Neh 5:2 | KingComments | STEP | The call of the afflicted is a call to God for righteousness ( ). God gives them justice through Nehemiah ( ), who also heard the cry. God sees “the tears of the oppressed” ( ). In we hear three complaints, expressed by three different groups. 1. The first complaint concerns a lack of food ( ). 2. The second complaint concerns the loss of property by exchanging that for food ( ). 3. The third complaint concerns the loss of property in order to pay taxes ( ). is a summary of the suffering one experiences. It is a great thing that among the people there are families with many sons and daughters. A people without sons and daughters dies out. But if those sons and daughters are not fed, the people also die out. That is the danger that threatens here. The country has become overcrowded by the returning of large families. As a result, there isn’t enough food for everyone. Has the land not yielded enough? Perhaps the fields have not been cared for, partly due to the enthusiastic building on the wall, so that there is no yield. There is work and fighting to be done, but agriculture also has to be considered. You can only work and fight if you regularly feed yourself with the yield of the land. For us it means that we must take the necessary time to feed ourselves with God’s Word and its rich fruit. Fortunately, there are still Christians who dedicate themselves to the church in addition to their regular daily tasks. They are also often away from home and family in the evenings. The downside is that the wife and children receive less attention than in an ‘ordinary’ family. A lot is invested in other families. That is also necessary, but there are limits. This work for the Lord, this battle that must be fought, must not be at the expense of one’s own family. In such situations there is a danger that those who stay at home will starve to death. The complaining begins. First, which is to be hoped for, against the so often absent husband and father. If he doesn’t listen, which is not to be hoped for, the wife and children look elsewhere for a listening ear. Well if they do that to people like Nehemiah. Unfortunately they are not always there or they are not looked for and they seek salvation with others who abuse the situation. There is a breach between the man and his wife and children, a breach that is not healed lightly.

‏ Nehemiah 5:2

The Need to Stay Alive

The call of the afflicted is a call to God for righteousness (Jam 5:1-6). God gives them justice through Nehemiah (Neh 5:6), who also heard the cry. God sees “the tears of the oppressed” (Ecc 4:1).

In Neh 5:2-5 we hear three complaints, expressed by three different groups.

1. The first complaint concerns a lack of food (Neh 5:2).

2. The second complaint concerns the loss of property by exchanging that for food (Neh 5:3).

3. The third complaint concerns the loss of property in order to pay taxes (Neh 5:4). Neh 5:5 is a summary of the suffering one experiences.

It is a great thing that among the people there are families with many sons and daughters. A people without sons and daughters dies out. But if those sons and daughters are not fed, the people also die out. That is the danger that threatens here. The country has become overcrowded by the returning of large families. As a result, there isn’t enough food for everyone. Has the land not yielded enough? Perhaps the fields have not been cared for, partly due to the enthusiastic building on the wall, so that there is no yield.

There is work and fighting to be done, but agriculture also has to be considered. You can only work and fight if you regularly feed yourself with the yield of the land. For us it means that we must take the necessary time to feed ourselves with God’s Word and its rich fruit.

Fortunately, there are still Christians who dedicate themselves to the church in addition to their regular daily tasks. They are also often away from home and family in the evenings. The downside is that the wife and children receive less attention than in an ‘ordinary’ family. A lot is invested in other families. That is also necessary, but there are limits. This work for the Lord, this battle that must be fought, must not be at the expense of one’s own family. In such situations there is a danger that those who stay at home will starve to death.

The complaining begins. First, which is to be hoped for, against the so often absent husband and father. If he doesn’t listen, which is not to be hoped for, the wife and children look elsewhere for a listening ear. Well if they do that to people like Nehemiah. Unfortunately they are not always there or they are not looked for and they seek salvation with others who abuse the situation. There is a breach between the man and his wife and children, a breach that is not healed lightly.