Thursday, August 28th

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Thursday, August 28

Nehemiah 10:28-39

“The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes. We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

Nehemiah is addressing two big issues here that we might miss because we don’t understand the ancient culture in which the story takes place.

First, he’s addressing the issue of economic injustice that he already dealt with in more detail back in chapter 5. Some had used their economic position to take advantage of others through lending money and grain at interest rates that were oppressive, and were taking land and even children as collateral. He is saying, in no uncertain terms, that those practices will stop and all those debts are to be forgiven!

Secondly, he’s dealing with the twin issues of poverty and hunger, which always go together. When he says, “And we will forego the crops of the seventh year...” he is recalling the command of God way back in the book of Exodus.

...but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.  Exodus 23:10

This command to take a “sabbatical year” from planting and harvesting was completely unique to the people of Israel and their God! But many scholars see multiple benefits to what sounds, at first, like craziness. It emphasized complete dependence on God to provide; it encouraged a rebalancing of life around worship as well as work; it allowed the land to lie fallow and replenish itself for future seasons of growth; and, finally, it was a way to care for the poor who could reap whatever grew in the fields for their own use.

We understand that the “sabbatical law” of the Old Testament is no longer a requirement for us as God’s people, but there are a couple of spiritual principles that still do apply to our lives. First, there are things more important than our work. Work is good and God wants us to work to provide for our families, but our relationship with him and our relationships with our families are more important than what we do to earn a living. Second, we have a responsibility to care for others. Allowing the poor to use your fields every seven years was a form of compassion and generosity that reflects the character of God himself. We are to be people of both compassion and generosity.

But the deeper issue is a very simple one; complete trust in God’s word and the surrender of obedience.

And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

Nehemiah believed God was good and could be trusted; he believed that God’s word carried authority and should be obeyed.

Sometimes obedience sounds crazy.

Sometimes obedience costs us something.

But obedience to God’s word is always good.

Pastor Brian Coffey