Components of Spiritual Revival

It used to be traditional (and perhaps for many it still is) to wear your "Sunday best" to church for services or special occasions.  It was viewed as a special occasion and a way to honour God by washing up and wearing the best clean clothes a person owned.  I knew of churches in our area where you would be prevented entry if you did not meet the requirements of a dress code.  There are sometimes also cultural traditions and etiquette churchgoers also consider to avoid offending others or might be a distraction.

I was impressed to read of the spiritual revival that took place in the days of Nehemiah, where instead of wearing their best to appear before the LORD the people wore sackcloth and put dust on their heads.  This was actually a way they honoured God in confessing their sin with profound grief.  The people did not make general confessions of being sinners but were specific in confessing their sin and those of their fathers--for hours.  Nehemiah 9:1-3 says, "Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. ² Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. ³ And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God."

The children of Israel who fasted in Jerusalem assembled together.  Rather than wearing their Sunday best, they looked like people who were bereaved and mourning great loss.  In one sense they were mourning the loss of righteous standing before God, for by exposure to the word of God they realised how sinful they had been and the great offences they committed before the LORD.  For 3 hours they read from the Book of the Law, and for another 3 hours they confessed their sins and worshipped the LORD.  What was important was the humble, contrite condition of the heart of the people before God.  A person wearing clean, fashionable clothes can be humble before the LORD, and a person wearing rags in the midst of a 40-day fast can do so out of spiritual pride.  This open confession of sin led to genuine worship and blessing of God.  The leaders exhorted the people in the latter part of Nehemiah 9:5, "...Stand up and bless the LORD your God forever and ever! "Blessed be Your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!"  Confession and repentance for sin led to effusive rejoicing and praise of God.

Jesus once asked His hearers if they though the 18 people upon whom the Tower of Siloam collapsed were the worst sinners in Jerusalem.  Jesus then said in Luke 13:5:  "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."  In light of this assessment, when we observe the people who fasted, wore sackcloth, put dust on their heads, and confessed their sins for hours are not worse sinners than us:  we have all sinned.  Their problem previously and our problem presently may be we have not confessed, repented of and forsaken our sin as we ought.  There are professing Christians who do not make reading the word of God a priority, and even those who read it are not willing to submit themselves to be guided, rebuked or instructed by it.  Reading God's word, public confession of sin, and worship of God can be just going through the motions unless we humble our hearts before God and draw near to Him in faith.  May God teach us how to humble ourselves before Him so He will be exalted by us--for He is exalted and is glorious forever.