Week 6, Nehemiah 5 - Hook Current Event: Bob Pierce, founder of Samaritan s Purse wrote: Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God. Convicted by the poverty and brokenness he saw on the mission field, Pierce received a vision from the Lord to help those in need. Pierce s successor, Franklin Graham, leads Samaritan s Purse by following Christ s command to Go and do likewise. This worldwide ministry organization gives to victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine, all in Jesus name. U.S Disaster Relief, International Crisis Response and Operation Christmas Child are among the ministries of Samaritan s Purse. This wonderful ministry organization began more than 30 years ago because one man prayed for God to give him a passion for what He holds dear. Samaritan s Purse serves as a powerful illustration of how a godly leader can be a voice for those in need. 1 Discussion Questions: How aware are we of those who are oppressed? What can we do to align ourselves with those who are in need? In what ways are we partnering with Prestonwood and other ministry organizations to help those in need? 1 samaritanspurse.org
Personal Story: Share a personal story (or have someone else share) about a mission trip that has helped change your perspective. Share how this encourages you to provide for another s behalf. Nehemiah 5 - Book Text Summary: Nehemiah 5:1 19 Nehemiah takes measures to end the exploitation of the weak in the community by its powerful members, who are ignoring God s commandments. 2 Nehemiah 5:1 5 (Read) Sub Point: Use your biblical worldview in all of your dealings, including your business. The rebuilding effort begins to cause problems. With the community s attention on the wall s reconstruction and completion, attention elsewhere is sacrificed. The wall changed things, it reoriented people s lives. It took energy, time, effort, focus and work, all of which before the wall were concentrated on other tasks and jobs. And the community now begins to experience the tension. Families are pulling double duty on the wall and working in the fields for the harvest. Many aren t producing enough grain, forcing them to buy grain with the little money they have. In order to get enough grain, these families are mortgaging their homes and their fields and their vineyards. Others are borrowing money to pay off taxes on their fields and their vineyards, putting them in the debt of creditors and loan sharks. The people are facing heavy taxation and heavy interest. The people of Jerusalem are suffering under the weight of financial slavery. Verse 5 shows us that many are forced to give over their children to work until the debts are paid. Many daughters are being forced to marry. The people can only do so much and those above them with power are giving them no options. The Israelites are beaten down and crying out for justice. What was the relationship between the lenders and the borrowers? Should this have affected the business relationship? How does your identity in Christ affect your business dealings? How do we avoid viewing people as opportunities for our own gain? Nehemiah 5:6 13 (Read) Sub Point: Defend victims of injustice. 2 Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 832.
Imagine the distress of the people of Jerusalem. Those demanding grain and payment weren t strangers. They were within the community. They were aware of the demands of the work and what was going on within the city. Many nobles and officials were working on the wall themselves, yet they gave no amount of grace. Instead they saw a chance to make extra profit and they took it at the expense of others. The reality that this oppression and treatment of the people of Jerusalem was coming from those within the city angered Nehemiah, and he would not let it stand. Nehemiah had nothing to gain from standing up against this injustice in Jerusalem. What compelled him was that people, his people, were being misused and mistreated and broken not by an outside enemy, but by their own people. This wasn t pleasing to the Lord. So Nehemiah stood up and became a defense for the defenseless. Nehemiah confronted leaders who had much more authority and power than he had. As we have seen time and time again throughout this book, Nehemiah is concerned with God and God alone. It is God s mission, favor and authority that consume him, that make Nehemiah who he is. Nehemiah knows that these leaders are nothing compared to almighty God. So Nehemiah goes before the nobles and officials declaring to them the evil and injustice of their actions. Nehemiah demands restitution, and the officials and nobles agree to do as he says. In verse 12 they say, We will restore these and require nothing from them. The nobles and officials take an oath before the priests, swearing to do as they promised. Nehemiah wasn t concerned with his justice, but God s justice. He spoke out not to declare his own opinions and convictions, but rather to be a voice for the Lord and a voice for those being oppressed. For the people of Jerusalem, Nehemiah sacrificed his safety and his security going before the nobles and the officials. Here we see Nehemiah lead in his humility. He aided those in distress and he became a servant to them, stopping his work for the sake of the people. Again, we see Nehemiah concerned about the people of Jerusalem, not just its walls. How does one safeguard against the dangerous effects anger can have on decision- making? How did Nehemiah guard himself against making a poor decision under the influence of anger (verse 7)? How did the actions of the nobles and officials cause danger to the nation of Israel as a whole (verse 9)? Describe the biblical way to address conflicts (Matthew 18:15 17). What are the components of each of the steps? Discuss the wisdom in following the prescribed steps. How do the individuals in the conflict benefit? How does the church benefit? Another Perspective: Warren Wiersbe
It is one thing to confront foreign enemies and quite something else to deal with your own people when they fight one another. Young Moses learned that it was easier to dispose of an Egyptian master than to reconcile two Jewish brothers (Ex. 2:11 15). Nehemiah showed true leadership in his responses to the problem. 3 Discussion: Have your class discuss the differences between confronting an enemy or a stranger and confronting someone with whom you are close. Nehemiah 5:14 19 (Read) Sub Point: Value people above tasks. In the end of the chapter, we see how Nehemiah s behavior and his character are consistent. He lives out the very same lessons he sought to teach the nobles and the officials. We see Nehemiah lead by example. How does he do this? As governor, he refuses certain privileges and rights for the sake of the people. In his position, Nehemiah refused to use his political power for personal gain. He knew that many of these special rights would put extra burden and hardship on the people of Jerusalem. Discuss Nehemiah s refusal to partake in the benefits that came with the title of governor. Is it wrong to enjoy things that come with authority? Who ate with Nehemiah at his table (17)? Where did the money come from to feed these people? How can the individual believer help with the needs of the poor in Dallas? Another Perspective: New American Commentary The amount of food required each day was significant but considerably less than that of Solomon (1 Kings 4:22 23). Usually a well- to- do person uses political power to increase his wealth, but Nehemiah never demanded the food allotted to the governor. He explained his motives as the fear of the Lord (v. 15) and compassion on the people. Nehemiah knew God s concern for justice, compassion, and equality. The depth of one s reverence for God will determine one s decisions. 4 3 Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Determined, Be Commentary Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996). 4 Mervin Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, vol. 10, electronic ed., The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993).
Class Discussion: Have your class discuss the correlation between our relationship with God and our relationship with material possession. If class members have been on a mission trip to a third- world country, ask what they learned about contentment. Nehemiah 5 Took In Today s Culture: Some 100 million gift boxes have been distributed in more than 130 countries through Operation Christmas Child. This is a success story because of one man s obedience to heed the call from God to provide for those who are oppressed. Just as Nehemiah followed in obedience to the Lord by leading the efforts in rebuilding the wall and aiding those who were in distress, we, too, are to follow in this obedience. Class Exercise: Instruct your class to memorize Nehemiah s purpose in chapter 5. Encourage your class to memorize other Scriptures that speak to provide for those in need. This would be a good time to read other Scriptures that discuss why God calls us to care for others. Challenge: Nehemiah used his life to improve the lives of others. The leader sacrificed a lot for those suffering in Jerusalem. Going before the nobles and officials was no small thing. But when Nehemiah learned of the injustice, he fought for wrongs to be made right, he fought for those unable to fight for themselves. As we continue, may we seek opportunities to help the helpless and to lead by sacrificing our roles and positions for the sake of others. Challenge your class members to be intentional in the way they interact with others. Encourage them to see people as God does with compassion (Matthew 9:36). Challenge your class to seek tangible ways to help those who are oppressed.