Verse 5:2 opens with the people complaining about taxes:
Jews Without Land: 2 Our
families are large, and we need food so that along with our children, we will
not starve. Let us have grain!
Nehemiah as a governor was assumed to be as strict and
unyielding as other ones. The problem was they would collect taxes for Persia
since they are occupying the land and then collect more to enjoy. The extra
taxes were burdensome for the people and made it so they could not eat or
survive. Nehemiah on the other hand lived well on what he was allowed from the
king and did not desire more.
I read stuff like this and wonder how our nation would be today
if everyone were like this. Right now governments are over taxing the nation
and businesses seem to be squeezing us for the rest of the money. Consider
mobile communications where almost everyone now has a cell phone. Now data
plans are limited and cost way more than before because of bandwidth
limitations. But almost everyone has to have one including many homeless. It’s
a sad state when the people believe they require phones before shelter.
Verse 8:5 shows the people’s respect over the Word of God:
Standing above the people so they
could see and hear him, Ezra opened the book of the law. As he
opened the book, everyone stood.
At Shadowbrook the youth took this verse to heart and during
the service when they would open with the scripture reading they would stand.
This became an agent for change in the church, unfortunately not for the good.
It apparently made some uncomfortable that they were standing during the
reading so instead of honoring God as they did in Nehemiah’s time they ceased
the opening reading of scripture. It was a subtle change but disheartening when
you consider the factors leading up to it. Now this may have been done for
other reason, but as a “layperson” it appeared to be because of the youth.
Verse 9:28 is part of chapter 9’s review of the Israelites
history:
As soon as they were at peace, they began
to wander and abandoned You
and did evil things, so You
abandoned them to their enemies.
Thus, once more, You allowed them to
be conquered.
Somehow Your mercy is
inexhaustible.
Once more You listened to them when they cried to You
in heaven for help.
Over and over and over You
intervened and saved Your people.
The thing that stood out to me was how human nature seems to
never change. When things start going well God is most often forgotten. Sure
initially the blessings will be thanked, but as time goes on and the
distractions of prosperity continue the worship of God ceases. Then corrupt
ideas creep in and eventually society breaks away from God and drifts to chaos.
We are seeing it today in our nation, the difference is science has done away
with “gods” and replaced them with self. So now we worship self and take
advantage of “The Secret” for selfish desires and not the good of mankind.
The irony of today’s reading is I see much of our nation
reflected in Israel of this time. We have become separated from God and our
leaders are squeezing every last dime from us to continue their lavish
lifestyles. The only thing history really teaches us is that it repeats.