Wednesday, July 23

Wednesday

 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.  I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say.  So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised.  I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.   - Nehemiah 5:6-13

This passage tells the story of how Nehemiah responded to the fact that some of the Jews were taking advantage of the misfortune of their brothers and sisters, and exploiting them for financial gain.  

It must have been terribly discouraging to Nehemiah to see that the people could stand strong together in the face of an outside threat (Neh. 4) and then turn on each other when times got tough.  After all they had been through together, were they now going to be undone by their own greed, selfishness and lack of compassion.  I wonder if Nehemiah had the words of Psalm 55:12-14 in his heart when he considered how to respond...

For it is not an enemy who taunts me
    then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me
    then I could hide from him. 
But it is you, a man, my equal,
    my companion, my familiar friend.
We used to take sweet counsel together;
    within God's house we walked in the throng.

It is not at all a stretch to say that this is the most significant and dangerous threat Nehemiah and the people of God have faced yet.  Even in the church today, external opposition often has the effect of rallying people together, but it is often in-fighting and internal conflict that destroys us.  Sometimes, our greatest battle is not the struggle with the world outside, it is the struggle within!

Jeff Frazier