Nehemiah 5:1-19 a...

The Scriptures speaks of both God and Satan, trying or testing people out to see what is in them,

testing them as students are tested in school tests.

We read that Jesus was tempted by the devil (), and that God tested Abraham (),

and the truth is, that in every testing situation

both Satan and God are involved.

God tests us to bring forth excellence in discipleship, as Moses explained to the Israelites at the close of the wilderness wanderings:

“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.… He gave you manna … to humble and to test you”—to drill you, that is, in grateful, confident, disciplined, submissive reliance on himself

—“so that in the end it might go well with you” (, ).

Satan, by contrast, tests us with a view to our ruin and destruction, as appears from Paul’s reason for sending Timothy to strengthen and encourage the harassed Thessalonian Christians:

— 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.

Satan was, of course, with the Israelites in the desert,

laboring to ensnare them in unbelief and lawlessness of various kinds, and

often succeeding in his purpose, in the short term at least;

and God was with the Thessalonians in the furnace, disciplining them for their good,

that they might share his holiness (see ).

Temptation is always two-sided in this way; so whenever we are conscious of Satan seeking to pull us down,

we should remind ourselves that God is present too

to keep us steady and to build us up through the harrowing experience.

That is something we must never forget.

But Satan is a hater, a wrecker, and a destroyer, and only when he is ruining God’s work in individuals and communities is he happy.

Earlier in Nehemiah’s account of opposition to the building of the walls

I suggested that it should be understood in terms of Satan’s hidden hand of hatred to the work of God,

and in the in the next two weeks we’ll study that out further.

In we saw Satan using three devices—psychological warfare, physical threats, and personal discouragement—to nullify Nehemiah’s rebuilding project.

In and 6 we shall see him, having failed so far, turning his attention to Nehemiah in a more direct way,

Incrimination

working to destroy him personally in the sense of so discrediting him

that his role as leader of God’s people in God’s work would be forfeited.

We shall watch Satan deploy four devices to this end: The first one we’ll see today is: ACCUSATION.

Nehemiah RECEIVES complaints leading to the ACCUSATION (5:1–5).

In chapter 4 the picture was of a community rallying and closing ranks under pressure; here,

however, the picture is of the same community coming apart at the seams

because of festering grievances among its members.

We hear of “a great outcry” in which wives—homemakers and mothers—joined with their husbands in protesting the way homes and families were being threatened (5:1).

It looks as if the public flare-up was sudden, although, as we shall see,

the matters of grievance were long-time running sores in people’s lives.

A sense of corporate grievance can travel through a community like wildfire once the initial complaints have broken surface,

and one imagines committees and demonstrations appearing as if from nowhere

to alert Nehemiah to this cluster of social problems that,

as a new arrival, he had not yet realized was there.

We are not told exactly when this happened, but it is natural to guess that it was something like a month into the rebuilding,

before the invasion threats had fully cleared,

while the rubble problem was still severely felt, and

before it was possible for those on the job to feel that the end of the work was in sight.

A new crisis at that time was the last thing Nehemiah needed, but under Satan’s skillful orchestrating hand

that was what he faced:

but under Satan’s skillful orchestrating hand that was what he faced:

the armed-camp conditions in the city,

plus the blood, toil, tears, and sweat of the labor on the walls,

had brought a variety of hostile feelings to a head, and now that they were out in the open

there was nothing for it

but to deal with the grievances as quickly and decisively as possible.

What was it all about? Well... as stated to Nehemiah, the grievances were these:

Work on the walls was cutting out work in the fields. If things went on as they were going, there would be no harvest next year, and then families would starve (5:2).

— 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.”

Famine conditions (one or more bad harvests in the past) had already obliged some of the people

to mortgage some of their land to raise money for seed-corn (5:3).

But that meant they were already desperately near to ruin; if now bad times continued and

they were unable to make repayments, there was no future for them, and soon they would lose their land entirely.

Loss of land in the manner just described, plus the need to pay interest on loans from other sources,

had compelled some families to sell their children into slavery,

as the only way they could now keep going (5:4–5).

The bottom line was that the rebuilding of the walls, on top of everything else, was ruining poor people and

should therefore be abandoned; and in any case the impoverished workers themselves would have to come off the job.

In all of this, however, as Nehemiah notes, the immediate object of hostility was not himself, but

“their Jewish brothers” (5:1, 5),

the wealthy folk (“nobles and officials,” 5:7)

who had lent the money, confiscated the lands, and were now cheerfully accepting girls from poor families as slaves and preparing to take the boys as well (5:5).

The bland readiness of the rich to take advantage of the poor, on a business-is-business basis, and

to deal with them in a way that left them poorer and unhappier than before had long provoked resentment.

It was this, basically, that was now breaking surface, and it had to be dealt with.

Legally, nothing was amiss; but morally, the behavior of the well-heeled was callous exploitation in a community that God had called to live in brotherhood,

by a principle of loving your neighbor- (see ), and it is very much to Nehemiah’s credit

that when the facts were laid before him he was shocked and furious and resolved to do something about it (5:6–7).

This takes us to the next section.

Nehemiah’s RESPONSE to the ACCUSATION (5:6–13).

Nehemiah’s anger at the victimizing of the poor was like the anger of the Lord Jesus at the trading in the temple—

not the sinful anger of one whose personal plans were being thwarted, but

an agonized sense of outrage at behavior that was against their behavior, which was:

ungodly in its nature and

abusive of others in its effect.

His anger led him to think hard (5:7a)—and certainly, as we know Nehemiah, prayerfully about what he should do.

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).

There was really only one option—namely, to take the bull by the horns, and this Nehemiah did.

He accused the wealthy to their face of “exacting usury from your own countrymen” (5:7)—that is, arranging things for the sole purpose of making money out of them (commentators and translators hem and haw here, but this is clearly the heart of the meaning)—and, said Nehemiah, that has got to stop. He formally indicted these moneymen at a public meeting that he required them to attend (5:7b–8). There he made a speech that said two things, as follows:

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

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

Second, the impoverishing of the already poor must cease and must be replaced by positive brotherly generosity. “Let the exacting of usury stop! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury [interest] you are charging them—the hundredth part [per annum? per month? we do not know, and it does not matter] of the money, grain, new wine and oil” (5:10–11). Charge no more interest, says Nehemiah—Jews should not ask interest from their fellow-Jews anyway ()—and let us have a Jubilee, here and now, in which all mortgaged and confiscated property, along with all improperly exacted interest, returns to those from whom it came (see , ).

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

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

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).

The nobles were left with no choice

but to accept formally (and on oath) the arrangement Nehemiah had proposed (5:12).

Then Nehemiah cursed any who should break their oath, and “the whole assembly said,

—... “Amen!” and praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise.

But where in all this does Satan’s alleged plan to bring Nehemiah down by ACCUSATION come in?

Once again Nehemiah’s wise and masterful leadership had saved the work of rebuilding the wall;

once again Satan was thwarted, God was honored, and His people were blessed.

But where in all this does Satan’s alleged plan to bring Nehemiah down by ACCUSATION come in?

Satan’s goal from the start was to

discredit Nehemiah’s leadership and

so keep the walls from being built and

the glory of God in Jerusalem from becoming a reality.

To that end, he stirred up the outcry when he did in order to impale Nehemiah

on the horns of a dilemma and to bring him down whatever action he took.

Nehemiah, faced with the outcry, was expected to reason like this:

if, on the one hand, I ignore this scandal, or try to bypass it, my leadership will be lost; I shall be discredited for ducking the issue.

But if,

on the other hand, I move against the scandal, my leadership will still be lost, for I shall have to admit that since coming to Jerusalem

I too have practiced usury (moneylending at interest, or at least with a requirement of collateral in some form). (see 5:10)

No doubt Nehemiah had done this in good faith, purposing to help people, and without

fully realizing how debt situations in Jerusalem tended to escalate (after all, he had only been there a little over a month).

But the fact remained that he had done it, and Satan expected his knowledge of having done it to make him feel compromised

and unable to take firm action because he would thereby incriminate himself.

And no doubt Satan further expected that if knowledge of Nehemiah’s involvement in the trade of impoverishment came out,

it would in fact bring to an end his moral and spiritual leadership in the community by provoking a general revulsion against him.

What Nehemiah actually did was both wise and brave.

In the course of his speech he frankly admitted what he had done and immediately called for a change, implying that he himself would be the first to make it.

“I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!” (5:10).

Far from arousing hatred, Nehemiah’s gesture enhanced his moral credit.

here spoke an honest and good-hearted man, one who was prepared to confess

one who was prepared to confess his errors of judgment and lapses from wisdom and change for the better.

his errors of judgment and

lapses from wisdom and

change for the better.

It is perhaps understandable that a mean creature like Satan would not expect a leader’s confession to raise his image in this way,

but it did then, as it can now.

Leaders make mistakes. What marks godly leaders is the willingness to deal with mistakes openly, applying the same criterion to themselves as to others. Never shrink from doing so. You may find it embarrassing. But it is the honest road to freedom.

Nehemiah’s REVERENCE to God in light of the ACCUSATION (5:14–19).

Here, Nehemiah slips in a six-verse section showing how far from self-seeking or

feathering his own nest out of the privileges and

“perks” of his office he actually was.

Over a period of twelve years, he tells us, he sought to follow the principle—

which is no more, of course, than a spelling out of loving your neighbor.

Throughout his governorship,

he renounced the governor’s food allowance, which was a tax upon the people (v. 14) …

he refused to exploit the people (v. 15), in contrast to his predecessors …

he acquired no land, probably highly unusual among officials of the time … (v. 16).

It is clear that the honest policy cost Nehemiah dear.

Verses 17–18 give a glimpse of the daily demands upon his hospitality,

partly brought about by his diplomatic responsibilities as governor, and

partly, it seems, acceded to simply from his generosity.

Nehemiah’s motives in acting this way were

(a) his fear of God (v. 15),

which means simply that he acted out of awareness of what was appropriate for one who worshipped God, and

(b) compassion for people’s suffering (v. 18).

His motives in telling us about it may be similar to those of the apostle Paul, who, while insisting strongly on his right to share in the material welfare of those among whom he worked (.), renounced that right lest his motivation come in question ().

Here’s a accurate comment. Nehemiah came to Jerusalem at the call of God to improve the lot of God’s people, and

his mind-set throughout was that of a shepherd and a servant.

He was greedy, not, as so many top people prove to be, for money, sex, and power, but

Thus an impressive example of brotherliness was set by the man at the top.

Recording this, Nehemiah adds the prayer that formed in his heart as he wrote— — Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

He was not claiming merit but was professing sincerity in serving others for the Lord’s sake.

His track record entitled him to pray in these terms.

There has always been a true elite of God’s leaders, they are the meek who inherit the earth ().

They weep and pray in secret, and defy earth and hell in public.

They tremble when faced with danger, but die in their tracks rather than turn back.

They are like a shepherd defending his sheep or a mother protecting her young.

They sacrifice without grumbling,

give without calculating,

suffer without groaning.

To those in their charge they say, ‘We live if you do well.’

Their price is above rubies. And Nehemiah was one of them.

To apply this to us we need to see the biblical truth that believers are all called to be generous,

to behave with kindness and thoughtfulness, showing deeds of mercy and compassion toward others.

It is Paul’s plea to the rich that they should be

“generous and ready to share” ().

Luke praises Cornelius because he “gave alms generously to the people” ().

Paul thanks the Corinthians for their generosity (, ).

All of this is in accordance with the principle that “each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (v. 7).

But what were the motives that drove Nehemiah to generous giving for the sake of the kingdom of God?

Two in particular are mentioned: his fear of God () and his compassion for the suffering of his brothers and sisters (v. 18).

The Fear of God and Generous Compassion

FEARING GOD

Nehemiah feared God more than he feared men (). He lived for God’s glory, seeking in all that he did to bring his life into conformity with the obligations of covenant life.

He loved God because God had shown His love to him. He took God’s Word seriously,

giving it the reverence that it deserves, viewing its sentences—as coming from none other than the mind and will of God,

as though God Himself were speaking to him directly.

Following Pentecost, the early Christians practiced a generous lifestyle,

sharing their possessions with the needy

as though they did not own them.

It is fascinating that the reason for their behavior was that fear “came upon every soul” ().

God was more than a theological proposition to them; God was everything to them.

They saw each of their lives as a pilgrimage passing through this world, and consequently they also saw the need to hold loosely to material things.

It’s when we do not have this proper reverence for God, we will

ignore the needy,

trample on the blessings of fellowship

and accumulate worldly “toys.

We play more than we pray. It’s a terrible symptom, that for many-a-church-goer, that God is far from their thoughts and far from their hearts.

Many Christians find greater pleasure in politics or sports or music than in fellowship with God.

GENEROUS COMPASSION

But there is a second motivation for Nehemiah’s generosity: the people’s poverty brought forth in him a deep sense of compassion.

As a relatively wealthy man, Nehemiah now saw it as his duty and delight to share with others from his bounty.

The sight of need and destitution moved him.

He was not prepared to follow the Pharisaical way and walk by on the other side of the road, pretending not to notice the need.

So fearing the Lord and having generous compassion is how Satan is defeated here in chapter 5.

Let’s look at a couple.

Satan has other tactics and God’s Word provides those remedies beloved! Turn over to .

James continues to rebuke his readers for their quarrelsome attitudes (vv. 1–3) that they had towards one another in the body of Christ.

And then, expressing the heart of his concern in this letter, James exhorts his readers to give themselves wholly to God (read vv. 4–6).

If God gives the grace to meet his claim on our lives to those who are humble, then we must become humble if we expect to enjoy that grace.

James sounds this call for humility in v. 7a and 10: submit yourselves to God/humble yourselves before the Lord.

These form two bookends for us this morning. But between these two “bookends”

we find a carefully structured series of commands that spell out some of the aspects and implications of the overall call to “submit to God.”

— Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

To submit to God means to place ourselves under his lordship, and therefore to commit ourselves to obey him in all things.

Followers of Christ, are commanded even now to recognize God’s Lordship and to place ourselves in glad submission under His wise rule.

(look at the last part of v7 and the start of v8) resist the devil and draw near to God— this unpacks the significance of “submitting” to God.

Placing ourselves under God’s authority means, negatively, that we firmly refuse to bow to the devil’s authority.

The verb translated “resist” means to “stand against,” and can also be translated “oppose” or “withstand” (see, e.g., ; ; ).

When we resist the devil’s purposes, he will, James promises, flee from you.

Whatever power Satan may have, the Christian can be absolutely certain that he has been given the ability to overcome that power.

Turn over to and read 7-9.

Just a word on verses 7–9. ‘There was war in heaven.’ Imagine that as the main headline on the news!

Michael is mentioned.

He and his angels were on one side in this war and the dragon and his angels were on the other side, and the whole confrontation issued in Satan being hurled out of heaven and down to earth.

This is a vivid symbolical way of emphasizing Satan’s utter inability to destroy Christ, and, by implication, his inability to destroy those for whom Christ died.

The war (v7) of the angels symbolizes the effect of Christ’s exaltation upon Satan and his forces.

Satan’s defeat relates especially to his work as (at the end of v10) the accuser of our brethren in the court of heaven (; ; ).

The Greek word accused means “brought legal charges against them.”

Both the Hebrew word Satan and the Greek word translated “Devil” mean accuser or enemy who speaks evil.

Christ’s atoning death (the blood of the Lamb) redeemed His people from sin (1:5; 5:9; 7:14), and His presence in heaven (v. 5) answers all charges against them (; ).

The archangel Michael was assigned to fight the demons on behalf of God’s people (, ; ; ) and thus leads the holy angels as God’s instruments to implement the results of Christ’s victory.

Satan continues to rage on earth (great wrath) and control people with his lies (present tense deceives)

as he did in the garden (that old serpent; ), but now he is in retreat before the armies of the Lamb (17:14), and he knows that he has but a short time.

Christ has taken up His kingdom and power and has bound the Devil and cast him out (20:1–3; ; ; ).

He leads the church to conquer the Devil (overcame him) and destroy his kingdom (v8, neither was their place found; , ).

Satan’s symbolic fall from heaven is realized as the church proclaims the gospel (the word of their testimony; , , ) and endures suffering and death for His name (v11, loved not our lives to the death; 2:10; 6:9; ).

So here, we overcome Satan by placing ourselves under God’s authority means, meaning, that we firmly refuse to bow to the devil’s authority.

And as Christ leads us, as our Captain, as we proclaim the gospel and endure suffering and yes even death for His great name!!!

Nehemiah shows a shepherd’s heart.

He is a leader, and he must ask the people to engage in hard labor.

But he is also a pastor. He loves them.

He has compassion on them.

His heart is moved by the sight of their distress and need.

In this aspect, too, he shows a spirit like that of Jesus, who, when he viewed the city of Jerusalem from a distance,

saw its inhabitants as sheep without a shepherd and wept ().

Glimpses of Jesus’ heart are seen here in Nehemiah.

They are only glimpses, of course, but as we keep on turning the pages of redemptive history,

another Shepherd-Ruler comes whose heart melts at the sight of man’s desperate need.

If our interpretation of chapters 5 and 6 is right, Satan did not leave Nehemiah alone after the first attempt to destroy his leadership had failed.

Chapter 6 tells of three more ploys aimed at his overthrow, involving this time the murky trio of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem.