King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Chapters: NEHEMIAH 5-7
Study: Never Back Down
Hello My Friend,
I am having a hard time staying focused this morning, we have this hurricane headed straight for us, our house is in need of some much needed repair, my body seems to be rejecting every form of diet I can think of to try to have one day that my body is not inflamed, I have an exam to take that I have had very little time to study for since I got my promotion at work, and my bank account has zero dollars in it, at least until this afternoon. Praise God, that my bank deposits my paycheck two days before pay day. I can keep asking God what is going on as to why I am struggling so much when I am doing the best that I can to please Him, but that would be pointless as at this point the only thing I am guilty of is perhaps a lack of faith in Him providing for me. Of course, Jesus, just reminded me of this, [Matthew 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?]
Then Charles Spurgeon reminded me of this, [He who affirms that Christianity makes men miserable, is himself an utter stranger to it. It were strange indeed, if it made us wretched, for see to what a position it exalts us! It makes us sons of God. Suppose you that God will give all the happiness to his enemies, and reserve all the mourning for his own family? Shall his foes have mirth and joy, and shall his home-born children inherit sorrow and wretchedness? Shall the sinner, who has no part in Christ, call himself rich in happiness, and shall we go mourning as if we were penniless beggars? No, we will rejoice in the Lord always, and glory in our inheritance, for we “have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”]
If you do not know who Dave Ramsey is, he is a Christian financial advisor who teaches people how to become debt free. He accounts that credit scores are just a plot to make the lenders richer, and as someone who has, praise God, have been steadily paying off my debts and almost there, I can see that as being true. The reason I bring this up has to do with today’s reading, as we continue in the reading of Nehemiah, the work of building the walls around Jerusalem was underway. Remember the nobles who would not put their necks to the work of the Lord? Well, they went to Nehemiah with a complaint, it appeared that these people were deep in debt and losing their homes as they mortgaged them and heir lands for common provisions.
[Nehemiah 5:1-4,8-9 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. 2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. 3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. 4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. 8 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. 9 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?]
[and will ye even sell your brethren?] First of all, they were not supposed to be selling off their land or borrowing money, [Deuteronomy 23:19-20 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: 20 Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.]
[or shall they be sold unto us?] Second of all, there are way too many loan sharks out there willing to take advantage of those facing hardships. How quick are the poor who do not trust God for their provisions, willing to sell themselves out for a morsel of meat? How quick are the rich, who do not trust God, willing to sell you out or sell themselves out for that same morsel? The rich who do not fear God will never be satisfied with what they have because true riches do not come from what is in our bank accounts, they come from Christ, [Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.]
A lost job or cut in hours and pay, and you are left with two options, put food on the table, or pay the debt owed. This is what was going on in Jerusalem, the Jews, that returned from Babylon, having had some hardships borrowed money to buy food and when they could not pay the debt their land and possessions were taken. When Nehemiah heard this he upbraided the lenders for taking advantage of them.
[Nehemiah 5:11,14-16,19 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. 14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. 15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. 16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work. 19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.]
[I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.] There is always someone who has money willing to take advantage of those in desperate need, and if we get caught up in a situation like that, the best thing we can do is pray, and ask God how to handle it. Once He shows us what to do, take the steps necessary to do it. Many times debt can be reduced or even canceled because it is really the interest that is uncontrollable. Let me tell you, we all need help sometimes, and there is nothing wrong with asking for it, but first, we need to pray about it, and ask God how to handle it, [James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.]
Now, as all that debt business was getting taken care of, they had still been building the wall, here comes Sanballat once again to try hinder them, [Nehemiah 6:1-4 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) 2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. 3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? 4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.]
[and I answered them after the same manner.] We must never back down or waver in our faith, and we must always be consistent. They will not tell you this, but the biggest threat to the world is Jesus. The world knows that we see Jesus as our KING, and they will use it against us to try and intimidate us into stopping the work that we are doing. They did it when Jesus was here, and they will continue to do it until He returns.
[John 19:7-8,12-15 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. 13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! 15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.]
Nehemiah, caught on to what they were doing and called them out, and this time Sanballat knew that God was in this and nothing was stopping them.
[Nehemiah 6:12-16 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear. 15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. 16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.]
[they were much cast down in their own eyes:] This is a great reminder that all who come against us will be hanging their heads down in shame, especially when they do stand before Jesus and He tells them every single thing they did to us as well as how blessed we are because we are with Him, [Luke 6:20-23 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.]
The walls surrounding Jerusalem were completed in fifty-two days, the city was huge and still needed a lot of work, but very few people lived in it. Armed guards stood at the only entrance into the city, the gates were open during the day, but once the gates were closed no one was allowed to go through unless their names were found written in the register book.
[Nehemiah 7:1-5 Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed, 2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many. 3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house. 4 Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded. 5 And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,]
[that they might be reckoned by genealogy.] Genealogy is a little different when it comes to God’s people, they are not Jews or Gentiles, they are the souls that are saved through their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Saviour. The same way in which a person can enter through the gate in Jerusalem, is the same way a person can enter the Kingdom of God. Whether Jew or Gentile, we must have our names written in the register book, also called the Book of life, or we will not be able to enter, [Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.]
Today’s Prayer: God, From the time that I chose Your Son as my Saviour and dedicated my life to You, there has never been a day that You have not supplied my need. Thank You, for everything you provide for me, I know I sometimes ask amiss or not at all, looking at what is in front of me rather than looking to You. And I am sorry for that. Lord, lead me and guide me, keep me looking to You at all times, and not at my bank account. Let me not put my trust in my job or what work You give me so that I can eat, rather always trust that You will supply my every need. Keep me full of Your mercies, and grace, let me always turn to You in prayer for answers, and direction, and let me never stop doing the work that You call me to do so that I shall never lack. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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