The Rich Get Richer
- Justin Ray
- May 31, 2020
- 5 min read
Nehemiah 5
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. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
Nehemiah 5:1-5
I am not a socialist. I cannot stand socialism. It would be so easy to go on a tirade about socialism, except I can't. Why? Because under every type of economic system, the rich get rich, and the poor get poorer. There are some that are better than others, but most of this depends of the individuals within the system. There are those given to greed who will benefit themselves across every country, and across every generation.
So, what did any of that have to do with Nehemiah chapter 5? Well, the people were working on the wall. To survive, you have to eat. Many of these people were relatively new to Jerusalem. They were spending a tremendous amount of time dedicated to working on the wall, even at the breakneck speed it was being constructed. On top of all this, there was a famine, or dearth. So, food was scarce. In order to provide for their families, they took out loans for food. When some of them were unable to pay back their loans, those giving the loans confiscated the collateral. Because the need for food did not stop, the poor kept borrowing, offering up everything they had as collateral, including their children.
Finally, things got so bad that the people went to Nehemiah to complain. When he heard this, he was livid (verse 6). The question we have to ask ourselves is, why? Was Nehemiah a social justice warrior? Was he fighting for equality for all social classes? Was Nehemiah anti-wealth? The answer to all of this is No. So why then was Nehemiah angry?
Nehemiah was angry because once again the people were violating the word of God. Every time he turned around, they were breaking God's law. They had just spent decades in captivity for breaking God's law; for not reverencing God enough to worship and obey him. In reading this, I can almost hear Nehemiah groan in irritation. So, what law did they violate?
Exodus 22:25-31 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. 26 If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: 27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious. 28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. 29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. 30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me. 31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
Leviticus 25:36-38 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. 37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. 38 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
Deuteronomy 23:20-21 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. 21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
I included all three of these to show the redundancy. God had this idea recorded three times because he was serious about it. It wasn't something that was mentioned one time as a passing thought (of course nothing God commands in the Bible is a passing thought). However, when God repeats himself over and over again, you should probably pay attention.
God told the people, "Do not charge interest to a fellow Jew". You can charge interest to those who are not Jews, but you don't do your own family that way. Interest is not evil. It can be used for evil, but in and of itself it is not. Interest is selling money. If you are going to see it, you have to make a profit. God did not want the Jews profiting off of each others needs. He knew that there would be the temptation to abuse this and thereby abuse your family.
There are three quick applications that we can take away from this. 1. Do not rob your own family (flesh and blood) with interest. 2. Do not rob your church family with interest. 3. Do not become slave to those who charge interest (loan offices, credit cards, bookies for gambling). All of these are especially true if we are Christians. Our heart is to be one that helps, regardless of the personal cost. Jesus, the God of the universe, came as a poor man and took nothing for himself. He constantly poured out himself to help others. He gave, even when he did not have to give. When he was unable to give, he prayed and God provided.
Those who give freely, and loan without interest, tend to live much happier lives. They do not have the constant worry about being repaid. They are not keeping records of who owes them, and who has slighted them. I'm not saying we should be foolish, but a gift is much less stressful on the lender and borrower alike. If God has blessed us to gift rather than loan, I believe this is the route he wants us to go in.
Father, help me to have a generous heart. Help me to not be greedy. Greed causes us to focus on money and not people. Create in me a heart that loves people as you love people. Create in me a heart that gives as you give.
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