Any church building program involves maintaining and being good stewards of all available resources. In Nehemiah’s case it meant freeing his workforce from the oppression of fellow Jews. Be blessed as you read and pray.
Nehemiah 5: Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor
1 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.
2 For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive."
3 There were also those who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine."
4 And there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards.
5 Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards."
6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.
7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, "You are exacting interest, each from his brother." And I held a great assembly against them
8 and said to them, "We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say.
9 So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?
10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest.
11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them."
12 Then they said, "We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say." And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised.
13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said "Amen" and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
Nehemiah's Generosity
14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.
15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.
17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.
18 Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people.
19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.
Things to think about…
1. Slavery was described as the judgement that would come upon the Jews if they did not keep the law and honour the Lord when they entered the land of Canaan. In Neh 5:1-13 we see the officials and nobles enslaving their fellow Jews because of unpaid taxes to the Persian king. These taxes may have been endured except for the excessive interest that the nobles and officials were putting on the money they had laid out for their fellow Jews. The interest was overwhelming for them and rather than pay the interest, these poorer Jews sold themselves into slavery to the nobles and officials. Nehemiah shows the nobles and officials their greed and religious hypocrisy. Are there any instances you can think of where a similar situation happens within the Christian church? I think a huge debt associated with an overzealous building programs may be one example.
2. Nehemiah takes counsel with himself, vs 7. Sometimes there are very few who have the knowledge and insight of the leader and as such he takes counsel with himself. While the Christian leader may have the most knowledge and understanding of the Lord’s will we should always apply biblical directives. “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” Prov 15:22.
3. Nehemiah makes the nobles and officials set their brethren free and restore their property, Neh 5:9-12. They then are made to take a vow before the priests and the Lord which invoked a judgement for those who do not keep their promise. In the New Testament we are told simply to let our ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and our ‘no’, ‘no’. The nobles and stewards give back the lands and titles and free their brothers from slavery. Is there any reason for the Christian to ‘vow’ in a modern context – aside from marriage?
4. Nehemiah seems to justify himself before his readers regarding his stewardship as the governor in Neh 5:14-19. There is no doubt he is doing an excellent job, but why does he feel the need to justify his administration? The reality is that the country was poor and the Governor exacting a full wage would have placed a greater burden on the people. In the early years of my pastorate at Chuwar the church could not afford a full time wage. This season allowed the church to grow until iot was able to support a full time pastor. Nehemiah asks God to bless him because of all the good he has done for the people. Why do you think Nehemiah does this? Is it for an eternal blessing, vs 19? This is reminiscent of David’s prayers many times in the Psalms where he asks the Lord to look on him and his faithfulness and judge between him and his enemies as a result.
Vision Point for cell groups – Cell groups on break over the school holidays
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Cell groups on break over School holidays
Prayer Points
1. Pray for our Easter services.
2. Pray the Lord blesses the money sent to Polish Baptist Church in Chelm efforts to support Ukrainian refugees. This is the church we will be supporting.
3. Upcoming Australian elections
4. Continue to pray for the flood clean-up and all those affected a second and third time round as well as the money donated to help.
5. Folk sick with Covid – relief and healing.
6. Ukraine to continue to repel Russia and peace to come. Pray for Mariupol and eastern Ukraine.
7. Christ to be seen through us in our community.
8. Pray for other building projects – café roof, the repair of the house roof.
9. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. CBC has raised $2800 for Ukrainian refugees and $1200 in flood donations. I have been messaging Chelm Baptist Church and they are very appreciative of our support.
2. Russia seems to be gradually losing the war. Pray they are held accountable for war crimes.
3. The world is responding overwhelmingly to the war in Ukraine. It has united the west and others against Putin’s evil.
4. God’s word affecting people for Christ
5. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
6. Flood cleanup is restoring communities around Ipswich and Brisbane.
