In Nehemiah chapter 5, we learn about the great injustices the people of Israel were suffering at the hands of their own people. Their leaders, and nobles (those sworn to serve them) were growing rich off of the backs and misery of the people. Nehemiah begins a campaign to return the people to God’s social order as outlined in Torah.
The People Protest Usury
InNehemiah 5:1-5, Nehemiah learns of the horrible conditions and burdens the people were enduring. Those with no land were starving. Landowners had to mortgage their lands because of the famine so they would have money to pay the taxes imposed by Persia. The poorest of the people who had been freed from debt slavery, were now being forced back into it in direct disobedience to the laws outlined inExodus 21:2-11and22:25, Leviticus 25:10-17, 39-55, andDeuteronomy 15:7-18and24:10-13.
When I read it, it reminds me greatly of our society today. As a matter of fact, it reminds me of just about every society out there. However, I’m acutely connected to Western civilization; particularly the US of A. Those we choose to represent us in government gain a great deal of wealth and power while there. They tax people beyond the people’s means, resulting in a loss of wealth, property, and life. If you own land you never truly own it. You have to pay government every year for your land. If you do not, you lose it.
Most everyone in our society is in debt of one form or another. Whether it is credit card, school loans, second and third mortgages, personal and title loans, etcetera; most of us are slaves to our lenders. We work, and work, and work for our masters to make them richer and then we pay then a portion of our income to satisfy the debt. We owe our soul to the company store.
Return to God’s Social Order
Nehemiah 5:7,” Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.”
Nehemiah has heard the cries of the people and goes to confront the nobles and rulers of the people. He calls them out on what they have done to their own people and how they have blatantly disobeyed the law. He reminded them that they ought to fear God and do right.
Even today, our society imposes massive usury on loans and credit. As of Nov 24th the average credit card interest rate is 16.13%. Many are 19, 20, even 23% or higher. Now, I’m not saying we’re not responsible for our own actions in acquiring these high interest loans in pursuit of our own undisciplined desires, but those rates are extremely high and the epitome of usury. In essence we place ourselves in bondage to the credit card and loan companies.
InNehemiah 5:10-13, Nehemiah sets the solution to the issue at hand and makes the money changers, nobles and rulers swear an oath to return to God’s Law on these matters. They were to end the usury and return the land, crops and usury fees they had already extorted from the people, and swear an oath before God. If they failed to live up to the oath, Nehemiah told them that God would shake them loose from their house and property. In other words, they would be removed from their family and all their wealth.
Servant Leadership
Nehemiah 5:14-15, “Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants’ bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.”
All the former Governors and even their servants’ ruled over the people and ‘ate the bread of the governor’. They took a salary and provisions from the people for their own use.
For 12 years Nehemiah served as Governor over Jerusalem. In all that time he nor his kinsmen took a salary, provisions, or extorted usury or land from the people. They feared God and trusted Him alone to provide for their needs as they did the work He called them to.
InNehemiah 17-18, we see a picture of the true servant leader that Nehemiah was to the people of Israel. He and his people lived off of his own provisions and fed many others as well that were not of his immediate kin. All of this while he continued to work on his section of the wall to ensure the safety off all the people.
Conclusion
Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah were all types of the Holy Spirit.
Zerubbabel was sent to rebuild the Temple of God. He laid the cornerstone, the foundation, and rebuilt God’s temple. They rediscovered their Identity as God’s chosen just as the Church has rediscovered it’s identity as God’s chosen temple today.
Ezra was sent to help the people return to God’s law and the purity He called them to. Today, God’s Church is returning to a call to holiness and purity in Him. A call to be sold out and wholly given to His will.
I believe we are near the end of this phase and about to enter Nehemiah’s call.
Nehemiah was sent to help the people protect themselves and to uproot the injustices and burdens they suffered by restoring them to God’s intended economic and social order. A call to return to God’s order.
I believe we are close to entering this third phase. Where God’s Church is restored to the economic and social order He always intended for us. Something akin to what we see in the book of Acts where the Church had all things in common and all looked out for each other, but greater.
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