Nehemiah 7-9: Just and Faithful

Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.  - Neh. 7:5-6 NIV

“Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” “Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.  You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. Neh. 8:5-6 NIV

“Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings and leaders, upon our priests and prophets, upon our fathers and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong.  - Neh. 9:32-33 NIV

The remnant has returned from exile.  The temple has been rebuilt.  Jerusalem's walls have been repaired and now the people gather to worship and give thanks.  After the long years of exile, living under foreign rulers and foreign gods, they have a chance to reestablish their relationship with the God of their fathers.

First they must have responsive hearts, they must respond "Amen! Amen!, "So be it!"  Then they must bow down and worship.  They must extol the God of Heaven.  They must praise His name.  Finally, they must take responsibility.  They must acknowledge their sins, they must confess that they have brought the hardship upon themselves.  While they have wandered far from God, He has never left them, he has always been just and faithful.