The Prophet: More attacks from enemy

The heart of a prophet - Book of Nehemiah  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  55:47
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Deception

Deceived (verb): (of a person) cause (someone) to believe something that is not true, typically in order to gain some personal advantage.
Have you ever been deceived?
Have you ever had someone try to deceive you but you had discernment to know better?
Can you think of people in the bible that were deceivers?
We know that Satan is the father of lies (Jn8:44).
Deception, lying are always for selfish purposes, and you will see this in our passage tonight the snares, the deceptions that are thrown at Nehemiah to try to stop the continued building of the wall.

Looking at the Word!

Nehemiah 6:1–2 NASB95
1 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, 2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.
Nehemiah 6:3–4 NASB95
3 So 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?” 4 They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.
Nehemiah 6:5–6 NASB95
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.
Nehemiah 6:7–8 NASB95
7 “You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.”
Nehemiah 6:9–10 NASB95
9 For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands. 10 When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.”
Nehemiah 6:11–12 NASB95
11 But I said, “Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.” 12 Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Nehemiah 6:13–14 NASB95
13 He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me. 14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.
What do you notice in this passage?
Why did Sanballat send a message to Nehemiah (vv.1-2)?
To try to get him to meet together to do harm
Why? Because the great work going on the wall
How did Nehemiah respond, and how many times (vv.3-4)?
Doing great work, can’t stop now
Four times in same manner
What is the accusation against Nehemiah he received in the hand delivered letter (vv.5-6)?
You are planning to rebel
You are to be their king
What was the threat (v.7) and response (v.8)?
We are going to report these things to the king
You are inventing these things in your own mind.
All the trying to frighten, discourage Nehemiah and the workers did what to Nehemiah (v.9)?
Drove him to prayer!
What was the suggestion made to Nehemiah by Shemaiah (v.10)?
Let’s meet together in the temple, close the doors for they are coming to kill you at night.
What did Nehemiah discern and say (vv.11-12)?
Discerned that Shemaiah was a false prophet on payroll of Sanballat
Why should I flee? I will not go into the temple to save my life!
After Shemaiah tried to get Nehemiah to sin by entering the temple (v.13), what does Nehemiah do (v.14)?
Pray
(Transition) in our passage Nehemiah is attacked in three phases, so may we look at them together in the time we have tonight?

The snare of the enemy’s friendship

Word that the rebuilding of the wall gets to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem and the rest of the enemies.
Time was running out for them, the wall was built to 1/2 it’s height but the doors, gates were not put in place yet. So, if they were going to stop the work, it had to happen now.
A deceiving letter sent four times; claiming friendship, but was really to do harm.
Nehemiah was able to discern beyond the outward appearance to understand what this friendly offer was really all about.
makes me think of 1Sam16:7
1 Samuel 16:7 NASB95
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
We started with talking about deception, lies earlier tonight, what kind of deception is being used here? - - the deception of being a friend, while behind the scenes it was danger.
Discernment is the ability to judge matters according to God’s view of them.
I think we can struggle with spiritual discernment at times, following a leader who looks good, but does not follow God’s word and instructions.
It was said maybe he was thinking of Pro27:6
Proverbs 27:6 NASB95
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
Staying with discernment just a few minutes more, here are some suggestions I found.
First, develop discernment by knowing God through His word. You want to see things His way, you have to know His way.
Second, grow spiritually, grow beyond the milk to the meat beyond salvation consider Heb5:12-13
Hebrews 5:12–13 NASB95
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
Hebrews 12:14 NASB95
14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
Third, ask the Lord to give you discernment.
Without discernment you can be deceived.
Using discernment Nehemiah did not let him get distracted or detoured from the work. Nehemiah was able to stay focused.
One I read that hits home with me is:
“Anyone doing a work for God must contend with a hundred different noble causes, and a hundred things that might look good ---and be good--- but they are not what they are called to do at that times. Discernment gives focus.

The subtlety of the enemies slander

Slander began with vague accusations of what others said, believe, and exaggerating things that are not factual.
Slander may infuriate you, but you cannot let it distract you or detour you from the work God has for you.
Nehemiah was told was rebelling against the king.
Nehemiah was supposedly going to appoint himself king, and is appointing prophets
Even when given direct threats to report to the king, Nehemiah only responed with you invent these things in your own heart. He calls Sanballat out and gives no credit or weight to his slander.
Remember Nehemiah had discernment to see the truth, this slander strategy was only to try to cause fear to stop the work, and it did not work.
Redpath: “No man can lead a work of God if he allows himself to be governed by what others think. He is to secure help, fellowship, prayer, advice, and he is foolish not to take it; but if his ultimate decisions are based on popular opinion he is going to fail.”
What more did Nehemiah do? He prayed. Prayed for God’s strength, God’s power.
(transition) we are not done yet, a few more verses to look at this evening

From snare, to subtlety to the scandal

Look at the time, if have time then turn to the passage
Nehemiah 6:10–11 NLT
10 Later I went to visit Shemaiah son of Delaiah and grandson of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home. He said, “Let us meet together inside the Temple of God and bolt the doors shut. Your enemies are coming to kill you tonight.” 11 But I replied, “Should someone in my position run from danger? Should someone in my position enter the Temple to save his life? No, I won’t do it!”
Nehemiah 6:12–13 NLT
12 I realized that God had not spoken to him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 They were hoping to intimidate me and make me sin. Then they would be able to accuse and discredit me.
Nehemiah 6:14 NLT
14 Remember, O my God, all the evil things that Tobiah and Sanballat have done. And remember Noadiah the prophet and all the prophets like her who have tried to intimidate me.
Nehemiah was given discernment again, this time regarding a false prophesy from Shemaiah.
It sounded good, come take refuge in the tabernable of the the Lord (ref: PS61:4)
Nehemiah knew that Shemaiah was trying to instill fear and was an instrument of Sanballat.
Side note: Only Priests were allowed into the temple, Nehemiah was not a priest and he knew he would be breaking God’s law by entering.
Nehemiah stood bravely, confident in the work and the protection of the Lord and prayed to the Lord as was his practice.
So, when we face opposition, do we do as Nehemiah did here.
Pray, seek discernment
Apply discernment and stand boldly on the whole counsel of God.
(Prayer)
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