KFLCC Kingdom Economics

F INANCIAL S ECURITY IN THE L AST D AYS

descendants to enjoy. It will take much time and money that you do not have. Such was the case when, after seventy years (Jer. 25:11), the first wave of about fifty thousand Jews arrived in Judah from Babylon. Upon arrival, many were forced to borrow money from wealthy men of Israel to purchase corn, food, cattle and other animals, and to repair the home to make it livable (see Neh. 5:1 5). Haggai prophesied at the time when the Jews were repairing their homes that had fallen into disrepair. The spiritual controversy was that, as they cared for their personal needs, the repairs for the Holy Temple in Jerusalem were being ignored, to their own peril. Haggai’s message reminded the people to put God’s Temple first so they would gain the favor of God. Haggai further explained why the people were not experiencing the prosperity they expected. They were sowing seed but receiving little harvest (1:6); drinking from the vineyards but remaining thirsty (1:6), and wearing clothes that were unable to warm them (1:6). The money they earned seemed to be, as we say today, going in one pocket and out the other (1:6). Haggai reminded his people that God alone has the power to supernaturally bless and prosper them, and that God alone controls the rain. Without the rain, nothing would be productive (1:10-11). God had called for a drought to seize the attention of the people (1:11). This is referred to in Nehemiah 5:3. E CONOMIC P ARALLELS TO T ODAY Nehemiah chapter five reveals the economic condition of the people, and it is very similar to the economic crisis facing America and parts of the world today. The people were mortgaged out, as they had loans on their homes, lands and vineyards that they could not pay back (Neh. 5:2-4). The debt was being passed on to their children, and the people knew this debt was a bondage that would bring suffering in the future (Neh. 5:5). The money was being loaned by fellow Jews to other Jews with an interest rate, which was forbidden under the Law of Moses (Neh. 5:7; Deut. 23:19-20). In North America, people have lost their homes because of the mortgage crisis. Some have had automobiles repossessed because they were unable to make payments. Unsustainable government debt is being passed to future generations, who will bear a heavy burden of government debt. The abuse by lending institutions of charging high interest on loans and credit card debt has, at times, sent families into bankruptcy. When believers are experiencing such economic stress, often the work of God suffers as people tend to withhold their

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