Week of October 31st, 2021

All Nations Church
Life Group Study
“Build Your Life Better”
Week of October 31^st, 2021

Study by Wayne Arcand

 

Nehemiah had a heart for his people. In working to build their lives better, he built his own better. There can be no greater joy than seeing someone you have helped doing well. It is worth the sacrifice. You will see in this passage that Nehemiah sacrificed much to ease the burden and improve the lot of his people. Building your life better is helping another build their life better. That makes all of our lives better.

 

Nehemiah 5 (NIV)

5 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. ² Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”

³ Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

⁴ Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. ⁵ Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”

⁶ When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. ⁷ 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 called together a large meeting to deal with them ⁸ and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.

⁹ 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? ¹⁰ I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! ¹¹ Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”

¹² “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. ¹³ I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!” At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. ¹⁸ 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.

¹⁹ Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.

 

As you start this study, quickly read through Nehemiah 4 to set the context for Chapter 5. We will spend some time developing an understanding of what was happening at the time this chapter was written and then discuss any principles that might apply to us today.

 

1. What was Nehemiah’s position at the time this was written? What do you base your answer on?

 

2. Chapter 5:1-5:
   1. Who do you think the “men and their wives” in verse 1 refers to?
   2. What work had these men been performing?
   3. What did they have to do to survive as a result of their work?
   4. What was the immediate impact of the action they had to take to survive?
   5. What would the future impact be on their lives?

 

3. Chapter 5:6-18:
   1. What impact did it have on Nehemiah when he saw how his people were suffering?
   2. What was the problem?
   3. What was Nehemiah’s solution?
   4. What do these verses suggest about Nehemiah’s leadership style? What do you base your answer on?
   5. What do verses 17 and 18 suggest about Nehemiah’s commitment to living what he was encouraging the nobles and officials to do?
   6. What was one of the key differences between the way the previous governors treated the people and the way Nehemiah treated the people?
      1. What impact do you think Nehemiah’s treatment of the people had on their willingness to be fully invested in the work they were doing?

 

4. Does verse 19 have any special significance for you? Explain.

 

5. As you reflect on what you have learned from Nehemiah 5, is there one or more key take-aways that you can apply to your life? Consider the principle behind the action rather than the specifics of the story.

 

6. Consider Philippians 2: ¹Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? ² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. ³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. ⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. (NLT)

 

1. Have a discussion on how the principles of these verses of Philippians 2 are reflected in the actions of Nehemiah and the men restoring the walls of Jerusalem?
2. What are the characteristics of a tender, compassionate heart?
3. What is a practical application of these verses in our lives?
4. How is your life be better by applying these principles?

 

For Personal Reflection:

We live in such troubled times where there seems to be so little to encourage us and yet, through Christ Jesus we have so much to be thankful for. Considering the passage from Philippians 2, who can I encourage this week? Who do I know that might be lonely that I can share my time with? Who can I encourage with a meal or a phone call? When have I put my interests ahead of the interests of others?

Pray and ask the Lord to reveal himself to you this week in the opportunities he will bring your way. As a child of God, a child of love, we are called to share that love with others.