Nehemiah 5:6

Nehemiah 5:6 says, And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.  Nehemiah said he was very angry when he heard the people complaining, not at what they were saying, but at what was happening to them because of those in power.  If we have truly put our faith in God, we should not spend our time complaining about how bad things are, but should pray to God for help, and those in power in the church at least should listen to us, especially if our fellow believers are taking advantage of us.  Still, as long as we know that we have everlasting life with God, nothing else should cause us to complain, but we shouldn’t get mad at those who do but should pray that God will lead them to a better attitude toward how they treat the less fortunate. 

Verse seven adds, Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.  Nehemiah says he consulted himself and then rebuked the nobles and rulers, reminding them they were exacting usury from their brothers, which God’s law said they should not do.  It was good that Nehemiah didn’t immediately fly into a rage but took the time to consider the situation before acting, even if he was angry at what was happening.  He then called a great assembly against them.  I believe that we should consult God and not just ourselves if we see a problem that needs correcting, but we should first pray about it alone before just acting out of anger in front of everyone.  When God reveals to us what needs to be done, then we need to let the whole assembly of our fellow believers know what has been happening under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. 

Verse eight continues, And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.  Nehemiah then told them that they had redeemed their brothers who had been sold to the heathen, and then asked if they would now sell their own brothers into bondage.  We should never mistreat our fellow believers but need to remember that we like them have been redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. 

Verse nine states, Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?  Nehemiah told the nobles and rulers that what they were doing was not what God would have them do, and that by doing it, they were bringing about the reproach of their enemies.  Our actions as Christians should never cause non-Christians to rebuke our attitude and actions.  We are called to be people who live by God’s word and not by the same attitude that guides the lost people of the world, and if our actions are no different than theirs, they are going to reproach us as hypocrites.  Also, we need to be careful that we as followers of Christ do not allow sin to take us into bondage once again. 

Verse ten adds. I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.  Though Nehemiah said his servants and he could have demanded usuary from others, he didn't demand but asked that they leave of the usury. He asked they come to the decision to do so on their own.  God could demand that we serve Him, but He calls us to come to Him on our own, out of His love for us and our love for Him when we do. 

Verse eleven continues, Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.  Nehemiah then told them that they needed to act that day to restore all that they had taken from their brothers.  If we know that we have wronged a fellow Christian, we must first ask God to forgive us, and then we need to take action immediately to correct the situation.  It is not enough to just acknowledge that we have done someone harm and ask God’s forgiveness and then do nothing to correct the situation.