1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 Thank you, Mark. 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,660 One of the words that is often overused in our day 3 00:00:05,660 --> 00:00:08,740 is the word revival. 4 00:00:08,740 --> 00:00:10,940 Sometimes I think that more than revival, 5 00:00:10,940 --> 00:00:14,700 we need viable in this land. 6 00:00:14,700 --> 00:00:16,300 We need life in the first place. 7 00:00:18,660 --> 00:00:22,780 The one hears these days that there's a revival taking place. 8 00:00:22,780 --> 00:00:25,980 Statistics are quoted to show that more people 9 00:00:25,980 --> 00:00:30,700 are going to church than in many years. 10 00:00:30,700 --> 00:00:36,580 Those who believe in God are in the majority by far, 11 00:00:36,580 --> 00:00:38,780 and the percentage is increasing each year. 12 00:00:41,340 --> 00:00:43,820 More Americans this year than last year 13 00:00:43,820 --> 00:00:47,300 say that religion is a significant part of their lives. 14 00:00:50,020 --> 00:00:52,580 On various religious programs, you 15 00:00:52,580 --> 00:00:57,460 hear revival talked about, although we must remember 16 00:00:57,460 --> 00:01:00,900 that revival is not talked up, it's prayed down. 17 00:01:04,020 --> 00:01:08,660 But as I look in the Word of God and see what real revival is, 18 00:01:08,660 --> 00:01:12,940 I wonder if we have genuine revival taking place in our land, 19 00:01:12,940 --> 00:01:16,180 despite what some of these statistics tell us. 20 00:01:16,180 --> 00:01:21,540 One of the great periods of revival in the Word of God 21 00:01:21,540 --> 00:01:28,700 was a period of time after the captivity of Judah had ended. 22 00:01:28,700 --> 00:01:31,820 I'm going to ask you to take your Bible and turn with me 23 00:01:31,820 --> 00:01:34,860 to the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. 24 00:01:39,900 --> 00:01:42,660 I have prayed, and I believe that many of you 25 00:01:42,660 --> 00:01:48,020 have prayed as well, that we might see a great sweeping 26 00:01:48,020 --> 00:01:54,220 of the Spirit of God across our nation in these days, 27 00:01:54,220 --> 00:01:58,740 that we might see a revival, a genuine one. 28 00:02:02,660 --> 00:02:04,220 How do we know a real revival? 29 00:02:07,300 --> 00:02:09,340 Perhaps if we even have to ask the question, 30 00:02:09,340 --> 00:02:12,900 is this real, it says something about the nature of it. 31 00:02:16,100 --> 00:02:24,300 You'll recall a brief history of the nation of Israel in 586 BC. 32 00:02:24,300 --> 00:02:27,980 The southern kingdom of Judah was carried away 33 00:02:27,980 --> 00:02:31,340 into captivity by Babylon. 34 00:02:31,340 --> 00:02:35,620 The city of Jerusalem and its glorious temple 35 00:02:35,620 --> 00:02:39,500 was absolutely destroyed. 36 00:02:42,500 --> 00:02:47,700 Jeremiah wept and preached, at least for a time, 37 00:02:47,700 --> 00:02:50,500 to those people in captivity. 38 00:02:50,500 --> 00:02:54,740 God raised up others of His prophets, 39 00:02:54,740 --> 00:02:59,340 and it happened according to His Word that in 538, 40 00:02:59,340 --> 00:03:03,740 Cyrus, who was the king of Persia, 41 00:03:03,740 --> 00:03:09,220 granted the degree that the Jews could return to Jerusalem 42 00:03:09,220 --> 00:03:12,980 and there begin to rebuild the city. 43 00:03:12,980 --> 00:03:17,980 That is what the first part of the book of Ezra records. 44 00:03:17,980 --> 00:03:24,340 It is the return to Jerusalem of about 50,000 Jews 45 00:03:24,340 --> 00:03:26,340 under the law of Israel. 46 00:03:26,340 --> 00:03:32,340 About 50,000 Jews under the leadership of their governor, 47 00:03:32,340 --> 00:03:34,340 whose name was Erebabel. 48 00:03:36,980 --> 00:03:40,580 Their concern was to build the temple of God again. 49 00:03:43,260 --> 00:03:45,580 In chapter 3 and verse 8, it says, 50 00:03:45,580 --> 00:03:48,660 now in the second year of their coming to the house of God 51 00:03:48,660 --> 00:03:52,140 in Jerusalem in the second month, 52 00:03:52,140 --> 00:03:56,420 the men listed here began the work. 53 00:03:56,420 --> 00:03:59,220 In other words, a couple of years after they arrived 54 00:03:59,220 --> 00:04:04,380 back in Jerusalem, they actually began the construction work 55 00:04:04,380 --> 00:04:07,620 on the foundation of the temple. 56 00:04:07,620 --> 00:04:11,780 This was in the year 535 BC. 57 00:04:11,780 --> 00:04:18,260 It was this work which signaled the end of the 70 years 58 00:04:18,260 --> 00:04:21,900 of predicted captivity of the people. 59 00:04:21,900 --> 00:04:29,100 The 70 years had begun in 605 BC when Babylon made its first 60 00:04:29,100 --> 00:04:33,940 incursion against Judah and took some of the people back 61 00:04:33,940 --> 00:04:39,180 with them to Babylon, including Daniel. 62 00:04:39,180 --> 00:04:43,220 70 years after that first incursion in 535, 63 00:04:43,220 --> 00:04:46,860 the Jews are back in their land and they begin to build 64 00:04:46,860 --> 00:04:49,540 the temple, but it does not go without opposition. 65 00:04:49,540 --> 00:04:52,540 It is the work that God's work never does. 66 00:04:52,540 --> 00:04:55,540 And for a time, the work remains dormant because of that 67 00:04:55,540 --> 00:04:57,220 opposition. 68 00:04:57,220 --> 00:05:02,220 But then, about 15 years later, the work begins again in 69 00:05:02,220 --> 00:05:08,420 earnest and it took them four years to build the temple as it 70 00:05:08,420 --> 00:05:10,180 was to be. 71 00:05:10,180 --> 00:05:14,540 It was a temple that was greatly reduced in its glory. 72 00:05:14,540 --> 00:05:19,500 And when the old men saw even the foundation of it, 73 00:05:19,500 --> 00:05:23,500 the old men who had remembered the other temple, 74 00:05:23,500 --> 00:05:25,380 they wept. 75 00:05:25,380 --> 00:05:27,740 Many of the people, especially the younger people, 76 00:05:27,740 --> 00:05:32,380 rejoiced at what was taking place in their midst. 77 00:05:32,380 --> 00:05:36,300 But the older people wept as they remembered the glory that 78 00:05:36,300 --> 00:05:41,180 had been the temples. 79 00:05:41,180 --> 00:05:49,340 The work is completed on March the 12th, 515 BC. 80 00:05:49,340 --> 00:05:52,940 And then a number of years passed, 58 years actually, 81 00:05:52,940 --> 00:05:57,140 between chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra. 82 00:05:57,140 --> 00:06:02,340 In chapter 7 we have Ezra's record of his own journey to 83 00:06:02,340 --> 00:06:04,140 Jerusalem. 84 00:06:04,140 --> 00:06:07,340 Before this he has written history, 85 00:06:07,340 --> 00:06:11,980 but now he begins to write about his own experience. 86 00:06:11,980 --> 00:06:16,580 In verse 10 we see a summary of the Spirit of God of this man 87 00:06:16,580 --> 00:06:18,180 Ezra. 88 00:06:18,180 --> 00:06:23,180 It is no wonder that what is about to occur did when you see 89 00:06:23,180 --> 00:06:27,740 the character of this man who was their spiritual leader. 90 00:06:27,740 --> 00:06:33,700 Verse 10, chapter 7, for Ezra had set his heart to study the 91 00:06:33,700 --> 00:06:39,700 law of the Lord and to practice it and to teach his statutes 92 00:06:39,700 --> 00:06:42,180 and ordinances in Israel. 93 00:06:42,180 --> 00:06:46,240 When you find a man like that, something's going to happen. 94 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,380 That's the kind of a person you want to be, 95 00:06:48,380 --> 00:06:50,100 isn't it? 96 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:55,900 It's the kind of person I want to be who soaks his heart in the 97 00:06:55,900 --> 00:07:02,780 Word of God and then who practices it and then teaches 98 00:07:02,780 --> 00:07:04,300 it, declares it to people. 99 00:07:07,580 --> 00:07:12,980 Ezra records how the journey went and they finally arrived 100 00:07:12,980 --> 00:07:14,300 safely in Jerusalem. 101 00:07:14,300 --> 00:07:15,880 It took them about four months. 102 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,620 It was 900 miles as they would travel. 103 00:07:19,620 --> 00:07:21,740 And the traveling was tough. 104 00:07:21,740 --> 00:07:24,300 Not only was the terrain difficult, 105 00:07:24,300 --> 00:07:27,740 but there were enemies along the way and bandits that 106 00:07:27,740 --> 00:07:30,340 threatened them, but God preserved them. 107 00:07:30,340 --> 00:07:33,780 And finally they arrived in Jerusalem. 108 00:07:33,780 --> 00:07:36,300 After about four months being in the city, 109 00:07:36,300 --> 00:07:42,580 a report came to Ezra regarding the spiritual situation of the 110 00:07:42,580 --> 00:07:43,740 people. 111 00:07:43,740 --> 00:07:46,420 We find this in Ezra chapter 9. 112 00:07:49,340 --> 00:07:55,340 The report that came to Ezra was thus, 113 00:07:55,340 --> 00:08:01,420 the people of Israel and the priests and the Levites. 114 00:08:01,420 --> 00:08:04,940 Now those were the religious leaders who were responsible 115 00:08:04,940 --> 00:08:08,380 for the service of the temple, right? 116 00:08:08,380 --> 00:08:12,100 These people have not separated themselves from the people of 117 00:08:12,100 --> 00:08:16,060 the lands according to the abominations and the elistos 118 00:08:16,060 --> 00:08:17,500 people. 119 00:08:17,500 --> 00:08:21,420 Verse 2, For they have taken some of their daughters as wives 120 00:08:21,420 --> 00:08:24,060 for themselves and for their sons, 121 00:08:24,060 --> 00:08:28,020 so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples 122 00:08:28,020 --> 00:08:29,620 of the lands. 123 00:08:29,620 --> 00:08:32,700 Indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been 124 00:08:32,700 --> 00:08:37,020 foremost in this unfaithfulness. 125 00:08:37,020 --> 00:08:41,020 The report was one of compromise. 126 00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:44,620 Instead of the people of God remaining separate, 127 00:08:44,620 --> 00:08:49,100 as God had called them, to holiness, 128 00:08:49,100 --> 00:08:52,100 they compromised what God had told them and they began to 129 00:08:52,100 --> 00:08:54,620 intermarry with the people of the land. 130 00:08:54,620 --> 00:08:57,620 And whenever that took place, there was then the sharing of 131 00:08:57,620 --> 00:09:01,700 standards and of gods and et cetera, et cetera. 132 00:09:01,700 --> 00:09:04,660 So this was a very serious thing that had taken place. 133 00:09:04,660 --> 00:09:08,020 It was an infraction of God's word. 134 00:09:08,020 --> 00:09:11,100 Notice the response of this man of God in verse 3. 135 00:09:11,100 --> 00:09:13,300 When I heard about this matter, 136 00:09:13,300 --> 00:09:17,300 I tore my garment and my robe and pulled some of the hair from 137 00:09:17,300 --> 00:09:21,220 my head and my beard and sat down appalled. 138 00:09:21,220 --> 00:09:23,580 He was upset. 139 00:09:23,580 --> 00:09:27,380 This is a typically oriental and Jewish way of expressing 140 00:09:27,380 --> 00:09:32,700 astonishment and mourning and sorrow. 141 00:09:32,700 --> 00:09:36,420 He pulled hair from his body, tore his clothing and sat 142 00:09:36,420 --> 00:09:38,260 down. 143 00:09:38,260 --> 00:09:43,100 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, 144 00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:45,900 on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, 145 00:09:45,900 --> 00:09:49,060 gathered to me and I set appalled until the evening 146 00:09:49,060 --> 00:09:51,500 offering. 147 00:09:51,500 --> 00:09:54,820 And when that time came, he fell on his knees and stretched 148 00:09:54,820 --> 00:10:00,860 out his hands to the Lord, his God, and he began to pray. 149 00:10:00,860 --> 00:10:02,940 I'm not going to take time to read this prayer. 150 00:10:02,940 --> 00:10:07,820 May I encourage you to do that tonight before you go to bed. 151 00:10:07,820 --> 00:10:11,660 Read the prayer of this man of God as he confesses his own 152 00:10:11,660 --> 00:10:15,300 sins and the sins of his fathers and the sins of his 153 00:10:15,300 --> 00:10:19,540 contemporaries. 154 00:10:19,540 --> 00:10:21,740 He concludes by saying in verse 15, 155 00:10:21,740 --> 00:10:25,500 Oh Lord God of Israel, Thou art righteous, 156 00:10:25,500 --> 00:10:29,420 for we have been left an escaped remnant as it is this day. 157 00:10:29,420 --> 00:10:33,060 Behold, we are before thee in our guilt, 158 00:10:33,060 --> 00:10:36,140 for no one can stand before thee because of this. 159 00:10:39,460 --> 00:10:44,580 It says that while he was praying and making confession, 160 00:10:44,580 --> 00:10:48,980 weeping, and prostrating himself before the house of God, 161 00:10:48,980 --> 00:10:52,460 a very large assembly, men, women, and children gathered to 162 00:10:52,460 --> 00:10:57,380 him from Israel, for the people wept bitterly. 163 00:10:57,380 --> 00:11:00,420 And the following verses then tell of the repentance in the 164 00:11:00,420 --> 00:11:04,660 part of the people as the Spirit of God began to move upon 165 00:11:04,660 --> 00:11:06,300 that land. 166 00:11:06,300 --> 00:11:09,420 What do we see here? 167 00:11:09,420 --> 00:11:14,580 In this revival, we do not see statistics being measured. 168 00:11:14,580 --> 00:11:17,100 We do not see people talking about revival. 169 00:11:17,100 --> 00:11:21,860 We see brokenness and tears. 170 00:11:21,860 --> 00:11:27,220 We see people repenting of sin and turning from it. 171 00:11:27,220 --> 00:11:30,540 And making restitution and correction in their lives. 172 00:11:30,540 --> 00:11:31,940 My friend, that's revival. 173 00:11:36,580 --> 00:11:40,740 The book of Ezra closes and we turn on to the book of Nehemiah. 174 00:11:43,940 --> 00:11:52,900 Ezra made his journey about 557, excuse me, 457 to the land. 175 00:11:52,900 --> 00:11:59,340 Some 13 years after the revival that we just read about, 176 00:11:59,340 --> 00:12:07,380 Nehemiah is serving the king in the capital city. 177 00:12:07,380 --> 00:12:10,340 The king is Artexerxes. 178 00:12:10,340 --> 00:12:15,740 Nehemiah has an exalted position as a Jew. 179 00:12:15,740 --> 00:12:19,220 He is the cupbearer of the king, which means that he was 180 00:12:19,220 --> 00:12:23,020 daily in the presence of the king. 181 00:12:23,020 --> 00:12:26,660 He was responsible for making sure that the wine of the king 182 00:12:26,660 --> 00:12:29,180 was not poisoned. 183 00:12:29,180 --> 00:12:30,740 And of course, the way that he did that, 184 00:12:30,740 --> 00:12:34,820 he took a sip of it before the king would. 185 00:12:34,820 --> 00:12:39,740 And if Nehemiah lived, the king would drink the wine. 186 00:12:39,740 --> 00:12:44,620 The person who had that position was a very trusted man 187 00:12:44,620 --> 00:12:47,020 to the king, obviously. 188 00:12:47,020 --> 00:12:52,540 He was a bodyguard in a very literal sense. 189 00:12:52,540 --> 00:12:56,500 Word came to Nehemiah that although the temple had been 190 00:12:56,500 --> 00:13:02,460 rebuilt, yet the walls of the city of Jerusalem were in 191 00:13:02,460 --> 00:13:08,020 disrepair and the gates of the city were still in their burned 192 00:13:08,020 --> 00:13:10,460 condition. 193 00:13:10,460 --> 00:13:13,020 Nehemiah wept as he heard this. 194 00:13:13,020 --> 00:13:17,700 He was grieved that the city of his God should be in such a 195 00:13:17,700 --> 00:13:20,300 state, so he began to pray. 196 00:13:22,940 --> 00:13:25,140 God heard his prayer. 197 00:13:25,140 --> 00:13:30,460 And some time later, while he was in the presence of the king, 198 00:13:30,460 --> 00:13:34,940 the king noticed that his face was sad. 199 00:13:34,940 --> 00:13:37,540 That was forbidden by law. 200 00:13:37,540 --> 00:13:40,500 You did not go into the presence of the king with a sad 201 00:13:40,500 --> 00:13:41,700 face. 202 00:13:41,700 --> 00:13:43,260 It was punishable by death. 203 00:13:45,820 --> 00:13:49,740 But the king trusted this man, Nehemiah, and said, 204 00:13:49,740 --> 00:13:51,980 Nehemiah, what's the matter? 205 00:13:51,980 --> 00:13:54,460 What's the problem with you? 206 00:13:54,460 --> 00:13:59,700 And Nehemiah explained to him what his burden was. 207 00:13:59,700 --> 00:14:04,380 And the king said, go back there and rebuild the wall and 208 00:14:04,380 --> 00:14:06,500 fix those gates. 209 00:14:06,500 --> 00:14:09,820 And so Nehemiah was commissioned to take another 210 00:14:09,820 --> 00:14:14,860 group of exiles back for the purpose of the rebuilding of 211 00:14:14,860 --> 00:14:15,860 the walls. 212 00:14:15,860 --> 00:14:19,060 Now the early chapters of Nehemiah record that 213 00:14:19,060 --> 00:14:24,020 construction and all the problems and all the ways that 214 00:14:24,020 --> 00:14:29,140 Satan tried to hinder the rebuilding of the city. 215 00:14:29,140 --> 00:14:32,220 It is a very, very interesting story. 216 00:14:32,220 --> 00:14:35,140 If you have not read it lately, I encourage you to do that 217 00:14:35,140 --> 00:14:36,780 this week. 218 00:14:36,780 --> 00:14:40,180 But ultimately the work was accomplished and not only 219 00:14:40,180 --> 00:14:44,420 accomplished but done in record time, 52 days. 220 00:14:47,220 --> 00:14:52,500 52 days they rebuilt the walls around Jerusalem and 221 00:14:52,500 --> 00:14:54,100 repaired the gates. 222 00:14:54,100 --> 00:14:58,940 It was completed in September, this very month, 223 00:14:58,940 --> 00:15:01,140 of 444 B.C. 224 00:15:01,140 --> 00:15:09,140 In chapter 8 of Nehemiah we come again to this man Ezra. 225 00:15:09,140 --> 00:15:11,140 He is in Jerusalem again. 226 00:15:11,140 --> 00:15:19,140 Probably chapter 8 and these that follow are parenthetical, 227 00:15:19,140 --> 00:15:25,140 not necessarily placed here in chronological order. 228 00:15:25,140 --> 00:15:31,140 But we have here a record of a second great revival that came 229 00:15:31,140 --> 00:15:32,140 to the people. 230 00:15:32,140 --> 00:15:38,140 Now remember this is 13 years after the previous revival, 231 00:15:38,140 --> 00:15:42,140 when they had made restitution for their sins. 232 00:15:42,140 --> 00:15:46,140 In those 13 years they had slipped back into their old ways. 233 00:15:46,140 --> 00:15:52,140 In chapter 8 and verse 1 of Nehemiah and all the people 234 00:15:52,140 --> 00:15:56,140 gathered as one man at the square which is in the front of 235 00:15:56,140 --> 00:15:58,140 the water gate. 236 00:15:58,140 --> 00:16:01,140 It has a certain ring to it, doesn't it? 237 00:16:01,140 --> 00:16:05,140 And they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of 238 00:16:05,140 --> 00:16:10,140 Moses which the Lord had given to Israel. 239 00:16:10,140 --> 00:16:14,140 Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, 240 00:16:14,140 --> 00:16:17,140 women and all who could listen with understanding. 241 00:16:17,140 --> 00:16:20,140 I guess they had a nursery on that occasion. 242 00:16:20,140 --> 00:16:22,140 Not a bad idea. 243 00:16:22,140 --> 00:16:26,140 On the first day of the seventh month this occurred, 244 00:16:26,140 --> 00:16:30,140 that would have been September 27th, 444. 245 00:16:30,140 --> 00:16:35,140 And Ezra read from it before the square which was in the 246 00:16:35,140 --> 00:16:37,140 front of the water gate. 247 00:16:37,140 --> 00:16:40,140 From early morning until midday in the presence of men and 248 00:16:40,140 --> 00:16:42,140 women and those who could understand. 249 00:16:42,140 --> 00:16:46,140 And all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 250 00:16:46,140 --> 00:16:52,140 And Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had 251 00:16:52,140 --> 00:16:54,140 made for the purpose. 252 00:16:54,140 --> 00:16:58,140 This is the first time that a pulpit or a podium is mentioned 253 00:16:58,140 --> 00:16:59,140 in the Word of God. 254 00:16:59,140 --> 00:17:02,140 And there were those who stood on his right and his left. 255 00:17:02,140 --> 00:17:06,140 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he 256 00:17:06,140 --> 00:17:08,140 was standing above all the people. 257 00:17:08,140 --> 00:17:11,140 And when he opened it all the people stood up. 258 00:17:11,140 --> 00:17:14,140 Then Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. 259 00:17:14,140 --> 00:17:18,140 And all the people answered, amen, amen, 260 00:17:18,140 --> 00:17:21,140 while lifting up their hands. 261 00:17:21,140 --> 00:17:25,140 Then they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their 262 00:17:25,140 --> 00:17:26,140 faces to the ground. 263 00:17:26,140 --> 00:17:32,140 And then these men who were listed explained the law to the 264 00:17:32,140 --> 00:17:35,140 people while the people remained in their place. 265 00:17:35,140 --> 00:17:38,140 And they read from the book, from the law of God, 266 00:17:38,140 --> 00:17:43,140 translating to give the sense so that they understood the 267 00:17:43,140 --> 00:17:45,140 reading. 268 00:17:45,140 --> 00:17:48,140 I like to think it was not only a translation of languages, 269 00:17:48,140 --> 00:17:52,140 but it was also expository preaching of the Word of God. 270 00:17:52,140 --> 00:17:56,140 So they understood not only what the words said, 271 00:17:56,140 --> 00:17:59,140 but what they meant and how they applied to the lives of the 272 00:17:59,140 --> 00:18:01,140 people. 273 00:18:01,140 --> 00:18:03,140 And what was the response of the people? 274 00:18:03,140 --> 00:18:08,140 They began to weep and to mourn. 275 00:18:08,140 --> 00:18:12,140 The Word of God produced great conviction in their midst. 276 00:18:12,140 --> 00:18:19,140 Interestingly, the leaders stopped it because this was the 277 00:18:19,140 --> 00:18:23,140 occasion of the Feast of Tabernacles, or booze, 278 00:18:23,140 --> 00:18:28,140 and they were not to be sad during that feast. 279 00:18:28,140 --> 00:18:31,140 And so they said, stop crying, stop crying, 280 00:18:31,140 --> 00:18:33,140 this is the wrong time. 281 00:18:33,140 --> 00:18:35,140 What were they to do? 282 00:18:35,140 --> 00:18:37,140 Well, he says, go in verse 10, eat of the fat, 283 00:18:37,140 --> 00:18:40,140 drink of the sweets, send portions to him who is nothing 284 00:18:40,140 --> 00:18:42,140 but the Lord, this day is holy to our God, 285 00:18:42,140 --> 00:18:45,140 do not be grief for the joy of the Lord is your strength. 286 00:18:45,140 --> 00:18:49,140 And so they obeyed and they observed that feast. 287 00:18:49,140 --> 00:18:54,140 And then in chapter 9, a few days later, 288 00:18:54,140 --> 00:19:01,140 toward the end of October, the sons of Israel assembled with 289 00:19:01,140 --> 00:19:07,140 fasting in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. 290 00:19:07,140 --> 00:19:11,140 This was not the normal way they would come together. 291 00:19:11,140 --> 00:19:14,140 Sackcloth indicated they were coming for the purpose of 292 00:19:14,140 --> 00:19:16,140 repentance. 293 00:19:16,140 --> 00:19:21,140 The dirt on their heads, ashes, or dust, 294 00:19:21,140 --> 00:19:24,140 meant the same. 295 00:19:24,140 --> 00:19:27,140 And it says in verse 2, and the descendants of Israel 296 00:19:27,140 --> 00:19:31,140 separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and 297 00:19:31,140 --> 00:19:36,140 confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 298 00:19:36,140 --> 00:19:39,140 While they stood in the place they read from the book of the 299 00:19:39,140 --> 00:19:44,140 law of the Lord their God, for a fourth part of the day, 300 00:19:44,140 --> 00:19:48,140 and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the 301 00:19:48,140 --> 00:19:49,140 Lord their God. 302 00:19:49,140 --> 00:19:52,140 In other words, there was three hours of the reading of the 303 00:19:52,140 --> 00:19:54,140 Word of God. 304 00:19:54,140 --> 00:19:58,140 And that was followed by three hours of public confession and 305 00:19:58,140 --> 00:20:02,140 the worship of the Lord. 306 00:20:02,140 --> 00:20:09,140 And then the Levites stood up and they began to praise the 307 00:20:09,140 --> 00:20:13,140 Lord and to cry out to Him and their prayer. 308 00:20:13,140 --> 00:20:17,140 I think we can say legitimately their song, their hymn, 309 00:20:17,140 --> 00:20:20,140 is recorded through the rest of this chapter. 310 00:20:20,140 --> 00:20:23,140 Again, we don't have time to read it here. 311 00:20:23,140 --> 00:20:25,140 I encourage you to read it. 312 00:20:25,140 --> 00:20:29,140 I urge you, I beg you to read it. 313 00:20:29,140 --> 00:20:34,140 And then beginning in chapter 10, we have the result of this 314 00:20:34,140 --> 00:20:38,140 moving of the Spirit of God upon the people. 315 00:20:38,140 --> 00:20:40,140 And they began to separate themselves. 316 00:20:40,140 --> 00:20:44,140 Look at verse 28 of chapter 10. 317 00:20:44,140 --> 00:20:47,140 It says, now the rest of the people, the priests, 318 00:20:47,140 --> 00:20:49,140 the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, 319 00:20:49,140 --> 00:20:52,140 the temple servants, and all those who had separated 320 00:20:52,140 --> 00:20:56,140 themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of their 321 00:20:56,140 --> 00:20:59,140 God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, 322 00:20:59,140 --> 00:21:01,140 all who had knowledge and understanding, 323 00:21:01,140 --> 00:21:04,140 are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, 324 00:21:04,140 --> 00:21:09,140 and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in 325 00:21:09,140 --> 00:21:11,140 God's law. 326 00:21:11,140 --> 00:21:13,140 What is taking place here? 327 00:21:13,140 --> 00:21:19,140 Those people who had sensed the great moving of the Spirit of 328 00:21:19,140 --> 00:21:24,140 God in their lives, and who as a result of that had 329 00:21:24,140 --> 00:21:28,140 separated themselves from the peoples of the land instead of 330 00:21:28,140 --> 00:21:32,140 conforming themselves to the practices of the heathen around 331 00:21:32,140 --> 00:21:36,140 them, who had separated themselves from that unto the 332 00:21:36,140 --> 00:21:37,140 Lord. 333 00:21:37,140 --> 00:21:41,140 Separation is always that way, isn't it? 334 00:21:41,140 --> 00:21:44,140 It is from something to something else. 335 00:21:44,140 --> 00:21:47,140 They were bringing their lives into conformity to the Word of 336 00:21:47,140 --> 00:21:51,140 God, and they were taking upon themselves an oath to obey the 337 00:21:51,140 --> 00:21:56,140 law of God, and the rest of the book of Nehemiah deals with 338 00:21:56,140 --> 00:22:01,140 what that involved, and how the nation was reformed, 339 00:22:01,140 --> 00:22:04,140 and what steps they were taking to correct themselves. 340 00:22:07,140 --> 00:22:12,140 What do we learn from this example of revival found in the 341 00:22:12,140 --> 00:22:15,140 books of Ezra and Nehemiah? 342 00:22:15,140 --> 00:22:18,140 I think we learn a couple of things at least. 343 00:22:18,140 --> 00:22:23,140 What revival comes to your people in answer to prayer? 344 00:22:23,140 --> 00:22:29,140 Ezra prayed, the people prayed, Nehemiah prayed, 345 00:22:29,140 --> 00:22:34,140 and as a result of their pouring their hearts out to God, 346 00:22:34,140 --> 00:22:37,140 the hand of God began to move. 347 00:22:37,140 --> 00:22:40,140 And then the Word of God was declared. 348 00:22:40,140 --> 00:22:42,140 It was expounded to the people. 349 00:22:42,140 --> 00:22:45,140 It was explained to them so that they understood what God 350 00:22:45,140 --> 00:22:49,140 expected of them. 351 00:22:49,140 --> 00:22:54,140 And as the people saw what God said and saw where they were in 352 00:22:54,140 --> 00:22:58,140 their lifestyles, the compromise, the lack of separation and 353 00:22:58,140 --> 00:23:03,140 holiness, the lack of obedience, they repented, 354 00:23:03,140 --> 00:23:06,140 and that's what revival is. 355 00:23:06,140 --> 00:23:12,140 The repentance involved brokenness because of sin. 356 00:23:12,140 --> 00:23:15,140 It involved weeping. 357 00:23:15,140 --> 00:23:18,140 It involved acknowledgment of guilt. 358 00:23:18,140 --> 00:23:22,140 It involved prayer of confession and praise. 359 00:23:22,140 --> 00:23:27,140 It involved separation from sin unto obedience. 360 00:23:27,140 --> 00:23:31,140 You can read in Nehemiah the last chapters there that it also 361 00:23:31,140 --> 00:23:33,140 went into the families. 362 00:23:33,140 --> 00:23:36,140 They began to teach the Word of God in their homes. 363 00:23:36,140 --> 00:23:40,140 They began again to observe the Sabbath and to keep it holy. 364 00:23:40,140 --> 00:23:44,140 They became obedient in supporting the work of God 365 00:23:44,140 --> 00:23:46,140 financially and materially. 366 00:23:46,140 --> 00:23:50,140 They began to attend faithfully the services of the 367 00:23:50,140 --> 00:23:59,140 temple and to support the temple of God. 368 00:23:59,140 --> 00:24:07,140 I believe that we need, like we have not in a long time, 369 00:24:07,140 --> 00:24:12,140 a real revival in our land. 370 00:24:12,140 --> 00:24:16,140 It is not enough for us to talk about it. 371 00:24:16,140 --> 00:24:27,140 We must, each of us, get on our knees before God and ask God to 372 00:24:27,140 --> 00:24:32,140 give us a brokenness of heart about our sins and a deeply 373 00:24:32,140 --> 00:24:37,140 repentant spirit. 374 00:24:37,140 --> 00:24:41,140 And then we must begin to correct our ways, 375 00:24:41,140 --> 00:24:45,140 to make restitution where that is necessary, 376 00:24:45,140 --> 00:24:49,140 to change our way of living. 377 00:24:49,140 --> 00:24:53,140 We are so caught up in materialism. 378 00:24:53,140 --> 00:24:58,140 We are so caught up in pleasing ourselves. 379 00:24:58,140 --> 00:25:06,140 We are so caught up in the pleasures of our day. 380 00:25:06,140 --> 00:25:13,140 Our hearts, our hearts are far from God. 381 00:25:13,140 --> 00:25:18,140 And yet I sense that God is beginning to do something in 382 00:25:18,140 --> 00:25:22,140 our midst, something that is more encouraging to me than has 383 00:25:22,140 --> 00:25:25,140 happened since we began this ministry two and a half years 384 00:25:25,140 --> 00:25:33,140 ago, because I sense in the hearts of at least a few that 385 00:25:33,140 --> 00:25:38,140 God is beginning to create a hunger and a desire for a 386 00:25:38,140 --> 00:25:45,140 deeper work of His Spirit. 387 00:25:45,140 --> 00:25:48,140 And I believe that is the beginning of something. 388 00:25:48,140 --> 00:25:51,140 I don't want to talk a great deal about it. 389 00:25:51,140 --> 00:25:55,140 I'm not even sure how to characterize it. 390 00:25:55,140 --> 00:25:59,140 I don't want to talk about it because I don't want to quench 391 00:25:59,140 --> 00:26:05,140 or into any way stop what the Spirit of God is doing quietly. 392 00:26:05,140 --> 00:26:08,140 But there are some of you sitting here tonight that know 393 00:26:08,140 --> 00:26:13,140 exactly what I mean. 394 00:26:13,140 --> 00:26:20,140 I'm talking about becoming burdened about our lifestyles. 395 00:26:20,140 --> 00:26:28,140 I'm talking about sensing that our relationships with people 396 00:26:28,140 --> 00:26:36,140 are abrupt and self-centered, self-serving. 397 00:26:36,140 --> 00:26:42,140 I'm talking about the influence of the world upon our thinking. 398 00:26:42,140 --> 00:26:48,140 I'm talking about the deadness that so much television and 399 00:26:48,140 --> 00:26:53,140 theater attendance and that kind of thing has created in our 400 00:26:53,140 --> 00:26:56,140 hearts. 401 00:26:56,140 --> 00:27:03,140 I'm talking about pornography, which some of us have 402 00:27:03,140 --> 00:27:05,140 imbibed in. 403 00:27:05,140 --> 00:27:10,140 I'm talking about the kinds of things that take place on some 404 00:27:10,140 --> 00:27:17,140 of the cable systems that some of God's people are watching. 405 00:27:17,140 --> 00:27:21,140 God is doing a work in our midst. 406 00:27:21,140 --> 00:27:27,140 And as he begins to peel back and to expose our hearts, 407 00:27:27,140 --> 00:27:33,140 rather than making excuses, our response to your people must be 408 00:27:33,140 --> 00:27:42,140 getting into the closet alone with God and there repenting 409 00:27:42,140 --> 00:27:50,140 and there turning from our evil ways and returning in obedience 410 00:27:50,140 --> 00:27:55,140 to the Lord our God. 411 00:27:55,140 --> 00:28:00,140 I'd like for us to bow together in prayer. 412 00:28:00,140 --> 00:28:06,140 About a year ago, I shared with you a prayer of confession one 413 00:28:06,140 --> 00:28:10,140 evening in communion. 414 00:28:10,140 --> 00:28:14,140 I'd like for us to consider these words again tonight. 415 00:28:14,140 --> 00:28:22,140 Will you think with me, pray with me as we offer this prayer 416 00:28:22,140 --> 00:28:27,140 to the Lord? 417 00:28:27,140 --> 00:28:34,140 Merciful Lord, pardon all of my sins of this day, week, 418 00:28:34,140 --> 00:28:41,140 and year, all the sins of my life, sins of early, 419 00:28:41,140 --> 00:28:51,140 middle, and advanced years, sins of omission and commission, 420 00:28:51,140 --> 00:28:58,140 of morose, peevish, and angry tempers, of life, 421 00:28:58,140 --> 00:29:05,140 lip, and walk, sins of hard-heartedness, 422 00:29:05,140 --> 00:29:14,140 unbelief, presumption, pride, of unfaithfulness to the souls of 423 00:29:14,140 --> 00:29:24,140 men, of want of bold decision in the cause of Christ, 424 00:29:24,140 --> 00:29:32,140 of deficiency in outspoken zeal for His glory, 425 00:29:32,140 --> 00:29:36,140 of bringing dishonor upon Thy great name, 426 00:29:36,140 --> 00:29:46,140 of deception, injustice, untruthfulness in dealing with others, 427 00:29:46,140 --> 00:29:52,140 sins of impurity and thought, word and deed, 428 00:29:52,140 --> 00:29:56,140 of covetousness which is idolatry, 429 00:29:56,140 --> 00:30:00,140 of substance unduly hoarded, 430 00:30:00,140 --> 00:30:07,140 improvidently squandered and not consecrated to the glory of 431 00:30:07,140 --> 00:30:15,140 Thee, the great giver, sins in private and in the family, 432 00:30:15,140 --> 00:30:21,140 in study and recreation, in the busy haunts of men, 433 00:30:21,140 --> 00:30:28,140 in the study of Thy Word and in the neglect of it, 434 00:30:28,140 --> 00:30:36,140 sins in prayer irreverently offered and coldly withheld, 435 00:30:36,140 --> 00:30:44,140 in time misspent, in yielding to Satan's wiles, 436 00:30:44,140 --> 00:30:48,140 in opening my heart to his temptations, 437 00:30:48,140 --> 00:30:52,140 and being unwatchful when I know him nigh, 438 00:30:52,140 --> 00:30:56,140 in quenching the Holy Spirit, 439 00:30:56,140 --> 00:31:00,140 sins against light and knowledge, 440 00:31:00,140 --> 00:31:07,140 sins against conscience and the restraints of Thy Spirit, 441 00:31:07,140 --> 00:31:12,140 sins against the law of eternal love, 442 00:31:12,140 --> 00:31:17,140 pardon all my sins, known and unknown, 443 00:31:17,140 --> 00:31:23,140 felt and unfelt, confessed and not confessed, 444 00:31:23,140 --> 00:31:40,140 remembered or forgotten, Lord hear and hearing forgive. 445 00:31:40,140 --> 00:31:45,140 Would you take your hymnal and turn with me to the number that Mark 446 00:31:45,140 --> 00:31:51,140 has been suggesting to us? Search me, O God. 447 00:31:51,140 --> 00:31:55,140 The number is 300. 448 00:31:55,140 --> 00:32:19,140 I'm not sure if Skip, do you have the number?