Nehemiah 5:1-19

OUTLINE

- The Problem

- Nehemiah’s Immediate Reaction

Nehemiah corrects those in the wrong

- Nehemiah godly example in not taxing and being generous.

Nehemiah 5:13

- The Problem

Nehemiah 5:1–5 NKJV

1 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.”

A famine

Government is taxing the people

People start borrowing money from rich, but to pay off debts they are selling land and children into slavery to Nobles and Leaders

What the people were doing was directly against what God’s Word said in

People start selling land

Exodus 22:25 NKJV

25 “If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.

People start selling children as slaves

People are taking loans

Because people are now focused on walls they are not providing for the needs of the family.

Rich are getting richer because they are getting more land and more slaves.

What the people were doing was directly against what God’s Word said in

Exodus 22:25 NKJV

25 “If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.

- Nehemiah’s Immediate Reaction

Nehemiah 5:6 NKJV

6 And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.

There are 3 reasons to Nehemiah's anger:

Nehemiah is angry because the nobles and leaders were so greedy to make money off the troubles of people

Nehemiah is angry because the people are now not unified which unity is more precious than any dollar amount.

Nehemiah is angry because God’s work has stopped.

Exodus 22:25 NKJV

25 “If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.

Nehemiah corrects those in the wrong

Nehemiah 5:7–13 NKJV

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. 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. 9 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! 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.

v.7 “after serious thought” - teaching us that Nehemiah was passionate and wise enough to not act under he thought about the situation and what he should do.

v. 7 “I rebuked the nobles and rulers” - Nehemiah was not a wimp… he confronted those in the wrong no matter who they were.

Teaching us that a leader deals with problems head on with understanding and love.

v.7 “exacting usury” - that means that the leaders were charging an interest too high.

Teaching us that the Bible teach us that if someone needs money for basic needs of life they should be given the money not loaned it with interest.

v.11 “restore now to them, even this day” - Nehemiah was not trying to just make the nobles and leaders feel bad.. he was trying to se t the wrong, right.

v.12-13 - Nehemiah knows that just them saying “we will do as you say” is not enough so he calls the priests to make an oath to make themselves accountable to the public.

- Nehemiah godly example in not taxing and being generous.

Nehemiah 5:14–19 NKJV

14 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.

Nehemiah does not tax the people.. he had every right to (like all the others).

Teaching us that a servant of God should only be a servant if the money is right.

Nehemiah lived according to a different standard then the World. He did not tax the people because he was God’s servant and knew God would take care of him

v.19 is such an interesting part of the book because it is written as if it was a diary not meant o be read by others just God.

Teaching us a couple things private time with God is important… 2 it is okay to seek praise from God… and to say remember me God and what I did, and seek reward from Him.

Better to seek praise from God than praise from men.