Nehemiah 5

Study 5 – Nehemiah 5

1. Exploitation of the poor had reached grotesque limits in the time of Nehemiah. The Israelites were selling themselves as slaves to one another in order to eat! Nehemiah took his complaints straight to the powers that were exploiting the poor.
   
   
2. Nehemiah did not use his position for personal gain, but served as a ‘servant leader.’ He modeled what true leadership should all be about.
   
   
3. As Americans we have a tendency to constantly demand our ‘rights’. What we need to really be focused on is the amount of ‘mercy’ and ‘grace’ that God has extended to us. We need to remember the words of Christ that call upon His followers to ‘deny self’ and to ‘take up their cross’ and to ‘follow’ His example. Yes, He was the ‘King’s Kid’ but He had nothing that He could call His own.