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Nehemiah 5:1-13 – Praying through the Bible #151 – A Prayer that is Expensive
To whom should God’s people show more care? Should believers show equal care to believers and unbelievers? What about more to those outside the faith, evangelistically?
Nehemiah 5.1-13 describes the disloyal treatment of Jews to Jews during the reconstruction of the city’s wall. Looking outward at the enemies, the remnant protected one another (4.6-23). Looking inward, the well-off abused the less fortunate. The unifying need for protection somehow coexisted daily with the disloyal want of greed.
Social enmity among God’s people can affect morale and progress. God provides for the poor through the rich, allowing the fortunate to be His blessing. Such is seen in the law of gleaning (Lev.23.22); and the year of Jubilee which returned all property to the original owner and forgave all debts (Lev.25.8-13). Both daily bread and financial forgiveness are a blessing.
Inside and out of the real yet symbolic wall, the poor are starving (5.2); trading tomorrow for today by mortgaging life progressing possessions to buy food (5.3); even borrowing money to pay royal taxes (5.4). The result is a self-inflicted slavery, reestablishing what they had recently escaped via God’s hand (5.5). This time, the oppressors are not foreign, idolatrous, pagan, kings. God’s people are enslaving God’s people.
Nehemiah hears and gets angry (5.6). Anger is not always wrong; it can be very righteous and constructive. One way to control and channel anger is to contemplate then respond, instead of reacting without thinking. “After seriously considering the matter” (5.7), He accuses the rich, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest” or collateral (5.7). Such usury was forbidden among fellow Israelites; however, God’s people could charge outsiders (Deut.23.19-20). Nehemiah’s indictment against the new enslavers and money-lenders is they are undoing the good their own had accomplished by redeeming these slaves, and paying off their debts (5.8). Ashamed, “they remained silent and could not say a word” (5.8). Silence can be a proper confession when guilty. Nehemiah charges them to stop charging interest, to return the poor’s property, to fear God, and to not invite the reproach of their enemies (5.9-11). Together they take this expensive prayer oath, “the whole assembly said, Amen;” and followed through, actions fulfilling the vow (5.13). To raise the wall, they can’t raze the poor.
Today, “as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith” (Gal.6.10). “Especially” means those in the same spiritual family; first and foremost. Today we cannot build Christ’s church if we are tearing down Christ’s people.
Prayer Challenge: If we are mistreating anyone, fiscally, emotionally, physically, mentally, or spiritually; then build them by repenting, confessing, praying and acting.
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