrifice, that is, from Sun riſe, or Six to Nine; after which, when all the People were Aſſembled together, they began the Reading and Expounding the Law from Nine to Twelve, yea and the third part of the Day from Twelve to Three, they ſpent in Preaching to the People, and in Praying to God and praiſing of God. N. B. This Sacred Scripture-Practice is both a Pattern and a Warrant for our Preaching Faſt-Sermons, tho' Prayer be the proper and principal Duty of ſuch a Day. See Jerem. 36.6, 7. Acts 6.4, &c. Then they cloſed thoſe extraordinary Exerciſes with the Evening Sacrifice, &c.
Remark the Second; The Particular Exemplification of that which was ſaid before in the General, ver. 4, 5, 6. Eight Holy Levites are named here, each ſtanding up in his proper place to teach and excite the People, that were for more conveniency divided into eight ſeveral Congregations; for had they all Preached at one time (ſay Junius and Piſcator) and in one place only, this would have bred a Confuſion, and one would have hindred another. The Septuagint adds to ver. 6. Hebrew Text [and Ezra ſaid] from whence ſome ſuppoſe that Ezra (the Principal Prieſt) Preach'd to and Pray'd with the Head Governours, and the Principal Men of Judah, who might all be in one Company in the Court of the Lord's Temple (for all this great Congregation could not probably hear one Man together at once) and Ezra pray'd this following Prayer before theſe Princes, &c.
Remark the Third: The following Prayer conſiſts of a Prologue of an Enumeration of God's favours to them; and laſtly, of an Epilogue.
Mark 1. In the Prologue or Preface he gives to God (whom he pray'd unto) all poſſible praiſe due unto his Name, which indeed is above all Praiſe, and when we have done our utmoſt we cannot overdo; but we fall infinitely ſhort in praiſing enough the great Creator of all, &c. ver. 5, 6.
Mark 2. He reckons up four Gracious Favours of God: 1. In chuſing their Father Abraham for his Love, and then loving him for his Choice, &c. ver. 7, 8. 2ly. In Delivering Abraham's Off-ſpring out of Egypt, ver. 9, 10, 11. 3ly. In Preſerving them in the Wilderneſs, wherein he beſtowed ſeven great and gracious Grants to them: As Firſt, His Conduct, ver. 12. Secondly, His Law, ver. 13, 14. Thirdly, His Maintenance of Meat and Drink, ver. 15. Fourthly, His Pardon both of the Murmurers who were for Returning to Egypt, and the Idolaters who made the Golden Calf, ver. 16, 17, 18, 19. Fifthly, His Holy Spirit, ver. 20. Sixthly, Not only Food, but alſo Raiment ſufficient for forty Years, ver. 21. And Seventhly, His Land of Promiſe by Moſes, Joſhua and the Judges, ver. 22, to ver. 31, 32. This Seventh was the fourth Favour acknowledg'd here, namely, God's giving the Land of Canaan.
Mark 3. More Particularly, As there is in Ezra's Prayers an Enumeration of God's Mercies, from ver. 7, to 16. ſo there is a Confeſſion of the groſs Ingratitude both of their Fore-fathers and of themſelves, from ver. 16, to 27. and likewiſe a Declaration of God's Juſt Judgments in every Generation till that Day for their Sins, from ver. 27, to 32.
Remark the Fourth, Is the Epilogue; wherein we have a Recapitulation and an Explanation of the aforeſaid, both from the Perſons of God, and from their own Perſons alſo: Or more briefly thus; There is 1ſt. An Humble Supplication for Mercy; he pleads with God that the many Evils they had undergone might not ſeem ſmall to him, from ver. 32, to 37. And 2ly. He binds the People in a Covenant to a better behaviour for the future, ver. 38.