Nehemiah 9

Jehovah, the Glorious Name

Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. Nehemiah 9:5

The Levites bless the LORD's name as exalted above all praise. That exalted name belongs to Jehovah, the premortal Christ, whose name God later exalted above every name.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• alludes to Philippians 2:9 — God gave Jesus "a name which is above every name"

Creator

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. Nehemiah 9:6

The LORD is praised as Maker of heaven and earth whom the angels worship. Restoration and New Testament scripture teach that Jesus Christ, as Jehovah, created all things under the Father.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• interpreted by John 1:3 — all things were made by Him
• interpreted by Mosiah 3:8 — Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things from the beginning
• interpreted by 3 Nephi 9:15 — Christ: "I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are"
• alludes to Hebrews 1:6 — let all the angels of God worship him

Jehovah, God of Abraham

Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; Nehemiah 9:7–8

The LORD who chose Abram and covenanted with him introduced Himself to Abraham as Jehovah, the premortal Christ. Paul teaches that the promised seed is ultimately Christ.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• interpreted by Abraham 1:16 — "my name is Jehovah" to Abraham
• the same title in Abraham 2:8 — "My name is Jehovah" in the covenant promise
• interpreted by Galatians 3:16 — to Abraham's seed, "which is Christ"

Red Sea Deliverance

And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea; Nehemiah 9:9–11

Jehovah saw His people's affliction and brought them through the sea while their enemies drowned. Paul calls this passing through the sea a baptism, a type of being delivered from sin and bondage by Christ.

• the same event in Exodus 14:21-22 — the sea divided and Israel walked on dry ground
• interpreted by 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 — all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea

Pillar of Cloud and Fire

Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go. Nehemiah 9:12

The LORD Himself went before Israel in the pillar, lighting their way in the dark. It points to Jesus, the Light of the World, who promised that whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness.

• the same event in Exodus 13:21 — the LORD went before them in a pillar of a cloud and of fire
• interpreted by 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 — the fathers under the cloud drank of the Rock that followed them, which was Christ
• a type of what is in John 8:12 — "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness"

Jehovah on Sinai

Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: Nehemiah 9:13–14

The LORD came down on Sinai and spoke the law. The resurrected Savior identified Himself as the One who gave that law and covenanted with Israel.

• the same event in Exodus 19:20 — the LORD came down upon mount Sinai
• interpreted by 3 Nephi 15:5 — "I am he that gave the law"

Manna, Bread from Heaven

And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them. Nehemiah 9:15

The manna that fed Israel daily was a type of Jesus, who declared Himself the true bread from heaven that gives eternal life.

• the same event in Exodus 16:4 — "I will rain bread from heaven for you"
• interpreted by John 6:31-35 — "I am the bread of life"; the true bread from heaven

The Smitten Rock

And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them. Nehemiah 9:15

Water flowed from the rock to save thirsty Israel. Paul says plainly that the Rock was Christ, who was smitten so that living water could flow to us.

• the same event in Exodus 17:6 — Moses smites the rock in Horeb
• interpreted by 1 Corinthians 10:4 — "that Rock was Christ"
• a type of what is in John 4:14 — the water Christ gives springs up into everlasting life

Jehovah, Merciful and Gracious

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not. Nehemiah 9:17

Even when Israel wanted to return to slavery, the LORD was ready to pardon. This is Jehovah's own self-description at Sinai, the mercy and grace later shown fully in Jesus Christ.

• quotes Exodus 34:6-7 — "The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering"
• alludes to Numbers 14:4 — "Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt"

Pillar of Cloud and Fire

Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go. Nehemiah 9:19

Even after the golden calf, the Lord's guiding light did not leave His people. Christ's light stays with the repentant and still shows the way.

• the same event in Nehemiah 9:12 — the same pillar first described
• a type of what is in John 8:12 — the light of the world

Manna and Water

Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. Nehemiah 9:20

The daily manna and water kept coming despite Israel's rebellion, a type of Christ as the bread of life and the living water who keeps nourishing His people.

• a type of what is in John 6:35 — "he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst"
• the same event in Nehemiah 9:15 — bread from heaven and water from the rock

Saviours (Deliverers)

Saviour — one who delivers or rescues

Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. Nehemiah 9:27

In the days of the judges the LORD raised up deliverers when Israel cried to Him. Each of these small saviours foreshadowed the one true Savior, Jesus Christ, whom the LORD gives out of mercy.

• alludes to Obadiah 1:21 — "saviours shall come up on mount Zion"
• alludes to Isaiah 43:11 — "I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour"

Life Through the Law vs. Through Christ

And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear. Nehemiah 9:29

This line from Leviticus says life comes by keeping the commandments. Paul quotes it to show that no one keeps the law perfectly, so life must finally come through faith in Christ, which Israel's repeated failures here illustrate.

• quotes Leviticus 18:5 — "which if a man do, he shall live in them"
• quoted by Galatians 3:11-12 — Paul contrasts it with "The just shall live by faith"
• quoted by Romans 10:4-5 — Christ is the end of the law for righteousness

Jehovah, Covenant-Keeping God

Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God. Nehemiah 9:31–32

The prayer rests its plea on the covenant faithfulness of Israel's God, Jehovah, the premortal Christ, who does not utterly forsake His people.

• alludes to Deuteronomy 7:9 — the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy