“I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, ‘You are exacting interest, each from his brother.’ And I held a great assembly against them.”
Nehemiah 5:6-7 ESV
Last time we explored what happens when God’s people aren’t living in line with His just and compassionate laws: the poor in bondage to high interest and children being sold into slavery. Today we see Governor Nehemiah’s reaction and response to all he has heard from the people.
The phrase used for Nehemiah’s reaction is very (meod – force, abundance, exceedingly) angry (charah – kindled, burn with anger). He was exceedingly burning with anger when he heard how affairs were being conducted among God’s people. Remember when Ezra had a similar reaction? After hearing the exiles had disobeyed and married foreign wives who taught them to worship other gods, Ezra was distraught. Nehemiah is too hearing the peoples’ outcry (eaqah – distress, lamentations).
So we see Nehemiah’s reaction was to be kindled with anger. But, just like Ezra, he followed up with a response. His first response is to take “counsel (malak – consult) with (al – hovering over) myself (leb – heart, inner man, center [of anything], courage).” He took his kindled anger inward, to the center of all he knew to be just and true, and took courage.
I think we need to pause here for a moment. Because I don’t know about you, but there have been times in my life when, to take something to my own self for consultation, would have ended in disaster. When my inner man was far from aligned with God’s perfect ways and the center of my life wasn’t reflecting His mercy. Like everyone else, it is a daily struggle to hand over my will to His perfect one and ask His Spirit in my spirit and His Word in my mind to be what guides.
But, friends, I believe we also need to know that when we are doing that the best way we know how, there will be times when our reaction to injustice will be kindled anger. Particularly on behalf of others. Righteous indignation is part of God’s perfect character toward a fallen, imperfect world. And in those times, we must take courage.
After consulting within himself, Nehemiah took the next step: bringing charges against the nobles and officials. To bring charge against is rib or rub – contend, defend, plead case, rebuke, reprimand. And why? You (attah – you yourselves) are hurting (nasha – deceive, delude, lend on interest) your own relatives by becoming a creditor (ashah) against them (al – hovering over). You are deceiving your own countrymen with your deceptive interest rates hovering over them.
Friends, this is a reality in our lives today. A privileged few holding generations of power over others. A small group of elite taking advantage – no, systematically operating against – the larger masses. Whether intentional or not, if we are not swimming against this current we will be swept along with it. And when that happens groups begin to organize:
“Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem.” (NLT)
“And I held a great assembly against them.” (ESV)
We cannot be too busy or uninterested to listen to these cries. We are all connected by our common humanity and what we do affects each other. So we deal with injustices as they arise. But mostly, we refuse to ignore the one and only basis for righteousness and justice: A holy and righteous God Who set within us as creatures made in His image the moral compass of understanding right and wrong. And we all fall short.
The only reason we understand injustice is because we are made in the likeness of the Just One. The only One who can burn with anger and it be fully righteous. Who then took on that righteous wrath we could never have borne ourselves.
It’s Lent, you know. A time for those of us who believe Jesus to prepare our hearts to celebrate the glorious Resurrection. The present reality and the future promise when the Kingdom we’ve been praying to come will be here in completeness and never ending majesty. May we listen and love and serve and take courage during this time given to us. To speak up where we need to and sit down and listen when it’s right. To move toward each other – particularly when we disagree.
He has shown us the perfect example of love and courage on behalf of our brothers and sisters. May we love well.