by Dr. Lloyd T. Anderson
NEHEMIAH
T h e w o r k o p rebuilding the wall continued despite opposition. There was opposition by ridicule, threat of open attack, discourage ment and as we came to the end of chapter four, we have the account of the threat of secret attack. During this time of danger, a trumpeter stood by Nehemiah, ready to sound the alarm should danger threaten. It was arranged that wherever they heard the sound of the trumpet, they would all rush to that spot to face the enemy. Thus the work went for ward. The laborers began at the ris ing of the sun and worked each day until the stars appeared. Nehemiah called on the out-of-town workers to remain in the city instead of going back each night to their homes. By doing this they could help guard the walls. During this crucial period he himself never removed his clothes ex cept for the purpose of washing them. The same thing was true of his brothers, servants and guards men. As we come to chapter five, we find that the next obstacle to the work came from the inside rather than the outside. The poorer folks raised a cry against their wealthier b re th re n . Their work on the wall brought them no pay for the moment. This fact, added to other conditions, caused them to be financially hard-pressed. Their families were large (v. 2) and food of course had to be provided for them. There had been a severe drought (v. 3). This forced them to mortgage their lands to obtain pro visions. Also they had to pay a con siderable tax to the king of Persia (v. 4). Though they loved their chil dren equally as much as the wealthy money lenders did theirs, they were being forced to sell them into bond age to meet their debts. Others were 30
getting possession of both their land and children, which they lacked the power to redeem. Nehemiah was greatly angered when this complaint reached him. He was especially indignant that at such a crucial time, when all needed to pull together in close co-operation, the wealthy nobles should be press ing and dispossessing their poverty- stricken countrymen. It seems that the private rebuke of the nobles produced little result, so Nehemiah then proceeded to call a public assembly. Luck states: “He called on the nobles to cease their usury and to restore any homes they had taken from the poor people. They were also told to restore the interest they had collected which is said to have been ‘the hundredth part of the money’ (v. 11). Evidently they were charging one per cent per month on these loans, or 12 per cent interest per year. This exhortation touched the nobles and they promised to do that which Nehemiah asked.” At the close of the meeting, the whole company praised God that the matter had been settled thus and it is recorded that the promises made were actually kept. Verses 14-19 give a summary of Nehemiah’s conduct during his en tire term as governor. This passage makes it evident that the account in these opening chapters of the book was written by Nehemiah after he had completed the twelve years in office. Nehemiah had all his servants help in the wall building. He and his relatives did not buy up the land from poor people who were in finan cial straits in order to make high profits. As a matter of fact, he was very generous in entertaining peo ple at his own table, both Jerusalem
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker