When Right Is Called Wrong
Notes
Transcript
Review
Review
Turn to Nehemiah 2:19-20.
After Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he discovered that the Jews had an attitude of resignation. They knew that the walls were destroyed, but they were unwilling to do anything about it. They had a defeatist mentality and it was sourced in unbelief. They simply didn’t believe that God could do the impossible.
On the other hand, Nehemiah had an attitude of expectancy. He saw the same problems that they did, but he had a completely different perspective on it because he believed that God could enable them to overcome all of those problems. He expected God to do the impossible. His attitude was infectious. God used that one man to inspire the whole community of the Jews to believe God also!
Introduction
Introduction
I once read a story about a high school student who refused to cheat on a big exam, even though almost the entire class had agreed to share answers. The teacher was known for giving impossible tests, and most students justified it by saying, "We’re just balancing the scales."
When the student refused to participate in the cheating, the other students didn’t praise her for her honesty. Instead, they called her selfish, a tattletale-in-waiting, and someone who thought she was “better than everyone.” She wasn’t trying to expose anyone; she just wanted to earn her grade honestly. But right was called wrong. Integrity looked like betrayal to those who were invested in their dishonesty.
Sometimes doing the right thing will make you isolated, and people will twist it into something negative for their own selfish reasons.
That is exactly what happens to Nehemiah in our text.
Read Nehemiah 2:19-20.
This morning, I’ve entitled my message, “When Right Is Called Wrong.”
Nehemiah nobly threw himself into the middle of the mess at Jerusalem. He decided to follow God’s moving in his life and go lead the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. This was a great cause! This was a worthy cause! This was a righteous cause!
But just as he was preparing to start the project, some enemies showed up at the sidelines who saw his good and began to call it evil.
What To Do When Right Is Called Wrong.
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A cause under attack - Nehemiah 2:19.
Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem attacked Nehemiah from several different angles. And this isn’t their only attack by the way. They’re going to show up multiple times throughout this book.
Now who were these guys again?
Sanballat was the governor of Samaria, the region to the north of Jerusalem. He had a Babylonian name, but he was likely Jewish. His sons’ names make reference to Yahweh, the God of Israel, rather than to a pagan god like his name. We’ll see later on that his daughter was married to the grandson of Jerusalem’s high priest. In summary, Sanballat was a powerful figure in the region.
Tobiah was a man of great influence. It’s not entirely clear what his position was. He may have been a governor also, but that’s not certain. What is clear from the book of Nehemiah was that he had powerful connections and he used those against Nehemiah at every turn.
Geshem is widely believed to have been an Arabian ruler. He may have ruled as a vassal state of the Persian Empire. He coordinated with Sanballat and Tobiah to prevent the rise of Jerusalem as a city and player in the region.
These three men coordinated several attacks against Nehemiah and his cause.
Application: Christian, don’t be surprised when right is called wrong. Don’t be shocked when you take the high road and instead of getting a “thank you”, you get a takedown. It happens all the time. It can happen at work. It can happen in your community - maybe some interaction with your neighbor. It can even happen in the local church.
Sometimes right is called wrong because of a misunderstanding. People make snap judgments and sometimes they misjudge your intent or your actions. I don’t think that was the case here though.
Sometimes right is called wrong simply because we have an enemy. This was the case with Nehemiah. You see, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem didn’t like Nehemiah. It seems that they saw him as a political threat, but they weren’t his main enemy. Satan was the one behind these attacks. Sanballat and the others were just pawns in Satan’s hands.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
So Christian, don’t be surprised when you do right and you get attacked as though you did wrong. Satan and his demons specialize in that. Resist getting demoralized when it happens. Rather, be aware that this is one of Satan’s choice weapons.
This attack took several forms:
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The cause was mocked
Laugh…to scorn: To stammer, to stutter. Imagine someone who has a stutter, someone who stammers and has difficulty speaking words. Now imagine someone who mocks that person by copying them and making fun of them. That’s the image that this word conveys.
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The cause was despised
Despise: to lift your head up and look down at another; to regard with contempt
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The cause was questioned
Really? It wasn’t even a legitimate question. Nehemiah was very clear on what he intended to do. The king of Persia had written letters stating what Nehemiah was going to do and these letters had been given to the governors. It’s possible that Sanballat and the others had been among the recipients of these letters! There was no mistaking why Nehemiah was there. That didn’t stop Nehemiah’s enemies, however.
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The cause was maligned
In my opinion, of all the attacks against Nehemiah and his cause, this was the most ridiculous. These guys suggested that Nehemiah was looking to rebuild the walls so that he could lead the Jews in rebellion against the king.
I mean, really? Come on. The king had signed off on the project. It had his express approval!
Application: When right is called wrong, the enemy will peddle every lie that they can. They’ll throw anything at the wall and see what sticks. When that happens, don’t be surprised, don’t give up, don’t lose hope.
So we see a cause under attack. Secondly…
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A cause on offense - Nehemiah 2:20.
In 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte won a decisive victory at the Battle of Austerlitz. He won because he Changing His Strategy Based on the Attack that he saw coming.
First, Napoleon pretended his right flank was weak, deliberately positioning fewer troops there. This baited the Austro-Russian forces into committing a major attack on that side.
Second, once the enemy concentrated forces on his right flank, Napoleon launched his main attack in the center, smashing through their weakened middle.
Third, as the enemy tried to reinforce their collapsing center, Napoleon ordered one of his generals to hold the right flank until reinforcements arrived. Meanwhile, his elite Imperial Guard and cavalry reserve counterattacked at key moments, adapting to the enemy’s movements.
By cleverly maneuvering his troops, Napoleon crushed the Austro-Russian army, capturing thousands of prisoners and forcing them into retreat. His ability to adjust strategy in real-time—luring, counterattacking, and shifting forces—secured one of his most famous victories.
The attack on the Jewish cause in Jerusalem required a careful strategy also. Different attacks call for different strategies. What do you do when right is called wrong? What do you do when your good is evil spoken of?
Read Nehemiah 2:20.
Warren Wiersbe outlines several ways that Nehemiah could have dealt with their attacks:
For one, Nehemiah could have ignored it - and sometimes that’s the wisest thing to do.
Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him.
Application: When your right is called wrong, sometimes the best way to counter such attacks is to ignore them. This is often true for churches. Just because someone leaves a bad review or speaks poorly of your church may not warrant a response. If you have built a good testimony over time, it may be best to just let your testimony speak for itself.
Besides that, Nehemiah could have debated it. He could have sat down and dialogued with Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, and tried to reason with them. Depending on the situation, gracious dialogue may be all that is necessary to clear up a misunderstanding. But this wasn’t a misunderstanding. This was an attack on their righteous cause.
So there is a third option you can take when your right is called wrong. You can do what Nehemiah did.
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Nehemiah appealed to a higher authority
If I might summarize Nehemiah’s response, he basically says, “You think you’re going to scare me with the power of the king? I know a higher King! I know a king that overrules even the king of Persia! I appeal to the God of Heaven in this dispute!”
Application: Church family, when right is called wrong, always look to and appeal to a higher authority.
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: For the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
When your right is called wrong, remember that it is not just “you” versus “them.” Let God be the judge.
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Nehemiah rested in the blessing of God
If I could put Nehemiah’s response in our terms, in essence he said, “well, if you won’t help us, that’s okay. The God of heaven will.”
Application: When your right is called wrong, rest in the blessing of God. I don’t know how many times He has to say it, but God gives us so many assurances in His Word that He is near to the righteous.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: But the Lord upholdeth the righteous.
So make sure you’re on God’s side. Make sure you’re on the side of right. Sure, it can be discouraging to have your right called wrong, but it’s worth it if it means you’re on God’s side.
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Nehemiah determined to move forward - without them
Nehemiah made three things clear: Rebuilding the wall was God’s work; the Jews were God’s servants; and Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem had no part in the matter. Sometimes leaders have to negotiate, but there are times when leaders must draw a line and defend it.
Wiersbe, Warren W.. Be Determined (Nehemiah): Standing Firm in the Face of Opposition (The BE Series Commentary) (p. 40). (Function). Kindle Edition.
Application: This was one of those times where it was necessary to draw a line and stand by it. Was it easy? No. Did it endear his enemies to him more? No. Did it pacify them? Did it stop them? No. But Nehemiah stood his ground in doing right and that was all that mattered. Nehemiah may not have changed Sanballat’s mind, but his courageous stand emboldened the Jews that were following him and that’s all that truly mattered. Your bold stand for what is right may not change the mind of your enemies, but it may be a real game changer for those standing on the sidelines.
Conclusion
Conclusion
When Right Is Called Wrong, Be like Nehemiah. Be Committed.
