Integrity

People may startle us. We get used to them, become familiar with their mode of operation, and then, suddenly, they confound us. Nehemiah does that. He appears as a manager, organizing people, developing plans, and establishing systems that assure order and productivity in the newly rebuilt Jerusalem. Nehemiah numbered and organized the priests, exiles, and workers according to their crafts. A system was implemented to care for the poor. (Could he have been have a “do good” liberal?) He is most commonly remembered as a letter writing labor negotiator and super-foreman for a massive building project. He organized the relocation of masses of people. His record of events was written in the first person complete with a prophetic streak rushing to the surface in the last chapter where Nehemiah erupts with a short list of indignant rebukes.

When Nehemiah discovered that the offerings in support of the priests had not been distributed he issued the first of three reprimands. “I learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. So I rebuked the officials and asked them, ‘Why is the house of God neglected?’” (Verses 10-11) Misappropriation of funds, carelessness with God’s money is a grievous offence. The records of Ezra and Nehemiah establish that the people gave generously. There was no shortage, just bad management!

The second infraction lighting Nehemiah’s fuse of outrage was the misuse of the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day. “I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, ‘What is this wicked thing you are doing— desecrating the Sabbath day? Didn’t your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.’” (Verses 17,18) One can hear, “How dare you?” from Nehemiah’s quivering lips! He offered no room for excuses.

And, finally, Nehemiah railed against the grave infraction of corrupting God’s expectations about marriage. To a rebuke, curses and punishments are added. “I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: ‘You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.’” (Verses 25-26) Hello! Is our culture ready for such narrow minded bigotry?

There is no lack of passion, no ambivalence or ambiguity. The Lord’s spokesman makes his points as clear as fine crystal. Nehemiah’s rebukes cannot be misunderstood or ignored. Money management, observance of the Lord’s Day and marriage are God’s bell weathers. We cannot overlook how frequently the same issues define culture and church today. How will we respond when God appoints someone to deliver a sound rebuke today?