Viewing the Issue of Poverty through the Book of Nehemiah
Written by Ben Cheung They said to me, ‘Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.’ Nehemiah 1:3 From the process of returning to Jerusalem and rebuilding the city walls in the book of Nehemiah, we see that poor people often face humiliation, oppression, and insecurity. Although Nehemiah was in a high position (cupbearer) in the Persian empire’s palace, he did not forget that his fellow countrymen were still suffering far away. Although the Israelites had already returned to Jerusalem more than a hundred years, and the temple had been rebuilt for many years,