Money Problems | Sunday, June 26, 2022

And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. (Nehemiah 5:1)

When the enemy can't stop God's work with arrows, money problems among God's people can do the job—unless someone gets the money thing right under God's lordship.

A Building Project's Strange Money Problem

The book of Nehemiah, in the big picture, is about a building project—rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem after the Babylonians had conquered the city decades earlier. And it is the most common thing in the world for a building project to have money problems. Nehemiah chapter 5 begins with money problems, but not the kind we normally associate with construction.

Notice how this chapter regards the work of building the walls. Chapter 4 ended on a note of tremendous victory. The people of God were doing the work of God despite significant obstacles—working with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other, both fighting and building, refusing to let their enemies stop them.

But in chapter 5 there is no mention of working on the wall at all. As far as this chapter is concerned, the work has stopped. And it stopped because of strife among God's people—arguing, disputing, disagreement. The enemy could not stop the work by any direct attack, but the work did stop when God's people were not unified and were not working together. When God's people fight each other, they aren't fighting the real enemy of our souls, nor are they getting God's work done.

Four Reasons for the Money Problems

For there were those who said, We our sons and our daughters are many, therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live. There were also some who said, We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and our houses that we might buy grain because of the famine. There were also those who said, We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our lands and vineyards... and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves. (Nehemiah 5:2–5)

These four verses give four reasons for the financial trouble. First, verse 2: "let us get grain that we may eat and live." The people seem to be saying they had been working on the walls so much that they needed time to raise crops and provide for their households. Occasionally I'll meet someone who feels called to ministry, and who am I to doubt that call? But if a person is not providing for the needs of his family, that's a problem, because the Bible places a very high priority on the ability of people to provide for their own household.

Second, verse 3: "because of the famine." A famine made food more expensive—so expensive that some had to mortgage their property just to eat.

Third, verse 4 mentions the king's tax. People had money problems because the government kept taxing them even though they weren't working as much and the cost of living went up.

Fourth, they had taken out loans they couldn't repay. The loans cost interest, and they were in default. In the ancient world, default meant someone had to become a slave—often the children. That's why verse 5 says, "we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves." Verse 11 uses the phrase "the hundredth part," which probably means they were charging twelve percent interest a year—considered excessive then, and a violation of the biblical principle that you should not make money off another person's misfortune.

Money Is a Spiritual Matter

It's not unusual for money problems to create strife and completely disrupt what God wants to do. If Nehemiah and the people had not found a way to handle their money rightly, the work of God would have stopped—without a single arrow being fired by the enemies of God.

Sometimes we want to separate what we do with our money from our walk with God. We put things into mental compartments: here's my responsibility before God, and over here is what I do with my money—and we decide the two never meet. That is a huge trap from the evil one. What you do with your money reflects your spiritual life, not just your financial life. Building a house is a spiritual decision. Taking a job, choosing a career, deciding how much money you should make—all of these directly affect your walk with God now and into the future.

Let me give one essential aspect of handling money rightly: being a giver. Giving to the work of the Lord helps us remember that God and His kingdom come first. The New Testament tells us our giving should be regular, thoughtful, proportional, and private (1 Corinthians 16), and that it must be generous, freely given, and cheerful (2 Corinthians 9).

But understand this: money problems are rarely only money problems. We think our only problem is that we don't have enough, and that more money would make the problem go away. That's not true—just look at people who win the lottery or come into sudden riches. If they didn't know how to handle and glorify God with their money before, they won't after, and the problems soon show up bigger than ever.

Nehemiah's Angry, Thoughtful Response

And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. (Nehemiah 5:6)

Nehemiah is a bit of a hothead. He became angry because these money problems were caused in part by the greed of those who wanted to profit off the troubles of others—what the Bible calls usury, excessive or improper interest. God said you do not profit off the money troubles of others. It must have been frustrating: after the great victory of chapter 4, these money problems pushed the pause button on the work.

After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers and said to them, each of you is exacting usury from your brother... 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?... What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God?... please let us stop this usury. Restore to them now, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also a hundredth of the money... (Nehemiah 5:7–11)

Notice: Nehemiah got angry in verse 6, but before he did anything, he gave it serious thought—and we can assume he prayed about it as well. Of the four causes, the only one Nehemiah could actually do something about was the last: the debt and interest. I don't know if it was the worst problem, but it was the one he could address. He couldn't make it rain, and he couldn't tell the king of Persia to stop taxing. But he could confront those making unrighteous profit off the misfortune of others.

Nehemiah was no coward—serving as cupbearer to the king got him used to being around important people, so the nobles and rulers didn't intimidate him. He told them the truth, and I assume he told it in love. The Bible says (Exodus 22) it is wrong to make money off someone's basic financial need; if someone needs money for the necessities of life, they should be given it, not loaned it at interest. God's people must always use great wisdom and self-control in borrowing money. Their crime had reached the point of selling fellow Jews into slavery to pay off these loans—a terrible thing, given that many of those same people had once been redeemed out of slavery to foreigners.

Isn't this where so many business deals go wrong—because there's no regard for God's will or wisdom? I don't know what you do for a living, but if you're in business, there are wonderful kingdom opportunities there—provided you do your business honestly, in a way that honors God. When our only concern is whether we can make the deal and the money, while leaving aside whether it's right or wrong, we are in a bad place. Nehemiah didn't ask them merely to feel bad; he told them to set right the wrong, and to do it immediately: "Restore now to them even this day."

A Rebuke Received

So they said, we will restore it. And we will require nothing from them. We will do as you say. Then I called the priests and required an oath from them... Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, so may God shake out each man from his house... And all the assembly said, amen, and praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise. (Nehemiah 5:12–13)

What a response: "we will restore it." Nehemiah confronted them truthfully and lovingly, and they received the rebuke. Sometimes I think there is no greater miracle among the people of God than a rebuke received. Whatever Nehemiah's rebuke was, it surely wasn't perfect—maybe the timing or tone was off. But instead of poking holes in it, these godly men said, "You're right. We're wrong. We will set it right." Their teachable, correctable spirit was very impressive.

Nehemiah also knew their words were not enough—their actions had to follow. He shook out his garment, calling on God to shake out any man who failed to keep the promise. And he had them swear publicly, before the priests and the whole community, which made them accountable. Isn't it true that we often need accountability to help our willing spirit overcome our weak flesh? Perhaps accountability is the missing step in an area where you're struggling—being honest with a brother or sister and asking them to hold you accountable. That is a gift from God.

A Governor Who Refused His Rights

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor... twelve years, neither I nor my brethren ate the governor's provisions. But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people... but I did not do so because of the fear of God. Indeed, I also continued the work on the wall... (Nehemiah 5:14–16)

Nehemiah could not stop the king's tax, but he could choose not to make it worse by taxing the people for his own support—even though he had every right to do so as a legitimate government official. He gave up that right because he wanted to see the work of God furthered.

This reminds me of the Apostle Paul, who also had the right to be supported but didn't always take it. Across his ministry there were times he received appropriate support and times he refused it, basing his choice on whatever was more effective for the work. This is relevant to the question of whether pastors should be supported today. I can envision circumstances where it would be better for a minister to refuse support, but for the most part, whenever possible, it is better for a pastor to be able to devote himself full time to the care and teaching of God's people.

Notice the key in verse 15: "I did not do so because of the fear of God." It didn't matter to Nehemiah what fifty other governors did to enrich themselves. He lived under another standard, and we should live under that same standard. When confronted by sins the world takes for granted, we should be able to echo Nehemiah and say, "I did not do so because of the fear of God"—and we can add, "because of the love of Jesus."

Sacrificial Generosity

And at my table were 150 Jews and rulers, beside those who came to us from the nations around us. Now that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep... Yet in spite of this, I did not demand the governor's provisions because the bondage was heavy on this people. (Nehemiah 5:17–18)

Nehemiah did not only refuse to take when he could have—he gave when he didn't have to. He received much from the king's provisions, which he could have sold for profit. Instead he gave it away, feeding as many as 150 people regularly. He was a great example both for what he did not take and for what he did not keep. And he did it all "because the bondage was heavy on this people." Nehemiah lived the way he told the nobles and rulers to live; he never expected more of his followers than he expected of himself.

Remember Me, My God

Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. (Nehemiah 5:19)

Some may think this a proud prayer, but it isn't. He's simply saying, "God, remember me. I've tried to do good for the people." And Nehemiah did a great deal of good. He cared for the poor and hurting. He boldly confronted injustice. He set captives free. And he sacrificially served. Let me use a phrase that may sound familiar: Nehemiah did not come to be served, but to serve.

Does that remind you of anyone? The Gospels tell us Jesus spoke those very words over Himself—"the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve." In all these ways, Nehemiah is an amazing example of Jesus. Nehemiah cared for the hurting; Jesus cares for the hurting. Nehemiah confronted injustice; Jesus confronts injustice. Nehemiah set captives free; Jesus sets captives free. Nehemiah served sacrificially; Jesus came to serve.

So we can take Nehemiah as a tremendous example for us—and we should. But let me add something to receive: let Jesus serve you. Let Him set you free. And let Jesus set the rules for how you handle money—how you make it, spend it, and give it. If you get that money thing right, things can move forward; the building work can resume. There may be things in your life right now that God is waiting for you to get right under His lordship, and then things can move forward, as we look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith.

Closing Prayer

Father in heaven, we thank You that what we see in part in Nehemiah, we see in perfection in Jesus Christ. So we ask that You would serve us. It sounds funny for us to say that, but You came to serve us—by setting us free, by giving us life, by taking away our sin, by giving us power to live lives that honor You. So Lord, we receive Your service, and we ask that You would fill us with the same heart, conforming us to Your glorious image. And God, I especially pray that You would help us to get the money thing right before You—how we make it, how we spend it, and how we give it. Help us to do it in a way that brings You honor, and we know that will bring freedom into our lives. Do it, Lord, we pray in Jesus' wonderful name. Amen.