What is the benefit of making a covenant?
(Exodus 21:2-6; Nehemiah 5:1-19) Blog Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2019
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of the return of the exiles to Judea. Three Persian kings made decrees for their return: Cyrus in 538 BC; Darius in 520 BC; and Artaxerxes in 457 BC. In 444 BC, Nehemiah joined Ezra in Jerusalem. The temple had been completed in 516 BC with the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, so they directed their efforts towards rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall and gates. They were men of strong faith and diligent effort whom God chose at an important time of prophetic history. In their efforts to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall they faced opposition from without and from within.
The Poor Speak Out (Nehemiah 5:1-8; Ex. 21:2; 22:25; Lev. 25:10, 36-37; Deut. 14:28-29; Deut. 23:19-20)
1. What two expenses caused the poorer exiles to mortgage their land and sell their children into slavery? Hunger & taxes.
2. Who were the lender/oppressors of the poorer exiles? Their own brethren – nobles & officials.
3. What provisions had God made for Israel’s poor to keep them from going deeper and deeper into debt? He forbad charging usury (high interest rates) to fellow Israelites, he ordered freedom to all bondservants ever seven years, & he provided for the return of all properties every fifty years.
4. Which of these divine provisions were the nobles and rulers in Nehemiah’s day not obeying? Apparently they were obeying all of them except for that of charging high interest rates.
5. Why did Nehemiah get so upset when he heard the report of the poor? Because this was a time of united effort on the part of all Israel to rebuild the wall and some were taking advantage of their poorer brethren in order to enrich themselves.
6. What class would most be benefitted by the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall? The nobles & rulers, not the poorer people who were working just as hard on the wall.
7. What did Nehemiah do when he heard the complaint of the poor? He first gave serious thought to the situation, next he rebuked the nobles & rulers, then he called a general assembly to deal with the problem.
8. What was the response of the nobles and rulers when Nehemiah reminded them that they had helped buy enslaved Jews from foreigners but that they were now enslaving their own brethren? They were silent.
Nehemiah’s Solution (Neh. 5:9-13)
9. What response does Nehemiah propose in order to relieve the poor at that time of national crisis? That the lenders stop charging any interest, that they return the interest already charged, & that they return the property taken as security.
10. How did the nobles and rulers respond to Nehemiah’s proposal? They said they would do everything he had proposed.
11. With a positive response from the nobles and rulers what Nehemiah do to ensure the fulfillment of their promise? He enjoined a covenant to ensure their fulfillment.
12. Besides enjoining a covenant of what does Nehemiah make note towards the end of chapter 5? That during his 12 years as governor neither he nor his associates took the appointed salary & taxes assigned to their office but rather all contributed to the building effort as well as feeding over 150 people at his table at his own expense.
The Nobles’ Covenant (Eze. 34:1-17)
13. What do covenants usually include? Covenants include two parties that make vows one to another in the presence of witnesses & usually include curses for not doing ones part, signs of the covenant, & a covenant meal where all parties & witnesses fellowship together.
14. When the Jewish nobles and rulers were asked to restore servants, lands, and interest what covenant promise did they make? They said: “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them.”
15. Whom did Nehemiah call to be witnesses of the covenant promise made by the nobles and rulers? The priests.
16. When making an oath what is naturally included? The consequences of breaking one’s oath – a curse.
17. What curse for breaking their covenant promise did the Jewish nobles and rulers accept if they should not fulfill their oath? That God would shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that would not perform his promise.
18. What was the reaction of all the people to this confirmed covenant? They all said: “Amen, and praised the LORD.”
19. What was the result of Nehemiah’s forethought, anger, and action regarding the oppression of his poorer brethren? The people did according to what they had promised.
20. What is the benefit of making a covenant? When a covenant is made all parties clearly understand their responsibilities & privileges, the time (length) of the covenant is stated, there are witnesses & curses that inspire fulfillment of one’s promises, & there are signs given that continually remind the parties of their covenant promises. Some covenants make provision for failures in the relationship.