How Interesting

Nehemiah was mad because of the growing financial problem for the Jews. Evidently there were some capitalistic thinking Jews who were taking collateral, making loans, and charging interest.

How was this wrong?

It seems the main reason Nehemiah got so upset was because the capitalists were charging interest in a time of national crisis - rather than working with everybody else to get through the crisis (to get the wall built). Making business lending money was not wrong - it was just wrong at that time.

Hmmm. How interesting...

In I Corinthians 7.25-40, I believe the objective reader would have to consider very carefully Paul's qualifications for the statements he makes. First, Paul admitted he did not have a directive from the Lord, BUT he felt certain he was at least giving good advice. The foundation of his advice was based on his perception that time was short. In other words, Paul felt like the Second Coming of Jesus was imminent. And, from the context of his advice itself, Paul felt like Jesus would return before a generation could pass (marriage, children, etc...). Paul made it clear that he felt that there was no time for the normal course and process of a family to take place.

Well, Paul was wrong.

Father, thank You that we can read Paul's writings and see that he too was a human and subject to following the Spirit just as we are (and the potential for missing it). Help us however to take the information we have here from Paul, weigh it with the chronological revelation we have, and try to better discern Your Spirit's direction for our own lives.