How to do this
Read the scripture(s) provided
Answer the questions on your own or in your group
Scripture
Nehemiah 5:1-13
1 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. 2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”
3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
4 Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
6 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them 8 and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
9 So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? 10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
12 “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
Questions
1. V1-5 paints a picture of impoverished people struggling to be able to pay for food and so having to sell their possessions and even their children in order to live. In addition, some of these deprived people are being forced to pay interest on loans from wealthy people who should have been ready to offer interest-free loans in the context of national crisis. The theme of the chapter is therefore wealthy, powerful people exploiting poor, powerless people. Can you think of contemporary equivalents in our world today?
2. Nehemiah experiences righteous anger when he hears about these injustices (v6) similar to the anger that Jesus expresses when he sees exploitation of poor people by the moneylenders in the Temple in Jerusalem (see Matthew 21:12-13). This anger motivates him to confront the oppressors. Do we find ourselves experiencing righteous anger at modern day injustices and how does this motivate us to pray and act for an end to oppressive practices?
3. Nehemiah makes a point of insisting on fulfilled promises from the people who are exploiting the poor (v13). He realises that public promises can often be followed by private compromises; outward repentance can be followed by inward reluctance. His insistence on fulfilled pledges reaps the reward of seeing people follow through with their commitment (see the end of v13). When have you faced the temptation to cut corners on previous promises that prove hard to fulfil? Were you able to resist the temptation? What factors helped you to stay strong?
4. What social injustices are on your heart right now? What small but significant steps could you take to help right these wrongs?
End in prayer
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