The Prophet: Planning a defense

The heart of a prophet - Book of Nehemiah  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  53:34
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Fear!

What does fear mean?
Fear: (As a noun) an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. (As a verb) be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening. (Oxford Dictionary)
Bible encyoclopedia definition: The word “fear” in the context of fearing God is derived from the Hebrew word “yirah,” which translates to “awe” or “reverence.” This implies that “God-fearing” means having a deep respect and honor for God rather than being scared of Him
Can fear stop you in your tracks, cripple you from going forward, or to retreat from something?
Can fear of the Lord in you, increase your faith and keep you going regardless of circumstances?
Last week we finished with these verses and will use these to set us up for tonight.
Nehemiah 4:11–12 NASB95
11 Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “They will come up against us from every place where you may turn,”
Talk around town (actually from the people in outlying villages) was there was attack being planned, it was coming and they, the Jews in Jerusalem trying to rebuild the wall, will not know when it is coming. And the talk had been heard several times, it had been said time and time again and there was fear in the people.
Nehemiah did not respond immediately, was it that he stopped, prayed and waited for the Lord to lead him? Probably, but scripture does not tell us. Nehemiah knew personally that nothing would stop the task he was sent to do, but the people were afraid, they needed assurance, comfort.
FDR on March 4, 1933, in his first inaugural address, in the midst of the depression said this, and you may be familiar with it.
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
Though that was penned years before by author Henry David Thoreau, who similairly had said “Nothing is so much to be feared as fear.” - Fear can paralyze you, fear is contagious. Fear and faith cannot live, dwell, exist in the same heart. Jesus emphasized that:
Matthew 8:26 NASB95
26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.
Fear not only can paralyze you, and it is contagious, it can discourage and frighten others.
Deuteronomy 20:8 NASB95
8 “Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’
In our passage tonight we will see how Nehemiah plans a defence not just against pending attack, but against fear itself.

Our Passage

Nehemiah 4:13–14 NASB95
13 then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows. 14 When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and 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 houses.”
Nehemiah 4:15–16 NASB95
15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah.
Nehemiah 4:17–18 NASB95
17 Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. 18 As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me.
Nehemiah 4:19–20 NASB95
19 I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. 20 “At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
Nehemiah 4:21–22 NASB95
21 So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.”
Nehemiah 4:23 NASB95
23 So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water.
What do you notice in this passage, what sticks out to you?
Anything out of the ordinary you notice in (v.13)?
He stationed men, and station the people in families. Families he stationed families.
To conquer the fear of the people Nehemiah spoke some great things (v.14)
The Lord is great and awesome
Remember who you fight for, your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, your houses!
The enemy heard that the people knew of the pending attack, what happened then (v.15)?
All of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.
Remember previously the work had stopped for over 12 years, this project had been going on for almost 100 years and when fear gripped them they would stop.
What did Nehemiah do next (v.16)?
He had 50% work, 50% guard over all the work
What more do you learn from (vv.17-18)?
Everyone had a part, and everyone even the builders carried a sword. And the trumpeter stood near Nehemiah.
More instructions, this time about communication given (vv.19-20), what does he instruct them?
When you hear the trumpet rally there! Our God will fight for us.
the work continued night and day
From morning until night the work continued, but what more do you see, learn from (vv.21-22)?
Half people holding spears
Each man “and his servant” stay in Jerusalem so to be guard at night.
Prepared 24 hours a day is what we see in (v.23).

Preparing a defense.

Nehemiah 4:13–14 NKJV
13 Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
Nehemiah a man of action, put a plan in place, and then spoke the plan to the people.
These verses tell us what Nehemiah did, but think what he could have done.
Done nothing: “we have prayed and we trust the Lord will work it all out. The Lord will deliver us somehow.”
Could have panicked: “started thinking this job is too big for him to defend everyone.”
Could have doubted God. “Instead, he wisely and calmly trusted God amid the storm. He did the practical things God would have him to do to gain the victory.”
These were taken from Enduring word commentary.
Nehemiah gave instructions, come out with swords, spears and bows. All the peoples Nobles, leaders and the rest of the people.
Nehemiah encouraged them with reminding them how great and awesome the God who fights for us is. Consider (1Jn4:4).
1 John 4:4 NASB95
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
The guards are posted at the most vulnerable part of the wall, the enemy can see they are ready to fight and they retreat (v.15)
The work continued: The victory was not in the defending, the victory was in the work continued.
Courson: “when we are under spiritual attack it is easy to feel that just enduring the storm is the victory It isn’t. The attack often comes to prevent your progress and the work for the Lord. Victory is enduring the attack and continuing the progress and work for the Lord.”

Sword and the trowel

In 1865 Charles Spurgeon started a publication called the Sword and the Trowel taking it from this passage in Nehemiah he one said:
“It is a record of combat with sin and labor for the Lord.”
Wiersbe in his commentary says: “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.”
There were guards and there were workers on the wall, even the workers had sword on their side for the work would take the sword and the trowel to do it.
“The Kingdom of God is built with both a sword and a trowel, a sword to come against every spiritual force of wickedness in high places, and a trowel to do the work of building up the people of God.”

Be on the ready, 24/7

Communication was important and Nehemiah set a plan to keep the people on the ready.
The plan was for all to rally together if there was an attack at the place of the trumpet sound.
The plan was for 24/7, they worked from day to night, and were always on the ready even when not working.
Nehemiah throughout this passage encourages the people
They have a great and awesome God they are serving who fights for them.
They are in the midst of a great work in a great city with a great intent.
They may not be able to see one another for the work was vast and they were spread out, but they were united in the task and God was with them.
The people were working and listening for the trumpet sound, what a great example for us today as we should be working as we wait for the trump of God to sound one day (1The4:16).
1 Thessalonians 4:16 NASB95
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Nehemiah did not just encourage, he engaged by he and his own people being on the ready too 24/7. “He was a leader that served and a servant who led” (Wiersbe).
One more quote before we close out for it is a great plan for us today just as it was for them.
Alan Redpath: The people had a mind to work (v.6), a heart to pray (v.9), and eye to watch (v.9) and an ear to hear (v.20) and this gave them victory.”
May we learn from this passage, be encouraged and engaged by this passage in our walk today. For there are battles all around us and we need to be battle ready 24/7, we need to be immovable from our position of faith, and in our work for the Lord. Consider
1 Corinthians 15:58 NASB95
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
(Prayer) (Exit)
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