Welcome to part 3 of my 5:7 musings. Today we’ll dig into Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs and Lamentations to see what God is saying to us.

^{Nehemiah 5:7} After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them.

When Nehemiah was sent back to Jerusalem from captivity to rebuild the walls and gates of the city, he found the nobles and rulers exacting a high price from those who had rebuilt Jerusalem and they were living in drought conditions.

^{Esther 5:7} Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and request is this:

King Xerxes asked Esther what she wanted; up to half his kingdom. She requested the King and Haman come for a second banquet the next night. (note: Purim was on March 10 &11 this year)

 ^{Job 5:7} Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

Job was brought low, but still did not curse God. The fact that man is born to sin and trouble was made utterly clear to him through his trials.

Psalm 5:7 But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
in fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

King David had seen the error of his ways and was always quick to repent and throw himself on the mercy of God. He knew what it was to whole-heartedly worship the Lord in the place His glory dwelt.

Proverbs 5:7 Therefore hear me now, my children, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

King Solomon advises his children, as well as those who would come after, to listen to the wisdom of God. Solomon learned these lessons in Proverbs from straying far from the path he started on as a young man. He urges the rest of us to take heed and learn wisdom to live a life pleasing to God which will lead to life; not death and destruction.

Lamentations 5:7 Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their iniquities.

King Solomon looked back on his life and realized the burden of accumulated sins and iniquities. He’d seen the error of his ways and how far he’d drifted from God. Praise Him, in Christ we no longer bear our ancestor’s burdens!

Takeaways: God is holy and righteous; humans are sinners from birth. We need to learn the wisdom of the Word of God, especially how to come to Jesus and repent of our sins. We are washed clean by the final blood sacrifice in Christ and set upon the path of eternal life in His glory. We also see that righteousness demands payment and repayment from those who have done wrong and treated others badly. We must trust our Advocate that we are new creations in Christ and no longer have to kowtow to our sinful past. Jesus was serious when from the cross He shouted: It is finished! when His life was poured out on the cross. No further sacrifice can be made to cover our sins, make us righteous or heal us. Why do we look elsewhere as if He’s not enough? I pray you find peace in the fact we no longer have to strive to please God by works of righteousness, because we are the righteousness of God in Christ, no longer saddled by our sin nature. Rejoice that we can live an abundant life and experience true Shalom because of the Blood of Christ Jesus!