Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. Sermons
I. THAT HE HAS MORE REGARD FOR THE PUBLIC WELFARE THAN FOR PERSONAL REMUNERATION. "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" (ver. 14). II. THAT HE HAS MORE REGARD FOR NECESSARY REFORMS THAN FOR TRADITIONAL CUSTOMS. "But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people" (ver. 15). Men are chargeable to their fellows - 1. In the state. 2. In morals. 3. In society. 4. In the family. 5. In the Church. Men have often to pay and suffer for their governors. III. THAT HE HAS MORE REGARD FOR POPULAR LIBERTY THAN FOR OPPRESSIVE EXACTIONS. "Yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God" (vers. 15, 18). Nehemiah would not allow the few to oppress the many; he made his servants work (ver. 16). IV. THAT HE HAS MORE REGARD FOR EARNEST INDUSTRY THAN FOR LUXURIOUS INDOLENCE. "Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall" (ver. 16). 1. Personal work. 2. Continuous work. 3. Effective work. 4. A good example. V. THAT HE HAS MORE REGARD FOR WISE BENEFICENCE THAN FOR A MEAN POLICY. "Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people" (ver. 18). VI. THAT HE HAS MORE REGARD FOR THE DIVINE BENEDICTION THAN FOR HUMAN PRAISE. "Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people" (ver 19). 1. The Divine contemplation of man. 2. The beneficent regard of God for man. 3. God will reward those who aid his people. 4. The measure of the Divine favour not according to what we have done, but according to what Christ has done in, by, and for us. - E.
Let us leave off this usury. He did not stand on a pedestal and look down on them with scorn and contempt; he rather placed himself alongside of the offenders, that he might lift them to a higher level. Let us learn .from this beautiful example how best to rebuke and restore an erring brother or sister.(W. P. Lockhart.) People ArtaxerxesPlaces JerusalemTopics Allotted, Allowance, Appointed, Artaxerxes, Ar-ta-xerx'es, Ate, Bread, Brethren, Brothers, Eaten, Governor, Governor's, Judah, Kinsmen, Moreover, Ruler, Servants, Thirtieth, Thirty, Thirty-second, Till, Twelve, TwentiethOutline 1. The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage6. Nehemiah rebukes the usurers, and causes them to make a covenant of restitution 14. He forbears his own allowance, and keeps hospitality Dictionary of Bible Themes Nehemiah 5:14 8336 reverence, and obedience Library An Ancient Nonconformist'... So did not I, because of the fear of God.'--Neh. v. 15. I do not suppose that the ordinary Bible-reader knows very much about Nehemiah. He is one of the neglected great men of Scripture. He was no prophet, he had no glowing words, he had no lofty visions, he had no special commission, he did not live in the heroic age. There was a certain harshness and dryness; a tendency towards what, when it was more fully developed, became Pharisaism, in the man, which somewhat covers the essential nobleness … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Youthful Confessors The Last Days of the Old Eastern World Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories Ezra-Nehemiah Links Nehemiah 5:14 NIVNehemiah 5:14 NLT Nehemiah 5:14 ESV Nehemiah 5:14 NASB Nehemiah 5:14 KJV Nehemiah 5:14 Bible Apps Nehemiah 5:14 Parallel Nehemiah 5:14 Biblia Paralela Nehemiah 5:14 Chinese Bible Nehemiah 5:14 French Bible Nehemiah 5:14 German Bible Nehemiah 5:14 Commentaries Bible Hub |
    |