READ Nehemiah 5-8
For seventeen years, I wrote a weekly newspaper column called “Parables.” God used that to teach me to see His truths in the news, in nature, and in both special and ordinary events. He began showing me spiritual principles in life and how to see Him at work. Some families play “I spy God” and delight in the wonder of His presence and activity, even in daily routines.
The story of Nehemiah is rich in these principles. It vividly describes rebuilding after sin had ruined lives and the challenges that spiritual enemies use to prevent success. In Chapter 5 it was oppression against one another. Some were being enslaved because of various hardships. Nehemiah boldly spoke out:
“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? Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 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.” (Nehemiah 5:9–11)
His words rang true and the people who were doing these things stopped and promised, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And Nehemiah called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. (Nehemiah 5:12)
In our church culture, discipline for sin is often laid aside with the reasoning, “We are not supposed to judge” yet we need to remember that God is not like that. Hebrews 12 says He disciplines us because He loves us. Sin is a destroyer and love always wants to prevent destruction!
These chapters also tell of Nehemiah’s generosity yet enemies were continually trying to discredit him and stop the good work he was doing. He realized the purpose of their threats and prayed “O God, strengthen my hands” and asked the Lord to remember what these people were doing. He refused to retaliate, trusting God to take care of them — and so the wall was finished.
The exiles returned in great numbers and began living in their towns. Then Ezra was invited to bring the Book of the Law of Moses and read it to them. He not only read it, he “gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading” and they “lifted their hands and bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”
They also wept when the heard the Word of God for they realized how far short they had fallen. However Nehemiah said to them: “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” The result was that “all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.” (Nehemiah 8:11–12)
They also understood how much they had missed of God’s will. He wanted them to study His Word. When they did, they found a festive celebration the Lord had commanded but they had not done. When they obeyed:
. . . . there was very great rejoicing. And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule. (Nehemiah 8:17–18)
As today’s reading says, Nehemiah honored the Lord and with God’s people rebuilt the wall in 52 days, overcoming obstacles and all of the challenges. Even their enemies recognized that God was with them. Their obedience was a wonderful expression of the Lord’s presence in the midst of His people and a testimony to Him, His people, and even to their enemies.
Read, understand, and obey equals victory and great joy! A simple formula for any Christian life and yet so easily neglected. No time? Too simple? Not enough faith? Too much of “I can do this” in our lives? Who knows. God keeps showing me the joy of simply hearing what He says, and without excuses doing what He commands. It might be to phone a friend, or clean a messy closet, or make hubby a pie, or something that seems more significant, yet in the will of God, how do I know what He will do with my five loaves and two fishes?
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