Nehemiah 6

6:1ffSanballat and Tobiah were desperate. The wall was almost complete, and their effarts to stop its construction were failing. So they tried a new approach, centering their attacks on Nehemiah’s character. They attacked him personally with rumors (6:6), deceit (6:10-13), and false reports (6:17). Personal attacks hurt, and when the criticism is unjustified, it is easy to despair. When you are doing God’s work, you may receive attacks on your character. Follow Nehemiah’s example by trusting God to accomplish the task and by overlooking unjustified insults.

6:2The plain of Ono was about 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem. If Sanballat and Geshem could get Nehemiah to agree to meet them there, they could ambush him on the way.

6:7During these days, prophets such as Malachi proclaimed the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 3:1-3). Sanballat, with his usual flair for stirring up trouble, tried to turn Nehemiah’s people against him by saying that Nehemiah was trying to set himself up as the king. Sanballat also tried to turn the local officials against Nehemiah by threatening to report to the king of Persia that Nehemiah was starting a revolt. The fact that Sanballat had an open, or unsealed, letter delivered to Nehemiah shows that he wanted to make sure the letter’s contents were made public. But Sanbailat’s accusations were untrue and did not divert Nehemiah from his task.

6:9When opposition builds up against you or God’s work, it is tempting to pray, “God, get me out of this situation.” But Nehemiah prayed for strength. He showed tremendous determination and character to remain steadfast in his responsibility. When we pray for strength, God always answers.

6:10Shemaiah warned Nehemiah of danger and told him to hide in the Temple. Nehemiah wisely tested the message, exposing it as another trick of the enemy. People may misuse God's name by saying they know God’s will when they have other motives. Examine self-proclaimed messengers from God to see if they stand up to the test of being consistent with what is revealed in God’s Word.

6:10-13Nehemiah did not have the full support of the people. Shemaiah (6:10), Noadiah (6:14), and many of the officials (6:17) were working against him. When Nehemiah was attacked personally, he refused to give in to fear and flee to the Temple. According to God’s law, it would have been wrong for Nehemiah to go into the Temple to hide because he wasn't a priest (Numbers 18:22). If he had run for his life, he would have undermined the courage he was trying to instill in the people. Leaders are targets for attacks. Make it a practice to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1, 2). Request God to give them strength to stand against personal attacks and temptation. They need God-given courage to overcome fear.

6:15Daniel, who was among the first group of captives taken from Jerusalem to Babylon (605 B.C.}, predicted the rebuilding of the city (Daniel 9:25). Here his prophecy comes true. He, like Nehemiah, was a Jew who held a prominent position in the kingdom where he had been exiled (Daniel 5:29-6:3).

6:15They said it couldn’t be done. The job was too big and the problems were too great. But God's men and women, joined together for special tasks, can solve huge problems and accomplish great goals. The vision that Nehemiah saw through humble tears in Persia became a reality with God’s help every step of the way. Don’t let the size of a task or the length of time needed to accomplish it keep you from doing it. With God’s help, it can be done.