NEHEMIAH STOPS THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR

PROCLAMATION

“Then … I rebuked the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them, ‘Ye exact usury, every one of his brother.  And I set a great assembly against them.”  Nehemiah 5:7 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia.  As the people were building the wall there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish brothers.  They felt that they were sacrificing for them but were being treated unfairly. (Nehemiah 5:1-5)  When Nehemiah heard this he was very angry.  He rebuked the nobles and the rulers.  He told them to restore that which they had taken from the people and to stop charging them for services. He also called the priest and had the leaders take an oath that they would do according to their promise. (Nehemiah 5:6-13)  Nehemiah would not take the rations from the people which former governors had taken because he feared The Lord God.  He and his men ate what was prepared for them but did not take anything extra.  And he continued to work on rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem.  He asked God to remember the good which he had done to the people. (Nehemiah 5:14-19)

 

APPLICATION

“Just because you can doesn’t mean that you should.” (Sherrilyn Kenyon and William Taylor)  Situations in life may put us in positions where we can take advantage of someone, but that does not mean that we have to do it.  We should do the right thing and be fair with others at all times.  “Character is determined by what you do when no one is looking.” (Unknown)  We should do what is right in the sight of The Lord. (Deuteronomy 21:9, 1 Kings 11:38, and 1 Peter 2:20)