Nehemiah 4

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Read Nehemiah 4

Opposition to the Rebuilding

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”

Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.

10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”

11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”

12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.

16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.

19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”

21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.

Go Deeper

As if rebuilding the wall weren’t hard enough, Nehemiah encountered a new problem: the Samaritans and Ammonites. The Israelites had overthrown the Samaritans and Ammonites when they escaped from Egypt. Not only were the Jews back in town, they were rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem to defend the city and the temple. Sanballet and Tobiah, leaders of these groups, did what scared and threatened people do to make themselves feel strong—they ridiculed the Jews. They also realized the Jews were busy building, and this would be a great time to attack, so they gathered the troops for battle.

While this would have been an appropriate time to panic, Nehemiah did something else: he prayed and prepared. He recruited guards, equipped every worker with a knife, and developed a plan of defense. Even when the Jews fussed and fretted, Nehemiah called for them to focus: “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes” (v. 14).

When met with adversity, how do we respond?  Do we panic and persist in anxiety, like the Jews in today’s story? Luke 12:25 reminds us that anxiety is an empty offer: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his  span of life?” Do we ridicule and retaliate, like the Samaritans and Ammonites?  In Luke 6:27-28, Jesus commands us, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Do we sit back in apathy and hope for the best? 1 John 3:18 urges us:  “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.”

So what are we to do? We are to follow Nehemiah’s example to pray and prepare. We are to shift our focus from the fear and failure to God and the good. Philippians 4:6-7 promises, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Questions

  1. What is your default response to adversity? Does this response result in glorifying God?
  2. What is one challenge or area of difficulty you are dealing with today?
  3. How can you pray and prepare in this situation

Keep Digging

Read more about the Samaritans and their relationship with the Jews in this article from gotquestions.org.

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4 thoughts on “Nehemiah 4”

  1. My emotions are all over the place as I read this chapter. Why does life have to be so hard? In spite of opposition, progress continued for the rebuilding project. Through false accusations, exhaustion, & discouragement, Nehemiah encouraged the people to remember God’s strength and power. How vulnerable they must have felt working with a weapon in one hand and doing the job with the other hand. I sensed the urgency to press on as the laborers worked day and night. Today, in the middle of our “hard” we must choose which voice to listen to, the naysayers or our God. Will we use the Word as our weapon we carry in our hearts as we go about the business of living in this fallen world to guide, protect, and deliver us from evil? Will we trust in our sovereign God and choose faith over fear? 2 Chronicles 16:9 says “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself mighty on behalf of them whose hearts are perfect towards him.” Whatever comes, give us undivided hearts to honor your Name, Lord Jesus!

  2. “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

    A GREAT verse to guide me as I seek the welfare of my city, state, country and world. Am I fighting from my knees, remembering it is God who goes before me. Are my motives for that of others? Am I fighting for my wife, son, daughter and grandchildren? OR – Am I fighting out of my unrighteous anger and frustration, pride and self righteousness?

    (Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”) Jeremiah 29:7

    Do I truly have compassion and pray for those I deem to be my enemies? Or do I look on them with contempt and hatred? (“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”) Luke 6: 27-28

    God have mercy and bring me to live (or die) out of Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

  3. I love that they resumed work amidst the opposition and prepared to fight if necessary (vs 15-18). They didn’t let their fear keep them from their task. I think it’s a good reminder as we go about our daily lives, we must be prepared at all times for the schemes Satan has for us. Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us how to dress for battle daily against these schemes.

  4. Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”

    So many times I have felt this in my heart. The pile of rubble is so large, and I am so tired, it would just be easier to surrender to the darkness.
    And that again reminds me of the wide and narrow gates and how the road to redemption is long and winding.
    I pray that I would continue to put the work in. That Kingdom life would remain my focus and that I pursue him with reckless abandon.
    It is not easy. It is not always comfortable. However, it is worth it.
    As my angst subsides and peace begins to overcome my heart, I say a prayer of gratitude as I know, if not for Him, I would not have the energy or the strength to maintain the reconstruction.
    Thank you Jesus for your redemption and thank you for placing people around me that speak in verses as they continue to chisel at the damaged places of my soul and strengthen my resolve!

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