I want us to look at and think about God’s goodness to His children.

At the end of the chapter, they point out they are slaves. How could God be good to them if they were slaves? Where can we see God’s goodness in that?

Nehemiah gives us the history of Israel, starting with Father Abraham.

Abraham’s heart was found faithful, so a covenant was given. It’s the covenant that keeps Israel from being completely cut off for their sin. God will remain faithful to His word. As it says in Nehemiah 9, God performed His word because He is righteous.

God shows His love to His people in His faithfulness. God did what He said He would do because God is righteous, which means He will always do what is right, even when we don’t. God shows His love for us by always doing right by us. So, because of faithful Abraham, we have a people of promise, a covenant people.

God delivers His people from Egypt with great miracles because the people of the land acted proudly against His children.

God shows His love by defending and delivering and rescuing His children. He leads His people by miracles and defeats their enemies behind them.

The people complain, but God takes care of them and gives them food and water. The people make gods for themselves and worship them in frivolity. Though some people are destroyed for their sin, God forgives His people and shows His great mercy.

God loves His children by showing mercy and being ready to pardon our sin. He leads His people day and night by His presence with them. He shows them the way to go. He gives light on the path. God shows His love by giving His presence to His people and by leading them.

I can’t help but think of the verse from Psalms 119, “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

It was during this time of God illuminating their way that He gives His people the Ten Commandments and the rest of the laws and statutes through Moses.

God shows His love by giving instructions that will lead to blessing in their lives if they follow them.

God swore to give His children the land He promised Abraham He would give to his descendants. God tells them to go possess it. But they don’t.