It is Not Good that You Do - Nehemiah 5:9

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, You exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will you even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer”, and in chapter five and verse nine of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “it is not good that you do”, where we read,

Also I said, It is not good that you do: 

ought you not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

The verse reads, “Also I said, It is not good that you do:” Nehemiah began with the words, “also I said” or “even so and indeed I, Nehemiah, uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “it is not good” which means “exacting usury against your brother does not exist as pleasant, agreeable and excellent” “that you do” or “that you, nobles of Judah, produce and perform”. Nehemiah told the nobles of Judah that their exacting usury against their fellow Jews was not a pleasant or agreeable act. 

The verse continues, “ought you not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?” Nehemiah added the words, “ought you not to walk” or “should not you, the nobles of Judah, proceed, be lead and make your way” “in the fear of our God” which means “within the awe, reverence and piety pertaining to our, Nehemiah and the nobles of Judah's Supreme Deity” “because of the reproach” or “since and on account of the taunting, scorn and disgrace” “of the heathen” which means “belonging to non-Hebrew and foreign nations” “our enemies” or “our, Nehemiah and the nobles of Judah's hating adversaries and foes”? Nehemiah questioned the nobles of Judah as to whether they should make their way with reverence and awe of the Supreme Deity Jehovah God since the foreign nations were their hating adversaries and foes were taunting and scorning them.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Nehemiah continued to question the nobles of Judah for their acts of extortion against their fellow Jews. He told them what they did was not pleasant or agreeable, and he asked them whether they thought they should live in reverence to Jehovah God especially because their foreign hating adversaries taunted and scorned them. Everyone needs to have conviction of the sin in their hearts and minds, and once they hear the Holy Spirit's voice, they should humble themselves, repent of their sins and receive God's Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and rose from the grave three days later. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us to hear His voice when sin, error and wrong is within our hearts and minds. 

Next time Nehemiah says, “I … might exact of them money and corn”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".