HELEN SANDERS
12-17-2025
THE SHAKING OF THE LAP

In Nehemiah chapter 5 we see where Nehemiah learned that many of his fellow Jews were in bondage to rich nobles and Jewish rulers. They had mortgaged their lands, vineyards, and houses to these rulers just to have enough food to survive just to survive. Many of their children were forced into bondage as servants to these rulers also. They had no way to redeem their children, their homes, and their land. They were in great distress.

Nehemiah became very angry with those rich rulers for what they had done because it went against the law of Moses to do this to their brethren. In Nehemiah 5:11 he said, “Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses….”

The rulers saw their error and said they would restore everything. Then Nehemiah called the priests and took an oath with these rulers to do what they said.

In verse 13, Nehemiah said, “Also 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, A-men, and praised the LORD, and the people did according to this promise.” Shaking of the lap meant he shook the folds of his garment where everything would fall out.

The Lord spoke to me about the “shaking of the lap.” This term was the way of letting the people know that if one makes a vow and reneges [breaks the vow] that they would be cursed and lose everything they have.

Paul also “shook the lap” when he was in Macedonia and those Jews that opposed his preaching of the gospel blasphemed. He said in Acts 18:6b, “…Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.” This indicates he was done with those Jews that would not hear the gospel, and would go to the non-Jews that were eager to serve God.

Many prophets have heard the Lord speak about a “great shaking” coming and is now here. I truly believe that God has “shaken his lap” with many that have vowed one thing and done another. This term is not to be taken lightly. The shaking will intensify until everything that can be shaken will be shaken.

If you have made a vow or a promise to God and are not doing it, you are in a dangerous place. Do not continue in that condition. Repent, turn back to God, and do what you vowed to do. You do not want to lose everything because of your disobedience.