Nehemiah 4:1-6

Nehemiah 4:1–6 KJV (WS)

1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

Introduction

Thank you to everyone who has said positive things about last week’s message.

I preach every message with the desire that the Holy Spirit would prompt you to change what needs to be changed.

The one’s who have said they want to overcome their excuses, I have prayed for you to carry through with your commitment.

After such a great display of internal unity, we might expect it to be smooth sailing from here on out.

But internal unity does not exclude us from external opposition.

Like a pathogen trying to break through the protective wall of a cell, outward opposition seeks to invade and disrupt the health of the body.

Though the people of Jerusalem are united, Sanballat and Tobiah are persistent in trying to cause division among the people.

Division among the people could delay or defeat their efforts to raise the wall.

This morning we are going to look on as the battle for progress continues.

The first thing we see is the destructive efforts of Sanballat.

Notice Sanballat’s reaction when he found out that work had actually begun on the city walls.

The passage says that he was wroth and took great indignation.

We understand that wroth means that he was angry.

The fact that he also took great indignation means that Sanballat chose to dwell on his anger over this news.

So much did he meditate on it that he became irritated and disturbed.

Sanballat could not experience rest and peace in his own life because he was so angry about what was going on in a city that didn’t even live in.

Though he probably wanted to, Sanballat could not bring any actual violence against the Jews.

They had the favor of Artaxerxes on their side.

Nehemiah had letters of authority from the king enabling to do what he was doing.

So, as we said last week, those who have no other weapon will turn to ridicule to try and stop what they do not like.

We see in this passage another tool available to the blow-hards of the world, intimidation.

Sanballat resorts to intimidation and mockery to try and crack open a gap whereby he can stifle the advancement of Nehemiah’s cause.

First, we see him talking to the army of Samaria.

There are some different opinions on this.

It seems like he may have brought an army within sight of Jerusalem to intimidate them.

The wall is making progress but it cannot prevent an attack at this time.

The city is in a precarious situation.

Sanballat does not attack the city though, at least not physically.

Instead, he uses the army as his primed audience.

These are his people so he can say whatever he wants to them and they will agree with him.

Sanballat gathers them or maybe takes them on a tour around the city.

As he does, he is shouting insults about the workers, the work itself, and the materials.

He calls the workers feeble.

Why are they feeble?

Simply because they are Jews.

He mocks their mission to provide safety for their city.

He considers them to be incapable of providing for their own protection.

For the last 100 years, they proven him right.

He mocks their faith.

Do they think their sacrifices will help.

The temple had been rebuilt 70 years earlier.

From the critical outsiders perspective, the Jew’s God had not helped them before, why did they think he would help them now.

Finally, he even mocks the building materials they were using.

Sanballat makes fun of Nehemiah for trying to use the same stones from the first wall.

The first wall was made of limestone.

Limestone is softened by fire and looses its durability.

To revive burnt stones means to restore strength and durability.

There was plenty of good material to use.

Limestone can be renewed by exposing it to carbon dioxide.

Now, as evil as he is, I have to at least give Sanballat some credit.

His ridicule is organized, thought out, and somewhat based on the facts of previous experience.

The next verse, where Tobiah speaks, is not as polished.

It’s like Sanballat is the serious or straight man and Tobiah is the dim-witted henchman.

Tobiah gives his two cents on the situation.

I can’t get the image out of my head of Sanballat walking around trying to look as menacing as possible.

You know, with his army following him reinforcing every accusation he makes.

And then there is Tobiah walking next to him.

He’s kind of stooped over.

He maybe has some drool hanging out of his mouth.

He’s most likely drunk.

He can’t stop laughing at everything Sanballat says.

Tobiah wants to get in on the game, he wants to make fun of the Jews too.

And so, in an obnoxiously loud voice, that is even annoying to Sanballat, Tobiah shouts in a slurred voice.

Nehemiah 4:3 “3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.”

Sanballat looks sideways at the fool and give him a patronizing grin.

Now, it was true that foxes had infested Jerusalem during the exile.

Lamentations 5:18 KJV (WS)

18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

Sometimes, even the words of a fool can cut.

Some people who can stand bravely while being shot at will collapse when they are laughed at.

What is Nehemiah to do with this?

How should he respond to the overt ridicule from Israel’s enemies?

Nehemiah responds to their mocking in a way that we must take note of.

We have to admit that some of what Sanballat and Tobiah said was true.

Nehemiah knew this too.

They were weak and the work was great.

Nehemiah’s trust was not in the strength of the people, it was always in God.

So, when Nehemiah heard what they had said, he committed the matter to God.

Verses 4-5 contain the third prayer of Nehemiah in the book so far.

We should learn from Nehemiah’s example.

People who overcome opposition and obstacles to make a difference for the Lord, are people that spend time with him in prayer.

Some weak-hearted commentators have a problem with Nehemiah’s prayer here.

They see him as being vindictive, harsh, and unchristian.

They would say that Nehemiah’s prayer illustrates, it does not instruct.

In his prayer, Nehemiah asks God to react strongly to the attacks of Israel’s enemies.

He asks that their sins be not forgiven.

He asks that the predator will become the prey.

He asks that their enemies will be carried away as they were carried away.

Nehemiah’s prayer resembles one of the imprecatory prayers of the psalms.

There are some important lessons that we must all learn from Nehemiah praying this kind of prayer.

Nehemiah prioritized prayer and he prayed honestly.

Too often, we talk to God the way we talk to each other.

We fill our prayers full of niceties about the weather and other stuff that doesn’t matter.

Only those who learn to tell the truth in prayer will enter into a more intimate relationship with God.

God is big enough to hear all of our prayers.

We do not obligate God to obey our will because we prayed something.

Prayer is a means by which God aligns our will with his.

We see this in Nehemiah’s life.

Sanballat and Tobiah had spoken their blasphemies within earshot of the builders.

The purpose of this kind of prayer is to give our grievance to God and then get back to work.

Anything that keeps you from doing what God has called you to do will only help the enemy.

Nehemiah combatted the ridicule of his enemies by giving the matter to God and getting back to work.

We see this in the construction update that is given.

The Jews kept working as though they had not heard the ridicule of their enemies.

To the half is a reference to the height of the wall.

They were settled in their minds that this is what they were going to do regardless of the mocking of others.

Application

This is just as important of a message for as last week’s message about overcoming excuses.

Excuses are internal opposition to the work God would have us to do.

Ridicule is an external opposition to God’s plan for your ministry.

Ridicule of Christianity has always been present.

Don’t think we are the first generation to face it.

Nehemiah dealt with it 2500 years ago.

One author said this, “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.”

The only way to avoid ridicule for your service to God is to just not do anything for God.

This is an unacceptable alternative.

Unfortunately it’s an alternative that many churches and believers have opted for.

The enemy loves this.

Thy say, just stay in your church and we will leave you alone.

We cannot stay holed up in our church any more than Nehemiah could stand to see the walls of Jerusalem lie in ruin.

Ridicule hurts though.

When people you thought were your friends start to make fun of you because of your faith, it hurts.

It makes you question your service to God.

How do we handle this?

Honest prayer to God.

We must learn to be honest with God.

He is our avenger, strong tower, protector, and judge.

We have free and open access to him so that we can cast our care upon him.

We have to let go of the ridiculous words of others against our faith.

We have to trust that God is able to handle the issue.

This will enable us to get back to work.

Conclusion

Have the words of others prevented you from staying engaged in the work God has given you?

Have you given their hurtful words over to the Lord?

We have a job to do, we have a mission to fulfill.

Whether internal or external, there is opposition to our work.

Let’s be like Nehemiah and refuse to allow opposition to withhold us from what God has for us to do.