Nehemiah Helps the Poor: What is General Overseer Doing with Church Money?

Nehemiah was a God fearing man. Remember him…he was very concerned about the welfare of the people of Israel and the desolate Jerusalem. While the people were in exile, he ceased not to pray to God to deliver them from bondage. He was known for confessing their sins which they had sinned and asked God to forgive them. He was known for his cry to God to set them free from captivity. He was used of God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem amidst hostilities from the enemies.

I wrote about Nehemiah before in this blog, how he interceded for his people with fervent prayer and fasting to God to forgive the people and deliver them from slavery. The amazing thing is that all the Prophets in the Old Testament and servants of God in the New Testament were known for their humanitarian services. They did not depend on people. They were helpful to the society. They exploited no one. Riches were not part of their thought life.

Let’s look at the exemplary life of Nehemiah again in Nehemiah chapter 5. There was a great famine in the land, and the people of Israel were suffering greatly. Both men and their wives cried bitterly and asked Nehemiah to come to their rescue. Just like the world now when there is no human feeling, the rich and nobles at that time took advantage of the famines in the land to oppress the poor. There was acute shortage of foods and all necessities of life.

The poor used all they had as collateral security for even ordinary crop like corn. It was a daisy situation. The poor used even their sons and daughters as security to obtain ordinary food. Some mortgaged even the lands, vineyards, and houses for common food items. It was a terrible indescribable situation.  

Then the oppressed cried out to Nehemiah for help:

For there were that said, We, our sons and daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

Some also there that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of dearth.

There was also that said, We have borrowed money for the kings tribute and that upon our lands and vineyards.

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 under bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards. Nehemiah 5:2-5

When the poor came to Nehemiah for help, he called a meeting without delay and rebuked the well-to-do for their ungodly treatment of their fellow brethren. Nehemiah was wondering why the rich had no fear of God. He appealed to the people to give back all that they took from the poor in exchange for the food. He advised the rich to ‘’walk in the fear of our God…’’verse 9b. Nehemiah appealed to them to:

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. Nehemiah 5:11

Are you in the Ministry of God to exploit and to be rich or to do the will of God? Jesus came to restore and reconcile us to God and our sole assignment is to continue to do likewise. We are to reach out to the captives, the poor, and the brokenhearted, and preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Ministers who are not comfortable with the poor in their Churches should read the word and understand it that on the last day, the whole judgement will be hinged on love for others. It is love and nothing else. Yes, how you treated others when you were in the world.

It is when you do the will of God, that you will confidently ask God to bless you just like Nehemiah who prayed this prayer:

Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people. Nehemiah 5:19

Do you want God to help you? God is ever ready, but He will do that according to how you treat and help others.

Our article is intended to stimulate you to hungry for more of Jesus and not to condemn you. We are aimed at making our readers to realise that life is a journey and death is inevitable. Ours is to encourage the followers of Jesus Christ to continue to run this marathon race with the fear of God. We love YOU! Jesus loves YOU, and God loves YOU.

 Thank you for reading this Message. We are happy you are a Christian, but for those who are yet to accept Jesus Christ, we pray for you to use this golden opportunity to accept Him Now. We pray for every fellow labourer and reader of our articles.

 Please subscribe by: fill in your Email in the ‘’Subscribe’’ button above in order to get Notifications whenever we publish anything in this medium. God bless you dearly!!!