Instructed in the Law of God
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Then from the assembled throng, as they stood with outstretched
hands toward heaven, there arose the song:
“Blessed be Thy glorious name,
Which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone;
Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens,
with all their host,
The earth, and all things that are therein,
The seas, and all that is therein,
And Thou preservest them all;
And the host of heaven worshippeth Thee.”
The song of praise ended, the leaders of the congregation related
the history of Israel, showing how great had been God’s goodness
toward them, and how great their ingratitude. Then the whole congre-
gation entered into a covenant to keep all the commandments of God.
They had suffered punishment for their sins; now they acknowledged
the justice of God’s dealings with them and pledged themselves to
obey His law. And that this might be “a sure covenant,” and be pre-
served in permanent form, as a memorial of the obligation they had
taken upon themselves, it was written out, and the priests, Levites, and
princes signed it. It was to serve as a reminder of duty and a barrier
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against temptation. The people took a solemn oath “to walk in God’s
law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and
do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His judgments
and His statutes.” The oath taken at this time included a promise not
to intermarry with the people of the land.
Before the day of fasting ended, the people still further manifested
their determination to return to the Lord, by pledging themselves to
cease from desecrating the Sabbath. Nehemiah did not at this time,
as at a later date, exercise his authority to prevent heathen traders
from coming into Jerusalem; but in an effort to save the people from
yielding to temptation, he bound them, by a solemn covenant, not to
transgress the Sabbath law by purchasing from these venders, hoping
that this would discourage the traders and put an end to the traffic.
Provision was also made to support the public worship of God. In
addition to the tithe the congregation pledged themselves to contribute