Strife Within

Day three hundred twenty-five

Rough night, not feeling so hot and I needed to teach seminary and go to work today.  So I prayed that the Lord would bless my body with the health and energy that I will need to get things done today.  I got through seminary now I just need to hold on for work!

Nehemiah 5
As we come to chapter five, our community of Jerusalem is starting to self-destruct because of some festering grievances. The workers now face a new enemy who is harder to conquer than the previous ones. The timing could not have been worse because the walls are almost done!

Nehemiah will have to turn his attention from the construction of the wall, to the walls that were being put up between his workers. While their external enemies helped to rally the people, internal conflict threatened to divide and destroy them.

There’s a word in verse 1 that sets the tone for chapter 5 – it’s the word, “against.” Strife was brewing, tension was mounting, and the people were complaining.  In the midst of a “great work” (4:19) for a “great God” (1:5), in 5:1 “the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their Jewish brothers.” This was not just a little disagreement or a minor problem. They weren’t crying out against the Samaritans or the Ammonites, but against their own people!

This group that had rallied together, who had a mind to work, who were rejoicing in the greatness of their God, were suddenly dealing with internal strife and division.  One of the things that does the most harm to God’s work is dissention among God’s people. If the work was going to succeed unity would be essential.

It is interesting that this chapter should be what I am studying today.  I have found myself in a few situations where strife within a group is present.  The sad part is that these groups are filled with Christians who know better.  So my full attention is on Nehemiah and how he deals with the situation.

The Problems
Economically times were hard, the people were dealing with famine (v 3), and the city had not been tilled and cultivated to meet all the demands of the hundreds of people who had suddenly flooded in to build the wall. The current crop could not meet the demands and there was a shortage of food supplies.

Not only that, but the people were also dealing with heavy taxation that was coming down from the Persian king who was ruling at this time. So in order to get food and to pay their taxes the people were borrowing against their farms and their homes.

To top it off the rulers and nobles were charging interest on the people, which was clearly against what God had commanded them to do (Deut 23:19-20) and when someone couldn't pay back their loan the lenders were taking their homes, their land, and in some cases their children for slaves.  This was also forbidden by the Lord (Lev 25:39-41). 

I sympathize with the people who were struggling; I would have a hard time accepting these conditions too.  I probably would have been a loud complainer!

Nehemiah's Reaction
Nehemiah becomes angry (v 6).  This is an appropriate reaction for Nehemiah.  He is not angry at the people for crying out, but for the injustice being done against them.  This was not the flaring up of a sinful temper but the expression of righteous indignation at the way the rulers were oppressing their brothers.

His was a holy anger against sin, and he knew that he had the Law of God behind him. He was angry at the greed and lack of compassion shown by the rulers. He is angry that their actions were affecting the unity of the people and stopping the work. 

He consulted before he confronted (v 7).    Nehemiah was a man passionate enough to get angry; but wise enough to not act until he had considered the matter carefully.  His reaction is what it should be, he takes the time to think it through, to prepare his heart, and to create a plan of action.

I can definitely learn something from Nehemiah. This is an area I need to work on.  I tend to react the way of the natural man instead of the responding by the Spirit. 

Taking Action
He rebuked the offenders (vv 7-10).  Nehemiah starts by rebuking these guys – He calls them on the carpet and points out where they were wrong. 

First he reminds them that these were their brothers – He uses the term brother or brethren 4 times in these verses (v 7). He appealed to their love. We are all family!

Second thing that he does is remind them that they have been redeemed (v 8).  God had set them free, they were out of bondage.  Nehemiah asks them, "How could you put your brethren back into bondage?"  That's a good question for us to ponder in our own situations with strife.  Are our actions hindering the progress of another towards Christ?

Third thing that Nehemiah does is he reminds them of the word of God and their need to walk in the fear of God (v 9).  Walking in the fear of God means that I am not looking at what is best for me but what is best in God’s eyes.  If a situation benefits me but is outside of the boundaries of God’s will then I don’t want any part of it

Fourth, Nehemiah tells them that they need to remember that they are to be examples to others (v 9).  Their behavior would be a reproach to the other nations.  They were to be an example to the other nations of how to treat each other. The problem was they were acting just like the surrounding nations, there was no difference.  

He corrected the offenders (v 11).  Nehemiah exhorts them to make the situation right by restoring what they had taken, their lands and their houses.  He also told the brokers to restore both the interest and the security that they had taken from their fellow Jews.  He doesn't just rebuke, but he has an answer and a plan for them to follow (v 12).

He holds them accountable (v 12). He asks the money lenders to make a promise that they will do what he has asked, and he asked them to do it with a priest as a witness.  It's his way of saying that the promise isn't just between men, but between them and the Lord.

He led by example (vv 14-19).  Nehemiah became the governor in Israel, a position of honor and privilege.  Yet he didn't use any of that privilege, instead he sacrificed and he gave.  He chose to give instead of take from the people.  He fed 150 people at his table daily, including visitors. 

How can I apply Nehemiah's experience to my own?  It has got me thinking about a few things:

There is a direct correlation between the effectiveness of our work and how we treat each other. 

Relationship problems are inevitable and we can’t ignore them.

We must take the initiative to restore relationships whether we want to or not.

God’s reputation is at stake when we have conflict.

It's the last one that really gets me.  When we love the Lord we truly don't want to do anything that would tarnish His reputation.  I am motivated to NOT be the cause of strife and to work on rebuilding those relationships that are currently struggling.  Unity is important to God’s work.  We are all on the same team!