Been reading in Nehemiah lately. Yesterday I read this and God has been working me over with it...
So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?" (Neh. 5:9, ESV)
"The thing which you are doing is not good."
What thing? Well, for the people Nehemiah was addressing it was something called usury -- exploiting the neediness of the poor for your own personal financial gain. During a difficult financial time when the people of God should be caring for one another all the more, some of the wealthy Jews were lending money to their poorer brothers at exorbitant interest rates. It was extortion, it was oppression, and it was outright wrong. But what made it especially abhorrent was that they were doing it to their own kinsmen.
So what is "that thing which you are doing"? What for you is that ting that you know is wrong but you do it anyway? What are you willing to wrong another person for, even if it is a fellow Christ follower, even though you know it is wrong?
At the core of it is always selfishness and pride. The essence of sin is rejecting God and elevating the self as god in His place.
"Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God...?"
What does "the fear of God" mean? Some have said respect, reverence, or awe of who God is. That is certainly a part of it. But the scriptures use a word that goes beyond mere reverence for God's authority or holiness. That word is very specific and chosen by the Holy Spirit to convey exactly what it means -- fear. Not abject terror. Not as in the fear of something evil that means you harm and you cannot escape it. Imbedded in the minds of the Israelites was the understanding that they would one day stand before this God and give an account of their life to the One who gave it to them and required them to live it in holiness for His glory. In appealing to their Jewish understanding of the scriptures, the writer of Hebrews reminded his readers that "it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment." (Heb. 9:27) It's at the core of Jesus' parable of the talents. God has entrusted something precious to us. He means for us to make it count for His kingdom. And one day we will stand before Him and give an account of what we did with what He entrusted to us. There will be rewards for the faithful. And there will be punishment for those who hated Him and distrusted His heart, His intentions toward them. It's exactly what Jesus meant when He said, "I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!" (Luke 12:4-5)
Let's face it. We always make sure we do what's expected of us when we know someone in authority is going to come and hold us accountable for it. Homework gets done. chores get done, work gets done. Ought we, then, to live our lives as if we really believe we will stand face-to-face with our God and give an account? Even for the believer, whose sin has been covered by the blood and will not have to appear before the Great White Throne of judgement, must give an account for the way he has lived as a follower of Jesus. (1 Cor. 3:12-15)
But there is yet another important reason to walk in the fear of our God...
"...because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?" (NASB)
Israel was supposed to be the people of the One True God. They alone had a relationship with God. He had singled them out through His covenant. He would be their God and they would be His people so that the nations would know Him through them! That was the whole purpose of setting them apart, to eventually bring all the nations to Himself. Israel alone represented the character and nature of God to the Gentile nations around them and His glory was tied up in their lives. When Nehemiah said these words, they were only just emerging from a 70 year exile from Babylon because of their failure to do exactly this.
It is no different for the Church. As Christ followers, God has strategically placed each of us, and each of His churches, in neighborhoods, cities, communities, families, schools, workplaces and relationships where those who don't know Him can get to know Him through us. The way we live is supposed to reveal Jesus to everyone around us. When we choose to do "that thing" -- whatever it is -- that indulges the self and rebels against God and defies His Word, it brings shame, disgrace, and reproach on the name of Jesus and His character. How many have turned away from the gospel because they saw the lives of those who claimed to represent it and concluded that it had no power, it made no difference, so it must not be true?
Then there are the enemies of the gospel who seek to tear it down, destroy it, erase it from the public eye, eradicate any vestige of it, and silence it forever. Will we prove them right? Will we continue to hand them fodder for the cannons they have aimed at Christ and His bride? "You will be My witnesses," said Jesus. The question is, are we witnesses for the prosecution, or for the defense of the gospel?
The stakes are high. Hell is hot. Time is short. Eternity is long. God is holy.
That thing which we are doing is not good. Ought we not to rather walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? God help us! Revive your church! Awaken your bride! Shake your people and may the church be found faithful when you return for her!
