After all that effort in Nehemiah chapter 4 to keep the wall-building project going, why would he pause in chapter 5?

A great protest was mounted by the people, including the wives, against their fellow Jews. Some said, “We have big families, and we need food just to survive.” Others said, “We’re having to mortgage our fields and vineyards and homes to get enough grain to keep from starving.” And others said, “We’re having to borrow money to pay the royal tax on our fields and vineyards. Look: We’re the same flesh and blood as our brothers here; our children are just as good as theirs. Yet here we are having to sell our children off as slaves—some of our daughters have already been sold—and we can’t do anything about it because our fields and vineyards are owned by somebody else.” (Nehemiah 5.1 – 5, MSG)

In short, the rich are oppressing the poor. And is that worth pausing the work for? Yes, it is…

I got really angry when I heard their protest and complaints. After thinking it over, I called the nobles and officials on the carpet. I said, “Each one of you is gouging his brother.” Then I called a big meeting to deal with them. (Nehemiah 5.6 – 8, MSG)

You can’t build the wall and have a big meeting at the same time.

There are some who might say, “Concern for the poor is a distraction from preaching the gospel.” Tony Campolo and Tim McConnell at First Presbyterian, Colorado Springs, would vehemently disagree. (Please review those two blogs if you’ve forgotten.) So would James:

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? (James 2.14 – 17, MSG)

And the Apostle John agrees:

If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. (1 John 3.17, 18, MSG)

Back to Nehemiah. He chastised the rich and called for action:

“What you’re doing is wrong. Is there no fear of God left in you? Don’t you care what the nations around here, our enemies, think of you? “I and my brothers and the people working for me have also loaned them money. But this gouging them with interest has to stop. Give them back their foreclosed fields, vineyards, olive groves, and homes right now. And forgive your claims on their money, grain, new wine, and olive oil.” They said, “We’ll give it all back. We won’t make any more demands on them. We’ll do everything you say.” (Nehemiah 5.9 – 12, MSG)

Note that the issue is “fear of God.” That’s what kept Job in line:

Have I ignored the needs of the poor, turned my back on the indigent, Taken care of my own needs and fed my own face while they languished? Wasn’t my home always open to them? Weren’t they always welcome at my table? Have I ever left a poor family shivering in the cold when they had no warm clothes? Didn’t the poor bless me when they saw me coming, knowing I’d brought coats from my closet? If I’ve ever used my strength and influence to take advantage of the unfortunate, Go ahead, break both my arms, cut off all my fingers! The fear of God has kept me from these things— how else could I ever face him? (Job 31.16 – 23, MSG, emphasis mine)

We’ll see tomorrow that Nehemiah finished the wall. He didn’t abandon his mission…but he took care of the poor first.