Question of the day: Tell us about a time when you didn't want to ask for help but you did, and you're thankful you did.
Good morning class. This morning we are going to study Nehemiah chapter 5. As always we will read the chapter and then discuss it.
READ: Nehemiah 5
Nehemiah Helps the Poor
5 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. 2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”
3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
4 Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
6 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them 8 and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
9 So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? 10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
12 “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
14 Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. 15 But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels[a] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we[b] did not acquire any land.
17 Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. 18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
19 Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.
It is important that we take a moment and talk about this in a historical context. First, God had clearly instructed the Israelites in how the rich were to treat the poor. In Exodus 22:25 it reads, 25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest." and in Deuteronomy 23:19 19 Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest." Yet when they returned from captivity the wealthy were ignoring the way God had instructed them. Perhaps it was because they had been so long in captivity and had seen it done another way, and had seen how it could benefit them, or they had even just come to think of it as normal and they way it should be. None the less the poor were drowning. The poor were getting poorer and the wealthy richer. Not only that, here they are helping with the wall, and unable to do what they needed for their families.
What is the principle behind this instruction from God?
How does it apply to us today, or does it?
Do we look at this as a principle or should we look at it as a direct instruction?
Or both?
What are some other examples of how God thinks about the poor?
What does he require of us?
How important is it?
What are some passages in the New Testament where he is talking about how we are to treat the poor?
How we are to treat the poor is a key component of our faith! It is woven throughout the fabric of the entire bible. There is no way as a Christian that we can on one had say we serve the Lord and on the other don't take care of the poor around us.
What was Nehemiah's reaction?
When was the last time you got really angry about an injustice happening?
What were some of the challenges and potential repercussions that he would face by talking with the wealthy?
So many times we don't go against the pocket book because the we see the pocket book as what is going to fund our projects. Nehemiah I am sure could see his entire project going up in smoke. If the wealthy got upset then it all might come to a screeching halt. I am sure he must have wrestled with whether or not this was his calling. He knew he was there to repair the wall. He could have seen this as just a distraction.
What did he do?
He didn't hold back! He wasn't subtle about it.
So whatever injustice you thought about when I ask when was the last time you were angry... how would you proceed boldly without fear?
This past week I have been faced with some things that have made me angry. In fact on Thursday night I had some dear friends willing to take some of their precious sleep time to sit and talk with me and listen to me vent. This lesson is really hitting home for me. Last week, we talked about how sometimes we are the workers, and other times we are the warriors, but maybe when we are looking at injustices we are all called to be warriors. I don't know any place in the bible where God doesn't ask us to serve the less fortunate. Even the little boy with just five loaves and 2 fishes, gave it all up for those in need. The woman with just a drip of oil and a little flour, shared it with the prophet.
Are we willing to be warriors?
Are we willing to go against the pocket books?
Are we willing to put our agenda, even our calling at risk to come to the defense of those in need?
After all, can our calling honor Him, the one who does the calling, if we don't also do as he has commanded? He even goes as far as to let us know that if we do for them, we are doing for Him. Also if we don't do for them, we are not doing for HIM! Seems quite clear!
What is God asking you to do today?
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