When Cancer Strikes the People of God

Last week in our series we examined threats to the work of God that exist in the form of personalities, social pressures, exterior pressures, etc. and how we as believers are to respond (prayer, action, and faithfulness). However, in chapter 5 of Nehemiah, God reveals that not all threats affect us from the outside in. In fact, some of the most paralyzing pathogens can actually present themselves from the inside out, not unlike a hidden health concern that is only finally revealed after it grows into a large problem. These insidious in-house issues are often so debilitating that they threaten to kill an individual’s or a church’s effectiveness in the kingdom-building work entirely. Therefore, let us be alert as we evaluate four elements involved in the treatment of a cancer gripping Jerusalem as they work to do the will of God in their lives in Nehemiah 5:1-13.

ELEMENT #1: The Symptoms -5:1-5

Up to this point in Nehemiah, the pathogens threatening the health of the people and their efforts to build the wall around Jerusalem have come from the outside—most  predominately through a wicked bunch of neighboring nation-states. However, at this point in the narrative, Nehemiah faces a new kind of threat—a cancer that is growing within his people’s camp. This particular illness manifests itself by means of five symptoms.

When a patient comes into the in-patient psychiatric unit at Carilion Hospital, the treatment team will fill out what is called a “Psycho-social History” document that itemizes information concerning the patient’s current health. When completed, this document provides information on presenting problems/complaints, patient history, family history, perceived stressors (like financial, psychological, environmental), and more. Similar forms are completed in all departments of the hospital so that an accurate understanding of the patient can be reached and a proper course of treatment can be determined. In so many ways, this litany of symptoms provided in Nehemiah 5 reads like one of these documents as it provides a picture of exactly what the patient is dealing with.

The first symptom of interest mentioned is hunger, “Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers for there were those who said, ‘We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live…” (5:1-2).

One can only imagine how difficult it must have been for those building the wall AND providing its defense (see 4:7-23) to tend to any crops. This led to a food shortage and pervasive hunger within the fledgling city.

As the sickness progressed, another symptom presented--financial disarray. Though some grain was 

available, to afford it, people were mortgaging their property, “there were others who said, ‘We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine…” (5:3). Desperate times and a lack of food motivated some to take this dramatic financial step.

Others who were unwilling to take this measure for their security had to borrow from others to pay the taxes they owed to king Artaxerxes. This financial mess turned into a perfect storm when those who had to take loans were charged enormous interest rates, as there was very little faith in people to pay back the loans they took.  

Hunger and financial disarray metastasized into a fourth problem, “Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already…” (5:5a). To repay creditors, residents of Jerusalem had to sell their children into slavery. This empty pantry, foreclosed home, and mountain of debt no doubt drove this desperate people to this most desperate point. By now, the cancer is spreading rapidly leading to its fourth and final symptom, helplessness.

 “and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others…” (5:5b). At this point, very few people owned anything. Many homes and plots of land were seized do to the people’s inability to pay back creditors. All of these symptoms together reveal a major health concern eating away at the people of God from the inside out. Not only were the enemies of Judah a constant threat to their security and state of well-being, but now many Jews were actually taking advantage of their brothers and sisters. Morale, which was already held in delicate suspension due to the threats from outside and the exhaustion brought on from the constant rebuilding, now collapsed under the added pressure of this illness. This city needs treatment and fast in order to get ahead of this disease before it kills these people along with their efforts.

ELEMENT #2: The Treatment-5:6-11

Nehemiah “was very angry” when he “heard their outcry and these words” (5:6). No doubt his rage stemmed from the realization that certain citizens from his city, the very city he was trying to rebuild, were so selfish and insensitive that they were willing to lead the weak and desperate into agreements that they knew would lead to financial ruin.   The results were obvious—many Jews now felt helpless. This was a huge setback to completing the work of God!

However, instead of acting rashly in response to this troubling news, Nehemiah takes time to study the tumor for himself and the seeks a consult with others around him in an effort to properly diagnose the illness he witnesses. He recounts his process and his findings in verse 7 saying, “I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, ‘You are exacting usury, each from his brother!’…” (5:7). In other words, “You are exploiting your own extended family!”

In an effort to treat this cancerous problem, Nehemiah first reveals to the patient, the Jewish people, exactly how grim the situation really is saying, “…’We according to our ability have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?....” (5:8). In an effort to motivate the Jews to fix the problems that paralyzed their efforts, Nehemiah holds up a mirror before them and reveals how bad things really are. Some in Jerusalem had once been the slaves of others and yet were redeemed out of it at the expense of Nehemiah and his brothers. Now, in their freedom, some were actively enslaving their own brothers to each other! In the face this startling realization “they were silent and could not find a word to say…” (5:8). The carcinogen that led to this particular cancer was self-induced, i.e. they had themselves to blame for their dire straits.

By way of prescribing the proper treatment toward remission, Nehemiah provides three instructions. First, he says, “The thing which you are doing is not good, should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?...” (5:9). Round one of the treatment involved regaining a proper fear of God. The immoral and unethical behavior was bringing reproach not just on the people of Jerusalem, but on the One who had delivered their country from both Egyptian bondage and Babylonian Captivity. Ultimately, the Jews’ behavior was unbecoming the people of God and was giving them and the Lord a bad name in the Persian neighborhood. A healthy dose of reverence and awe of the one true God would not only help cure them of their malady, but it would be serve as a bold witness to their wicked neighbors.

On a more practical level, the second round of treatment involves the removal of the obscene interest rates that crippled people financially, “…and likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury…” (5:10). It is clear that Nehemiah was willing to lead by example. Already he was lending money to help others (instead of trap them) and encouraged others to do the same.

Finally, Nehemiah instructs the Jews to “give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them….”(5:11). That which was lost to these scams was to be restored so that the Jewish body could regain its strength and function in a healthy and productive way (i.e. carrying out the mission of rebuilding the wall).

One of the most difficult stages of dealing with any disease is coming to terms with the illness and accepting treatment in the first place. Though challenging, this step was necessary for Jerusalem to undergo in order to be healed. With their problem in full view and the treatment adequately delineated, their ability to overcome their illness would be in direct proportion to how they responded to Nehemiah’s instructions.

ELEMENT #3: The Response-5:12

 “…Then they said, ‘We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say’…” (5:12a). No doubt Nehemiah was pleased when the people responded positively to his encouragement here. However, knowing that so often words by themselves mean very little, Nehemiah makes the guilty leaders take another step, “…So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise…” (5:12). Make no mistake, an oath in those days was far more binding than they are in today’s world. This should not be compared to a doctor making a patient promise to take his/her medication (as we know that such promises can so easily prove empty when a stubborn patient makes them). To swear an oath before the priests meant that these were accountable to God and to other men for the commitment they would make to restore things back to normal. However, even if this was not enough, Nehemiah schedules a follow-up for those who had brought this cancer on their city.

ELEMENT #4: The Follow Up-5:13

 “…I also shook out the front of my garment and said, ‘Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied’…”(5:13). In this addendum, Nehemiah spells out the grave consequences that would come if they lied to God and their fellow man. Shaking out the folds of his robe (which served as pockets), Nehemiah asks that God similarly “shake out of His house” every person who failed to keep his oath. In other words, for those who do not hold up their end of the promise, Nehemiah prays for God to reject them. What a compelling way to make sure they follow through!

So What?

Why take the time to witness Jerusalem’s case and treatment? When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, both his illness and the subsequent treatment involved came as a real shock to us seeing as how cancer does not appear to run in his family nor did he endorse any unhealthy habits. During his ordeal, we did not know why we were made to witness his struggle (much as you are probably wondering what we could possibly learn from this account). However, several months after he was declared in remission, another gentlemen in our church was diagnosed with the same kind of cancer and was making use of the very same oncologist. Given my dad’s unique experience, he was able to be an encouragement to this newly diagnosed patient.

In much the same way, Nehemiah’s ordeal is provided to us today in an effort to encourage us when we go through ordeals that threaten to kill us from the inside out. Though your symptoms may not present exactly as they did for those in Jerusalem, we must be mindful that we battle against threats from both the outside and the inside. Lust, greed, selfishness, pride, untethered ambition, depression, etc. all have the capacity to metastasize into a lethal cancer, crippling us from doing the will of God both in our own lives and in the life of this church body.

In the face of such illnesses, we must confess our sin before God and choose to once again fear Him over everything else. Subsequently, we must ask God to restore our spiritual selves and commit to take steps of repentance that keep us far from the cancer-causing agents that made us unhealthy in the first place. Finally, we must follow up with the great physician on a regular basis.

What unconfessed sin is slowly killing your spiritual life? In what area of your life are you fearing something more than God Himself? What concrete steps must you take to prevent the spread of this disease? How often do you follow up with the Great Physician?