Nehemiah 5 records the difficulties the Israelites had within their own community during this season when Nehemiah was leading the people. So the people faced discouragement and threats from the outside, but this is a reminder that there can be internal challenges in the community of the people of God.
Several issues are brought to Nehemiah by people facing hardship. ● They didn’t have grain.
○ God’s instruction against this - Leviticus 23:22
● They had to mortgage their fields to get grain, which would have further impoverished
them. They had to take loans to pay taxes.
○ God’s instruction against this - Exodus 22:25-27
● And worst of all, some of their children had been enslaved.
○ God’s instruction against this - Exodus 21:1-6 and Deuteronomy 15:12-18
Like Jesus, Nehemiah led through sacrificial service to others. He did not take advantage of the privileges he had as a governor of Jerusalem. He paid for his own food and even fed others. Whereas he had been at Artaxerxes table in Persia, now he was hosting over 150 people at his own table.
Like Jesus was on occasion, Nehemiah was moved to anger by the injustices. He responds to each item with a call to generosity. All of these issued are addressed in the Law of Moses, but this illustrates how the community had lost their familiarity and obedience to the Law.
Devotion to God takes tangible expression in the kind treatment of others.
New Testament Scriptures to read:
● Matthew 20:18-28 and Mark 10:32-45
● John 13:1-17
● Galatians 5:14
● Matthew 22:34-40
Questions for Discussion/Reflection:
○ What are some injustices that make you angry?
○ What are ways you have seen a breakdown within the community of the people of God?
○ What are some ways that God could use you to bring goodness to the difficulties in your community?
