December 16, 2010
Opposition by Greed and Heartlessness: The Jews were exiled from their 70 years of bondage, but now here they were putting their own people in bondage by usury. They were trying to get rich off of their own people and charging innocent people a high rate of interest for the necessities they needed.
Response: Nehemiah was horrified to learn what they were doing. "You are charging your own brothers too much interest." KJV - usury. "What you are doing is not right. Don't you fear God? Stop charging them so much... give their fields, etc. back... also give back the extra you charged." The people responded with restitution. They returned what they had taken and did not demand it anymore.
Then Nehemiah gathered the leaders together and had them make an oath to do what they promised. Then he shook out the folds of his robe and said, "In this way may God shake out everyone who does not keep his promise. May God shake him out of his house and out of the things that are his. Let that person be shaken out and emptied." Wow! What a visual of what God will do. I can't imagine being "shaken out," removed, and considered worthless to God.
Who does not keep his promise (to stop the usury, to return what they had taken by force) shake him, God shake him, out of his house, out of his things. Emptied! Emptied! You can't stop what God has decided to do.
The people did what they promised. I wonder if there was anyone who was "shaken" out because they didn't do what they promised? How much better to do what the LORD commands than to be "shaken" out.
Nehemiah led by example. He was the governor and had the right to demand money, the best food, etc. But he did not do so, "because I feared God... I never demanded the food that was due a governor because the people were already working very hard."
Nehemiah 5:19 - "Remember to be kind to me, my God, for all the good I have done for these people."
God uses all types of people: poor and rich, helpless and powerful, common and royal, etc. But many times throughout scripture God used the common ordinary people to accomplish His WILL. Mary and Joseph, the disciples, himself a carpenter, etc.
We have known from the beginning of this seven year faith journey we are on that it is not about us—it is only about HIM. When we came to the realization that we were to tell HIS story we knew we could not benefit from it in any sort of monetary way. It wasn't our story—it was HIS Story. We knew Jane (Her Name Was Jane), if she were still alive, would never have wanted to benefit from it either. It wasn't her story—it was HIS Story.
How cool is it that all of what we knew from the beginning is actually going to happen and in a way we could have never foreseen. See The LORD Answers! and I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!! All freely available to whomever God directs to find it. That just brings me SO much joy and happiness.
May ALL the honor and glory go to GOD!
Next Entry: Nehemiah 6:1 – 7:73
Opposition by Greed and Heartlessness: The Jews were exiled from their 70 years of bondage, but now here they were putting their own people in bondage by usury. They were trying to get rich off of their own people and charging innocent people a high rate of interest for the necessities they needed.
Response: Nehemiah was horrified to learn what they were doing. "You are charging your own brothers too much interest." KJV - usury. "What you are doing is not right. Don't you fear God? Stop charging them so much... give their fields, etc. back... also give back the extra you charged." The people responded with restitution. They returned what they had taken and did not demand it anymore.
Then Nehemiah gathered the leaders together and had them make an oath to do what they promised. Then he shook out the folds of his robe and said, "In this way may God shake out everyone who does not keep his promise. May God shake him out of his house and out of the things that are his. Let that person be shaken out and emptied." Wow! What a visual of what God will do. I can't imagine being "shaken out," removed, and considered worthless to God.
Who does not keep his promise (to stop the usury, to return what they had taken by force) shake him, God shake him, out of his house, out of his things. Emptied! Emptied! You can't stop what God has decided to do.
The people did what they promised. I wonder if there was anyone who was "shaken" out because they didn't do what they promised? How much better to do what the LORD commands than to be "shaken" out.
Nehemiah led by example. He was the governor and had the right to demand money, the best food, etc. But he did not do so, "because I feared God... I never demanded the food that was due a governor because the people were already working very hard."
Nehemiah 5:19 - "Remember to be kind to me, my God, for all the good I have done for these people."
God uses all types of people: poor and rich, helpless and powerful, common and royal, etc. But many times throughout scripture God used the common ordinary people to accomplish His WILL. Mary and Joseph, the disciples, himself a carpenter, etc.
"God frequently selects the poor to carry out his most important tasks. He sees potential that we do not. And when then task is done, the poor and weak are less likely to boast that they deserve the credit." ~ From Rich Christians in the Age of Hunger by Ronald Sider.Addendum: 12/20/14 ~ Nehemiah was going about God's business not his own. He was governor of Judah for twelve years. He had the right to gain privilege, better food, money, land, etc. But he didn't do it. He clearly understood he was God's servant. The work he was doing was for God's glory, therefore he did not use his position or power for personal gain. "We didn't buy any fields."
We have known from the beginning of this seven year faith journey we are on that it is not about us—it is only about HIM. When we came to the realization that we were to tell HIS story we knew we could not benefit from it in any sort of monetary way. It wasn't our story—it was HIS Story. We knew Jane (Her Name Was Jane), if she were still alive, would never have wanted to benefit from it either. It wasn't her story—it was HIS Story.
How cool is it that all of what we knew from the beginning is actually going to happen and in a way we could have never foreseen. See The LORD Answers! and I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!! All freely available to whomever God directs to find it. That just brings me SO much joy and happiness.
May ALL the honor and glory go to GOD!
Next Entry: Nehemiah 6:1 – 7:73
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