Crisis Within

Nehemiah 5:1 KJV 1900

1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

Introduction

Introduction

- Nehemiah is a great study of leadership, but also shows obedience to God

- Last week we saw Nehemiah establishing a watch while they worked

-- This put the people on guard to protect them from the enemy

-- But also let the enemy know they were being watched; which deflated them

- They then went back to work with the same vision: rebuild Jerusalem’s walls

-- I wondered while Mike was presenting this, how often is the reverse true?

-- EX: The enemy attacks, and rather than standing firm – we back down

-- Nehemiah trusted God to be faithful to do His part, so shouldn’t’ we?

- This evening we get a view of what’s also going on behind the scenes

-- The greatest wall will never stand if the society behind it is broken

The Berlin Wall

-- It is in this fact that we see a tremendous lesson for us today

I Internal Oppression

Nehemiah 5:1–5 KJV 1900

1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. 2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. 3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. 4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

neh 5

In the midst of rebuilding, an ugly internal problem arose.

Food was evidently scarce and expensive.

Inflation, plus the … tax burden placed on the Jews by the king, had reduced many of them to poverty.

They were forced to borrow money from their wealthier brothers and to mortgage their property.

Some even had to sell their sons and daughters as slaves.

And since their land was owned by others, they were left without means to buy back the children. When they told Nehemiah of their sad plight, he called the wealthy to a solemn assembly and rebuked them.[1]

- Read

- What we see here is great lesson in how society’s work

-- The defensive measures might be in place, but the society is broken (v1)

-- vs 1

The people saw Nehemiah perhaps as an advocate so they complained to him

- Note here that even women were joining in the complaining (this is unusual)

-- For this to happen, surely they had reached a desperate level in Jerusalem

-- But do you notice who they are complaining about?

- They are railing against their fellow Jews!

vs 2

-- First, there are Jews who do not own any land of their own (v2)

-- They had to ask the government for grain so that they could even live

vs 3

- The second group is the landowners (v3) but they too have problems

-- They are mortgaged to the hilt, and the crops have constantly failed

-- Their loans are too numerous, and to even survive they have to scrape by

-- RE: There is a tremendous famine in this time (v3) that’s affected all

vs 4

- And the last group also consisted of landowners, but the issue is taxation

-- Because of the king’s taxes, they too are mortgaged to their eyeballs

-- They are facing imminent ruin if something does not change (v4)

vs 5

- IMP: In v5 we see the root cause: They are doing this to one another!

-- We are the same flesh and blood, therefore considered brothers to one another

-- Yet, they’ve had to subject their own children to work and slavery

-- Even the daughters had been enslaved which in itself is disgraceful

- Something to note: the payment of debt through enslavement isn’t illegal

-- But the law has safeguards built in; even though it’s almost at its limit as well

-- Imagine these parents: defenseless and unable to help their own children

--- “We are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others”

- The economic oppression these people have has caused a crippling cycle

-- We must borrow to eat, but we must take out a loan to borrow

-- Then we must enslave ourselves in order to pay back the debt … but …

-- We still need to eat so we must borrow more to eat …. Rinse & repeat

Pastor’s observation:

- If there was ever a clear cut example of debt being silly, here you go

-- We get into debt, we borrow to get out of debt, & we get more into debt

-- Then we reach max capacity, panic, borrow … and the cycle never seems to end

-- If you’re in this cycle get some help, please! Having a budget works …

- Nehemiah has a society in a vicious cycle that he’s helping to rebuild

-- IMP: You cannot survive if you are pitted against one another

- TRANS: Read

II Nehemiah Pronounces Judgment

Nehemiah 5:6–11 KJV 1900

6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. 8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. 9 Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? 10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. 11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

Neh 5.

vs 6

- After listening to their complaints, Nehemiah is very angry with them (v6)

-- The oppression of fellow Jews is shameful, esp. as they are rebuilding together

vs 7

-- But, instead of showing it, he refrained from responding (v7)

- After careful thought (sometimes it’s better to be silent for a few …)

-- He rebuked those who were responsible for this ... look at his words:

-- (Pause) “You are charging your own people interest!”

-- RE: You are doing this to yourselves! It’s not even someone else’s doing!

vs 7-8

- Nehemiah felt a huge moral outrage here; and so he must act (v7-8)

-- Nehemiah said that we’ve brought our people back from slavery …

-- But they are now selling one another to each other, to be sold back to us!

-- APP: Do you see the ridiculous cycle of nonsense? It must stop!

vs 9

- What they are doing is demeaning one another (v9)

-- Nehemiah addresses their values, rather than just reminding them of the law

-- In v9, his indictment to them is critical, and our focal point (re-read)

-- APP: A correct response to God would be to put personal ambition aside

- Walking in the fear of the Lord means that we consider Him first, not us

-- Jesus taught on this as well … turn to

Matthew 20:20–28 KJV 1900

20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. 24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Read vs 10-11

Nehemiah’s final action was intensely personal. He referred to his own example and that of others who were already helping those in need by lending them money and grain. He was already doing something about the problem. So he was not asking the people to do something he was not exemplifying in his own life.

Nehemiah then asked those guilty of exploitation to return what they had taken from others. Mortgaged fields, vineyards, olive groves (the groves are mentioned here for the first time; they were not referred to in vv. 3–5), and houses were to be returned (perhaps with the income made from the grain, new wine, and oil from those fields), charging interest (usury) was to stop, and the interest received from the loans was to be returned. The interest was a 100th part, that is, one percent a month. He emphasized the urgency of this exhortation by asking them to act immediately[1]

So, Nehemiah makes a pledge with the men and women in Jerusalem

[1] Getz, G. A. (1985). Nehemiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 684). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

-- APP: Life is not about us – our calling is to serve one another!

-- APP: Life is not about us – our calling is to serve one another!

- So, Nehemiah makes a pledge with the men and women in Jerusalem

Restore and make it right ....

- TRANS: Read

- TRANS: Read

III Nehemiah’s Confirms with an Oath

Nehemiah 5:12–13 KJV 1900

12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. 13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.

5:12–13. No doubt Nehemiah was pleased when the people responded to his exhortations. But knowing that words are cheap and easy to say on the spur of the moment under public pressure, he made the guilty leaders (nobles and officials; cf. v. 7) take another step—to take an oath affirming that they would do what they had said.

The priests witnessed the oath-taking. Nehemiah visualized for them the grave consequences that would come if they lied to God.

Shaking out the folds of his robe (cf. Paul’s action in ), which served as pockets, he asked that God similarly shake out of His house … every person who failed to keep his oath.

This gesture indicated rejection, something like shaking the dust off one’s feet (; ).[1]

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- Note how the creditors are now willing to forgive and relieve the debt

-- They have promised to give back what they have charged (v12)

-- But there is a severity in this pledge, and Nehemiah lays it all on the line

- This is a ceremonial action that Nehemiah performs (shaking out robe)

-- It was meant to give it more power, an exclamation point if you need one

-- Then he proclaims on them a judgment of the Lord if they fail (v13)

-- The people’s agreement is sealed with an Amen (“I agree”)

- Now, we might think all is settled … but you cannot fix something temporarily

-- If you want change to really take hold, you have to model it

IV Nehemiah Leads by Example

Nehemiah 5:14–19 KJV 1900

14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. 15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. 16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work. 17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us. 18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. 19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

vs 14

Presumably sometime while the city wall was being rebuilt, Nehemiah was appointed governor of Judah. This was the highest position of leadership in the nation at that time.

Later, as Nehemiah wrote this historical account of his years in Jerusalem, he evidently inserted these observations (vv. 14–19) about his perspective on that leadership position. Apparently he included these verses here in the narrative because of their relationship to the events described in verses 1–13.[1]

- Nehemiah then establishes his governorship over Jerusalem for 12 years (v14)

- Nehemiah then establishes his governorship over Jerusalem for 12 years (v14)

-- But notice something that he set up in his leadership – no one took from others

-- APP: He definitely had the clout to get the wall construction working

-- But notice something that he set up in his leadership – no one took from others

Read vs 16-19 slowly

-- And Nehemiah stands by his agreement made with all in v10

-- He does not take the things that are “entitled to him” because of his position

-- APP: Isn’t that incredible? Government can survive without taking all …

-- It was his right to do so, but instead he choose to live with integrity

-- Those before him did the exact opposite (v15), hence the mess they were in

-- Nehemiah knows this will not work, and so he departed from the customs

-- However … do you see WHY he chooses to not act like this?

- “But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.”

-- His fear of the Lord far surpassed his desire to get all he can

-- His reverence for pleasing God is an example that we can have today

-- He exemplified the Law: love for God and love for people

- What a tremendous example we can stand on (pause) “Love God, Love People”

-- Wait! This is our saying here! It is what we rely on when reaching out!

-- Rather than devote himself to wealth, his focus is on restoring the city (v16)

- Even more: (v17) he provided for those in is service out of his pocket

-- Their mission is on the work ahead, not in promoting their own desires

-- His desire is that they would work together to restore their birthright city

-- And with that, their needs were provided for (v18) without taxation

- TRANS: But here is the question … why would Nehemiah live like this?

∆ Big Idea

Reflecting on his years as governor, he offers a very simple prayer (v19)

-- Nehemiah simply wanted God’s approval … is that what we cry out for?