Nehemiah 1: 10 Commentary

1. Nehemiah is reminding God
a. That these are His people
2. The Israelites are God‘s covenant people
a. A special people set aside for His purposes
3. It would be all too easy to just say “fry them all, start again”
a. But real leaders have compassion for their people
b. And pray for them not against them
4. Moses prayed a similar prayer at the “golden calf” incident
a. Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: “LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people (Ex 32:11-14)

By Tractorman (wrote 3584 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 5/6/2011 13:54 pm