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Nehemiah Chapter 5
Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor
- Nehemiah 5:1 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.
- 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.
This has been going on for ages.
Instead of helping the poor and needy, and taking care of one
another the poor are exploited. We need to take care of the poor as
much as possible. I'm not talking here of giving out money to keep
people depentent on the government to buy their votes to keep crooks
in office. We should take care of the poor but not that way. Giving
people jobs, teaching them skills, giving them incentives to desire
to hold down a job along with helping them through hard times by
giving them enough to get started, is the way to overcome poverty
and avoid what went on here.
First they had enemies trying to stop
the work of building the walls from those that were not of their
brethren the Jews. Now among themselves are those that are
exploiting their brethren causing division and trouble among
themselves. Satan is clever and if he can't stop God's work from the
outside, he will stir up trouble among the congregation or believers
instead.
Those that were prosperous where
charging interest and taking the land of those that couldn't pay
them back. Over taxing people by governments do the same thing and
it is not right.
- Nehemiah 5:12 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.
The law of Moses had a just and fair
way to help the poor. We find this in Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy
15. Instead of doing what the law said, they began to oppress the
poor and take their land from them. In the Psalms also we read:
- Psalm 82:3
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and
needy.
4
Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the
wicked.
There is a way to help the poor without
making them dependant upon the government so they feel they are
doing their part. However, widows with children, handicapped and
others need help too in a way that they can also provide for their
own families and not be scattered away from family. I admire the
Amish people for the way they take care of their own. I'm sure God
will bless them for that.
It seems that there always are those
that are greedy and take advantage of people when they get into
financial trouble.
In this case though, the guilty parties
agreed to stop the oppression and give back their land. Nehemiah
called for the priests to take oaths from them so they didn't change
their minds and go back to oppressing the poor.
Nehemiah's Generosity
- Nehemiah 5:14
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.
Nehemiah didn't just say what to do and how
to help the poor, he did it himself. He didn't take any support from
governors, He supported himself, he didn't buy land for himself. He
didn't charge interest. He spent all his life, giving, feeding, and
helping the poor. Even his own servants served without pay. They
just served, gave and did what they could to help the poor and carry
on the work of God to rebuild and become a dependent on themselves.
DC
Nehemiah
Chapter 6
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