November 23, 2023

Are you teachable?

Nehemiah 5

Sonya Franklin
Thursday's Devo

November 23, 2023

Thursday's Devo

November 23, 2023

Thursday's Devo

November 23, 2023

Thursday's Devo

November 23, 2023

Big Idea

Start with prayer.

Key Verse | Nehemiah 5:9

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?"

Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor

1 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” 3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” 4 And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 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 8 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. 9 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? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 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.” 12 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. 13 I also shook out the fold 1 5:13 Hebrew bosom 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's Generosity

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration 2 5:15 Compare Vulgate; Hebrew took from them for food and wine after forty shekels 3 5:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now what was prepared at my expense 4 5:18 Or prepared for me for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

Footnotes

[1] 5:13 Hebrew bosom
[2] 5:15 Compare Vulgate; Hebrew took from them for food and wine after
[3] 5:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
[4] 5:18 Or prepared for me

S2:229 Nehemiah 5

Listen Now

Dive Deeper | Nehemiah 5

As children of God, we have a responsibility to be kind to one another. We are called to take a stand and hold one another accountable just like Nehemiah. In our passage today, there was a great misrepresentation of God in the sight of others. Our lifestyle as believers in Jesus Christ is supposed to reflect Christ.

In Nehemiah 5 social injustice became a serious issue, and after much consideration Nehemiah addressed it. He let the nobles and the officials know that what they were doing was wrong—taking advantage of the current situation at the expense of others. Elevation of self at someone else's expense is not honoring to God. Proverbs 14:31 reminds us, "Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." Being an advocate for those who are not able to speak for themselves can be unsettling, especially when you do not know what the outcome will be. But we can't ignore an outcry for help. 

We are here on earth as our temporary duty station; this world is not our home. Our home is in heaven. As followers of Christ, we should encourage the body of Christ by living as an example for those who are not His followers and showing them the way to Him by honoring and surrendering our lives to God. (1 Peter 2:12)

Having a platform can make a difference, but that position comes with responsibility. Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV) says, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Nehemiah used his platform to help his community by being the voice of reason. He appealed to the leaders by reminding them of what God had done for them, and their reverence for God changed their actions. 

Satan does not want us to win. We must continue to walk in fear of God and honor Him in the way we live. Sometimes, our lifestyle is the only reflection of Jesus seen by those who do not follow Him.

This month's memory verse

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Discussion Questions

1. Where is God showing you to take a stand in society based on His Word? (E.g., work, home, church, organizations, etc.) 

2.  What opportunities do you see in your daily life when you or others can put people before profit to advance God's kingdom?

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HS

Hugh Stephenson

Good morning, Sonya! I love your devo as well as your summary and your comments. These two lines are my favorites- “We are here on earth as our temporary duty station; this world is not our home.” I love the description of Watermark as a Battleship not a cruise ship. “Satan does not want us to win. We must continue to walk in fear of God and honor Him in the way we live. Sometimes, our lifestyle is the only reflection of Jesus seen by those who do not follow Him.” A favorite mentor consistently points out the same thing. I may be the only sold-out Christian they know. Q1. Where to take a stand? #1 LBGTQ+ My older sister and best friend from toddlerhood died in 2005. In high school she identified as a lesbian. I didn’t know how to think about this. In recent years God has showed me that my affection for my sister led me to calling and equipping so that I can talk to LBGTQ+ identified persons and connect with them. He also brought me a friendship with Sue Bohlin and Hope Harris. Sue is a leader at Probe Ministries. They have fabulous resources at Probe.org. They led a Prodigal leaders’ teaching a few months ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjiY9xj_Qp0&t=67s Several years ago Hope and I decided that we were “adopted” siblings. :) She calls me Bubba. Which is what my sister called me. Check out the video and the info at Probe.org. Great equipping. #2 Abortion. As I’ve noted, an abortion in 1982 when we were dating is part of Amy’s and my story. The LORD led me to work with post-abortive men in Forgotten Fathers. And for Amy in Someone Cares. My key question to anyone is “When do you say that life begins?” I think this is the foundational question that determines a person’s answer to the abortion issue. For LBGTQ+ and for abortion the ESV Study Bible has extended exposition of the relevant Biblical passages. It has been an invaluable resource. Here’s an Amazon link- https://a.co/d/e5HQ1Aj Happy to talk with anyone. Text me at 404-824-0435. Q2. This is a great question. For me, it’s not so much a tradeoff of people versus profits as it is comfort versus discomfort. I’d rather sit in an Uber and sort through email and texts than engage the driver. Or the restaurant server. Or the co-worker. Or the neighbor. I call this social risk. I have to push through my introversion and out of my comfort zone to do it. I have been rebuked by some - but never been sorry I spoke up. Short summaries from the ESV SB Neh. 3:1–7:4 The Wall Is Built, Despite Difficulties. This section records the building and repairing of the walls by all the people of Judah, despite the efforts of certain groups to stop them. Excavations on the Ophel hill of Jerusalem have uncovered remains of Nehemiah’s wall system. This wall system apparently incorporated walls from previous ages. It was not strongly built, and it reflects Jerusalem’s diminutive size at the time (see illustration). Neh. 5:1–19 Nehemiah Deals with Injustices in the Community; Nehemiah’s Personal Contribution to the Project. Nehemiah takes measures to end the exploitation of the weak in the community by its powerful members, who are ignoring God’s commandments.
HS

Hugh Stephenson

Five chapters in Nehemiah. Every one of them has multiple examples of exemplary leadership skills. By the end of this book we will have had a whole course in them. On his daily podcast Dr. Albert Mohler often talks about subsidiarity. Here’s a link to the podcast https://albertmohler.com/the-briefing. It’s a daily must listen. About 20 minutes each day. Here’s the official definition of subsidiarity https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsidiarity I understand this to mean that those closest to the situation/problem are the best equipped to address it and find a solution. In the passage I see this principle being borne out in reminding the people that taking care of those in need is their duty. The ESV SB edifies - Neh. 5:7 “The nobles and the officials within the Jewish community are accused of oppressing their own people, showing that the danger to the community comes not only from outside but also from within. Oppression of the weak by the strong had been one of the reasons for God’s anger that had brought about the exile (see Isa. 5:7, 8– 10; Amos 2:6–8).” Neh. 5:8 our Jewish brothers. See vv. 1, 5. Nehemiah stresses this kinship in order to drive home the people’s neglect of this great principle underlying the law. sold ... sell ... sold. In his anger, Nehemiah brings out the irony of the Jews being redeemed from exile only to be sold into slavery by their own brothers. This is even more interesting in that the people are the ones causing the problem. Even Nehemiah sees that he also is called to confess and make amends. In terms of leadership this is key as Nehemiah, once again, shows that not even he is above the rules. Neh. 5:10 “Nehemiah admits that he and his closest associates are implicated in the injustice and therefore presents his moral challenge as something to which he himself must respond.” Then Nehemiah commands a full “amends” to these people by the offenders. Including himself. Neh. 5:11–12 “Return ... their fields. This appeal not only commands a return of the interest that was illegitimately seized, but is apparently a general amnesty, occasioned by the crisis and going beyond the provisions for debt- release (Deut. 15:1–11) or jubilee (Leviticus 25), since it is to be done without delay. The people agree, and solemnly undertake to keep their word.” As a student of the news and culture I can say that I don’t recall very many leaders taking this same kind of stance. And he goes even further in not using his customary food allowances- Neh. 5:18 This heavy burden (v. 17) makes Nehemiah’s self-sacrifice concerning the food allowance all the more remarkable. He does not wish to live comfortably while his people are in need.
HS

Hugh Stephenson

From Constables notes- "Nehemiah was not a politician who asked, 'What is popular?' or a diplomat who asked, 'What is safe?' but a true leader who asked, 'What is right?'" And Constable’s summary - "Three further qualities of his [Nehemiah's] leadership are revealed in his handling of the situation [in chapter 5]. -First, he displays a disarming candor in admitting his own involvement, even if it was not particularly extensive. No one could accuse him of taking a superior or privileged attitude. -Second, his proposals, though costly, were practical and simple. He left no room for casuistic maneuverings but confronted the wealthy with a direct challenge to charity and generosity. -Finally, in the closing verses of the chapter, he showed how he was willing personally to take on a greater burden than that which he asked of others. It is a classic illustration of the obvious truth that leadership means going further than those one is leading."[123] All that Nehemiah revealed about his conduct and motives in this section (vv. 14-19) would have encouraged the people to follow his example of unselfishness, hard work, and self-sacrifice for the advancement of God's work.
GJ

Greg Jones

In the land there is an outcry over the newest exiles to arrive rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, [for they have provoked (you) to anger in the presence of the builders.] Nehemiah 4:4-5 That’s Nehemiah’s prayer previous chapter. New chapter new ordeal. Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. Nehemiah 5:1 Nehemiah’s response [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 notice this. When it’s someone else, Nehemiah prays Lord they’ve made you mad. Let me tell you what you need to do. When it’s us, and Nehemiah’s guilty too, suddenly there isn’t a need to be calling down God’s wrath on anybody. [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? Nehemiah 5:9 Bro!! How bout you ought not do it cause you knew it wasn’t right in the first place!… …Hey Sonya. Happy Thanksgiving. I didn’t mean to talk back to my Bible but sometimes I get a little carried away when reading it. Great dive btw. I loved this. “As children of God, we have a responsibility to be kind to one another. We are called to take a stand and hold one another accountable just like Nehemiah.” You said kind not nice. I like that. Nice doesn’t hold someone accountable. Kindness is nice, and includes accountability. 1. Where is God showing you to take a stand in society based on His Word? (E.g., work, home, church, organizations, etc.)  Is there a place he wouldn’t show me if I looked? 2.  What opportunities do you see in your daily life when you or others can put people before profit to advance God's kingdom? It’s probably just semantics but I’m going to say I believe you get a better ROI on kingdom and people when you put profit into people. Or said this way invest in fields people are planted in rather than putting people ahead of profits. Either way we’re looking for the same outcomes. Great devotional, thank you.
SB

Sue Bohlin

Thanks so much, Sonya! And Happy Thanksgiving! Lord, I thank You on this Thanksgiving Day for Nehemiah. What a blessed relief from the rotten--even wicked--leaders of Israel and Judah who had no regard for You. It's so encouraging to read his example of exceptional leadership in the ways he put You first, got angry at injustice, challenged the people to obey Your decrees and love their neighbors, worked to serve the people in rebuilding the wall, gave generously, and didn't take advantage of his position as governor to line his own pockets. Thank You that we get to meet him in heaven some day and affirm him face to face!
JC

Jason Cromwell

I never thought I would live to see the day when even offering the simple act of Compassion to those lost and broken would put me at odds with some of my fellow believers. It's sad when even Compassion has been corrupted and has become something Political instead of Jesus last word to his followers, "They will know you by your love" and "Lord when did we see you thirsty, when did we see you in prison or see you hungry? What you do to the least of these you do to Me."
AL

Amy Lowther

1. God helps me know to be the best He made me to be in everything I do. God helps me know my value comes from within me, not from others or my environment. He helps each of us be our best. 2. When you put people before profit, it increases your profit. There is no profit without people.
MS

Michael Sisson

Re: Neh 5:11 Before citing this chapter as an example of “social justice” in Scripture, the reader should note Nehemiah does NOT compel anyone to support their brethren. He only implores his audience act compassionately in their fear of the L-RD, leads by example, and invokes Devine accountability for those who freely vow to do so.