Nehemiah Chapters 5-6
Chapter 5 5:1 Up to this point Nehemiah’s challenges as a spiritual leader focused primarily on those outside of Judah. In this chapter he faces a new challenge, problems which were caused by God’s professed people. Evidently the people in Judah faced a food shortage (5:2 “Let us get grain that we may eat and live”). In order to get this grain, the people were forced to mortgage their fields, vineyards, and homes (5:3). Others had to borrow money from their Jewish brothers to pay property taxes to King Artaxerxes (5:4). This problem was compounded by the fact that they were charged exorbitant interest rates by their own Jewish brethren. “The troubles are real enough. Verse 2 reveals a natural tendency to argue that too much was being sacrificed to Nehemiah’s project. ‘After all’, as such citizens might have put it, ‘you can’t eat walls’” (Kidner p. 95). 5:2 The size of these Jewish families had increased, but their food production had not increased accordingly. 5:3 With all financial resources exhausted, there was but one recourse open to them if they were to continue to eat---mortgaged homes and farms. 5:4 Despite the poverty of the common people, taxes levied by the Persian king still had to be paid. With no money to meet these obligations, more and more mortgages were issued on property; and family inheritances were being lost by default with ever increasing speed. 5:5 Things had become so bad that children, sons, and daughters were being sold into slavery to cover unpaid debts (Exodus 21:1-11). “Expenses exceeded income; land had been lost through foreclosures. There was no way to redeem those already taken as slaves, nor to prevent others from being enslaved. It was a heart-rending cry that came to the ears of a sympathetic governor” (Winters p. 100). 1. Even some commentators argue that all this work on the wall had taken men from the fields, and hence the work on the wall was partly to blame for this economic crisis. Such is often a typical response to
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hardship we tend to blame our troubles on something which God has required. Sometimes people might even argue that attendance at worship is preventing them from getting ahead. 2. Actually, God lays the blame for this crisis at the feet of the people. The land hadn’t produced, because they hadn’t been putting God first in their lives (Haggai 1:6-11; Malachi 2:3; 3:8-11). 3. Those who lead the people of God in any age need to realize that the greatest enemy that the church faces could be from sinful attitudes among its own members. If we are faithful as a people, then nothing can stop us from converting souls, yet if we are unfaithful, then no amount of money, material resources, or talents can make up sinful attitudes. Let’s refuse to be our own worst enemy. 4. “There will always be some ready to capitalize on the misfortune of others” (Breneman p. 202)
5:6-7 Like Jesus, there are times we need to get angry in reference to evil (Mark 3:5). “Nehemiah again served as an example of one who considers things carefully before acting” (Breneman p. 202). Nehemiah was a man of courage, for it always takes courage to oppose and rebuke the influential members of a community. The law of Moses specifically condemned the practice of charging a fellow Jew interest, for it meant profiting from the misfortune of one’s own brother (Deuteronomy 23:19). “Nehemiah’s charge is therefore that (in our terms) the lenders were behaving like pawnbrokers—and harsh ones at that—instead of like brothers” (Kidner p. 96). 5:7 “And I consulted with myself”: One can be angry and sin not (Ephesians 4:26). One can be angry and yet still be very much in control of their words, actions, and emotions. “Nehemiah, fortunately for his people, was far from unshockable. His anger was the measure of his concern, or love, as was our Lord’s in Mark 3:5; John 2:14ff; or Paul’s in 2 Corinthians 11:29. But the same concern made it controlled and constructive, as the passage goes on to show” (Kidner p. 95). Here is one of those places where we see tremendous mercy in the Old Testament law. God didn’t want His people treating their brethren as nothing more than customers or business partners. Various laws protected the person who may have fallen on hard times (Deuteronomy 24:6; 10-11; 12-13; Exodus 22:26-27). “I held a great assembly against them”: Possibly when private rebuke failed to solve the problem, Nehemiah convened a public assembly and will proceed to reprove, rebuke, and exhort, in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2).
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5:8 Nehemiah pointed out that efforts had been made to redeem Jewish brothers from debtors servitude to foreign peoples. Now, however, the Jewish nobles were putting their brothers back into economic bondage. To this accusation, no one could reply or argue against. “Brought out into the open, and measured against generous actions, the “smart deals” now looked impossibly shabby, even to the dealers themselves” (Kidner p. 96). The verse also seems to infer that rich Jewish landowners or business men were actually selling their own indebted brethren to foreign people! Though it was legal to use a poor brother as a bond servant, he was not to be sold as a slave (Leviticus 25:39-42). “The sale of fellow Hebrews as slaves to Gentiles was a particularly callous offense and was always forbidden (Exodus 21:8)” (Gaebelein pp. 708-709). Greed, the chance to get rich quick, the opportunity to make a profit due to the misfortune of another, can make us very insensitive and uncaring people. 5:9 “These nobles, as leaders, ought of all people, to exemplify obedience to the word and will of God, and especially in view of the present reproach being heaped on Jerusalem and its inhabitants by the heathen. Instead, they had contributed to the problem” (Winters p. 102). Note, walking in the “fear of God”, includes being moral and loving our neighbor as ourselves. “Also God’s reputation was at stake. This immoral and unethical behavior was bringing reproach on the One who had delivered their country from both Egyptian bondage and Babylonian Captivity” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 684). 5:10 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 both 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. Some commentators argue that in this verse Nehemiah is admitting that he and his associates had also been guilty of charging interest to their brethren. But such a view is completely inconsistent with Nehemiah’s anger over this problem and his own moral example. 5:11 All real property was to be returned to its rightful owners, effectively canceling all debts; and all unlawful gains made through interest were to be refunded. “In verse 11 the hundredth would be a surprisingly low return on capital, but the reckoning may be in monthly terms (i.e., 12 per cent per annum). The demand in this half of the verse is for a refund either of interest charged on the loans, or of the income derived by the creditors from the property they have taken in pledge” (Kidner p. 97). “In times of crisis or at any time the well-being of the community of faith is
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more important than the comfort and security of the affluent; they must be willing to sacrifice” (Breneman p. 205). See Acts 2:44-45. 5:12 “Ever realistic, Nehemiah leaves no room for postponement or for second thoughts, and makes sure that the promises are upgraded into oaths, properly sworn in the presence of the priests” (Kidner p. 97). 5:13 “I also shook out the front of my garment”: This was a symbolic act to announce effectively the curse on those who disobeyed, warning that God would take away their houses and possessions. Nehemiah wasn’t afraid to use some dramatic visual aids in his preaching.
Nehemiah’s Unselfish Leadership 5:14 It is here that we learn that Nehemiah had been appointed governor of this region. This specific detail had not been mentioned before. Nehemiah was in Jerusalem for 12 years (445-433 B.C.). The governor, under Persian policy, had the right to receive taxes from the people to support his own household, servants, and diplomatic expenses. But Nehemiah did not use this prerogative; he had forfeited this right to help his people (1 Corinthians 9). 5:15 The former governors had abused their power, but Nehemiah feared God and thus respected the needs of those under his care. Note, a healthy fear of God leads one to a healthy love for other people, especially the less fortunate. Be impressed that to Nehemiah, “fearing God” wasn’t a negative thing. To Nehemiah, fearing God, loving God, and respecting God, all referred to the same basic attitude toward God. 5:16 Instead of using his position to enrich himself and make business deals, Nehemiah concentrated on rebuilding the walls around the city. What is the use of prospering, if the people of God aren’t prospering with you? The land that Nehemiah mentioned was probably the land that a governor could buy up when people failed to pay their taxes. 5:17-18 Nehemiah did have expenses as governor, but he was supporting the officials and employees of the government as well as Jews who migrated to Judah. Also, it was his responsibility as governor to entertain visitors and officials from other parts of the Persian Empire. “Nehemiah also realized that the taxes and demands of work on the wall were already heavy. Therefore he not only sacrificed the taxes he was entitled to, but he also underwrote government expenses from his personal savings…Leadership means going further than those one is leading”
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(Breneman p. 208). All of this is proof that to Nehemiah this whole enterprise wasn’t about himself, but about doing something for God. 5:19 “Although Nehemiah loved Jerusalem and his fellow countrymen dearly, he had an even higher motivating power for his labor and sacrifice—he wanted, above all, for his good works to be memorialized before God” (Winters pp. 103-104). In all of this Nehemiah sought the praise of God rather than that of man. Points to Note: 1. Nehemiah realized that there are times when we need to forego our “rights” for the sake of helping others or furthering God’s purposes (1 Corinthians 6:12). 2. Nehemiah lived for God, rather than living for himself (Galatians 2:20). 3. He put God first (Matthew 6:33), even if that meant missing out on some great financial opportunities, even if that meant getting a smaller paycheck. Do we love God and God’s people like Nehemiah loved them? 4. Can we be happy and content in our own prosperity, while the church might be struggling?
Chapter 6 6:1-2 The walls were now up. Only the doors of the gates remained to be set in place. Those open doorways were the enemy’s last hope of regaining the upper hand without actually mounting a siege. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, now changed their tactics. Their plan now became to eliminate Nehemiah. Those who oppose God know that if they can undermine the leadership among God’s people, they can often stop all progress. This is one reason why it is so important for us to protect the reputations of elders, and refuse to listen to unsupported accusations (1 Timothy 5:19). “Ono” was located seven miles SE of Joppa near Lod. It was in the westernmost area settled by the returning Jews (Ezra 2:33; Nehemiah 7:37; 11:35). It may have been proposed as a kind of neutral territory, yet Nehemiah recognized the invitation as a trap. “At best, the journey would have wasted precious days” (Kidner p. 99). 6:3 “ I am doing a great work”: Do we see the role that we are playing in the local congregation as a “great work?” Nehemiah refused to be distracted with lesser matters. Nehemiah’s foes were persistent, yet he was equally persistent in steadfastly resisting their underhanded tactics. Too often Christians become preoccupied with the things of this world, but an effective way of staying focused on the important things in life, is
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to realize what a great work you are accomplishing in teaching others, raising your children, helping brethren, and so on. 6:4 Repeated temptation can weaken one’s resistance, yet Nehemiah stood firm. Nehemiah also knew that there are some matters that simply do not need to be discussed any further (Matthew 7:6). Let us make sure that nothing is distracting or diverting our attention from God’s work.
The Rumor Mill 6:5 Letters during this period were usually rolled up, tied with string, and sealed. By writing an “open letter”, Sanballat obviously intended that the contents of this letter should be made known to the public at large. Sending such an open letter ensured that the malicious rumors in it would sooner or later be public property. 6:6 The rumor was serious. Jerusalem had a history of rebelling against controlling empires and a strong wall around Jerusalem would seem to make the rumor sound viable. The man named “Gashmu” in this verse is the same man named “Geshem” in verse 2. 6:7 In addition, the rumor was also that Nehemiah was planning on appointing himself as king. Supposedly, Nehemiah had authorized prophets to proclaim his kingship in Judea. In effect, Sanballat was trying to intimidate and blackmail Nehemiah into meeting with him. Sanballat also pretends that he is really concerned about what might happen to Nehemiah as the Persian king gets wind of this. Like Sanballat, people who dabble in gossip, often do so pretending that they have someone’s best interest at heart. 6:8 Notice how Nehemiah dealt with rumors and gossip. He simply denied the accusations, exposed the source of the rumor, and exposed the motives of those who were spreading such rumors. Nehemiah realized that he didn’t have the time to track down everyone who had heard this rumor and set them straight. Rather, he simply denied the charges, put his trust in God, and believed that in the end honest people would see through such accusations. 6:9 Nehemiah knew that the opposition was trying to intimidate him; he recognized the psychological warfare being used by his enemies. Notice how Nehemiah responds, he goes to God in prayer (1 Peter 5:7).
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The Attempt to Destroy His Credibility 6:10 Nehemiah’s enemies would not give up but kept trying different strategies. Some people in the Jewish community didn’t like Nehemiah, so Sanballat and Tobiah tried to use them against Nehemiah’s leadership. Nehemiah accepted Shemaiah’s (shih MAY uh) invitation to see him, but this man had sold out to the opposition. If Shemaiah’s father, Delaiah (dih LAY yah), is the same one mentioned in 1 Chron. 24:18, then this man was a priest and had special access into the temple. He wanted Nehemiah to enter the temple (which would be a sin), on the pretense of protecting his life. This sounds a lot like situation ethics: “Nehemiah, enter the temple, your enemies will never look for you there, I know such is a violation of the law, but saving your life is more important than some ceremonial law regarding who can and who can’t enter the holy place”. Yet many years before, king Uzziah went into the temple and was struck by God with leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:16ff). All God’s laws should be honored. 6:11 Nehemiah immediately saw through this plot. First, such was an act of cowardice, secondly, entering the temple wouldn’t save him; rather, such an action would condemn him. 6:12 Evidently, Shemaiah was a prophet, but he had sold out. Nehemiah knew that God doesn’t contradict Himself and that any supposed message from God that would violate Scripture is to be immediately rejected (Galatians 1:6-9). Temptation can be very subtle and it can often be packaged to resemble the truth. One of the hardest temptations to resist is to follow someone who in the past has spoken the truth, but later starts speaking falsehood. Our loyalty must be with God and His word. Even in our time, we will encounter people who have a reputation for being faithful, and yet are telling us something which is false. 6:14 According to this verse, Shemaiah wasn’t the only prophet who had sold out to the opposition, it seems clear that Nehemiah faced many prophets who were no longer speaking the will of God. Nehemiah here leaves vengeance to God (Romans 12:19).
The Wall is Finished 6:15 “What a note of victory! The best answer to opposition is to keep working and fulfill God’s will” (Breneman p. 213). The twenty-fifth of Elul 7
(ee LOOL) is some time around October 2nd, 445 B.C. Elul was the sixth month, so all the events in chapters 2-6 happened in a sixth month time frame. Fifty-two days might seem like a short period of time, but it shows what can be accomplished when the community works together under courageous leadership which refuses to compromise. “The operation was, throughout, a triumph of concentration amidst every kind of distraction” (Kidner p. 100). Instead of getting discouraged over setbacks or opposition, God’s people need to realize that opposition will always exist. There will never be a time when everything goes smoothly or perfectly or even when every professed believer acts like a believer. The goal is not perfection, rather the goal is to keep on working despite things which could discourage us. 6:16 One of the best ways to overcome opposition is simply to work and get things done. All of a sudden the surrounding peoples developed a great respect or awe for the Jews and their God when they saw what they had accomplished. The best way to silence the opposition or gain respect even from our enemies is to put our faith into practice. It is hard to argue against the credibility of Christianity when people are actually seeing the lives of Christians being drastically changed for the better. 6:17-18 Tobiah had a little more influence than the other enemies of the Jews, for he was related to many of the influential men in Jerusalem. “This evil, like the other, found its foothold in the more prosperous levels of society. Such links and loyalties were embarrassing enough in themselves, we now learn how busily they were exploited by intrigues, persuasive talk, leaks of information and threatening letters” (Kidner p. 101). 6:19 It is clear that many of Jerusalem were singing the praises of Tobiah. Today the same thing happens. No matter how much error some people teach, it seems there will always be someone who will defend them. Our loyalty must be to God first, even ahead of friendships and relatives (Matthew 10:37). This verse is telling us that while the wall has been repaired, the opposition still remains. Eventually Tobiah will be able to worm his way into the temple (Nehemiah 13:4-9). 1. Let us put God and His will before even the closest human relationships. 2. Let us also beware when people are trying to use us to undermine the credibility of the truth, the local congregation, the elders, or a faithful member.
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