Skip to main content

Expositions on Nehemiah 5: The governor who denied himself

Note: My church small group studies are going to be studying the Book of Nehemiah together for the first half of the year. I am writing these series of posts to collect important bits of information that will hopefully help us illumine the text.

The text in Nehemiah Chapter 5:14-19

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration[b] forty shekels[c] of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. Now what was prepared at my expense[d] for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah is the governor who was appointed the governor of Judah
Jesus, the true and greater Nehemiah, is appointed King of the world

Nehemiah is the governor who did not lord himself over the people of Judah because of the fear of God
Jesus, the true and greater Nehemiah, did not lord himself over the people but served his people though much higher in stature than Nehemiah

Nehemiah is the governor who persevered n the work and not allow the lofty position of governor to faze him
Jesus, the true and greater Nehemiah, focused on the work of the Father culminating with a cry of "It is finished", though challenged to display his power time and again

Nehemiah prepared food for his people and wine for his people at his own expense
Jesus, prepared the bread of his body and his blood as the wine at the expense of his own life

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8

  For Paul in Ephesians 4:8, clearly there are some changes from the text that Paul is supposedly citing which is Psalm 68:18. Comparing Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8, it is obvious there are differences. I believe Paul was actually using the LXX but has changed its words for the occasion in Ephesians 4. The LXX version of Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8 differs by a few words: Psalm 68:18 (it is actually Psalm 67:19 in the LXX): ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος  ᾐχμαλώτευσας  αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἔλαβες  δόματα  ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ , Ephesians 4:8 ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος  ᾐχμαλώτευσεν  αἰχμαλωσίαν,* ⸆  ἔδωκεν  δόματα ⸀ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Structurally you can see the LXX and Eph 4 is similar but for a few words changes.   The first change is from 2nd person (LXX) to 3rd person (Eph 4) with regards to who is doing the ascending in the first line.  So the English Bible rightly translates the phrase to "When  he  ascended on high" versus Psalm 68, " you  ascended"   The second change is perhaps the most radical, wh

Vaughan Roberts, “Same-Sex Attraction – A Battle I Face” – a model of a godly response

http://davidould.net/?p=4388 "In the preface to a new edition of my book “Battles Christians Face”, which features eights areas of struggle, including homosexuality, I write that, to a greater or lesser degree, I face them all myself. Close family and friends have known for a considerable time that I experience same sex attraction. None of the issues in the book define me. As a single man I am celibate, because I believe the Bible teaches that the right context for sex is only in marriage between a man and a woman." I have had the privilege of hearing this man preach before. He has written one of the best books that addresses what the whole Bible is about. In this article though, his courage in fighting sin is exemplary. Homosexuals are not the only ones committing sexual sin and I really admire his boldness.

An Exposition of Genesis 2:24

An Exposition of Genesis 2:24 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Lots can be said about this wonderful verse. In it, we see the actions of God who created the wonderful gift of marriage. Thanks to God, we humans are capable of creating many things but to conceive of something as powerful as marriage is probably beyond us. Through His creative works, God has demonstrated his goodness and awesomeness. But if we stop there then we will never perceive God’s full goodness and awesomeness.  God’s goodness and awesomeness is not restricted only to His creative works. This verse is ultimately a command, and like all commands we find in the Bible, the one who never fails at obeying them is Christ alone. In the first part of this verse we see that it is decreed that a man shall leave his father and mother . Of this Christ Jesus did perfectly and in doing so, he demonstrated his condescension to us though we