Day: Day 12
Date: January 19, 2024
We have looked at the lies that the enemy released to the brethren. Nehemiah could not remain silent!
When the enemy has come in and stolen and built a case against God and others, someone has to rise up.
Nehemiah 5:6 NKJV
And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.
There is a righteous judgment that needs to arise to RE-DIRECT and bring things back into order. God put Nehemiah in this position and gave him wisdom.
We must understand that there is a time to step up and release righteous judgment.
John 7:24 NKJV
Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.
That means we are to judge by what God says is right and not with condemnation. We are supposed to RE-ESTABLISH things when they are out of God’s order.
That is what Nehemiah did. I’ll just add here that I love Nehemiah, because he made sure that things were done God’s way.
King James Version is best here, and I will explain why.
Nehemiah 5:7 KJV
Then I consulted with myself, and 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 said he consulted with himself. What that means in Hebrew is:
- to ascend the throne
- to take counsel
Nehemiah is really showing us how to live Kingdom. He was RE-ESTABLISHING what was needed. And what is ALWAYS needed is the counsel of God in our lives to guide us with His wisdom on how to handle unjust situations correctly. Nehemiah didn’t come up with his own plan. He ascended above the situation and went before God for His counsel. Then he applied it!
We need to follow His guidance!
This is what Nehemiah came to realize.
Nehemiah 5:7 NKJV
After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them.
Usury isn’t just a loan, but interest on a debt.
Yesterday, we looked at the fact that many had to give over their land to the wealthy and then borrow money at extremely high interest rates. In some instances, the poor were being forced to give their children as slaves to keep from starving.
Nehemiah publicly confronted those who were taking advantage of others! This was God’s guidance! There is a time to rise and put things back in order by confrontation!
Nehemiah 5:8 NKJV
And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found nothing to say.
No demon of hell can take a stand against us when we take a stand for God’s standards!
Let us silence the enemy and RE-ESTABLISH what is righteous according to the Word of God.
Nehemiah went further:
Nehemiah 5:9 NKJV
Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?”
Look at how clear he was:
- What you are doing is NOT GOOD.
- You need to walk in REVERENCE to GOD.
- You are disgracing God before our enemies.
When people are willing to turn against their brothers and sisters in Christ, they are not reverencing God. They are not representing God, and they are not displaying God to others.
Nehemiah 5:10-11 NKJV
10 “I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!
11 Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you have charged them.”
What did Nehemiah do?
He RE-ESTABLISHED doing what was right, because it was right, and it was God’s heart.
He didn’t speak on his own authority. He had the counsel of God, and I am confident he had the conviction of God. That was what broke through this atmosphere, and turned the people’s hearts back to doing things God’s way.
Nehemiah 5:12a NKJV
So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.”
What was the result? A great movement that returned the people to doing what was right before God.
Then Nehemiah addressed the religious leaders to bring them into this unity, so they could keep it in order.
Nehemiah 5:12b NKJV
Then I called the priests and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.
Nehemiah did a prophetic action to bring this into the reality of what can happen if they return to their evil ways:
Nehemiah 5:13 NKJV
Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.”
In my own words: “If you shake people down, God will shake you down.
But if you bring the truth in love, God’s ways will prevail.”
I will add a Scripture to my point:
Proverbs 28:8 NKJV
One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion, gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
Interpretation: Don’t take from your brother, or you will reap a harvest on that by losing what you have.
Result:
Nehemiah 5:13b NKJV
And all the assembly said, “Amen!” And praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise.
We can learn a lot today from this. I believe wholeheartedly that God is changing His people’s hearts once again. He wants His people to be givers and not take advantage of others in any way.
Let’s look at the New Testament instruction.
Acts 2:42 NASU
16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up His life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.
17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?
18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.
God is tenderizing His people’s hearts to look outward from their own needs and to be willing to become sacrificial givers.
This year we are going to RE-ESTABLISH the heart of outrageous giving on purpose.
God spoke to this in 2023 and He is going to bring it to the forefront in 2024.
Deuteronomy 15:10 NIV Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart: then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. You can no longer just sit to receive. You must receive, believe, and then step up and step out to give out. Part of RE-ESTABLISHING will be to focus on giving to others and receiving abundance for the purpose of being a blessing—not receiving for ourselves. PRAYER Dear God, Help my heart to be broken for those who are broken and for those who are in need. Help us to reach them with action, not just words. I ask for forgiveness for being more concerned for my present needs than for the needs of others. Thank you for filling me with Your generosity and for leading me to those who need to be blessed by a loving Heavenly Father. Make me bold and give me wisdom when unjust things need to be confronted and RE-DIRECTED. I am here to RE-ESTABLISH that which is on Your heart. I will do that because I LOVE YOU, LORD. I thank You I can never outgive You. You have generously given Your Son. I am blessed with Heaven’s best already. Amen. WORSHIP/VIDEOS Generous Giver – Vintage Worship Seed of Faith – Charity Gayle
Giving brings joy and breakthroughs, because you are designed to be a blessing.
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