“Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.” — Nehemiah 5:11-12

Throughout Scripture, we see that God requires wrongs committed against others must be made right. Eugene Marshall, a convert in the early days of the Apostolic Faith work, testified about how God impressed upon him the necessity of confessing an unrighteous action and repaying what he had wrongfully taken. 

A tobacco farmer in the State of Virginia, Eugene had been an alcoholic and a gambler when God saved his soul. His life was changed, but after a time, God showed him that something stood in the way of his spiritual progress: a five-dollar gold piece. He testified, “Some years after God saved me, a minister came to Virginia preaching restitution. After the sermon, he asked me about my lack of spiritual progress. He said, ‘When you get down to pray, what are you looking at?’ I said, ‘A five-dollar gold piece—and it gets bigger all the time.’ He asked for the story behind the gold piece, and I told him it happened when I drove my employer to church one morning. As she stepped out of the carriage, a five-dollar gold piece dropped from her purse and hit the sand. She didn’t see it, so I just put my number ten [shoe] on it to hide it. After hearing this, the minister told me I would have to make restitution for it. 

“Later that evening, I climbed into my buggy with my wife and child and started for home. As the old mule’s hooves hit the road, they seemed to say, ‘Make res-ti-tu-tion! Make res-ti-tu-tion!’ For five miles that mule preached restitution to me. When we reached home, I was glad to put the mule in the stable and go to bed. However, my conscience kept bothering me. As I tossed and turned, the bedsprings seemed to be saying, ‘Res-ti-tu-tion! Res-ti-tu-tion!’ Finally, I told the Lord if He would let me live until morning, I would make the restitution, and then I was able to turn over and go to sleep.

“The next morning, I told my wife, ‘Don’t cook any breakfast for me. I’m going.’ I got behind the mule and traveled five miles. I rapped at the woman’s door, and when she answered, I told her, ‘Here is a five-dollar bill. I want to make restitution.’ She listened to my story and gave me her blessing. I thought that was the end of making restitutions, but God resurrected my memory of other past actions. It cost me two hundred dollars before all my restitutions were made. Now I am paid up; God has given me the victory!”

The primary definition of the word restitution is “the act of restoring to its rightful owner anything wrongfully obtained; the act of giving an equivalent for loss or damage.” Simply put, restitution is making right the wrongs committed against businesses and institutions, violations of the laws of the land, and any act that hurt another person. 

In our text today, Nehemiah was outraged when he heard that the nobles and rulers of Jerusalem had charged some of the poor people of Judah exorbitant interest rates after a famine had left many families destitute. In some cases, the usury rate was so high that land was forfeited, and children were even sold into slavery to pay off the debts of their parents. This was expressly contrary to the law of God, which forbade charging interest of fellow Jews (see Deuteronomy 23:19-20). When Nehemiah confronted these rulers, our focus verses indicate that they acknowledged their guilt and agreed to rectify the situation and restore what they had taken. 

Throughout history, God has always required His followers to treat one another fairly and to maintain a conscience void of offense toward God and man. Those who follow God’s commands by righting wrongs will enjoy a clear conscience and the peace of mind that comes with obedience!

BACKGROUND

Chapter 5 records that in addition to withstanding external opposition to the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem, Nehemiah had to deal with internal contentions among the people. The complaints of the poorer residents of the city are noted, and also Nehemiah’s response. 

Verses 1-5 describe the challenge the poorer members of the community were facing: a food shortage or “dearth” that was likely caused by crop failure or famine. To obtain “corn”—food that the people needed to survive—and to pay the required “king’s tribute” (taxes), some had mortgaged their homes and property. At times, children were even being enslaved to pay off debts, and there was no money to redeem them. 

Nehemiah responded by calling an assembly, described in verses 6-13. Wealthier Jews seemingly were taking advantage of the poorer members of the community in their time of distress; verse 7 indicates that some were charging “usury” (interest), which was a violation of God’s law (see Deuteronomy 23:20). Nehemiah rebuked the nobles and rulers for their unlawful and unkind actions toward their brethren. He reminded them that when Judah was conquered, Jews were sold as slaves to foreigners and many of them had been bought out of slavery by other Jews (verse 8). Also, the poorer Jews said their children had been sold into slavery to other Jews because they couldn’t pay their debts. The Jewish nobles responded by pledging to do as Nehemiah instructed and cease from such practices. 

Nehemiah’s statement “I shook my lap” in verse 13 refers to a symbolic action that indicated disdain. Nehemiah’s action was a warning that those who did not abide by their commitment to do right in this matter would be shaken out and “emptied” of all they had. 

The remainder of the chapter, verses 14-19, reveals Nehemiah’s godly example before the people. He did not avail himself of the wages and provisions that were his right as the governor. In addition, he gave what he received from the king—food that he could have sold for his own profit—and fed as many as 150 people regularly.

AMPLIFIED OUTLINE

II. The restoration of the wall by Nehemiah
     C. The opposition to the work
          4. The opposition through internal strife (5:1-19)
               a. The complaint of the people (5:1-5)
               b. The condemnation of the nobles (5:6-13)
               c. The conduct of Nehemiah (5:14-19)

A CLOSER LOOK

1. According to verse 3, why had some of the people mortgaged their lands?
2. Verse 7 indicates that Nehemiah did not immediately confront the guilty rulers, but consulted with himself that he might act with discretion. Why is it advisable to take time for contemplation before confronting someone regarding a fault?
3. In what ways might making restitution have a positive impact on those who know about the matter?

CONCLUSION

God’s blessing will rest upon those who rectify wrongdoings in their past and restore anything they have obtained in an unrighteous manner.