“The Big Question”
big—Part 5
Nehemiah 5
February 23, 2014
I. THE COMPLAINT: WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?
“Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their
fellow Jews.” v 1-5
II. THE CONFRONTATION: WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?
“When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry.
I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and
officials. I told them, ‘You are charging your own people
interest!’ So I continued, ‘What you are doing is not right.
Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach
of our Gentile enemies?’” v 6-9
III. THE CONDUCT: WHAT IS YOUR PICTURE?
“Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I
was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until
his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers
ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier
governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the
people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to
food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people.
But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I
devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were
assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my
table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding
nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry
were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of
wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food
allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on
these people. Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have
done for these people.” v 14-19