Front matter (continued, part 64)
Of course, Nehemiah would not ask them to join the project and work with the Jews, although Sanballat and his friends would have welcomed the invitation (Neh. 6:1–4). In his reply, Nehemiah made three things dear: Rebuilding the wall was God's work; the Jews were God's servants; and Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem had no part in the matter. Sometimes leaders have to negotiate, but there are times when leaders must draw a line and defend it. Unfortunately, not everybody in Jerusalem agreed with their leader, for some of them cooperated with Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem and added to Nehemiah's burdens.
British humorist Jerome K. Jerome said, "I like work, it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours." When it comes to the work of the Lord, there is no place for spectators or self-appointed advisors and
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into a nicely cushioned pew, and contribute to the charities, listen to the minister, and do their share to keep the church out of bankruptcy, is all they want. The idea of work for them—actual work in the church—never enters their minds."
critics, but there is always room for workers. As you study this chapter, you will discover principles that apply to all human labor, especially the work of building the church.
The purpose of the work Nehemiah was concerned about only one thing, the glory of God. "Let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach" (2:17; and see 1:3; 4:4; 5:9). The Gentiles delighted in mocking their Jewish neighbors by pointing out the dilapidated condition of Jerusalem. After all, the Jews claimed that their capital city was "beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth" (Ps. 48:2). They said that God loved "the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob" (87:2). If God loved Jerusalem so much, why were the walls in ruin and the gates burned? Why was the "Holy City" a reproach? Why didn't the Jews do something?
In 1 Corinthians 12 and 14, Paul compared individual Christians to members of the human body: Each member is important, and each has a special function to perform. I recall the relief that came to my own heart when I realized that God didn't expect me to do everything in the church, but rather to use the gifts He gave me in the tasks that He assigned. When I started doing that, I discovered I was helping others discover and develop their own gifts, and all of us accomplished more for the Lord.
The people finished this difficult task because they obeyed the same leader, kept their eyes on the same goal, and worked together for the glory of God. Neither the enemy outside the city nor the difficulties inside the city distracted them from their God-given task. Like Paul, they said, "This one thing I do" (Phil. 3:13). The word built is used six times in Nehemiah 3 and means "rebuilt." George Morrison reminds us "that for this restoration no new material was needed. In the debris of the ruined masonry lay all the material required . . . and it seems to me that is always so when the walls of Zion are rebuilt" (Morning Sermons, London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1931, 249). It is not by inventing clever new things that we take away the church's reproach, but by going back to the old truths that made the church great in ages past. They lie like stones in the dust, waiting for some burdened Nehemiah to recover them and use them.
For the most part, the world today ignores the church. If it does pay any attention to the church, it is usually to condemn or mock. "If you are the people of God," unbelievers ask, "why are there so many scandals in the church? If God is so powerful, why is the church so weak?" Whether Christians like it or not, we are living in a day of reproach when "the glory has departed" (1 Sam. 4:21).
The purpose of all ministry is the glory of God and not the aggrandizement of religious leaders or organizations (1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Cor. 4:5). The words of Jesus in His high priestly prayer ought to be the motivating force in all Christian ministry: "I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do" (John 17:4). God has a special task for each of His children (Eph. 2:10), and in the humble, faithful doing of that task, we glorify His name.
The word repair is used thirty-five times; it means "to make strong and firm." Nehemiah wasn't interested in a "quick fix," a whitewashed wall that would soon crumble (Ezek. 13:1–16; 22:28). They were building to the glory of God, and therefore they did their best.
Of course, the rebuilding of the walls and the setting of the gates also meant protection and security for the people. Jerusalem was surrounded by enemies, and it seemed foolish for the residents to improve their property when nothing was safe from invasion and plunder. Over the years, the citizens had become accustomed to their plight. Like too many believers in the church today, they were content to live with the status quo. Then Nehemiah arrived on the scene and challenged them to rebuild the city to the glory of God.
The gates of Jerusalem had been destroyed by fire (Neh. 1:3; Jer. 17:27; Lam. 1:4), so Nehemiah requisitioned timber from the king's forest and had new gates constructed (Neh. 2:8) and put into place (6:1; 7:1). The gates were important to the safety of the people and the control of who went in and out of the city (7:3; 13:15–22). If the Lord loves the gates of Zion (Ps. 87:2), then His people ought to love them too. Locks and bars are mentioned five times (Neh. 3:3, 6, 13–15). Locks refer to the sockets into which the bars were fitted, thus making it difficult for anyone outside to open the gates. It isn't enough that we simply do the work of God; we must also make sure that what we do is protected from the enemy. "Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully" (2 John 8 niv).
The pattern of the work Nehemiah was a leader who planned his work and worked his plan, and the way he did it is an example for us to follow.
Thirty-eight individual workers are named in this chapter, and forty-two different groups are identified. There were also many workers whom Nehemiah did not name whose labors were important, and each worker—named and anonymous— was assigned a place and a task.
The people in the work As you get acquainted with the various people mentioned in Nehemiah 3, you will find yourself saying,
"A great many people have got a false idea about the church," said evangelist D. L. Moody. "They have got an idea that the church is a place to rest in … to get
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there is a spiritual lesson here: Christian service begins at home. A Chinese proverb says, "Better to be kind at home than to burn incense in a far place," and Paul wrote, "Let them learn first to shew piety at home" (1 Tim. 5:4).
"This is just like the church today!" Circumstances change but human nature remains pretty much the same.
God uses all kinds of people. The chapter mentions rulers and priests (vv. 1, 12–19), men and women (v. 12), professional craftsmen (vv. 8, 32), and even people from outside the city (vv. 2, 5, 7). There was a place for everyone, and a job for everyone to do.
Some people work harder than others (Neh 3:20). Baruch is the only worker of whom it is said that the work was done "earnestly" ("zealously," niv). The Hebrew word means "to burn or glow" and suggests that Baruch burned a lot of energy! "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" (Eccl. 9:10 niv). Paul admonished the slaves to work hard for their masters because they were really working for Christ (Eph. 6:5–8). Lazy workers not only rob themselves and the Lord, but they also rob their fellow workers. "He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster" (Prov. 18:9).
Leaders must set the example (Neh. 3:1). If anybody in the city should have been busy in the work, it was the priests, for the glory of the Lord was involved in the project. That the high priest used his consecrated hands to do manual labor shows that he considered the work on the wall to be a ministry to the Lord. "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31 nkjv). Eliashib enlisted the other priests to work at the Sheep Gate in the northeast corner of the city. Since the sacrifices came into the city that way, the priests would be especially interested in that part of the project.
The places of the work Nehemiah began his list of the "work stations" with the Sheep Gate in the northeast corner of the city (Neh. 3:1). Then he moved counterclockwise around the walls to the Gate Hammiphkad ("the Muster Gate"), which was adjacent to the Sheep Gate and just above the East Gate (v. 29). In his record, he names ten gates and several towers and other landmarks. He describes the work on the north wall first (vv. 1–7), then the western wall (vv. 8–13), then the southern point of the city (v. 14), and finally the eastern wall (vv. 15–32).
Sad to say, Eliashib did not remain true to his calling, for later he allied with the enemy and created serious problems for Nehemiah (Neh. 13:4–9). Some people who enthusiastically begin their work may drop out or turn against it for one reason or another. Eliashib's grandson married a daughter of Sanballat (v. 28), and this alliance no doubt influenced the high priest.
Some people will not work (Neh. 3:5). Tekoa was a town about eleven miles from Jerusalem, and some of their people traveled to Jerusalem to assist in the work. What a contrast between these people and their nobles! The Tekoites built in two places on the wall (vv. 5 and 27), while their nobles refused to bend the neck and work in even one place. Were these "aristocrats" so important in their own eyes that they could not perform manual labor? Yet Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:3), and Jesus was a carpenter (Mark 6:3). The Tekoites were not the only "outsiders" to go to Jerusalem to work on the wall, for men also came from Jericho (Neh. 3:2), Gibeon, and Mizpah (v. 7). Their loyalty to their nation and their Lord was greater than their local interests. They were certainly safer back in their own communities, but they risked their lives to do the work of the Lord (Acts 15:25–26).
His primary purpose was to document for posterity and the official records the names and accomplishments of the people who worked on the wall. Without straining the text, however, we can glean from this chapter some spiritual illustrations to encourage us in our own personal lives and ministries.
The Sheep Gate (Neh. 3:1, 32). This was the gate through which the animals were brought into the city, including the temple sacrifices. The gate was near the temple area, so it was logical that the priests make this their special project. This is the only gate of which it is recorded that it was "sanctified," that is, dedicated to God in a special way.
This gate reminds us of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who died for the sins of the world (John 1:29; 5:2). Nehemiah could have begun his record with any of the gates, but he chose to start and end the report with the Sheep Gate. Jesus is the "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending" (Rev. 1:8). Apart from Him and His sacrifice, we would have nothing eternal and satisfying. Nothing is said about the gate's "locks and bars," for the way is never closed to the lost sinner who wants to come to the Savior.
Some people do more work than others (Neh. 3:11, 19, 21, 24, 27, 30). Most workers are glad to lay down their tools when their job is finished, but these people asked for additional assignments. It isn't enough for us to say that we have done as much as others; we must do as much as we can as long as the Lord enables us. Jesus asked, "What do you do more than others?" (Matt. 5:47 nkjv).
The Fish Gate (Neh. 3:3). This was located to the west of the Sheep Gate, and between the two stood the Tower of Hammeah ("the hundred") and the Tower of Hananeel (v. 1). These two towers were a part of the city's defense system and were close to the citadel, where the soldiers guarded the temple and protected the northern approach to the city which was especially
Some do their work at home (Neh. 3:10, 23, 28–30). At least six different workers, plus an unknown number of priests, repaired the portions of the wall that were nearest to their own houses. If all of us would follow this example, our neighborhoods and cities would be in much better shape! Of course,
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of David to the Gihon Spring, located adjacent to the Kidron Valley. Jerusalem was one of the few great cities of antiquity that was not built near a great river, and the city depended on reservoirs and springs for its water. The text does not say that this gate was repaired, but only that the workers repaired the walls adjacent to it. The "Nethinims" ("those who are given") were probably temple servants, descendants of the Gibeonites who were made drawers of water (Josh. 9:23). They would naturally want to live near the most important source of water for the city.
vulnerable. Merchants used this gate when they brought fish from the Mediterranean Sea, and there may have been a fish market near the gate. In any event, it was a key entrance to the city.
The Old Gate (Neh. 3:6) is probably the Corner Gate (2 Kings 14:13; Jer. 31:38), located at the northwest corner of the city. Some students identify this with the "Mishneh Gate"; the Hebrew word means "second quarter" or "new quarter" (Zeph. 1:10 niv). In Nehemiah's day, the northwest section of the city was "the mishneh" or "new quarter," and this gate led into it. What a paradox: the old gate leads into the new quarter! But it is from the old that we derive the new, and if we abandon the old, there can be nothing new (see Jer. 6:16 and Matt. 13:52). The Valley Gate (Neh. 3:13) is where Nehemiah began his nocturnal investigation of the ruins of the city (2:13). It was located at the southwest corner of the city walls, about 500 yards from the Dung Gate, and both opened into the Valley of Hinnom. The workers here not only restored the gate, but they also repaired the section of the wall between the two gates. It is likely that this long section of the wall—over 1,700 feet—was not as severely damaged as the other sections.
If the Fountain Gate reminds us of the Spirit of God, the Water Gate reminds us of the Word of God. In fact, it was at the Water Gate that Ezra and the priests conducted a great "Bible conference" and explained the Scriptures to the people (8:1ff.). That this gate is not said to have been repaired, as were the others, suggests that the Word of God stands forever and will not fail (Ps. 119:89; Matt. 24:35). The Bible does not need to be repaired or improved.
"The Ophel" (Neh. 3:26–27) was a hill south of the temple area, between the Horse Gate and the Water Gate. It was especially fortified and had a tower. The temple servants lived in that area because it was close to the water supply.
Every Christian needs a "valley gate," for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5–6). It is only as we yield to Christ and serve others that we can truly enter into the fullness of the life He has for us (Phil. 2:1–11).
The Horse Gate (Neh 3:28) stood north of the Water Gate, adjacent to the temple area. It was here that wicked Athaliah was executed (2 Chron. 23:15). God warned His people not to trust in horses and chariots (Deut. 17:14–20), but Solomon imported them from Egypt (1 Kings 10:26–29), and they became an important part of the nation's defense system (Isa. 2:7). The Horse Gate reminds us that there is warfare in the Christian life (2 Tim. 2:1–4) and that we must always be ready to do battle (Eph. 6:10–18). It is significant that the priests repaired this gate as well as the Sheep Gate. Both were near the temple area.
The Dung Gate (Neh. 3:14) was located at the southernmost tip of the city, near the Pool of Siloam. It was a main exit to the Valley of Hinnom, where the city disposed of its garbage. The word gehenna means "Valley of Hinnom" and identified this area that Jesus used as a picture of hell, "where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:44). King Manasseh had sacrificed children to idols in that valley (2 Chron. 33:6), and King Josiah had desecrated the place by turning it into a rubbish heap (2 Kings 23:10).
The East Gate (Neh. 3:29) led directly to the temple and is probably what we know today as the Golden Gate. Tradition says that Jesus entered the temple on Palm Sunday through this gate. In the sixteenth century, the gate was sealed up with blocks of stone by the Turkish sultan, Sulayman the Magnificent. Jewish and Christian tradition both connect the Golden Gate with the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem, and Muslims associate it with the future judgment.
The sanitary disposal of waste materials is essential to the health of a city. This gate did not have a beautiful name, but it did perform an important service! It reminds us that, like the city, each of us individually must get rid of whatever defiles us, or it may destroy us (2 Cor. 7:1; 1 John 1:9).
The Fountain Gate (Neh. 3:15) was on the east wall, just north of the Dung Gate, in a very strategic location near the Pool of Siloam, the old City of David, and the water tunnel built by King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:20). The Gihon Spring that fed the water system was an important source of water in the city.
Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord depart from the temple at the East Gate (Ezek. 10:16–22; 11:22–25), and the Lord will return to the city the same way (43:1–5). So, we have every reason to associate this gate with the coming of the Lord and to remind ourselves to "abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (1 John 2:28).
In the Bible, water for drinking is a picture of the Holy Spirit of God (John 7:37–39), while water for washing is a picture of the Word of God (Eph. 5:26; John 15:3). Spiritually speaking, we have moved from the Valley Gate (humility) to the Dung Gate (cleansing) to the Fountain Gate (fullness of the Spirit).
The Gate Hammiphkad (Neh. 3:31) was located at the northeast corner of the city. The Hebrew word has a military connotation and refers to the mustering of the troops for numbering and inspection. The NIV and NASB both translate it "the Inspection Gate." This
The Water Gate (Neh 3:26) led from the old City
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best in Nehemiah and his people. Satan wanted to use these problems as weapons to destroy the work, but God used them as tools to build His people. "God had one Son without sin," said Charles Spurgeon, "but He never had a son without trial."
is where the army was reviewed and registered. The north side of Jerusalem was the most vulnerable to attack, so this was a logical place to locate the army. When our Lord returns, He will gather His people together and review their works in preparation for giving out rewards for faithful service (1 Cor. 3:10–15; 2 Cor. 5:9–10; Rom. 14:10–12).
When Sir James Thornhill was painting the inside of the cupola of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, at one point he finished an area and stepped back to view it. Had he gone back one step more, he would have fallen from the scaffolding and perhaps killed himself. Seeing the situation, a friend seized one of the brushes and rubbed paint over a part of the picture. The artist rushed forward to protect his work, and at the same time, his life was saved. When the picture of our life or ministry is not all we think it ought to be, perhaps the Master Artist is rescuing us from something far worse and preparing us for something far better.
In this report, Nehemiah does not mention the Gate of Ephraim (Neh. 8:16; 12:39) or the Gate of the Guard (12:39). The former may have been on the north wall, looking toward the area of Ephraim, and the latter may have been associated in some way with "The Inspection Gate." Some translate it "The Prison Gate." It may have been the "court of the guard" named in 3:25.
Nehemiah's record ends with the Sheep Gate (v. 32), the place where he began (v. 1). Because they have rejected their Messiah, the people of Israel today have no sacrifice, no temple, and no priesthood (Hos. 3:4). Thank the Lord, here and there, individual Jews are trusting Christ, but the nation as a whole is blinded in unbelief (Rom. 11:25ff.). When they see their Messiah, they will believe and be saved (Zech. 12:10–13:1).
Chapters 4 to 6 describe at least nine different tactics that the enemy used to try to stop the work on the walls. First, they attacked the Jewish people with ridicule (4:1–6) and plots of war (vv. 7–9). This resulted in difficulties within the Jewish ranks: discouragement (v. 10), fear (vv. 11–23), and selfishness (5:1–19). When attacks on the people failed to stop the work, the enemy then started to attack their leader, Nehemiah. They tried compromise (6:1–4), slander (vv. 5–9), threats (vv. 10–14) and intrigue (vv. 17–19); but none of these devices worked either. Nehemiah was "steadfast and unmovable" and led his people to finish the work in fifty-two days!
No one person could have accomplished the work of repairing the walls and restoring the gates. It took leadership on Nehemiah's part and cooperation on the part of the people. Each had a place to fill and a job to do. So it is with the church today: We must work together if we are to finish the work to the glory of God.
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58 nkjv).
Referring to Satan, Paul wrote, "For we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor. 2:11). This chapter presents four of Satan's devices for opposing the Lord's work, and it also tells us how God's people can be steadfast and defeat the enemy. If you start building, you will soon be battling; so, be prepared!
CHAPTER FOUR Nehemiah 4 WORKERS AND WARRIORS T
III. Conflict (4—6) A.Ridicule—4:1–6
Ridicule (4:1–6) British critic and author Thomas Carlyle called ridicule "the language of the devil." Some people who can stand bravely when they are shot at will collapse when they are laughed at.
he Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people." Those words from Gilbert Keith Chesterton were certainly true in Nehemiah's situation. His arrival in Jerusalem was a threat to Sanballat and his associates (2:10), who wanted to keep the Jews weak and dependant. A strong Jerusalem would endanger the balance of power in the region, and it would also rob Sanballat and his friends of influence and wealth.
Shakespeare called ridicule "paper bullets of the brain," but those bullets have slain many a warrior.
It is not unusual for the enemy to insult the servants of God. Goliath ridiculed David when the shepherd boy met the giant with only a sling in his hand (1 Sam. 17:41–47). Jesus was mocked by the soldiers during His trial (Luke 22:63–65) and by the rabble while He was hanging on the cross (23:35–37), and some of the heroes of the faith had to endure mocking (Heb. 11:36). When the enemy laughs at what God's people are doing, it is usually a sign that God is going to bless His people in a wonderful way. When the enemy rages on earth, God laughs in heaven (Ps. 2:4).
When things are going well, get ready for trouble, because the enemy doesn't want to see the work of the Lord make progress. As long as the people in Jerusalem were content with their sad lot, the enemy left them alone, but, when the Jews began to serve the Lord and bring glory to God's name, the enemy became active.
Sanballat and his friends had begun to ridicule the Jews even before the work on the wall had begun. "They laughed us to scorn," wrote Nehemiah, "and despised us" (Neh. 2:19). What special relationship
Opposition is not only an evidence that God is blessing, but it is also an opportunity for us to grow. The difficulties that came to the work brought out the
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vant of God concerned for the glory of God. He was not requesting personal vengeance but official vindication for God's people. The enemy had blasphemously provoked God before the builders, and this was a terrible sin. The opposition of Sanballat and Tobiah against the Jews was in reality opposition against God.
Sanballat had with the army of Samaria is not explained to us. Perhaps he had the army assembled as a show of strength to frighten the Jews. By making his initial speech before the army, Sanballat intensified the power of his ridicule as he made some important people laugh at the Jews.
The things people say may hurt us, but they can never harm us, unless we let them get into our system and poison us. If we spend time pondering the enemy's words, we will give Satan a foothold from which he can launch another attack closer to home. The best thing to do is to pray and commit the whole thing to the Lord, and then get back to your work! Anything that keeps you from doing what God has called you to do will only help the enemy.
First, Sanballat ridiculed the workers by calling them "feeble Jews" (4:2). The word feeble means "withered, miserable." The people were like cut flowers that were fading away. They had no human resources that people could see, but the enemy could not see their great spiritual resources. The people of the world don't understand that God delights in using feeble instruments to get His work accomplished (1 Cor. 1:18–31). The world glories in its wealth and power, but God's people glory in their poverty and weakness. When we are weak, then we are strong (2 Cor. 12:1–10).
Intimidating plots (4:7–9) A common enemy and a common cause brought four different groups together to stop the work on the walls of Jerusalem. The city was now completely surrounded by enemies! To the north were Sanballat and the Samaritans; to the east, Tobiah and the Ammonites; to the south, Geshem and the Arabs; and to the west, the Ashdodites. Ashdod was perhaps the most important city in Philistia at that time, and the Philistines did not want to see a strong community in Jerusalem.
Then Sanballat ridiculed the work itself by asking three taunting questions. "Will they fortify themselves?" must have evoked gales of laughter from the Samaritan army. How could a remnant of feeble Jews hope to build a wall strong enough to protect the city from the army? "Will they sacrifice?" implies, "It will take more than prayer and worship to rebuild the city!" This question was blasphemy against Jehovah God, for Sanballat was denying that God would help His people. "Will they finish in a day?" suggests that the Jews didn't know how difficult the task was and would soon call it quits.
God's people sometimes have difficulty working together, but the people of the world have no problem uniting in opposition to the work of the Lord (Ps. 2:1–2; Acts 4:23–30; Luke 23:12). As the enemy saw the work progressing, they became angry and decided to plan a secret attack against Jerusalem. Satan hates the Jews and has used one nation after another to try to destroy them (see Ps. 85 and Rev. 12). God chose the Jews to be His vehicle for giving the world the knowledge of the true God, the Scriptures, and the Savior (Rom. 9:1–5). "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22), and Satan wanted to prevent the Savior from coming into the world. If he could destroy the nation, he would frustrate God's plan.
In his final question, Sanballat ridiculed the materials they were using. The stones were taken out of the rubbish heaps and probably were so old and damaged that they would never last when set into the wall. While it is true that limestone is softened by fire, it is also true that the walls were "broken down," while the gates were "consumed with fire" (Neh. 2:13). In spite of what Sanballat said, there was still plenty of good material for the builders to use.
B.Plots—4:7–9 C.Discouragement—4:10
Tobiah the Ammonite was one of the visiting dignitaries at the Samaritan army inspection, and when it was his turn to make a speech, he ridiculed the finished product (4:3). You wouldn't need an army to knock down the wall; a solitary fox could do it! Of course, much that Sanballat and Tobiah said was true from a human point of view, for the Jewish remnant was weak and poor, and the work was too great for them. But they had great faith in a great God, and that's what made the difference.
Nehemiah suspected that his enemies would launch an attack, so he posted a guard and encouraged the people to pray. The workers held both tools and weapons (Neh. 4:17) and were prepared to fight when the signal was given. "Watch and pray" combines faith and works and is a good example for us to follow in our work and our warfare (see Mark 13:33; 14:38; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2–4). The Christian's battle is not against flesh and blood, but against Satan and his demonic forces that use flesh and blood to oppose the Lord's work. If we hope to win the war and finish the work, we must use the spiritual equipment God has provided (Eph. 6:10–18; 2 Cor. 10:1–6). If we focus on the visible enemy alone and forget the invisible enemy, we are sure to start trusting our own resources, and this will lead to defeat.
How did Nehemiah respond to this ridicule? He prayed and asked God to fight the enemy for him. This is the third time you find Nehemiah praying (1:4–11; 2:4), and it will not be the last time. Nehemiah didn't allow himself to get detoured from his work by taking time to reply to their words. The Lord had heard the sneering taunts of Sanballat and Tobiah, and He would deal with them in His own way and His own time.
Nehemiah's prayer resembles the "imprecatory psalms," such as Psalms 69; 79; and 139:19–22. We must remember that Nehemiah was praying as a ser-
Discouragement (4:10) Pressures from without often create problems from
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probably was praying for God's guidance. He himself was not afraid of the enemy, but when he saw that his people were starting to become afraid, he began to act.
within. It isn't easy to carry on your work when you are surrounded by danger and daily face the demands of a task that seems impossible. If the Jews became discouraged, they would defeat themselves, and Sanballat and his allies would never have to wage war.
In his First Inaugural Address, on March 4, 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said to a nation in the grip of an economic depression, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He may have borrowed the thought from Henry David Thoreau, American naturalist, who wrote in his journal on September 7, 1851, "Nothing is so much to be feared as fear." Why? Because fear paralyzes you, and fear is contagious and paralyzes others. Fear and faith cannot live together in the same heart. "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" (Matt. 8:26). Frightened people discourage others and help bring defeat (Deut. 20:8).
Discouragement is a key weapon in Satan's arsenal. It was discouragement that kept Israel from entering the Promised Land at Kadesh-Barnea (Num. 13). "We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we" (v. 31). The ten unbelieving spies "discouraged the heart of the children of Israel" (32:9), and as a result, the nation wandered in the wilderness forty years until the new generation was ready to conquer the land.
"We are not able!" is the rallying cry of all who take their eyes off the Lord and start looking at themselves and their problems. These discouraged Jewish workers were actually agreeing with the enemy who said they were feeble (Neh. 2:19; 4:1–3)! Sanballat had openly declared that the work would stop, and it almost did.
Nehemiah's first step was to post guards at the most conspicuous and vulnerable places on the wall. The enemy could then see that the Jews were prepared to fight. He armed entire families, knowing that they would stand together and encourage one another. The Jews not only repaired the walls near their own houses (Neh. 3:28–30), but they stood with their families to protect their homes and their city.
Why did this discouragement arise from the royal tribe of Judah? (See Gen. 49:8–12.) They had David's blood in their veins, and you would think they would be men and women of great faith and courage. The answer is found in Nehemiah 6:17–19: Some people in the tribe of Judah were secretly cooperating with the enemy. The ties of marriage were stronger than the bonds of commitment to the Lord. According to 13:15–22, some of the leaders of Judah were not wholly devoted to the Lord, but were more interested in making money. The combination of marriage and money divided their loyalties, and they became the cause of discouragement.
After looking the situation over, Nehemiah then encouraged the people not to be afraid but to look to the Lord for help. If we fear the Lord, we need not fear the enemy. Nehemiah's heart was captivated by the "great and terrible" God of Israel (4:14; see 1:5), and he knew that God was strong enough to meet the challenge. He also reminded the people that they were fighting for their nation, their city, and their families. If the nation was destroyed, what would become of God's great promises to Israel and His plan of redemption?
When we face a situation that creates fear in our hearts, we must remind ourselves of the greatness of God. If we walk by sight and view God through the problems, we will fail, as did the Jews at Kadesh-Barnea (Num. 13:26–33). But if we look at the problem through the greatness of God, we will have confidence and succeed. That was the approach David took when he faced Goliath (1 Sam. 17:45–47).
In over forty years of ministry, I have learned that, in the Lord's work, discouragers are often doubters and compromisers. There is usually something wrong in their spiritual walk. They frequently lack faith in God's Word, for one thing, and they are primarily interested in their own plans and pursuits. A double-minded person is unbelieving and unstable (James 1:5–8) and hinders the work of the Lord.
When the enemy learned that Jerusalem was armed and ready, they backed off (Neh. 4:15). God had frustrated their plot. "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations" (Ps. 33:10–11 nkjv). It is good to remind ourselves that the will of God comes from the heart of God and that we need not be afraid.
Nehemiah didn't pay much attention to these complainers but went right on with the work. That's the best thing to do. If you take time away from your work to listen to everybody who wants your attention, you will never get anything done. Nehemiah got his encouragement from prayer and the promises of God, and the occasional complaints of some of the people didn't upset him.
D. Fear—4:11–23
Fear (4:11–23) The Jews who lived in the outlying villages (3:2, 5, 7, 13) kept bringing a report to the city that the enemy was planning another surprise attack. Whether these Jews were merely spreading rumors or helping to promote a conspiracy we don't know, but they told the story repeatedly. ("Ten times" is a Hebrew phrase meaning "many times." See Gen. 31:41 and Num. 14:22.) Nehemiah didn't respond immediately and
Nehemiah knew that he couldn't interrupt the work every time he heard a new rumor, so he set up a defense plan that solved the problem: Half of the men worked on the wall while the other half stood guard. He saw to it that the people carrying materials also carried weapons and that the workers on the walls carried swords. In this way, the work would not be interrupted, and the workers would be ready in case of an alarm. The man with the trumpet stayed close to
Nehemiah 4—5
can get us thinking only about ourselves and what we want, then he will win the victory before we realize that he is even at work.
Nehemiah so the alarm could be given immediately. The people were prepared to fight (Neh. 4:14), but they realized that it was God who fought with them and He alone could give the victory.
Selfishness means putting myself at the center of everything and insisting on getting what I want when I want it. It means exploiting others so I can be happy and taking advantage of them just so I can have my own way. It is not only wanting my own way but expecting everybody else to want my way too. Why are selfish people so miserable? I think Thomas Merton said it best: "To consider persons and events and situations only in the light of their effect upon myself is to live on the doorstep of hell."
When Charles Spurgeon started his church magazine in 1865, he borrowed the title from Nehemiah and called the publication The Sword and Trowel. He said it was "a record of combat with sin and labor for the Lord." It is not enough to build the wall; we must also be on guard lest the enemy take it from us. Building and battling are both a normal part of the Christian life if we are faithful disciples (Luke 14:28–33).
Again, Nehemiah spoke words of encouragement to the people (Neh. 4:19–20). He reminded them that they were involved in a great work. After all, they were serving a great God and rebuilding the walls of a great city. He also reminded them that they were not working alone, even though they couldn't see all of their fellow workers on the wall. God was with all of them and would come to their defense.
This chapter reveals to us the depths of sin in the human heart and how each of us must learn to love our neighbors as ourselves. This moving drama has three acts.
A great cry (5:1–5) In the midst of a "great work" (4:19) for a "great God" (1:5), a "great cry" (5:1) was heard among the Jews. They were not crying out against the Samaritans, the Ammonites, or the Arabs, but against their own people! Jew was exploiting Jew, and the economic situation had become so desperate that even the wives (who usually kept silent) were joining in the protest.
No matter what the workers were doing, or where they labored on the wall, they all kept an ear open for the sound of the trumpet. What an example for us to follow as we await the return of the Lord! "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God" (1 Thess. 4:16).
E.Selfishness—5:1–19
Four different groups of people were involved in this crisis. First, there were the people who owned no land but who needed food (v. 2). The population was increasing; there was a famine (v. 3); and the people were hungry. These people could not help themselves so they cried out to Nehemiah for help.
Nehemiah also instituted a "second shift" and required the workers from the other towns to stay in Jerusalem at night and help guard the city. It is often while we sleep that the enemy does his most insidious work (Matt. 13:25), and we must be on guard.
Nehemiah not only organized the workers and guards and encouraged them to trust the Lord, but he also set the right kind of example before them (Neh. 4:23). He was a leader who served and a servant who led. He stayed on the job and was alert at all times. He inspected the city's defenses every night and made sure that the guards were on duty.
The second group was composed of landowners who had mortgaged their property in order to buy food (v. 3). Apparently inflation was on the rise, and prices were going higher. The combination of debt and inflation is enough to wipe out a person's equity very quickly.
The third group complained because the taxes were too high, and they were forced to borrow money to pay them (v. 4). In order to borrow the money, they had to give security, and this meant eventually losing their property. The Persian king received a fortune in annual tribute, very little of which ever benefited the local provinces. Unlike our situation today, the taxes did not support local services; they only supported the king.
The late Dr. Alan Redpath explained why the Jews succeeded in getting their work done and keeping the enemy at bay: The people had a mind to work (v. 6), a heart to pray (v. 9), an eye to watch (v. 9), and an ear to hear (v. 20), and this gave them the victory (Victorious Christian Service, Revell, 1958; 76–79).
They also had a godly leader with the faith to stand. "Therefore … be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58 nkjv).
The fourth group was made up of wealthy Jews who were exploiting their own brothers and sisters by loaning them money and taking their lands and their children for collateral (Lev. 25:39–40). Jewish boys and girls had to choose between starvation or servitude!
CHAPTER FIVE Nehemiah 5 STOP! THIEF! W
It was not unlawful for Jews to loan money to one another, but they were not to act like money lenders and charge interest (Deut. 23:19–20). They were to treat one another with love even in the matter of taking security (24:10–13; Ex. 22:25–27) or making a brother a servant (Lev. 25:35–46). Both the people and the land belonged to the Lord, and He would not have anybody using either one for personal gain.
hen the enemy fails in his attacks from the outside, he then begins to attack from within; and one of his favorite weapons is selfishness. If he
Nehemiah 5
(Prov. 16:32 nkjv). If a leader can't control himself, he will never be successful in controlling others.
One reason for the "Year of Jubilee" (Lev. 25) was to balance the economic system in Israel so that the rich could not get richer as the poor became poorer. All debts had to be forgiven in the fiftieth year, all land restored to its original owners, and all servants set free.
Nehemiah decided to call a great assembly (Neh. 5:7) and publicly confront the people whose selfishness had created this difficult and painful situation. Theirs was a grievous public sin, involving the whole nation, and it demanded public rebuke and repentance.
These wealthy businessmen were selfishly exploiting the poor in order to make themselves rich. They were using their power to rob some and to put others into bondage. Greed was one of the sins the prophets had denounced before the Babylonian captivity (Isa. 56:9–12; Jer. 22:13–19; Amos 2:6–7; 5:11–12). God has a special concern for the poor and will not hold those guiltless who take advantage of them.
Rebuke (vv. 7–11). Nehemiah's rebuke of the exploiters consisted of six different appeals. First, he appealed to their love by reminding them that they were robbing their own fellow Jews, not the Gentiles (v. 7). The word "brother" is used four times in this speech. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Ps. 133:1). "Let's not have any quarreling between you and me," Abraham said to Lot, "for we are brothers" (Gen. 13:8 niv).
A great assembly (5:6–13) It is one thing to confront foreign enemies and quite something else to deal with your own people when they fight one another. Young Moses learned that it was easier to dispose of an Egyptian master than to reconcile two Jewish brothers (Ex. 2:11–15). Nehemiah showed true leadership in his responses to the problem.
His appeal was based solidly on the Word of God, for the law of Moses forbade Jews to exact interest from one another. The Jewish nation went into Babylonian captivity an agricultural people, but some of them came out a mercantile people, having learned how to use money to make money. There is certainly nothing wrong with lending money (Matt. 25:27), providing you don't violate God's Word and exploit those who are helpless.
Anger (v. 6). This was not the flaring up of a sinful temper but the expression of righteous indignation at the way the businessmen were oppressing their brothers and sisters. "In your anger do not sin" (Eph. 4:26 niv; see Ps. 4:4). Nehemiah was not a politician who asked, "What is popular?" or a diplomat who asked, "What is safe?" but a true leader who asked, "What is right?" His was a holy anger against sin, and he knew he had the law of God behind him. Moses expressed this kind of holy anger when he broke the stone tables of law (Ex. 32), and so did Jesus when He saw the hardening of the Pharisees' hearts (Mark 3:5).
It is remarkable how much the Bible has to say about the right and wrong use of money. It is also remarkable how many professed believers ignore these truths and use their resources without consulting the Lord. They think that because they tithe, or give offerings to the Lord, they can do what they please with the rest of their income. They forget that we are stewards of all that God gives us, not just of what we give Him, and that He will hold us accountable for our stewardship.
Why didn't Nehemiah know about this scandalous economic problem sooner? Probably because he was so immersed in the one thing he came to do—the rebuilding of the walls—that he had no time to get involved in the internal affairs of the community. His commission as governor was to repair the walls and restore the gates, not to reform the community. Furthermore, Nehemiah had not been in the city long enough to learn all that was going on.
In his third appeal, Nehemiah reminded them of God's redemptive purpose for Israel (Neh. 5:8). In the past, God redeemed Israel from Egypt, and more recently, He had redeemed them from captivity in Babylon. But this verse informs us that Nehemiah and others of the leading Jews had helped redeem some of their people, and now their fellow Jews were putting people into bondage just to make money. These selfish money lenders were tearing down everything that God and Nehemiah were trying to build up.
It is important to note that the building of the wall did not create these problems; it revealed them. Often when a church enters into a building program, all sorts of problems start to surface that people didn't even know were there. A building program is a demanding thing that tests our faith, our patience, and our priorities, and while it brings out the best in some people, it can often bring out the worst in others.
What is freedom? It is life governed by truth and motivated by love. But the Jewish brokers were motivated by greed and ignoring the truth of God's Word. Their selfishness put both themselves and their creditors into bondage.
Israel's witness to their Gentile neighbors (v. 9) was the fourth appeal Nehemiah presented to the guilty money lenders. God called Israel to be a "light to the Gentiles" (Isa. 42:6; 49:6), but their conduct was certainly anything but a witness to their pagan neighbors. How could some of the Jewish citizens build the city wall on the one hand but enslave their neighbors on the other hand? If we truly fear the Lord, then we will want to honor Him before those who don't believe in Him.
Consultation (v. 7). "I consulted with myself" means literally "My heart consulted within me." A friend of mine calls this "putting my heads together." Actually, Nehemiah put his heart and his head together as he pondered the problem and sought God's direction. He got control of his feelings and his thoughts so that he could give constructive leadership to the people. "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city"
Nehemiah 5
Lord, and this was a serious thing. "When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it" (Eccl. 5:4–5 niv).
Paul used a similar approach when he censured the Corinthian Christians for taking one another to court. "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? … But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers!" (1 Cor. 6:1, 6 nkjv). Far better to lose money than lose the privilege of your witness to the lost. You can always earn more money, but how do you restore a damaged testimony?
The great assembly was concluded with three actions that emphasized the seriousness of the occasion. First, Nehemiah shook out the folds of his robe, symbolic of what God would do with the money lenders if they didn't fulfill their vow. Shaking your robe or the dust off your feet was a typically Jewish act of condemnation (Acts 13:51; 18:6; Matt. 10:14).
"The fear of our God" is not the servile dread of a slave toward a master but the loving respect of a child toward a parent. To fear the Lord means to seek to glorify God in everything we do. It means listening to His Word, honoring it, and obeying it. "The remarkable thing about fearing God," wrote Oswald Chambers, "is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else." Because Nehemiah's life was motivated by the fear of the Lord (Neh. 5:15), he did not fear what the enemy might do (vv. 14, 19). The fear of the Lord moved Nehemiah to be a faithful servant of the Lord.
Then the congregation responded with a collective "Amen," which was much more than a Jewish ritual. It was their solemn assent to what had been said and done at the assembly (see Neh. 8:6 and Deut. 27:14ff.). The word amen means "so be it"; in other words, "May the Lord do all that you said!" It was an act of worship that made the entire assembly a part of the decisions that were made.
Then the whole congregation together praised the Lord. Why? Because God had enabled Nehemiah to help them begin to solve their problems, and he had directed the money lenders to acknowledge their sins and make restitution. This great assembly was not an "economic summit"; it was a worship service where Nehemiah had lifted a financial problem to the highest possible level. God's people need to follow his example and deal with every problem in the light of the will of God as declared in the Word of God.
To walk in the fear of God, of course, means to walk by faith, trusting God to deal with your enemies and one day balance the accounts. It means claiming Matthew 6:33 and having the right priorities in life. "The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil" (Prov. 19:23 nkjv).
In Nehemiah 5:10–11, Nehemiah appealed to his own personal practice. He was lending money to the needy, but he was not charging interest or robbing them of their security (Ex. 22:25). Unlike some leaders, Nehemiah was not saying, "Do what I say, not what I do!" He was not a hypocrite; he practiced what he preached. In fact, this chapter will conclude with Nehemiah pointing out all that God had enabled him to do for his people (Neh. 5:14–19). He was a good example as a believer and as a leader.
A great example (5:14–19) D. L. Moody said, "A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine." In our day of public scandals in almost every area of life, especially the political, how refreshing it is to meet a man like Nehemiah who put serving the people ahead of getting gain for himself.
Nehemiah never read Philippians 2:1–13, but he certainly practiced it. During his first term of twelve years as governor, and then during his second term of office (Neh. 13:6–7), he used his privileges for helping the people; he did not use the people to build a kingdom for himself. In that day, most officials exercised their authority in order to promote themselves and protect their personal interests. They had very little concern for the needs of the people. As children of God, our example is Jesus Christ and not the leaders of this world (Luke 22:23–30). "A cross stands in the way of spiritual leadership," writes J. Oswald Sanders, "a cross upon which the leader must consent to be impaled" (Spiritual Leadership, Moody Press, 1976; 105). In what ways are these men examples to us? To begin with, Nehemiah and his assistants did not use the official expense account for their household expenses, nor did they tax the people in order to have something to eat. They paid their expenses out of their own pockets and didn't ask to be reimbursed.
"The hundredth part" in verse 11 was the interest charged for the money, probably applied monthly, making a total of 12 percent interest a year. This practice had been going on before Nehemiah arrived on the scene and now the people were in despair as they tried to balance the family budget.
A man of action, Nehemiah told the brokers to restore both the interest and the security they had taken from their fellow Jews, as well as the property they had claimed in foreclosure. This drastic step of faith and love would not immediately solve all the economic problems of the people, but it would at least keep the problems from getting worse. It would also give the suffering people opportunity to make a fresh new start.
Nehemiah's sixth appeal was to remind them of the judgment of the Lord (vv. 12–13). The brokers promised to obey, so Nehemiah had them take an oath in the presence of the priests and the other officers of the city. This meant that their promise was not only between them and their neighbors, but between them and the
The apostle Paul followed a similar policy with the
Nehemiah 5—6
problems. Whenever God's work is prospering, the enemy sees to it that trouble begins. Don't be surprised when your people can't always get along with each other.
church at Corinth. He could have accepted support from them, as he did from other churches, but he chose to work with his own hands and preach the gospel to them "without cost" (1 Cor. 9). Paul did not say that every Christian worker should do this, for "the laborer is worthy of his hire" (Luke 10:7; 1 Cor. 9:14). But every Christian should follow Paul's example in having a balanced spiritual attitude toward wealth and ministry. We must be willing to sacrifice personal gain for the spiritual good of others (see Acts 20:33–35 and 1 Sam. 12:3).
Second, confront the problems courageously. "There is no problem so great that you can't ignore it" might be a good philosophy for a character in a comic strip, but it won't work in the Lord's service. Every problem that you ignore will only go underground, grow deeper roots, and bear bitter fruits. Pray for God's help and tackle the problem as soon as possible.
It has been said that leaders are people who accept more of the blame and less of the credit, but they are also people who quietly sacrifice so that others might have more.
Third, be sure that your own integrity is intact. A guilty conscience will rob you of the spiritual authority you need to give proper leadership, but every sacrifice you have made will give you the extra strength you need to defeat the enemy.
Nehemiah and his associates not only paid their own bills, but they were also careful not to exploit the people in any way (Neh. 5:15). The servants of previous governors had used their positions for personal gain, perhaps taking bribes from the people and promising to represent them before the governor. For people in places of authority, the temptation to increase wealth and power is always present, but Nehemiah and his friends walked in the fear of the Lord and served honestly.
Finally, see in every problem an opportunity for the Lord to work. Solving problems in ministry is not an intellectual exercise but a spiritual experience. If we depend on the wisdom of the world, we will get what the world can do; but if we depend on the wisdom of God, we will get what God can do. All that we say and do must be motivated by love, controlled by truth, and done to the glory of God.
The work had been interrupted by the calling of the assembly and the solving of the economic problems, and now it was time for everybody to get back to his or her place on the wall. But Nehemiah's enemies would also be busy. This time they would aim their ammunition especially at Nehemiah and try to defeat him with four devilish devices.
F.Compromise—6:1–4
They were examples in a third way: They all participated in the rebuilding of the wall (v. 16). They were not advisors who occasionally emerged from their ivory towers, but workers who stood with the people in the construction and defense of the city. Jesus said, "I am among you as one who serves" (Luke 22:27 niv), and Nehemiah and his aides had that same attitude.
CHAPTER SIX Nehemiah 6 WE HAVE HEARD THE ENEMY, AND HE IS A LIAR U
Nehemiah was an example in another way: He not only paid for his own food, but he shared what he had with others (Neh. 5:17–18). He regularly fed over 150 guests, both residents and visitors, and he gave them a marvelous meal! (See 1 Kings 4:22–23 for Solomon's daily fare.) It is estimated that this amount of food would meet the needs of over 500 guests, so Nehemiah must have kept "open house" constantly. Or perhaps he shared what was left with the people working on the wall. At any rate, he was generous to others and asked for no reward.
nder Nehemiah's gifted leadership, the people completed the rebuilding of the walls. Now all that remained to do was the restoration of the gates and the strengthening of the community within the walls. Since Sanballat and his friends had failed miserably in their attempts to stop the people from working, they decided to concentrate their attacks on Nehemiah. If they could eliminate him, or even discredit him, they could mobilize their allies living in Jerusalem (Neh. 6:17–18) and take over the city.
Nehemiah 5:19 indicates perhaps the greatest thing about Nehemiah's service: He did what he did only to please the Lord. This is the fourth of his prayers (1:5ff.; 2:5; 4:4), a wonderful expression of worship and humility. He didn't want praise or reward from the people; he wanted only the reward God would give him for his sacrificial service (see 13:14). Some of the people may not have appreciated their leaders as they should, but that didn't upset Nehemiah. He knew that the final assessment would come from the Lord, and he was willing to wait (1 Cor. 4:1–5).
The average person doesn't realize the tremendous pressures and testings that people experience day after day in places of leadership. Leaders are often blamed for things they didn't do and criticized for things they tried to do. They are misquoted and misunderstood and rarely given the opportunity to set the record straight. If they act quickly, they are reckless; if they bide their time, they are cowardly or unconcerned. Referring to the pressures of leadership, President
If you are in a position of spiritual leadership, this chapter has some important lessons for you. To begin with, expect problems to arise among your people. Wherever you have people, you have the potential for
Nehemiah 6
victions. First, he knew that they were lying and wanted to kill him (Neh. 6:2). Nehemiah had the kind of spiritual discernment that leaders must possess if they are going to detect the enemy's strategy and defeat it. Second, he was convinced of the greatness of the work God had given him to do (v. 3). If Nehemiah allowed himself to be distracted and detoured from the work God had called him to do, where would his people go for leadership? A leaderless project is an aimless project and eventually falls apart. Leaders must be good examples and stay on the job.
Harry Truman wrote in Mr. Citizen, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!"
People in places of spiritual leadership not only have the pressures that all leaders face, but they must also battle an infernal enemy who is a master deceiver and a murderer. Satan comes either as a serpent who deceives or a lion who devours (2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Peter 5:8), and Christian leaders must be alert and spiritually equipped to oppose him. It behooves God's people to pray earnestly, not only for those in civil authority (1 Tim. 2:1–3), but also for those in places of spiritual authority. If Satan can defeat a Christian leader, he can cripple a whole ministry and discredit the cause of Christ.
During over forty years of ministry, as I have watched Christian leaders come and go, I have tried to take Paul's admonition to heart: "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12 nkjv). I have noticed that when leaders become well-known, they often face the temptation to neglect their God-given work, join the "evangelical jet set," and start speaking all over the country or the world. Before long, the work at home starts to suffer, and often the leader's marriage and family suffer with it, and the enemy gets a foothold. Unless some radical changes are made in priorities, the result is tragic for both God's people and God's work.
The enemy's main purpose was to generate fear in the heart of Nehemiah and his workers (Neh. 6:9, 13–14, 19), knowing that fear destroys faith and paralyzes life. Adolph Hitler wrote, "Mental confusion, contradiction of feeling, indecisiveness, panic; these are our weapons." Both Jesus (Luke 13:31–37) and Paul (Acts 21:10–14) had to face the specter of fear, and both overcame it by faith.
Nehemiah didn't listen to the enemy's lies. He and the people completed the wall and hung the gates in only fifty-two days, much to the chagrin of their adversaries (Neh. 6:15–16). Satan used four strategies in attacking Nehemiah, strategies that he still uses against spiritual leaders today.
This is not to say that Christian leaders must never leave home to minister elsewhere, for they are a gift to the whole church and not just to one work (Eph. 4:11–12). But when "the wider ministry" is more exciting than the work at home, leaders must beware, for the enemy is at work. Dr. Oswald J. Smith used to say, "The light that shines the farthest will shine the brightest at home."
Compromise: "We will help you work" (6:1–4) Up to this point in the building program, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem (Gashmu, v. 6) opposed everything that the Jews did, but now they offered to cooperate and help the Jews build the wall. They offered to meet Nehemiah in a village halfway between Jerusalem and Samaria, a quiet place where they could make plans on how to work together. "We're willing to meet you halfway," was their approach. "Now, don't be an unfriendly neighbor!"
Behind these two convictions was a third conviction: The Jews had nothing in common with Sanballat and his crowd, so there could be no basis for cooperation. Nehemiah had made that clear at the very outset of the project when he said to Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, "But as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it" (Neh. 2:20 niv). God's people are different from the people of the world and must maintain their separated position (2 Cor. 6:14–7:1). If Nehemiah had cooperated with Sanballat and his allies, how could he have led the nation to separate itself from the foreigners in the land (Neh. 9:2; 10:28; 13:3)? He would have been inconsistent.
Of course, the enemy's strategy was, "If you can't whip 'em, join 'em—and then take over!" Once the enemy gets a foothold in a ministry, he starts to weaken the work from within, and ultimately, the work will fail. While cooperation in the Lord's work is a noble thing, leaders must take care that they cooperate with the right people at the right time for the right purpose, otherwise they may end up cooperating with the enemy. Satan is a master deceiver and has his servants ready to join hands with God's people so he can weaken their hands in the work (2 Cor. 11:13–15).
Nehemiah had both discernment and determination: He refused to be influenced by their repeated offers (6:4; see 4:12). If their offer was wrong the first time, it would be wrong the fourth time or the fiftieth time, and there was no reason for him to reconsider. Decisions based only on opinions might be reconsidered, but decisions based on convictions must stand unless those convictions are changed. Otherwise, decision becomes indecision, and the leader who ought to be a guidepost becomes a weather vane.
Loving compromise and cooperation can be good and useful things if there are no moral or spiritual issues involved. Happy compromise can invigorate a marriage or strengthen a ministry (Phil. 2:1–4), but this is compromise among people who love each other and have the same purposes in mind. When you invite the devil to join your team, expect him to change the rules and the goals, and expect to be defeated.
G.Slander—6:5–9
Slander: "We'll tell everybody about you" (6:5–9) The fifth time the enemy approached Nehemiah, it was
Nehemiah rejected their offer because of three con-
Nehemiah 6
His usual approach was to say, "It will blow over. Meanwhile, I go quietly on with my work." Nehemiah would have approved of his approach.
with an open letter accusing him of sedition. They had hinted at Jewish insurrection before the project had even begun (2:19), perhaps borrowing the idea from the people who had stopped the building of the temple years before (Ezra 4). Even our Lord was accused by His enemies of promoting sedition (Luke 23:1–5). It would be considered a serious charge in Nehemiah's day, because Persian kings tolerated no resistance from their subjects. Any hint of rebellion was immediately and ruthlessly put down.
Threats: "We will protect your life" (6:10–14) Shemaiah, a hireling prophet (v. 12), devised a clever plan for trapping Nehemiah. He shut himself up in his house and gave the impression that, like Nehemiah, his life was in danger. When Nehemiah came to see him, Shemaiah suggested that they both take refuge in the temple, where the enemy couldn't reach them (Ex. 21:13–14; 1 Kings 1:50–53). His words were very threatening: "They are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you" (Neh. 6:10 nkjv).
It's interesting to see how often the enemy used letters in their attacks against the work (Neh. 6:5, 17, 19). An "open letter" to a royal governor would be both intimidating and insulting. Letters to officials were rolled up and secured with seals so that only those with authority could open and read them. Sanballat wanted the public to know the contents of the letter because he hoped to undermine Nehemiah's reputation and authority. If some of the Jewish workers believed what was in the letter, Sanballat could organize them and create division within the ranks. It was a splendid opportunity for the enemy to divide and conquer.
Since he had access to the temple, it's possible that Shemaiah was of priestly descent, but even this didn't influence Nehemiah's decision. He quickly detected the hoax and let it be known that he was not about to run away in the face of danger. In the first place, he was not that kind of a leader.
"Should such a man as I flee?" he asked (v. 11). He had previously said, "I cannot come down!" (v. 3), and now he declared, "I will not go in!" (v. 11). Nehemiah was a true shepherd and not a hireling like Shemaiah (John 10:12–13). If he had run away and hidden in the temple, it would have ruined his reputation forever.
Statements like "it's been reported" and "they say" have caused trouble in many local churches and other ministries. In every organization, there are gossip-mongers, hovering like vultures, just waiting for tidbits of slander that they can chew, swallow, and then regurgitate. An anonymous wit has defined gossip as news you have to hurry and tell somebody else before you find out it isn't true!