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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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NEHEMIAH DEALS
INTERNAL PROBLEMS (Neh 5:1‑10) 5/30/10 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE PEOPLE CRY OUT FROM
INTERNAL INJUSTICE (1‑5) A. If the external problems
from external opposition were not enough, now Nehemiah has to endure internal
problems. Yet, Nehemiah true to his leadership skills handles the problems
within the Jewish community. B. We read that there was a great “outcry” (tsiaqah
‑ first in the construction and means to loudly (thunder) call out for
distress) from the people within the Jewish community (1). 1. This was
not an outcry of a few but the majority throughout the city. Even the “wives”
were mentioned in the intense outcry because, being in the home, they
especially saw their desperate poverty and plight. 2. The outcry was not against Nehemiah even
though he asked for great sacrifice from the people to rebuild the wall.
Rather their cry was against their own “Jewish brothers” who intentionally
put them in a place of destitution. These Jewish brothers were quite possibly
the same nobles who would not help with the work (3:5 cp. 5:7) C. Three groups were
recorded, not of complaining, but as having legitimate and serious grievances
(2‑4). 1. The
first group (2) was running out of food and money and was starving.
Apparently, they did not have houses or possessions with which to barter.
Rather, they simply had to rely upon their wages, which obviously had stopped
due to their sacrificial labor on the wall. The real problem was the
exorbitant prices that were being charged by the wealthy Jewish nobles. 2. The second group (3) was losing their
homes, property, and possessions. In order for them to buy food, they had to
mortgage their homes and property. The problem was that wealthy Jewish nobles
were taking advantage of the situation and bartering for homes, properties,
and vineyards. To make matters worse, there was a famine upon the land. One
thing compounded upon another and this group was losing what it had worked
for. 3. The third group (4) was going into debt
to pay the “king’s taxes.” Apparently, they could afford grain but were
barely making ends meet. However, they were not able to afford the ever‑increasing
taxes by Persian Kings and had to borrow the money. The high taxes from the
king were to be expected, but not the high interest rates from their own
brothers. 4. The overpopulation from returning Jews,
heavy taxation, famine had made the situation bad for the Jewish people. The
exploitation, greed, usury, and being taken advantage of was unbearable. D. Tragically, all three
groups were having to barter their family into slavery to their own people
(“our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers”) (5). 1. The
children of the poor families were as precious to them as were the children
of the wealthy families. 2. Their poverty and starvation left the
families with no other alternative but to give up their sons and daughters
into slavery and bondage (kabash ‑ possibly give daughters as
concubines cp. Es 7:8). 3. They were unable to purchase them back
because they no longer own their own houses, properties, and fields. II. NEHEMIAH RESPONDS TO
INTERNAL PROBLEMS AND INJUSTICE (6‑11) A. Nehemiah’s first response
was that he became “very angry” when he heard the outcry of the people (6). 1. Nehemiah’s
anger (charah) was very intense and is the same word used for God’s
anger (Nu 11:1). However, it was the same word used for Sanballat’s anger
(4:7). 2. Based on Nehemiah’s leadership and the
text, we can assume that Nehemiah’s anger was “righteous indignation.” Righteous
indignation is an emotion of offense toward sin against God and His Word. B. In Ne 5:7‑9,
Nehemiah’s three reasons for his anger were explained. 1. The
first reason Nehemiah had righteous indignation was because of the sin of
“usury” (7). Usury is charging interest on loaned money. The problem was that
the Law commanded the Jewish people not to charge interest to their own
people (Ex 22:25). They could charge interest to a foreigner (De 23:19‑20)
but not their own people, for that would be a lack of compassion (De 15:7‑11).
The wealthy nobles were charging high interests on the loans of their own
countrymen. 2. The second reason Nehemiah had righteous
indignation was because of the sin of slavery (8). According to Le 25:35‑36,
39‑41, A Jew was not to make another Jew his slave. Rather he was to be
a hired hand. The wealthy nobles were taking their sons and daughter as
slaves. This was especially bad because the Jews had redeemed many Jews from
slavery while in exile. Now these wealthy nobles were turning them right back
into slaves. 3. The third reason Nehemiah had righteous
indignation was because of the shame of Israel’s bad testimony to their
enemies. They should have been a testimony of God‑fearing people.
Instead, these wealthy nobles were acting just like their enemies. Actually,
they may have been sympathizers with their Sanballat and Tobiah (see Notes on
3:5). Having a lack of compassion for the brethren and sympathizing with the
enemies appear to go hand and hand. C. From this text, we learn
how Nehemiah responded to internal problems, his own emotions, confrontation,
and biblical and practical solutions to problems. 1. Nehemiah
controlled his emotions (7a). a) Nehemiah
wrote that he “consulted” (malak ‑ root ‑ reigned, later counsel
or advised) with himself. b) Nehemiah managed his emotions rather than
letting his emotions manage him. 2. Nehemiah
contemplated the principles of Scripture (7a). a) If
Nehemiah consulted and advised himself, he did so through the principles of
Scripture. b) Nehemiah viewed all sides of the issue
(violations of the Law, the call of God, an effective and wise approach, and
the best remedy) through the grid of Scripture. 3. Nehemiah
confronted the offenders (7b). a) Confrontation
is not easy but Nehemiah knew that it had to be done in order for the
situation to be rectified. b) Though the confrontation was strong
(“contended” Hb. rub ‑ strive , combat), it would have to be
presumed that Nehemiah confronted them directly, carefully, and without
overreacting. 4. Nehemiah
consistently practiced what he preached (10). a) Nehemiah
did not wait for something to get done, but had already personally
contributed to the financial plight of the people. b) The power of a good testimony cannot be
underestimated. This was an example as well as another argument against the
wealthy Jewish nobles. 5. Nehemiah
caused them to make restitution (11). a) The
simple solution to violating principles of Scripture is to confess it and
immediately begin obeying it. b) Nehemiah demanded restitution from the
wealthy nobles. They were convicted, convinced, and therefore complied. III. OBSERVATION AND
APPLICATIONS A. Leadership realizes and
discourages the devastation of internal dissension (Ne 5:1‑6; Ga 5:13‑16). B. Leadership manages emotions and situations
rather than being managed by them (Ne 5:7a; Ep 4:26; Pr 17:27; Ga 5:22; Ep
5:18). C. Leadership encourages, exhorts, and
reproves others to walk in God‑fearing conduct (Ne 5:7b, 9; 2Ti 3:16;
4:2; Ep 4:1). D. Leadership puts into practice the very
same biblical principles expected of others (Ne 5:10; Ph 2:15). |
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