Category: Nehemiah

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 6:10-19 (day two)

When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. v. 16

Why were there so many voices of opposition to Nehemiah and the Jews? There was a great concern that God himself may actually be helping them to rebuild the wall. If God was behind this project, then what else was he going to do? Often the loudest criticisms and oppositions will appear when you are being used mightily of the Lord. Before Jesus began his public ministry he was tempted by Satan. How did Nehemiah discern what was noise and what was truth? How did Jesus, for that matter? Their nearness to the Father’s message and call were the plumb line for their actions. Even if what you hear sounds plausible, it must line up with the Spirit’s direction. Nehemiah trusted his path, and refused to let the noise dissuade him from what he knew to be true. There will be noise in your walk, and often the closer you are to the truth, the louder it becomes. Don’t be led by noise, be led by the Lord.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 5:6-13 (day seven)

I was very angry. vs 6a

Anger in and of itself is not sinful. Christ modeled this for us in clearing out the Temple and multiple times with the Pharisees. There are things in this world that break the heart of God, and for those things, we have a right to feel anger. Exploitation, injustice, unrepentant sin, idolatry. It is comforting to know that God condones controlled anger of such things. What God does not condone is a hasty response to anger. That is when anger becomes sinful.

Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
    but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. Proverbs 14:29

Anger, when controlled and consulted, is an attribute of wisdom. In recent days I have seen much anger in the world. Some is warranted, some is driven by hate, most is not controlled. What about you? Have you been angry? How have you responded to anger?

One last word: This week I was watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood with my sons and a song came on that resonated with me, “If you feel so mad that you want to ROAR, take a deep breath, and count to four!” Nehemiah, followed this as he took a moment and consulted with himself (and the Lord). So how about for us, if you feel so mad that you want to ROAR, take a deep breath, and take it to the Lord!

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 5:6-13 (day six)

“I myself, as well as my brothers and my workers, have been lending the people money and grain, but now let us stop this business of charging interest.” — Nehemiah 5:10

The outcry in Nehemiah 5:1 echoes the cry of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt (Exodus 2:23); both are desperate pleas for justice.

In this passage, we not only witness Nehemiah’s wise and passionate leadership, but we also see a powerful example of how power and privilege ought to be used.

Though we don’t have the full backstory, one thing is clear: the nobles and some officials were exploiting their fellow Israelites, taking advantage of their desperation, charging excessive interest, and even forcing them to sell their children into slavery to repay debts. Their power became a weapon, rendering the vulnerable completely powerless.

But Nehemiah models a better way. He steps in and uses his position, his resources, and his voice to confront injustice and lift the burden from the oppressed. He does what those in power should have been doing all along, using his privilege to care for those in distress.

How will we use ours?

 

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 5:6-13 (day five) Nehemiah being a good leader, is a good listener. This kind of listening is not just good leadership, it indicates sincere love. He hears their voices but also hears their hearts. I like the honesty and transparency of the scriptures. Nehemiah becomes angry. Yet he doesn’t react in anger. There is another needed course of action. What is required is not a reaction, but a response. (I consulted with myself). He pauses. He remembers the scriptures. He calls for repentance. Nehemiah understood and is now demonstrating that these are not just social issues, but gospel issues. There is a reliance on the scriptures and a call to repentance. “As Christians we know that it is the gospel that transforms people. It transforms the inside of them in such a powerful way that it changes and challenges, even the most difficult circumstance. There’s no issue anywhere that God cannot invade and transform through his power.” His response reflects both justice and love.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 5:6-13 (day four)

We’ve reached a time of conflict in Nehemiah’s mission, and it’s coming both external and internal sources. Last week we discussed the conflict coming from outsiders, and this week the issues are coming from within God’s people. There are interesting differences in how Nehemiah handles these forms of conflict.

When facing oppression from outsiders, Nehemiah doesn’t seem to engage the mockery or threats. He simply offers his honest feelings to the Lord, appoints guards around the city, and carries on with the work of building the wall.

When conflict arises amongst the people of God, though, things are different. They are called to a higher standard, one of spiritual unity. When economic injustice persists among them, it is not only a social or physical issue, but a spiritual one. Nehemiah recognized that every level of communal life held a spiritual component, which meant this issue of injustice was worth his time and attention. It was worth any resulting delays to the wall construction, because unity among the people of God has always been and will always be a marker of the Kingdom, more so than any wall or monument.

What issues of injustice exist among God’s people today? What is God calling you to do to address them?

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 5:6-13 (day three)

“Please, let us leave off this usury.”

Philosopher Dallas Willard said, “Business is God’s way of taking care of people, so when someone says, ‘It’s just business,’ watch out! They’re getting ready to hurt you.” Nehemiah understood this. In fact, his understanding expanded beyond business to include the concept of city. He rightly discerned that the purpose of a city is to help people live face to face with one another and take care of one another. That’s a far cry from how people often view the city today. It’s not uncommon to hear of people “escaping” the city, getting out of the “rat race,” and holing up in solitary rural enclaves. Maybe that’s you. It makes sense. Who wants to live where people cannibalize each other? Nehemiah displays the nurturing care that all people need, and it starts with the city.

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 5:6-13 (day two) I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” v. 7a

The Jewish people were in a desperate place, and conflict came not just from others, but from among themselves. Sometimes businesses, individuals, and nations can lose sight of each other when we focus solely on ourselves. Nehemiah was able to look at the situation and see it for what it was. The Jewish people were not taking care of each other. Their businesses practices were causing people to fall further and further behind. Who knows how long this had been going on, or how it got as bad as it did. What strikes me, however, is Nehemiah’s response. Like every other instance in this story, Nehemiah pauses before he acts. Verse seven begins with the statement, “I consulted with myself.” Nehemiahs actions are never rash. Time and time again we are reminded that prayer and patience are the ingredients for how to effect change. We may recognize problems in our lives, but we would do well to take a note from Nehemiah and pause to pray before we act.

“…for the people had a mind to work.” — Nehemiah 4:6b

Some translations say, “the people were enthusiastic about their work,” but perhaps there’s an even better word: resolute. Nehemiah 4:6 doesn’t just describe motivation—it captures a profound unity and unwavering determination. Despite persistent opposition, the people pressed on because they shared a united and resolute commitment.

There’s something powerful—even sacred—about that kind of shared purpose. Unity with resolve is nearly unstoppable.

This is why Jesus, over 400 years later, would pray:

“That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you… so that the world may believe that you sent me.”— John 17:21

Jesus’ primary missional strategy isn’t high-performing individuals with lofty platforms. It is a unified people—a Kingdom community with a mind to work together in pursuit of God’s mission. The world will know Him when we are one. Think about that.