In the book of Nehemiah, we see Nehemiah rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. He went to the King of Persia, where the Israelites were enslaved, and requested to rebuild the city. The king was gracious and let him spend time working on the wall and gates.

They started rebuilding the city, and the people began repopulating Jerusalem. The economy was slow to get going as the people rebuilt. Many had little to nothing because they came from being enslaved by the Persians and the Babylonian Empire before that.

Some cities struggled to rebuild because the nobles financially took advantage of the people. Because the nobles were taking advantage of the commoners, people struggled to get on their feet again. Since the people were working, the city would need help to flourish.

Nehemiah brought the accusation against them in Nehemiah 5:8-13. As Nehemiah calls out the nobles, he tells them why they are acting this way. He says, “Ought not you to walk in the fear of our God?” 

The nobles acted unjustly with money because they did not fear God. They did not respect Him, so they did not obey His commandments regarding lending money justly. Nehemiah tells them that continuing their wicked practice will lead to the demise of the cities and people.

It is the same with personal finances. People’s finances are often a mess because they don’t fear God. They don’t respect Him enough to obey Him. And because of this, they face its consequences. They reap what they sow (Galatians 6:7-9).

We cannot disobey God and think we will flourish financially. We can’t ignore His commands to work hard, save, be disciplined with our finances, live on less than we make, and follow all the other fiscal guidance God gives us and think we will win financially.

Think About It

Do you fear God with your finances?

Do you respect Him enough to listen to what He says?

Or can you manage your finances and still win?

Thanks for taking time to read this Maddening Theology post. If you enjoyed this content you can find Pastor Tim’s sermons at www.cornerstoneforestcity.org. You can also join us at 520 Marion St. Browndale, PA 18421 on Sundays at 10 AM. To make following the blog easier you can also register. You can also join us on Facebook at Cornerstone Forest City. Also, don’t forget to download our APP on iTunes  or Googleplay.