Refuse to Be Afraid - Meditations on Nehemiah 6

“But I said, ‘Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.’ And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me.” (Nehemiah 6:11-13)
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Sanballat knew that fear is a powerful force. It lurks in the shadows of the unknown and undermines our every action. It floods the soul with questions and anxiety. What if I can’t do this? What if I fail? What if I lose everything? Am I being a fool? Fear betrays our insecurities and exposes our weaknesses. It’s a pessimist that fights against our hope by making us see only negative possibilities.

Nehemiah saw past the deception. He knew that the consequences of acting in fear were worse than anything that fear could imagine. By acting in fear, he would have run away from his responsibilities, he would have went to a place that was forbidden for him, he would have sinned against God and tarnished his reputation with the people who followed him.

But Nehemiah refused to act in fear. Not that he was never afraid, but he didn’t allow his fear to control him or to determine his actions. He knew that Sanballat and Tobiah were plotting to kill him; he knew that Shemaiah, a man who ought to have been his friend, was working for them. And yet, Nehemiah didn’t think his life is worth saving if it meant compromise. Instead, he did as he always did: he prayed that God would take care of it and then went on about his business (Nehemiah 6:14-15).

How was Nehemiah able to look the threat of death in the face and turn his back on it? How did he overcome his fear? Notice the two questions Nehemiah asks in verse 11, specifically the phrase he repeats about himself: “such a man as I…man such as I.” The key to Nehemiah’s courage was found in his understanding of who he was, both in relationship to people and in relationship to God.

Nehemiah’s first question was, “Should such a man as I run away?” What kind of man was he that it would have been unacceptable for him to run away? He was the leader of the people, the man responsible for the completion of the wall. He understood that he had undertaken a great task that would require a lot of effort to keep the people motivated. He had already had to deal with multiple issues that distracted the workers and drew them off task. He had urged them when they were idle, encouraged them when they were discouraged, rebuked them when they were disruptive, and praised them for their sacrifice and dedication. What, then, would become of the people and the wall that they were building if Nehemiah ran away? Worse than being without a leader, they would have a leader who demonstrated to everyone that nothing he had said was a reality for him. So because Nehemiah was in a position of honor, authority, and responsibility, he could not and would not run away.

Nehemiah’s second question was, “And what man such as I could go into the temple and live?” What kind of man was he that it would have been unacceptable for him to hide in the temple? The answer is not the same as the answer to the last question. There, Nehemiah stressed his position of honor and authority. Here, the stress is on his lowliness and sinfulness. Yes, he was a man who was above other men, but even more important, he was a man who was infinitely below God. God had not permitted him to enter the temple, only priests were to do so. Nehemiah’s position of authority over people did not give him the authority to disregard God’s instructions. So he would not act in fear of Sanballat. The fear of God displaced the fear of man.

If we are to overcome fear in following God, we must learn to cultivate a view of ourselves that takes in both of these aspects. Christians are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that [we] may proclaim [God's] excellencies” (1 Peter 2:9). We are called to live in such a way that when unbelievers speak evil against us and try to make us afraid, they might see our “good works and glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). We need to know the great honor that God has given us in calling us by his name, to display His glory in a world that is ignorant of it. Should those who have been honored like this disregard their calling and cower in fear? Certainly not!

Along with this, we need to cultivate a proper understanding of our position before God. We have, indeed, been called by his name. But we have not been made God's equals. God is still holy, and he requires us to be holy like Him. We call Him Father, but He will still judge the way we live. We must still “conduct [ourselves] with fear throughout the time of [our] exile” (1 Peter 1:15-17). Can a person who is intimately aware of his Father’s presence carelessly disregard His promises and precepts? Will he compromise his relationship and spurn the price with which he was purchased because of fear?

May the Lord deliver us from fear by teaching us who we are in Him!

Strengthen My Hands - Meditations on Nehemiah 6

“For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.’ But now, O God, strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah 6:9)

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Nehemiah knew Sanballat’s intention. His previous tactics had been aimed to hinder Nehemiah by force and intimidation. Now he aimed at making him afraid (cf. Neh. 6:13-14, 19). If he could get Nehemiah to fear what might happen, Nehemiah would be crippled and would give up.

Oh, to be like Nehemiah! He knew that in himself there was every possibility to run out of strength. He knew that his hands weren’t strong enough for the work. But he also knew that the work was not his own and that the strength required to complete it would have to come from another source. He looked to God for that strength.

Jesus taught that you and I are no different. He said, “As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me…apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). The life that God has called us to is a hard one. In fact, it’s an impossible one. Just as we didn’t have the power to save ourselves, so we don’t have the power to continue to grow in grace. The promises that God has given us are too radical; the hope too countercultural; the life of sacrifice and love too demanding. The only way that we can succeed is to get our strength from Christ.

Have you ever reached a point where you just didn’t think you could go on? When was the last time you gave up living intentionally for God because it was too hard? Maybe that particular sin has beaten you one too many times and you’re ready to throw in the towel. Maybe you’ve taken a step of faith into the unknown. You’ve been okay so far, but now you’re in a situation where failure is certain if God doesn’t come through. Whatever the details are in your case, the fear is real and you are painfully aware that you don’t have the strength to continue.

Learn from Nehemiah’s example. Having weak hands is not a bad thing. It teaches us to cry out to the One whose power is perfected in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Say to Him: “Father, I don’t have the strength to do this on my own. This is what You have called me to in Christ. Give me Your strength to do what I can’t do myself.” Prayer offered to God in faith and complete dependence is the kind He loves to answer. In doing so, He demonstrates His power and faithfulness to His children and confounds the wisdom of the world.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” (Ephesians 6:10)

You Don't Need to Justify Yourself - Meditations on Nehemiah 6

“In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. In it was written, ‘It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, “There is a king in Judah.” And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.’ Then I sent to him, saying, ‘No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.’” (Nehemiah 6:5-8)

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If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again - and, of course, change your tactics. The first four requests that Sanballat send to Nehemiah were verbal requests sent by a messenger: “Go ask Nehemiah to come.” Nehemiah had refused each of these requests, so Sanballat decided to attempt something different. Instead of extending a verbal invitation, he would send an official document. It was an invitation laced with formalities and pleasantries, somewhere between a casual letter and a subpoena.

Dear Nehemiah,

You have been charged with rebellion and treason. People (and especially Geshem) are saying that you are planning to declare yourself king! We would love to meet with you so that we can clear this up. We’re here to help.

Sincerely,
Sanballat

Sanballat's efforts would be laughable if they weren't so sinister. Did he really think that Nehemiah would fall for his trick? “I know we haven’t been on the best of terms, Nehemiah, but I really think we can be friends.” A wolf putting on his sheep skins right in front of the shepherd would have had a better chance of deception. And then what is this comment about Geshem? “If Geshem says it, it must be true!” Really? I’m sure that he was an important person and all that, but this sounds like the third grade again.

Did he really believe that Nehemiah wouldn't catch the insult? Letters were supposed to be sealed so that the contents would not be public information. This was true especially of formal documents or appeals, such as this letter purported to be. Sanballat didn’t bother; he sent an open letter. Its contents were public information.

Nehemiah’s response was typical. He wasn’t convinced of Sanballat’s change of heart, he didn’t take offense at the insult, and he didn’t try to defend himself. He could have published an official document himself, refuting the charges brought against him. He could have met with Sanballat to try and clear things up. He didn’t do either. He simply dismissed the letter as he had the verbal invitations: “You’re making this stuff up. Now go away.” He let the accusations stand and went on with his work.

Nehemiah wouldn’t have been able to respond like this if he had not been grounded in truth. He knew that he was doing God’s work; he knew that his motivations were pure and right; he knew that God would give him the strength to complete the work; and he knew that God would protect him from his enemies. In short, he knew himself and he knew his God. Because he was secure in his God, he didn’t have to worry about what Sanballat, or anyone else, said.

You probably won’t experience the kind of opposition that Nehemiah did, but you are no stranger to accusation. You may be accused by your friends, family, or coworkers. You may be accused by your own conscience. Satan is “the accuser of our brothers…who accuses them day and night before our God” (Rev. 12:10). He loves to point out what you’ve done wrong, how you’ve failed, the sins that you love.

The only way that you will be able to respond correctly to these accusations is to know who God is for you in Christ and to know who you are in Christ. You must be grounded in the truth that God is for you and that you are accepted by God because of Christ. No accusation, whether true or false, will ever separate you from Him. Jesus Christ has taken all of your accusations upon Himself and then faced the consequences of those charges. You are free in Him – you don’t have to answer the accusations – and free of guilt in Him.

The devil’s singing over me an age old song
That I am cursed and gone astray
Singing the first verse so conveniently
He’s forgotten the refrain.
Jesus saves!

From the song Embracing Accusation, by Shane Barnard

How do you respond to insult and accusation? Do you feel it’s necessary to defend yourself? If so, why? How does knowing your identity in Christ free you from the need to justify yourself?

Don't Go to Hakkephirim! - Meditations on Nehemiah 6

"Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, 'Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.' But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, 'I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?' And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner." (Nehemiah 6:2-4)

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As I sit here and type, there is a fly that keeps trying to land on my head. I keep swatting at it, but it doesn't give up. It's made up its mind that it wants to be there. I didn't think much about it at first, but since it keeps on trying it's become a nuisance. Sometimes I think that flies just believe it their responsibility to distract and annoy me.
 

I'm not sure if that's the way Nehemiah felt about Sanballat and Tobiah, but I wouldn't be surprised. Those guys just would not give up. They have ridiculed Nehemiah, attempted to entice the workers away from their task, and rounded up opposition. Now they're attempting a new scheme. Nehemiah must have been getting annoyed with these two flies.
 

Their latest attempt to foil Nehemiah's plans was to draw Nehemiah out of the city to a place called Hakkepherim. We don't know exactly where this place was; this is the only reference to it in the Bible. We are only told that it was in the plain of Ono (called the valley of craftsmen in Nehemiah 11:35), a town about 30 miles north-west of Jerusalem. They probably hoped to pass the invitation off as an attempt at a truce, meeting at a half-way point between Nehemiah's base of operations and their own.
 

I wonder if the name, Hakkepherim, tipped Nehemiah off to their real intentions. Sanballat certainly could have picked a place with a name that didn't carry the implications of this one. The word Hakkepherim is related two other Hebrew words. The first word means to cover or hide. It came to indicate the covering over of sin that was accomplished by the Jewish sacrifice. By extension, it referred to a ransom or the price of a life. The second word is usually translated "young lion."
 

If the name is any indication of what went on at Hakkepherim, we might assume that it was a place that had to do with sacrifice. Perhaps it was where the remains of sacrificial animals were discarded. Or perhaps it was a place that was inhabited by wild animals. In either case, it couldn't mirror more precisely what Sanballat and Tobiah had in mind for Nehemiah. They wanted to get him to a secluded place and quietly dispose of him. They were the wild animals; he was the sacrifice.
 

Four times Sanballat and Tobiah asked Nehemiah to meet them at their ambush and four times Nehemiah refused. It would have been easy for him to give in to their requests. He might have justified it by thinking that he could finally put an end to their pestering. But Nehemiah was a man committed to finishing his task. If he had stopped to confer with his opposition, he would have implied that what they had to say was more important that what God had said. Instead, he considered the task that God had entrusted to him more important than his personal convenience or safety. He concerned himself with his work and trusted God to deal with the lions prowling about in his back yard.
 

How do you respond when opposition is constant and unyielding? Most of us can withstand a few blows of opposition, but we soon buckle if the pressure refuses to let up. We need to remember that it doesn't matter what threats or enticements may be put before us, if we leave off what God has called us to do in order to pursue other things, those things may very well prove to be our Hakkephirim.

How to Confront Sin – Meditations on Nehemiah 5

So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them." (Nehemiah 5:9-11)

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    I hate confrontation. It's uncomfortable and I never know when it's going to backfire. But sometimes confrontation is necessary. The consequences are too great if certain behavior is not addressed. When I used to manage a restaurant, I was always having to talk to one person or another about their behavior. To be honest, I wasn't the best at it. Usually, I either blew up and attacked the person along with the behavior or I blew smoke - I fumed and worried about their behavior and then, when I finally spoke with them, the speech that I'd rehearsed in my head for so long turned out to be more of an apology for bothering them than a reprimand.

    I doubt that I'm the only one who dislikes confrontation. I'm also pretty sure that there are others like me in the way that they respond. We don't like what confrontation does to us: it forces us to expose our emotions to ourselves and ourselves to others. Will we find something in ourselves that we don't like? Will the other person take offense and quit the job, relationship, church? Those of us who are positions of authority (and most of us are: parents, business owners, babysitters, teachers, managers, etc.) would do well to learn from Nehemiah's example.

    Nehemiah didn't lose his temper and blow up when he heard that certain people were exploiting their fellow Jews. We saw this yesterday. He took a moment to take counsel with himself and evaluate the situation. But he also avoided the tendency to sugarcoat the reprimand. He didn't beat around the bush when he confronted them. He spoke plainly and described their behavior in specific terms: "You are exacting interest, each from his brother" (Neh. 5:7). He didn't make any attempt to hide his frustration or to apologize for being confrontational. He was still angry with them for selling their brothers to their own people (Neh. 5:8). He freely expressed his emotions without allowing his emotions to control his response. He then told them that their behavior was unacceptable and sinful: "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?" (Neh. 5:9). He also demanded that they make things right and give back every thing that they had taken (Neh. 5:11).

    Notice that Nehemiah never demeans or belittles those whom he is reprimanding. He makes the reprimand about the behavior, not about the individual. The behavior is wrong, unacceptable, and must change. The consequences for refusing to change are severe. But there is no character assassination going on here. The aim is restoration, to correct the behavior and restore the individual.

    How do you respond to the sinful behavior of people under your authority? Do you blow up or blow smoke? What can you learn from Nehemiah's example? Comment on this post and share your experience.

 

Take Counsel with Yourself - Meditations on Nehemiah 5

"I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, 'You are exacting interest, each from his brother.' And I held a great assembly against them and said to them, 'We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!' They were silent and could not find a word to say." (Nehemiah 5:6-8)

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Nehemiah was angry when he heard about how some of the Jews were disregarding God's law and taking advantage of others. But he didn't immediately storm off and denounce their behavior. He first took some time to consider the matter and to consider his own attitude. Only then did he confront the guilty persons.
 

Nehemiah was angry, as he should have been. These people were exploiting others who were sacrificing their own comforts for the sake of Jerusalem. The broken-down walls were a reminder of God's judgment on Judah's past unfaithfulness. Now, even while they were trying to repair the damage done by forsaking God's law, they were disregarding the law. Nehemiah did right to be angry. But he didn't lose his temper and blow. He first "took counsel" with himself.

The text doesn't explain what he means by, "I took counsel with myself." All that we can do is speculate about what thoughts went through Nehemiah's head. I think it would be a good guess to say that he thought about what they were doing, what God had to say about what they were doing, and how he should respond. In other words, he got his facts straight and then determined how to proceed.
 

This is not our normal behavior. We act first and act questions later. Looking back, we see that our actions were motivated by pride, sinful anger, or ill will. Our first impulses are usually driven by passion rather than love of truth and righteousness. If we are to avoid these first impulses, we must learn to "take counsel" with ourselves before we act. We must get the facts straight, make sure our hearts are right, and then determine how to act.

How many times do you react to a situation without having all of the facts? Do you force yourself to stop in order to find out what God has to say about the situation? Do you take the time to take stock of what is going on in yourself before you respond? What is your usual way of responding to what you perceive to be violations of justice?

The Progression of Sin - Meditations on Nehemiah 5

"Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards." (Nehemiah 5:5)

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Have you ever been in a situation where nothing seems to be going your way? Everyone and everything seems to be conspiring against you. Sometimes circumstances are just out of our control. This was the case with the Jews. Not only were they sacrificing their time, energy, and resources to rebuild the wall, not only were they being opposed by their enemies, but now there was a famine in the land. The fields were not producing, grain was scarce, there was no bread. The people began to wonder where their next meal would come from. How could they continue to work on the wall when they didn't even have food to eat? Shouldn't the next meal be the top priority?

Apparently, some of the Jews decided to take matters into their own hands. Even if everybody couldn't be fed, they would make sure that they and their families were. They outnumbered other families, so they could take advantage of their numbers to shift the food supply in their favor (Neh. 5:2). But they didn't stop there. Once they got control of the food supply, they realized that there was a way for them to make a profit, too. Some families who had land but no food were made to mortgage their properties in order to buy it (Neh. 5:3). Other families who had some food but were low on cash mortgaged their properties in order to get money to pay their taxes (Neh. 5:4). The situation got so bad that some people, when their mortgage ran out, had to give their children up to forced labor so that they could put food on the table.

Obviously, what these people were doing was wrong. Nehemiah reacted sharply to their behavior. But it should be noted that these were not particularly evil men and women. They were "Jewish brothers" (Neh. 5:1). When they were confronted about their actions, they responded positively and vowed to restore everything that they had taken (Neh. 5:12). They were not hardened in their rebellion; they were men who had gotten carried away and led into sin by their own desires and unbelief.

How did this happen? What can we learn from their behavior? Is there a warning here that we need to head? Consider two things:

1. They attempted to work a salvation for themselves. The people had been opposed by their enemies, enticed by their friends, and made to doubt by their own fears and weakness. Nehemiah had confronted all of these threats with the power and promises of God. Until now, God had been enough. What, then, made their faith waver at this point? They were afraid that God would not provide for their basic needs. They did not trust that God would sustain them in the work even in the midst of famine.

This unbelief led them to attempt to work a salvation for themselves. Since God was not doing anything, they determined to make things right in their own power. Inevitably, this is where things really go wrong. Unbelief is a sin making sin. Just as Saul, acting out of desperation, offered sacrifice instead of waiting on God (1 Samuel 13:8-14), these people decided that it was better to act now before things got worse.

    

2. They took advantage of their brothers for their own benefit. Maybe they didn't even think about what God had said about charging interest from their fellow Jews when they devised their plans (Ex. 22:25-27; Lev. 25:35-38). If they did, they probably justified their actions by telling themselves that it was necessary in order to survive. In either case, their first sin lead on to more and greater sins. This is standard operating procedure for sin: lawlessness leads to more lawlessness (Romans 6:19). It is like a fire that consumes everything in its path. You can't bargain with it. You can't tell it to take only so much and nothing more. The more it is fed, the stronger it grows and the more it demands. Just as David's failure to fulfill his responsibilities led to adultery, deception, and eventually murder, their sin had advanced far beyond what they had originally intended.

Take a moment to examine your own life. Are you desperate about anything, afraid that God will not come through? Or are you trusting in His promises even in the face of hardship? Is unbelief beginning to grow in your heart? You must confront it at its first stages with the promises, power, and faithfulness of God.

Perhaps you have already moved beyond unbelief and have taken matters into your own hands. Maybe you are already in a pattern of sin that has taken you further than you wanted to go. Don't give your sin any room to make excuses. Confront it now with the law of God and condemn it. Recognize the guilt of your sin, confess it and repent. Then turn to the cross and ask God for grace to sustain you. There is time now for you to get off the path to further sin.

A Triple Threat - Meditations on Nehemiah 4

"And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. In Judah it was said, 'The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.' And our enemies said, 'They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.' At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, 'You must return to us.' So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, 'Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.'" (Nehemiah 4:9-14, ESV)

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Obedience to God is hard. Your faith will be tested and your patience stretched. There will be times when it seems that there is no hope of succeeding: that sin will never be defeated; that coworker will never be open to hearing the gospel; this church plant will never get off the ground. Threats arise on every side and at any time. The worst threats are those that come not from our enemies, but from our friends, those people that we thought had supported us, or from ourselves.
 

This is what is happening in Nehemiah 4. Sanballat and his gang were openly hostile to the work that God had called Nehemiah to do and were threatening the Jews with war. In these verses, we see their scheming again, "They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work" (Neh. 4:11). They knew that the Jews were beginning to be overwhelmed by the size of their task. The Jews' anxiety, or so Sanballat figured, would cause them to be careless and unprepared for an attack. The Jews wouldn't know what hit them until it was too late. This was a significant threat, but it wasn't the only one, perhaps not even the primary one.
 

There were significant threats from people who should have supported the work. The Jews who lived nearby, attempted ten times to get the volunteers to give up (Neh. 4:12). These were the brothers, fathers, friends, and neighbors of the men who had travelled from other cities to help restore the walls of Jerusalem. Perhaps the nobles of Tekoa were among the number (Neh. 3:5). These threats were not threats of violence or physical harm, but they were threats. They were threats to the completion of God's work. They were threats to the prosperity and blessing of the Jews. They were threats to the unity of the people. They were masked in kindness and wrapped in concern, but they were, indeed, still threats.
 

There was still another threat that encroached upon the work: the internal threat among the people involved in the work. They began to struggle with despair and questioned whether they would have the strength to finish what they started. They began to complain: "The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall" (v. 10).
 

This, perhaps, was the greatest threat of the three. A man can continue to pursue his work in the face of adversity if he believes that it is worth it and attainable. He will press on if he has hope. But where hope has begun to fade, the onslaughts of others become increasingly effective. The threats of violence cause a man to cower in fear and avoid the work. The threats of kindness offer comfort and security and cause a man to long for something other than the work. Once this hole of despair begins to open up in the hearts of people, all other threats become palpable. It presses down on the man both from within and from without until his resolve must crumble beneath the pressure.
 

So how are we to deal with this triple threat? How did Nehemiah deal with it? He dealt first, with God, and then he dealt with the people. Much has already been said about prayer and the way that Nehemiah trusted in God. He understood the work to be God's work and so, ultimately, God would be the one to give success. Any opposition that arose, therefore, was something that was aimed towards God, and something that God would take care of. So Nehemiah prayed about everything. But he didn't just pray, he also pursued his prayers. After praying to God for protection and deliverance, he "set a guard as a protection against them day and night" (v. 9). He prayed and then acted like God was really going to answer his prayers. God would deliver them from the hand of their enemies and he would use the guards to do so.

Nehemiah also dealt with the people. This he did in two ways. First, he addressed their fear. He said, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome" (Neh. 4:14). This was not merely a pep talk, telling the people to keep their chins up because God was great and would deliver them. Nehemiah was pointing back to the mighty things that God had done in the past, the ways that God had delivered his people before from greater enemies than these. He was recalling the words of Deuteronomy 7:21, where God encouraged the children of Israel before they went in to take possession of the Promised Land. Were these present enemies greater than Egypt? Were they greater than all of the nations that Joshua drove out of Canaan? Were they greater than Assyria, Babylon, or Persia? If, then, the great and awesome God could deliver his people from such great enemies, what obstacle did Sanballat present?
 

Nehemiah also addressed the people's desires. He understood that they did not labor just under the threat of harm, but they also had the threat of promised pleasure. He said, "fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes" (Neh. 4:14). He made it clear to those working that the task in which they were involved was no trivial matter. It was a matter of life or death to those whom they loved the most. It had direct impact on their homes and families. Sure, they could leave the work and find immediate comfort back in the towns from which they came. But the cost of such short-term comfort would prove to be greater than they would really want to pay. Now was the time to give up a little comfort in order to secure the blessings and prosperity of their families.
 

Where are the threats in your life? They may be from the outside (those who are openly opposed to you pursuing God's will or those who wrap their opposition in concern) or it may be from the inside (despondency from fear or the promise of greater pleasure elsewhere). Take some time to identify the things that draw you away from actively pursuing God's will and then consider how you might counter these threats. Do you need to give your circumstances and their outcomes up to God? Do you need to remember God's unfailing faithfulness by recalling the mighty works that he has done in the past? Do you need to be reminded of the importance and the promises of doing the will of God? May God grant you grace to search yourselves and counter any threats that may arise.

A Prayer of Dependence - Meditations on Nehemiah 4

"Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders" (Nehemiah 4:4-5)

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Nehemiah's first response to opposition was prayer. This shouldn't surprise us. He prayed when he heard the news of Jerusalem. He prayed when he was pressed to give an answer to Artaxerxes. Now he prays when threats arise that might possibly hinder the work of rebuilding. This prayer demonstrates something about Nehemiah's attitude and something about Sanballat's offense.

Nehemiah's repeated prayers prove that he considered the work of building the wall to be God's business first of all. God had called him to it and God would grant him success. Too many times, we feel God's direction concerning a matter and then live and work as if the success of the thing was entirely up to us. But God does not call a person to a task and then sit back and watch. That belief is called deism. Instead, he expects us to work diligently, all the while depending on him. We are to have a constant awareness that our strength to work is produced by him and our progress and success will be granted by him.

Nehemiah's prayer also shows that Sanballat's offense was not, primarily, against Nehemiah or the Jews. His offense was primarily against God. Nehemiah could have prayed, "They have provoked the builders in your presence! Hear and judge them!" This would not have been wrong, but it wasn't the most accurate assessment of what was going on. Instead, he prayed, "They have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders." Because the work was God's work, Sanballat's attempts to interfere were not, as he thought, an offense to the Jews. They were an offense to God, himself.

Examine your own motives and efforts. How are you approaching the things that God has called you to do? In may be starting a new church, sharing the gospel with your friends, or spending time in the Word and prayer. Are you approaching the task as if it depended on your strength, your efforts? Or are you consciously aware of your dependency on him?

How are you responding to the opposition to what God has called you to do? Do you see it as a personal attack? Do you feel the need to justify yourself? Remember, God has a greater interest in his work than you do. Give the matter up to him and trust him to deal with the opposition as he sees fit.

Opposition is Inevitable - Meditations on Nehemiah 4

"Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, 'What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?'" (Nehemiah 4:1-2)

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Opposition is inevitable when you begin to do something new and unexpected. Nehemiah's experience was no different. When he proposed to the Jews that they rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, there were men who attempted to intervene (Neh. 2:19). They ridiculed Nehemiah and accused him of rebellion. Nehemiah responded to their accusations by pointing out that God would make them prosper, that they would work diligently even in the face of resistance, and that men like Sanballat had no part in the blessing that God had promised.

This appears to have silenced the dissenters for a while, but Sanballat and his followers did not give up their attempts to stop the work. In fact, Sanballat was furious that Nehemiah had disregarded him and went ahead with rebuilding anyway. Since the voices of just a few men were not enough to stop the Jews from rebuilding, he turned to his "brothers and…the army of Samaria." His tirade against the Jews was meant to stir up animosity and thus to recruit more people to join in the resistance.

Sanballat's denunciation was fierce, a mixture of sarcasm and contempt. He accused the Jews of being feeble; they were weak and didn't have the physical or mental fortitude to complete the work. He laughed at the idea that they would "restore [the wall] for themselves," especially when they were surrounded by others who did not want the wall to be restored. Their numbers were just too small to be of any significance. He was amazed that they thought that they would be able to reinstitute the sacrifice, or that doing so would do any good at all. The sacrifices that they used to offer hadn't done them any good. He ridiculed their optimism; they were working as if they could finish the wall in a day. He pointed out the impossibility of success by making fun of the "heaps of rubbish" that they were working with.

There will always be men like Sanballat when you attempt to do what God has called you to do. Your faith and your lifestyle looks ridiculous to them. They don't understand why it is that you are doing what you are. They talk about you behind your back. They avoid you in the grocery store. They give you funny looks when they see you in your front yard. Under the pretence of concern, they point out the difficulty of the task. Sometimes, they question your sanity to your face. It may be outright: "You're doing what?" Or it may be implied: "Bless your heart."

Starting a new church is not something that most people understand. It requires you to give up your time, your money, and your talents. Many times the result of your sacrifice doesn't equal the amount of effort put in. It is a long, strenuous process, marked by frustration, obstacles, and setbacks. The very nature of planting a church presents enough difficulties. If we are unprepared for the Sanballat's that will surely come, we are in danger of capitulating under their disapproval.

We must be ready for opposition before it arrives. We must be sure of the vision and work to which God has called us. We must be consistent in encouraging one another. We must be diligent in prayer.

How have you experienced opposition when you attempted to do what God called you to do? How did you respond?

What Kind of Person Are You? - Meditations on Nehemiah 3

"And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord." (Nehemiah 3:5, ESV)

 

"After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel." (Nehemiah 3:27, ESV)

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    There will always be people who can't catch the vision. For whatever reason, they don't see what you're so excited about. In this instance, it was the leaders of Tekoa, a city 12 miles south of Jerusalem. We don't know why they refused to help in the project. It may be because they felt that it was too far from home. Traveling was quite different 2400 years ago. The feet were the normal mode of transportation. At an average of 2.5 miles per hour, this 12 mile trek would have taken five hours, and that doesn't include potty breaks!

    Of course, this is just conjecture. There could have been a hundred reasons why they didn't volunteer. They were just as creative at making excuses as we are today. Nehemiah indicates, though, that behind their excuses was pride: they "would not stoop to serve their Lord." Repairing the wall was beneath them. They considered in unimportant, not worth their time or effort.

    By reducing all of their excuses to this one thing, Nehemiah makes a significant implication about pride: it is pervasive. Pride is one of the sins that usually lie behind all other sin (unbelief being the other). In other words, sinful actions do not sprout without the soil of sinful thoughts. Just as right behavior comes from right thinking, so wrong behavior comes from wrong thinking.

    Pride is the mindset that develops when the self is the center and goal of our thoughts. We all know people who think that they are better than everyone else, that they are God's gift to humanity. But pride is not always so obvious; it is usually much more subtle. It is the unspoken motive that seeks to preserve one's own comfort, convenience, and aspirations. It is the attitude behind the belief that we don't need any help from anyone, from God or other believers. It is the driving force behind the false humility of those who see themselves as perpetual victims or those who insist that they don't have anything to offer. In a very real sense, we are all guilty of pride in one form or another.

    Now compare the nobles of Tekoa with the men whom they governed. Nehemiah tells us that the Tekoites did not follow their leaders' example. They were willing to stoop. In fact, they were willing to stoop low enough to help repair multiple sections of the wall (along with Meremoth and Meshullam, Neh. 3:4, 21, 30). They could have done one section and called it good; they had done their part. But instead of saying, "That's not my job," they did what needed to be done. These men were humble enough to put the task and the good of the community above their own personal convenience.

    What about you? Are you more like the men of Tekoa or their nobles? Are you so noble that you don't think it your job to do the menial labor that is often required in the life of the church? Or are you willing to be inconvenienced and offer yourself for the good of those around you?

 

(This is not to say that there are never instances where a person cannot help out. It is simply a reminder that we ought to keep our motives in check. I am grateful that most of you have proven your willingness to pick up a trowel. Your work and your humility have been a great blessing!)