10,000 Bricks: Anger And Justice Series

10,000 BRICKS: Anger and Justice

Nehemiah 5:1-19

#10000bricks

INTRODUCTION

Today, we are continuing a series of sermons from the Book of Nehemiah all about some building efforts because our church is thinking and praying on some building efforts. The Book of Nehemiah is the 16th book in the Old Testament and is a historical memoir written by a man named Nehemiah. Nehemiah lives after the Babylonian armies smash Jerusalem to pieces (2 Kings 25) and devastate the countryside (Jeremiah 32). Nehemiah lives after the Babylonians killed many of the priests and leaders (2 Kings 25) and deported the young, the skilled, and others deemed of use. Nehemiah lived after some of the Jews had returned home from exile. Nehemiah was born in exile as he had never seen Jerusalem or even been there. We need to review just for a moment before we forge ahead.

Chapter 1 shares that Nehemiah gets news that Jerusalem’s walls are still broken down. This wrecks Nehemiah emotionally, spiritually, and even digs into his identity as a Jewish person. He fasts and prays. Chapter 1 ends with the words: “Now I was cupbearer to the king” (1:11, ESV).

Chapter 2 shows us that eventually Nehemiah let’s his broken heart through and the king notices. Nehemiah is bold asking to be let go of his royal court job as cupbearer to go rebuild the walls in Jerusalem. The king grants his request. A key verse in chapter 2 is verse 8 which ends: “And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me” (ESV).

Chapter 3 showed us that everyone had a part to play in rebuilding the walls. Many heard the call of God and responded by taking a portion of the wall near their homes and built. They did not worry about the whole wall, just their part. Nehemiah planned it out. The people responded.

Last week, in chapter 4, we saw that not everyone in the surrounding area was happy that Jerusalem was being rebuilt. There was much opposition to the work. There is always opposition to what God is doing because God’s will often requires us to surrender, change, and follow. I think a key verse from chapter 4 was verse 11 which said (MSG): “And all this time our enemies were saying, “They won’t know what hit them. Before they know it we’ll be at their throats, killing them right and left. That will put a stop to the work!”

We now come to chapter 5. Chapter 5 looks at some of the events and issues that were going on while the wall was being rebuilt. Chapter 4 was all about the attacks that were coming on the people of Jerusalem from outside. Chapter 5 addresses problems inside the community that were threatening God’s work. Lying, unfairness, and hard hearts stifle the work of God. Integrity, fairness, and compassion sustain the work.

Let’s read from Nehemiah 5 and find out what the issue was internally that was causing so many issues for Nehemiah and the wall building.

READ NEHEMIAH 5:1-19 (ESV)

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 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. 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 forty shekels 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 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.