We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes

The above quote could easily have been made by a farmer and his partners in the south of France whose wine business has been hit by the recent downturn could it not? In fact, it is from an Old Testament prophet.

I recently heard a sermon on the subject of money and how we might view it and handle it as Christians. One of the points made was how the current turmoil could be seen to show the world being shaken by a God who wants us to change direction.

Such an idea might ring true for many of us, both Christians and Non-Christians and I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that many people in the City, the Banks, Pensioners and Governments have indeed been shaken by recent events. It is interesting that such topics and themes have appeared throughout the ages and Christian history is no different.

I came across this account in Nehemiah where usury was mentioned then and the idea of mortgaging, we are reminded, is not a modern phenomenon. Nehemiah, held a position of influence with the King Artaxerxes(I) as royal cupbearer and was given the role of Governor of Judea. He set about the restoration of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the walls he was also clearly far from impressed with some of the nobles and officials of the time who were making gain from the people. The idea of Jews earning interest from fellow Jews was forbidden under their law so quite rightly Nehemiah was making this point clearly to them. It was a situation where they were putting their own interests first before God’s interests. Indeed much of the book of Nehemiah is about things that distract from God’s will or purpose, in this case the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Does putting our (or the world’s) interest first sound familiar to us? Perhaps the current economic turmoil where rules and regulations are being revisited will force many people to look again at what is important - and to whom and in what they place their trust.

In the recent sermon I mentioned, we were reminded that what we have as Christians is from God and it is his provision and kindness. Also that we should be prepared to give it back to him in support and furtherance of his Kingdom and the local church. We were born with nothing in our wallets and we cannot take it with us when we depart from this earth. Later in Nehemiah we see how the Jews pledge to keep the law in areas of observing the Sabbath, committing to support the temple service financially, to give their firstfruits to God and to pay their tithe tax.

Nehemiah spent a lot of time in prayer for the restoration of Jerusalem and the Jews and spoke of how the Jews had sinned and disobeyed the Mosaic Law but also how God was faithful and how He could and would restore His people. I believe this should be our prayer today – that as nation and a world we have not got our priorities in the correct order and that we need to come back to focusing our attentions on what God wants. In many of our Godless nations that perhaps is going to be difficult for Governments to address but as individuals and a collection of individuals it is something we can do.

As a church and the body of Christ we need to rise up and let people know how God can mend the broken economy, the broken business, the bankrupt and the repossessed. That the real answers to these questions are found in a relationship and friendship with a God who wants to give us good gifts, who wants the best for us and who can give us all the wisdom we need to make the right decisions in life. The financial decisions we all face from time to time. But more importantly to teach us that money is worthless in and of itself, a piece of paper, an IOU if you like and that perhaps what we have been resting our economies on is not in our best interests. Like Nehemiah we need a greater reliance on God and perhaps God is reminding us of this at the current time.

Nehemiah 5
1 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their Jewish brothers. 2 Some were saying, "We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain."
3 Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine."
4 Still others were saying, "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our countrymen and though our sons are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others."
6 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, "You are exacting usury from your own countrymen!" So I called together a large meeting to deal with them 8 and said: "As far as possible, we have bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your brothers, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
9 So I continued, "What you are doing is not right. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? 10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let the exacting of usury stop! 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury you are charging them—the hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine and oil."
12 "We will give it back," they said. "And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say." Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, "In this way may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!" At this the whole assembly said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
(edit: came across this sermon which nicely covers this passage http://www.centralpc.org/sermons/2002/s020210.htm)