Nehemiah 5-7
Nehemiah 5-7
One would think that as the people made progress in rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah’s troubles would evaporate in the warm air of Palestine. But that warm air actually caused a new crisis: the land was in a period of famine (5.3), and the people were desperate for daily supplies. Nehemiah’s opponents increased their threats against him, recognizing that if he in fact could finish the wall there was little that could stop him from rebuilding the entire city.
While engaged in the work of the wall, Nehemiah heard the outcry and complaints of many of the Jewish people and their wives—who were enduring extortion from their own countrymen during a famine (ch 5). His condemnation left them speechless:
“We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back…What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies?...let us stop charging this interest. Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain new wine, and olive oil that you have been assessing them” (vv. 8, 9, 10b-11).
Even though the people pledged to fulfill Nehemiah’s demand, their leader was yet incensed at the lack of spiritual sensitivity amongst his countrymen; he shook the folds of his robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t’ keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing!” (5.13). Perhaps Nehemiah’s anger resulted from the fact that he had set a different example; in fear of God (5.15) he forsook what was rightfully his so that the people would have no greater burden than the tax allotted for reconstruction of the wall (5.14-18). His hope was in God; “Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people” (5.19).
If that wasn’t enough, Nehemiah had to endure the continued threats of pagan leaders who opposed the reconstruction of Jerusalem (ch 6):
- Nehemiah suffered the ruse and false accusations Sanballat undertook; but the former cupbearer to the king was unmoved, trusting in God’s strength to complete the work (vv. 1-9)
- Sanballat and Tobiah were so influential that they even employed one of Nehemiah’s contemporaries, Shemaiah, to arrange for Nehemiah to go to the temple. They knew that as a layman Nehemiah was restricted from entering, and if he had, he would have committed a ritual transgression and lost the favor of the people (vv. 10-14). The leader was wise, and devoted; even if they came after him, he would not break the law of His God
- But, when Nehemiah’s enemies learned that the wall was completed, he noted that “all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost heir confidence, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God” (v. 16)
With the city solidified by the wall, Nehemiah knew that if left uninhabited, it would soon be destroyed by Sanballat, Tobiah and company. Nehemiah enlisted the help of the Hebrews to build the wall, arranging for them to move from the outskirts of the city into the fortified area—under the administration of his God-fearing brothers Hanani and Hananiah (ch 7). Yet, to protect the purity of the people and the fortification of the city, Nehemiah governed the resettlement according to genealogical records (cf. Ezra 2), and “Each of them returned to his own town in Jerusalem and Judah” (v. 6).
The flow of Ezra-Nehemiah reveals each leader’s concern for the returned exiles to live as the distinct people of God in the land. This involved at least two practical matters: purity of marriage (cf. Ezra 9-10), and community maintenance (cf. Neh 5-7). Nehemiah was outraged that Hebrews would take advantage of their countrymen (5.1-13), and he saw to it that his countrymen followed protocol concerning the priesthood and national distinctions (7.61-65, 73). Perhaps Nehemiah’s zeal for national purity among the returned exiles can best be seen in the final verse of ch 7: “So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people (i.e., non-Israelites) temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns” (v. 73). This differs a good bit from the portrayal of believers in the New Testament. While there are certainly distinctions of church office (cf. 1 Tim 3; Tit 1), as the storyline of Scripture progresses there is a noticeable movement toward commonality amongst all. Paul’s letter to the Philippians begins: “Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons” (1.1, italics added for emphasis); when describing the new, corporate body of believers in Christ, he wrote: “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all” (Col 3.12). This emphasis of international unity and layman/officer equality is the result of Christ’s entrance into the world—a matter which challenged perhaps more than any other the rift between Jews and Gentiles that existed in the early church. This division—and its theological underpinnings—prompted Paul’s letter to the Galatians, where he wrote: “For as many of you as have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise” (3.27-29). Christ, the great and final high priest, has introduced a new covenant in which all have the privilege and responsibility of serving as priests to God; Peter wrote: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2.9).
*For a complete list of references, please see scripturestoryline.com