Nehemiah 5:1-19...

The role of leadership is never easy!

This was the experience of Nehemiah, whose attention was diverted from the enemies of God’s people and the building of the walls of Jerusalem to the pressing problems of hunger and exploitation.

Now the building up of the walls came to a screeching halt.

This time the troublemakers were not foreign adversaries but some ‘get-rich-quick’ Jews taking advantage of a famine to make some easy money from their own kinsmen.

This new threat struck ‘at the exiles’ most precious asset, their unity’. How would Nehemiah come to grips with this setback?

Churches go through similar periods.

We resist the attacks of the devil coming at us from unbelievers, only to discover that Satan is now using fellow Christians to breed discontent and discouragement within our own ranks.

Internal conflicts sap us of strength and impede our endeavors to reach the unconverted.

Nehemiah RECEIVES complaints (5:1–5)

And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.” 3 There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.” 4 There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”

Three groups of laborers and landowners came to Nehemiah with their grievances ‘against their Jewish brothers’ (5:1).

These complaints were substantiated by their wives, who were struggling to feed their ravenous children (5:2).

The ‘shrill voices’ of these women ‘add to the intensity of the meeting’ with Nehemiah.

1. The laborers

Manpower had been re-channeled from raising crops to building walls, resulting in a shortage of food.

This situation was aggravated by three things:

the large families of the laborers (5:2);

the widespread famine (5:3); and

the considerable tax payable to the Persian king (5:4).

Some of the laborers may have felt that too much was being sacrificed to Nehemiah’s project.

“After all,” as such citizens might have put it, “you can’t eat walls”.’

2. The landowners

The landowning farmers were compelled to sell everything they could lay their hands on to raise money for food (5:3).

Some had no choice but to pay mortgages with exorbitant rates of interest to the ‘loan sharks’ (5:4, 11).

Failure to pay back the mortgages resulted in the immoral money-lenders selling the sons and daughters of the debtors into slavery (5:5).

This kind of treatment was all the more galling and despicable because it came from the hands of their ‘Jewish brothers’ (5:1), those who were ‘of the same flesh and blood … our countrymen’ (5:5).

These men also had children—‘Our sons are as good as theirs’—and should therefore have felt the anguish of the parents whose sons and daughters were dragged away and sold as slaves.

‘We are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others’ (5:5), was the depressing lament of the demoralized Jews as they surveyed their land.

These were greedy Jews. [boys and girls] did you know in some countries, to capture monkeys,

hey will take a really strong jar and put corn in it.

they will take a really strong jar and put corn in it.

Well the jar has narrow neck. Just enough for the monkey to get his hand in the jar.

Once they pick up the corn in their hand, it’s impossible for them to get their hand out and guess what?

They want the corn so much, they will not let it go! Even if it means being captured! That’s how greedy they are!

That’s what a greedy man is like!

Nehemiah responds to the complaints (5:6–7)

And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them.

1. His sympathy

Though Nehemiah was extremely busy with the wall-building enterprise his reaction was not one of impatience or irritability, but of sympathy and interest.

He dropped everything to concentrate his thoughts on the outrage of his workers.

Their grievances touched him deeply.

We also learn that we should act only after careful consideration. Nehemiah tells us that

This is rather like ignoring a leak in the bathroom. A few moments today repairing the leak will save a hefty bill tomorrow when the whole bathroom is flooded with water!

‘When I heard their outcry and these charges … I pondered them in my mind’ (5:6, 7); then, and only then, did he set about solving the problem.

It is better to nip in the bud any potential difficulties within a church rather than let them bloom into a major crisis in the future.

However, we should act only after careful consideration. Nehemiah tells us that ‘When I heard their outcry and these charges … I pondered them in my mind’ (5:6, 7); then, and only then, did he set about solving the problem.

2. His anger

Nehemiah was ‘very angry’ (5:6) when he heard of the rich Jews oppressing their poor countrymen.

His anger was the measure of his concern, or love, but this concern was controlled and constructive.

It is not sinful for a Christian to express his anger.

Jesus himself gave vent to this emotion (; ),

but we must be on our guard lest our wrath boil over into sinful anger ().

We need to remember the words of the wise man Solomon: — He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

It was the injustice of the rich Jews oppressing the poorer members of their own race that triggered off Nehemiah’s anger.

Ought not the injustices of our age cause us to be angry?

For example,

when we hear of children who are physically, sexually, or emotionally abused we should be angry;

when we read that hundreds of unborn babies are aborted every year then we have a reason for righteous anger.

Our anger is unproductive if it does not lead to some attempt to deal with what gave rise to it.

The sequel to Nehemiah’s displeasure was a solution to the problem.

We ought to be irate about social injustice, and even more angry that Satan enslaves sinners and blinds their minds so that they reject the teaching of the Bible and rush on towards hell (; ). If Christians, who still have a sinful nature, are vexed because of the social evils which they see all around them, and at the rejection of God’s Word on every hand, how much more must God, who is holy, be displeased because of sin?

Nehemiah RESOLVES the complaints (5:7–13)

1. He confronts the nobles (5:7–8)

After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them. 8 And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found nothing to say.

Nehemiah did not flinch from the unpleasant task of confronting the nobles with their sin.

Their transgression against God was notorious; therefore he convened ‘a large meeting to deal with them’ (5:7).

This assembly was not to be some kind of ‘public enquiry’ behind closed doors with the outcome kept secret and

no positive steps taken to address the underlying cause of the conflict.

The culprits were faced head on and their sins publicly exposed.

Nehemiah emphasized the enormity of the nobles’ wickedness in two ways:

firstly he accused them of exploiting their ‘own countrymen … our Jewish brothers’;

then he charged them with frustrating all his efforts to release their fellow Jews from slavery.

Some of the people sold back to Nehemiah by the non-Jewish nations had first been traded to them by the callous rich Jews.

This made their sin all the more disgraceful.

The nobles could not refute the charges which Nehemiah laid against them because their sins were infamous

and their own consciences condemned them so that ‘They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say’ (5:8).

2. He calls the nobles to ‘walk in the fear of our God’ (5:9–10)

Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!

Nehemiah describes this fear as ‘reverence for God’ in verse 15.

The ‘fear of God’ may be defined as an awareness of the majestic holiness of God and a realization of our own sinfulness.

The consequence of this fear is obedience to all the commands of God contained in his Word.

Nehemiah was compassionate and generous to God’s people because he had this awe of God,

whereas the rich had no respect for their fellow Jews because they had no respect for God.

Therefore they were squeezing their Jewish brothers for all they could get rather than

offering interest-free loans as Nehemiah was doing.

The person who possesses the ‘fear of God’ remembers that his treatment of other people will be assessed by God on the Day of Judgment.

Jesus taught in the parable of the sheep and goats that kindness shown to his people is kindness shown to himself.

We cannot be saved by our good deeds, but we are certainly not Christians without them (; ).

The lesson we may draw from the end of verse 9 is that if you as a professing believer, who lacks this fear of God

invites the taunts of unbelievers against the faith and our God.

The most unholy sinner is quick to label the inconsistent Christian a

holier-than-thou hypocrite and thereby excuse his own evil behavior.

3. He commands the nobles to promise compensation (5:10–13)

I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury [charging interest]! 11 Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.” 12 So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.” Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. 13 Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise.

Nehemiah does not want to leave the nobles in any doubt about what they must do: ‘But let the exacting of usury stop! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury you are charging them …’ (5:10–11).

The reference to ‘the hundredth part of the money’ (5:11) is ‘a refund either of interest charged on the loans or

the income derived by the creditors from the property they have taken in pledge’.

The overwhelming response of the officials, ‘We will give it back … We will do as you say’,

was acted on at once by Nehemiah as he summoned the priests to witness the promises of ‘the nobles and officials’ (5:12).

Nehemiah was not going to allow them to have second thoughts and then change their minds!

The solemnity of the oath was impressed on the nobles by Nehemiah’s gesture of shaking his robe,

Why did these men who had so much to lose agree so readily with Nehemiah’s demands? There may have been various contributing factors which brought about this alteration, such as a feeling of guilt, or the courage of Nehemiah, but the origin of this turnabout was surely God’s power at work in their hearts. The Lord who moved the heart of Cyrus to allow the first batch of exiles to return to their homeland (), and who prompted Artaxerxes to rescind his decree outlawing the rebuilding of Jerusalem, so that Nehemiah was free to go into Judah as governor and wall-builder (2:1–9), now stirred these officials to heed Nehemiah’s appeal. This God was slotting together all the events in the Middle East to bring about the birth of Christ, in order to save his people from their sins (). He still controls the affairs of men and the timetable of history. Everything is moving forward to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to whom every knee will bow ().

indicating that God would ‘shake out from his home and possessions each one who did not keep the oath’ (5:13; cf. ; ).

The rich who did not assist the poor would themselves become poor.

The ‘whole assembly’ vocally added their assent to the vows of the nobles and officials, and later performed the promises made (5:13).

Nehemiah notes in his diary that this memorable day concluded with a crescendo of praise to God.

The day which began with pain ends with praise!

Nehemiah’s leadership (5:14–19)

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. 15 But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 And at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. 18 Now that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people. 19 Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

At this stage in his narrative Nehemiah reflects on his style of leadership during his twelve years as governor from 445 to 433 B.C.

At this stage in his narrative Nehemiah reflects on his style of leadership during his twelve years as governor from 445 to 433 B.C. What principles shaped the character of this governor of Judah and man of God throughout those twelve years?

What principles shaped the character of this governor of Judah and man of God throughout those twelve years?

Now, remember men. As I’m learning principles for how to lead God’s people, remember to apply these thing to your walk with Christ in your home!

1. He was selfless and generous

Nehemiah was entitled to levy a food allowance from the Judeans

but chose to cover his entertainment expenses out of his own pocket rather than place ‘a heavy burden on the people’ (5:14–15).

Verse 18 reveals that his food bill was an enormous one!

The governor of Judah was renowned among ‘the surrounding nations’ for his lavish hospitality and magnificent generosity (5:17).

It is evident from these verses that Nehemiah had private resources accumulated during his service as the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes.

God blessed Nehemiah with prosperity but

he did not make a god of his prosperity,

but rather used it for the glory of God as he served others.

The friendliness of Nehemiah is set in striking contrast to the selfish and greedy outlook of some of the previous governors (5:15).

Whether we have much or little of material prosperity we ought to copy the example of Nehemiah and be selfless and generous.

We who have freely received the grace of God should freely share with others whatever we possess ().

We may open our homes to a brother or sister in Christ and discover that we have entertained an angel! ().

Abraham literally welcomed angels without realizing it ().

Whenever I read my mind goes back to December 1978. I was in my third year as a pastor in the East End of London and just five months into married life! At that time I attended a minister’s fraternal where I spoke to a pastor whose wife was permanently in hospital with cancer. He seemed so downhearted that my heart went out to him. We invited him to our home. Those few days were ones of precious fellowship which we shall never forget. We felt that we had entertained an angel!

2. He was single-minded

Nehemiah jots down in his memoir, ‘I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work’ (5:16).

Nothing is accomplished in the Lord’s work without this single-mindedness.

3. He was godly

The godliness of Nehemiah is encapsulated in the words found in verse 15: ‘Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.’ His awe of God was the source of his piety and the driving force behind his service for God.

Nehemiah was a man who loved God and therefore loved his neighbor as himself (; ; ).

It seems to me that ‘reverence for God’ is missing from so many of our evangelical churches at the present time.

The one thing we most urgently need in Western Christendom is a deeper knowledge of God. We need to know God better.

Nehemiah’s prayer, ‘Remember me with favor, O my God’ (5:19), makes it clear

that he was a man who was ‘motivated by his knowledge of who God is, and

strengthened by the assurance of what God can do’.

Nehemiah’s request should be ours as we build the city of God’s church.

There’s no way to ever get that back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could cry.

This is why she has no affection nor crave it from me.

The last few years have been spent, not to show affection but to not disappoint me.

her words?