1. inside the walls Problems 3. Nehemiah let us rise and build
The Kettering Weekend March 2016

2. Structure OVERVIEW A | Context B | the cry of the poor
C | Nehemiah’s response
D | Principles: love of brethren
INTERACTION
OVERVIEW
SESSION 3

3. QUESTIONS QUESTIONS Why did the Jews oppress one another?
Can we oppress our brothers and sisters?
What did Nehemiah do about it?
What can we do about it?
QUESTIONS
SESSION 3

4. Structure OVERVIEW A | Context B | the cry of the poor
C | Nehemiah’s response
D | Principles: love of brethren
OVERVIEW
SESSION 3

5. Nehemiah 4-6 CONTEXT All in 52 days! SESSION 3
Sanballat threatens of fight (4:1-23)
INTERNAL
Jews oppressing one another (5:1-19)
EXTERNAL
Sanballat et al. plan to harm Nehemiah (6:1-9)
INTERNAL
Jewish false prophets + prophetesses (6:10-14)
All in 52 days!
EXTERNAL
CONTEXT
SESSION 3

6. Structure OVERVIEW A | Context B | the cry of the poor
C | Nehemiah’s response
D | Principles: love of brethren
OVERVIEW
SESSION 3

7. Brothers BROTHERS against their Jewish brothers (5:1)
our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers (5:5)
our Jewish brothers (5:8)
sell your brothers (5:8)
I, my brothers and my servants (5:10)
BROTHERS
NEHEMIAH 5

8. The poor Jews’ complaint
Size large group
Mortgage houses and vineyards
Tax borrowed money to pay taxes
Slaves sold children to slavery
Interest lending at interest
THE POOR’S CRY
NEHEMIAH 5

9. The law of Moses THE POOR’S CRY NEHEMIAH 5 Principle Law of Moses
Lending encouraged
If one of your brothers becomes poor…you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. (Deut 15:8)
Re-mortgaging/ seizing collateral
When you make a loan…You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. (Deut 24:11)
Selling children as slaves
When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. (Ex 21:7)
Charging interest
You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest. (Deut 23:19)
THE POOR’S CRY
NEHEMIAH 5

10. Structure OVERVIEW A | Context B | the cry of the poor
C | Nehemiah’s response
D | Principles: love of brethren
INTERACTION
OVERVIEW
SESSION 3

11. Nehemiah’s response RESPONDING I consulted with myself
Contended with the nobles
RESPONDING
NEHEMIAH 5

12. Compare Leviticus 25:17-43 and Nehemiah 5
INTERACTION
Why does Nehemiah ask them to ‘walk in the fear of God’ (5:9,15)? Can we apply this to us?
Compare Leviticus 25:17-43 and Nehemiah 5
Also cp. 1 John 4:11
FEAR OF GOD
NEHEMIAH 5

13. FEAR OF GOD NEHEMIAH 5 Nehemiah 5 Leviticus 25
‘their Jewish brothers’ (5:1)
‘that your brother may live with you’ (25:36)
‘eat and live’ (5:2)
‘may live with you’ (25:36)
‘to be slaves’ (5:5)
‘as a slave’ (25:39)
‘exacting usury’ (5:7)
‘take no interest from him’ (25:36,37)
‘according to our ability have redeemed’ (5:8)
‘himself be able to redeem it’ (25:26)
‘which were sold to the nations’ (5:8)
‘slaves...from among the nations’ (25:44)
‘sell...sold’ (5:8)
‘if thy brother...be sold unto thee’ (25:39)
‘fear of our God’ (5:9)
‘fear of God’ (5:15)
‘you shall not wrong one another; but you shall fear your God’ (25:17)
‘take thou no interest from him...: but fear your God’ (25:36)
‘You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God’ (25:43)
FEAR OF GOD
NEHEMIAH 5

14. Nehemiah’s response RESPONDING I consulted with myself
Contended with the nobles
Explains wider impact
Tasks the rich to a) stop the charging of interest and b) restore their lands etc. and c) repay the interest charged
RESPONDING
NEHEMIAH 5

15. Structure OVERVIEW A | Context B | the cry of the poor
C | Nehemiah’s response
D | Principles: love of brethren
OVERVIEW
SESSION 3

16. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.