by Tom Brennan

Created on: January 27, 2009   Last Updated: April 22, 2009

Nehemiah: model for today's leadership.

Today finds America, and the world as well, in a financial crisis that has had wide spread effects on each nation. The reasons for this crisis can be discussed in length; blame can be assigned, shifted, etc. Much of the responsibility can be put on the most basic of human faults: greed and the desire for money and power. This, combined with a constant reference to unfettered commerce and trade, a lack of regulations to encourage this and the vulnerability of some persons towards fulfilling dreams instantaneously rather than planning, saving and building are elements of the crisis. Today trust in leaders of government, commerce and those who brought about this crisis is almost nonexistent. Betrayal of country, citizens and ethics is obvious. There is the usual flood self-help, quick fix, pop-psychology, feel good about yourself, pseudo spiritual books and well publicized programs, all available on the internet or on info-mercial tv.What is amazing about this trend is how so many authors can re-package Biblical truths without once giving credit to the origins, and at the same time make a profit.This avoidance of God's Word and substituting a program instead that can be "marketed" without offending anyone by being direct is at the core of our problems. The history of the Israelites and how they saw defeat and dispersal when they left their covenant with God is the best lesson for a country favored by God that lets itself be separated from Him by its desire to be rich quick and look at the "bottom line" instead of staying faithful. Our leaders have led poorly. Where is our Nehemiah?

The Second Babylonian Empire made war on the Israelites and after destroying the temple and deporting the best and brightest of their leaders and families, absorbed the land into their empire. The practice of deporting the leaders and those who could be of service to the empire and leaving behind a population of land workers and peasants was a method of absorbing the captured lands completely. The deportees were assimilated into the government and became "Babylonians" in practice, customs and attitude. This made the empire more effective since fewer garrisons would be stationed to suppress revolts, the governors would be people whose roots were there but their ideas were Babylonian.

Nehemiah was one of the "best and brightest". He had been part of the assimilated but still worshipped the God of his fathers. The model of Nehemiah is one we can look

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