Nehemiah 5:1–19

Recurrent Thought

The greatest enemy of God’s work often rises from within. It calls for vigilance and courage to ,  confront and uproot the causes of evil within.

The work of God is often threatened more by internal problems than by external opposition. In Nehemiah 4, the Rebuilders faced external enemies who threatened and mocked and yet they succeeded. The wall continued to rise. The people where focused on the task of building as Neh. 4:6 testifies: “So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” (Nehemiah 4:6, KJV).  They also showed courage in the face of danger. They had swords strapped on their waists and building trowels in their hands. The text states in Neh 4:18  that “. . . each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built  . . .”. This was a courage in building demonstrated.

However, when we read Nehemiah 5, we don’t read the progress of the Work. It had almost stopped. This stoppage was not because of swords or armies, but because of injustice, division, and selfishness among God’s own people. The united mind seen in Neh. 4:6 is in danger.

Chapter 5 teaches us that a God-given vision can be delayed or destroyed if internal threats are not confronted with courage, integrity, and godly leadership.

1. Internal Threats Weaken Visions
   • Ordinarily, internal threats are more deadly to Vision achievement. One major reason is that Organizations tend to take long to react to internal rottenness.
   • The advantage to the rebuilders was that some people cried out (Nehemiah 5:1–5).
   • The internal threat consisted of a a complex challenges of injustices with many triggers. This is shown by the Cry that came out. Neh 5:1  Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 
   • The Hebrew idea behind “cry” reflects deep distress, similar to Israel’s cry in Egypt (Exodus 3:7). This was not complaining. It was the experience of pain.
   • This is a warning for any organization. Unheard pain derails vision. Organizations, including Churches, must listen without which they lose momentum.
   • When God’s people oppress one another, the work of God loses strength.
   • The Cause of the Cry is revealed in Nehemiah 5:2–4. The triggers are shown by the phrase, “For there were those who said”.
     • Due to Famine and their determination to work, they failed to provide a living (Grain) for their families (5:2).
     • They mortgaged houses and properties because of Famine (5:3).
     • They were paying the King’s tax that was increasingly growing (5:4).
     • They took Loans with exorbitant usury (interest) and failed to repay. This led into a into a trap of enslavement. Their children got sold into slavery (5:5).
   • In summary we notice that the work stalled because of Famine, debt, and heavy taxes which forced families to mortgage land and sell children into servitude by fellow Jews, against the Law (Leviticus 25:39–43).
   • Because of these litanies of money problems, the work of God came to a standstill. These were problems from within that challenged the progress of the rebuilding project.
   • The uncomfortable truth is that sometimes the work of God stops without a single arrow from the Devil.
   • A building may look strong on the outside, but if the foundation is cracked, it collapses.
   • The Internal difficulties were real. The wall was rising, but families were falling apart.
   • The reality is that no organization can progress when its people are broken. Similarly, we cannot build Kingdom walls when Gods’ people are breaking.
   • The Cry that we see in 5:1 was real, it was the pain of powerlessness (Read 5:5). They had no strength to redeem their children. Inequality among brothers destroyed unity.
   • The Church is shown as a body in scriptures and in reality the body cannot function if one part starves while another feasts (1 Cor. 12:25–26). When unity dies, vision suffers.
2. Confront the Threat Without Compromising the Vision (Neh. 5:6–13)
   • Nehemiah became angry with the situation knowing that the perpetrators were Jewish brothers (5:8).
   • Despite having a great vision to rebuild, compassion was absent among the builders, bringing about oppression.
   • Nehemiah 5:7a is an important beginning place: I took counsel with myself (ESV), Then I consulted with myself (KJV).
   • Only after he had spent time with himself, he then confront the error, and the perpetrators (5:7).
   • True leaders protect God’s vision by confronting internal sin with courage and wisdom.
   • AS a leader, Nehemiah exhibited Righteous Anger That Leads to Action
   • Nehemiah’s anger was controlled and thoughtful. He “consulted with himself.” This reflects biblical wisdom (Proverbs 16:32).
   • Not all anger is sinful; however, silence in the face of injustice is. Holy anger tends to lead to holy correction. Leaders must not ignore sin to keep peace. Position does not excuse disobedience.
   • Nehemiah showed Courage as he Confronted Influential People (5:7-9). He stood on the word of God; because charging exorbitant interest violated the Mosaic Law (Exodus 22:25). He rebuked nobles publicly.
   • Leadership that fears people more than God cannot protect God’s work. God’s work demands God’s standards.
   • Among the four challenges, the only one that Nehemiah had quick intervention for Change was the one in which people who got loans were charged exorbitant interests (usury). 
   • The Leaders, and the People Repented (5:10–13). Their repentance was proven by action. The lands were restored, debts forgiven.  True repentance always changes behavior. In the Spirit, restoration is the results and proves repentance. Vision advances when hearts are corrected.
3. Integrity Protects the Vision Long-Term (Neh. 5:14-19)
   • Nehemiah gives an example of how he maintained Integrity in order to drive Vision.
   • God preserves His vision through leaders who fear Him more than those who pursue personal gain.
   • Nehemiah refused the governor’s allowance. His motivation was the fear of God. The fear of God guards the heart of the leader.
   • This showed that Leadership is stewardship, not entitlement.
   • When Nehemiah explained his conviction he showed that Leadership should be the one that serves, and not consume (5:16–17). He worked on the wall and fed others at his own expense.
   • It is the Servant Leadership Principle: Jesus said, “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister” (Mark 10:45).
   • This is essential in sustaining vision: true leaders build people, not themselves.
   • Leaders of integrity trusts God for Reward. The reality is that as a leader, you may spend more in developing others.
   • The is essential for every leader and Disciple maker to remember: Do not seek applause, but seek God’s remembrance. God’s approval matters more than public recognition.

Conclusion

The wall was not threatened most by enemies from the outside but by sin inside. The same is true today.