With thanks to kingjamesbibleonline.org
Yesterday I spoke of the responsibility of everyone to the mountain of debt we have amassed as a country. Now, since I am writing this before I have posted and the the flame-o-gram comments start, I am taking this time to say, I will publish all comments, but I expect that they will be missives declaring ones personal virtue and fiscal probity and how the current problems are all someone else’s problems. You will forgive me if I take this brief moment to tell anyone (if there is any such comment) that you are full of shit and are denying your part in the problem.Nehemiah - Chapter 5
1And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
2For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, [are] many: therefore we take up corn [for them], that we may eat, and live.
3[Some] also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
4There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, [and that upon] our lands and vineyards.
5Yet now our flesh [is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and [some] of our daughters are brought unto bondage [already]: neither [is it] in our power [to redeem them]; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
6And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
8And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing [to answer].
9Also I said, It [is] not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
10I likewise, [and] my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
11Restore, 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.
12Then 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.
13Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.
14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
15But the former governors that [had been] before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
16Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants [were] gathered thither unto the work.
17Moreover [there were] at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that [are] about us.
18Now [that] which was prepared [for me] daily [was] one ox [and] six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
19Think upon me, my God, for good, [according] to all that I have done for this people.
Anyway. The truth of the matter is, the debt is unpayable and we are bankrupt. End of story.
So, where do we go from here? The truth of the matter is that no one knows what a default at this level will do to the world. Everyone is pretending that by changing something here and there at the edges, the horrible truth that lies at the heart of our problems will go away. But we are broke and no amount of jiggery-pokery with taxes or savings or growth will be enough to pull us out of the hole that we as a people have spent our way into.
We will eventually screw our creditors. We will also end up paying for a good sized hunk of the mess. The Federal Reserve will be treated to the Andy Jackson treatment.
We will be much poorer.
3 comments:
I concur. And I also believe that much of our repayment will be in blood....
Egads, is there going to be gallons and gallons of spilt blood when China comes to collect what it thinks it owns through treaties. And when they implore the UN to help, vats of blood will flow. (I reserve the right to not say "to the horses bridles" because that's for Armageddon. But it sure may be past the stirrups!)
Just how many, I wonder, will gladly give China, or other countries, what they want just to have a slice of bread?
Shy III
NEHEMIAH ABOLISHES INTEREST
In Nehemiah 5 we hear complaints by needy men,
Of the conditions that existed in the nation then.
Some said "We've had to mortgage all our vineyards and our fields,
To get grain during famine though they've had abundant yields."
Some others said "We've had to borrow money for the King,
Whose taxes on our fields and vineyards leave us not a thing."
Still others said "Their flesh and blood is of our family tree,
Yet our children suffer under yoke of slavery."
When Nehemiah heard them, anger great he could not mask,
The nobles and the rulers were the ones he took to task.
He called a great assembly where he chose to lay the blame,
On bankers, judges, politicians who had run the game:
"You are exacting usury of your own countrymen,
Unlike my men who freely lend to needy brethren.
What you are doing is not right, you must do as we do.
So "Stop exacting interest!" It is the Big Taboo.
Return their fields and vineyards and their houses and their grain,
And also all the usury, the whole illicit gain."
The nobles and the rulers said: "They will not have to pay.
We'll give them back all their possessions. We'll do what you say."
Prosperity resulted from his ban on interest,
"Remember me, O God, with favor" was his last request.
Watch out for many Bibles where the most important phrase,
Has been deleted from the text, the problem not to faze.
The message Nehemiah states is "Stop the interest,
And give them back what you have seized and it'll turn out best."
The newer versions of the Bible simply state "Atone,
And give them back their stuff." No talk of interest on loan.
Who chose to cut the answer out? Who played this evil role?
We know the ones who own the publishers have sole control.
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