Injustice and Kindness
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Injustice
Injustice
We pick up our series on Nehemiah again. Last time we saw how the work on the wall brought opposition, for there were some who didn’t want the rebuilding to happen, and worked to stop it. Nevertheless, Nehemiah encouraged everyone in their work, and the work continued, even though the labourers had to hold weapons in one hand while building the wall.
In chapter 5, a new threat comes to Nehemiah’s attention. This time it wasn’t the treat of attack, rather it was an economic threat. When God established the nation Israel, he provided for the eventuality that some folks would do better than others. Those who had more, could loan to those who had less, so that everyone’s needs would be covered. He gave strict commands against exploitation.
The situation in Nehemiah’s day was that there was a great gulf between those who had much, and those who had little. Those with large families didn’t have enough land to produce enough to live on, those with small families had too much land, and thus had more than enough to live on. A famine gripped the land, and the Persian Empire required taxes for the privilege of living in the Promised Land. Thus the poorer people were going into debt, mortgaging their land, selling their children into slavery, entering slavery themselves, in order to pay. Some were going into debt just to put food on the table.
Rather than using their wealth to bless those less fortunate, the wealthy made the poor poorer by exacting usury. In effect, they were buying their brothers back from the Gentiles only to sell them back to each other. This was sin, it was forbidden by God.
Kindness
Kindness
When Nehemiah learned what was going on, he was angry.He was angry against the sin. Nehemiah spent some time figuring out what he would do, and when he was ready, he called a meeting with the nobles and officials.
He told them, point blank, that they were sinning. He told them that what they were doing was wrong. And none of them could respond to him, because they knew it was true. He commanded them to make things right, to give back their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses. All the usury they charged, also had to be paid back.
They all agreed. They all paid it back.
This was a supernatural reaction. That’s the only explanation for it. Nehemiah was an outsider, who, yes, was doing a good work in protecting the residents of Jerusalem by rebuilding the gates and the wall. Even so, he wasn’t one of them. Sure, he was a governor in Susa, but he had no real authority in Judah. So why did they obey him? The nobles and officials recognised the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit in him.
Lets fast forward a few centuries and watch another encounter with someone like those nobles and officials. Zaccheus was a chief tax collector, in other words, a chief noble, or a chief official. He was wealthy. He’d heard about Jesus, desperately wanted to see him, so he climbed a tree because he was too short to be able to see him in the crowd.
Jesus knew all about Zacchaeus, and made a point of stopping and talking to him. “Zacchaeus, come down right away, I’m going to your house today.”
Zacchaeus couldn’t believe his fortune! He gladly welcomed Jesus in to his home, into his life.
Some of the people were shocked that Jesus went to his house, everyone knew tax collectors were sinners. But Zacchaeus immediately offered to give half of his possessions to the poor, and to pay four times the amount to anyone he might have cheated.
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come into this house, because this man too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
Jesus is salvation. Zacchaeus recognised him as his Lord and saviour. And welcomed him by confessing his sin and repenting, taking steps to make things right. That’s how we know that someone has received salvation. They readily admit their sin and vow to take steps to make things right. It is one thing to admit sin, it is also necessary to do what we can to make things right again. This is a turning away from wrong, and a turning to right.
That’s exactly what the Nobles and Officials did. They vowed to stop the wrong they were doing, and to make things right from that time forward.
In light of the difficulties the people were experiencing, Nehemiah chose not to receive the wages that were his due. He did not wish to burden them more. His needs were being met already.
What about us? What has the Holy Spirit brought to our attention that we know to be sin? How are we responding to the Spirit? Are we seeking ways to justify our sinful behaviour, or are we confessing and seeking to make things right, actively going to those we’ve sinned against, and offering an apology, and seeking to make things right?
What about our actions as a congregation? Have we sinned corporately? Is there action for us to take?
What about injustice in the world? In what ways are we working to bring about an end to it?There’s the work we do as a denomination. We’re supporting, praying for, and encouraging Len Kooy as he cycles across Canada with Sea to Sea, cycling to end poverty. There’s the work of World Renew and our support and participation of it.
There will always be sin that will need confession and action to make things right. There will always be opportunities to work to end injustice, such as, abortion, kidnapping, sex trafficking and the like.
We have to confront injustice, we have to confront sin. If we don’t then salvation can’t enter. This is salvation: Jesus Christ came to seek and to save what was lost. Do you know someone who is lost? Are you lost? Is Jesus knocking on their heart, on your heart? Are you going to let him in, as Zacchaeus did? What does the Lord require of you, what does he require of us?
One thing is clear. Jesus has commanded us to continue his work. We are to go out and find the Zacchaeus’, the sinners, and bring them to Jesus. He will change their hearts. The Holy Spirit, will bring them into obedience and love.
This man too, is a son of Abraham. Are you a son of Abraham too? Do you know any sons of Abraham in your school, your workplace, your families, your neighbourhoods? Share the good news with them! Amen.