Nehemiah 4

Greeting

Good morning, church! It’s a pleasure as always to see you all this morning, and to share a word with you. As I was preparing for this morning, I found myself to be equal parts excited and challenged. As most of you know, I’m still very new to the role of pastor. I’ve been involved in ministry for many years, and I’ve taught the Bible in a number of different contexts, but preaching is still a comparatively new discipline for me, and although I’m no stranger to the Old Testament or teaching through it, I am very new to preaching from it. So as I approached this mornings text, I’ll admit it was not without a fair amount of trepidation as I pondered my ability. Perhaps as a bit of personal foreshadowing for the text to come, I experienced my own opposition to the work ahead. But as I continued to read the passage and commentaries by other faithful brothers who came before, and listen to sermons of others who have wrestled with this text, I became more and more excited for what it means to the Lords people and to His church. And my prayer as we approach this text, is that you would simply allow the Lord, by His Holy Spirit, to challenge you this morning. So with that, lets go to His word.

Passage

Nehemiah 4 CSB

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the Jews 2 before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” 3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!” 4 Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from your sight, because they have angered the builders. 6 So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working. 7 When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they became furious. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion. 9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night. 10 In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble. We will never be able to rebuild the wall. 11 And our enemies said, “They won’t realize it until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, “Everywhere you turn, they attack us.” 13 So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.” 15 When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall. 16 From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers supported all the people of Judah, 17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. 18 Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” 21 So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. 22 At that time, I also said to the people, “Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” 23 And I, my brothers, my servants, and the men of the guard with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.

Prayer

Let’s pray;

Heavenly Father, I ask this morning that You would speak to Your church, through Your Word, by Your spirit, and for Your glory. And its in Christs name I pray, amen.

Intro/Main Idea

For as long as I can remember, I have loved learning about US History. Mostly post-Civil War, but all US history has always gripped me. I’m not quite in my WWII-dad era yet, although I have started spotting a lot more grays in my beard, so I think we’re close.

But as a result of my fascination with US history, it was always a pretty easy subject for me in school. Especially my junior year US History. With a combination of great teacher, easy work load, and a subject I really enjoyed, I really excelled in this class.

As we drew near to our finals (or whatever they’re called in high school), there was a moment when I realized that I had done so well in the class that I didn’t even need to complete the final exam, I just needed to score well enough to not drop my grade. I did the math, and realized that I could answer something like 40% of the questions and then just turn it in. What was the point of answering more questions than I needed to?

It’s at this point that I need to speak to all of the kids and youth in the room - this is not advice. Please do not do this.

Looking back on this story, what stood out to me is that as I did the math, I wasn’t calculating how many questions I needed to get right, or even what percentage I was likely to get right. Just simply how many questions I needed to answer. Because I was so absolutely assured in my knowledge of the subject.

I was reminded of this story as I thought about the nature of confidence. We see in our passage this morning, and more broadly in the book as a whole, a powerful confidence displayed by Nehemiah. A confidence in his God, and in his calling.

And so our main idea this morning, if you take away nothing else, is this, very simply;

Walk Confidently in your Calling

We see Nehemiah faces moments of fear and of opposition, but he doesn’t lose confidence in what the Lord has called him to. He is firmly planted - deeply confident - in the calling that the Lord has called him to. And we see this confidence on full display in our text this morning. But even with the assuredness of faith, the opposition which Nehemiah and the Jewish people faced still has much to teach us today. And there are three things in our text this morning that I want us to pay attention to. First;

We should expect opposition

We see this in our text this morning in verses 1-4 and again in 7-8.

Nehemiah 4:1–4 CSB

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the Jews before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!” Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

Nehemiah 4:7–8 CSB

When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they became furious. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion.

By this point in their history, the Jewish people are truly no strangers to opposition. Virtually their entire existence has been plagued by oppressors. And not only oppressors, but at times, in fact, the Lord God Himself. As the Jewish people walked in obedience to the Lord, they often suffered aggression at the hands of their neighbors. And when they found themselves straying from the will of the Lord, they incurred His wrath.

And without a clear understanding of the nature and character of God, you’ve got to admit this sounds like a pretty hopeless scenario.

It’s not as if their situation is some delicate tightrope walk in which they can please both sides if they really work at it. Their reality is that they can please God or they can please man.

And again, if you’re not a believer, this is just such a foreign concept. This is where you’ll find that with many atheists, you’ll struggle to gain any ground. Because without a right understanding of the character of God, it’s easy to arrive at a picture of God as just some vindictive cosmic shot caller.

But we must remember what has led us here. Recall that most of the hate for the Jewish people throughout their history came simply as a result of who they were. They were a people, set apart. And we can certainly point to instances of hatred born of simple jealously throughout their history, but more often than not, the hate they received was out of fear. The opposing nations had a way of life that they were accustomed to, and the holiness of the Jewish people often threatened that way of life.

But this holiness was the very thing that made them who they were. Recall the moment in which the Lord established His covenant with them.

Exodus 20:1–6 CSB

Then God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Do not have other gods besides me. Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands.

The Lord is begins His covenant with Israel with a very simple reminder of who they are and who He is. He has chosen them as His people. He has rescued them out of the land of Egypt. And now He is the one who will set them apart by His commandments. He could have chosen any people as His own, but He chose them.

In just the same way, those of us who have placed our faith in Christ were likewise chosen by Him. And, believers under the new covenant are just like the Jewish people in that we have also been called to live holy lives.

And like the Jewish people, we too should expect that holiness to collide with the world around us.

John 15:18-19

John 15:18–19 CSB

“If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.

The world hates you. It’s not quippy little thing that we say as believers. It’s reality. Jesus is literally living through it in this moment as He speaks these words. 2000 years later, believe it or not, we still live in a fallen world, but we’re still called to live holy lives in that fallen world.

I spent a lot of time going back and forth trying to decide if I was going to mention this, but I think it provides a helpful reality check. I have no interest or intention in bringing politics into the pulpit, so I’ve redacted a few key words from this reading. But there was very recently a bill introduced for consideration in the state legislature that I think speaks quite well to the issue at hand. If you want to do some additional reading on your own time, this is senate bill 1554.

It states in part;

“No NGO shall knowingly or recklessly provide material support for the benefit of *redacted* within this state”

Material support is earlier defined in this document as “food, shelter, housing, transportation, legal services, medical care, financial assistance, or any other tangible aid or resource, directly or indirectly, that facilitates the presence, resettlement, or integration of individuals.”

And NGO is defined as “any nonprofit corporation, association, or organization organized under the laws of this state or any other state including, but not limited to, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, and advocacy groups”

The bill goes on further to indicate that any officer, employee, or agent of these organizations supplying such aid can be subject to felony imprisonment and fine.

I only bring this up because I think that often - and I’m guilty of this myself - many of us have been desensitized to the reality of the opposition to our faith by sensationalized media pieces. But this represents a very real, very clear opposition to work which Jesus called us to. And unambiguously sets the church in its crosshairs.

As believers, we are opposed.

But since we expect opposition, what should our response to it be?

Our response to opposition should be primarily prayer and perseverance

When the work begins, and with it the opposition, Nehemiah does not even acknowledge the jeering of Sanballat and Tobiah. Instead, how does he respond? Look back at verses 4-6

Nehemiah 4:4–6 CSB

Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from your sight, because they have angered the builders. So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working.

As we’ve seen several times already, Nehemiah’s response is to first go to the Lord in prayer. Before anything else, he begins with prayer. But what I love so much about this particular moment is the complete lack of response by Nehemiah.

How hard is that to do?

I know for me, it’s next to impossible. I have a tendency to be so motivated by a sense of justice that I always have to have that last word. I always have to explain why my way is the right way.

But Nehemiah prays, and then just carries on about the work.

And as I mentioned at the top of the message, this comes back to the settled nature of Nehemiah’s calling. He’s so secure in what the Lord has called him to that there’s no need in explaining himself repeatedly to his enemies. Recall that he’s already provided a defense once before back in Chapter 2.

Nehemiah 2:18a–20 CSB

They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and their hands were strengthened to do this good work. When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”

So when he is again confronted by his enemies, he simply gives it up to the Lord. But also not in a passive sort of “well, God, here they are again… help us out if you’ve got a minute.” No, look at the content of his prayer. He is again praying a bold, imprecatory prayer.

He is assured of what the Lord has called him to, and as such, he is, in faith, calling on the Lord to deal His justice upon those who would oppose His calling.

But then what happens?

They just start building.

There’s no interlude - nothing to suggest that they waited for God to deal with their enemies. Nehemiah prays a bold prayer, and then boldly resumes the work.

And this is where many of us often get stuck, I think, somewhere between the two.

We recognize the importance of prayer, and we recognize the importance of the work the Lord has called us to, but often times believers get caught waiting on a response to prayer. Or get too focused on the work and forget to pray.

I myself am a very task-driven person. I don’t like meetings, I don’t like planning, I get a picture in my head of the end result, and I start charging. Sometimes this works out great. Other times, it makes me a nightmare to work with for people like Justin or Sabrina.

And then I know plenty of people who are the complete opposite. They will conceptualize everything. They will spend hours, days, even weeks in prayer over something, and never make a move until they feel like the Lord has told them exactly what steps to take.

We have ample scripture we can point to reminding us to seek the Lord in prayer.

Philippians 4:6–7 CSB

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV

pray without ceasing,

Or even more pointedly,

Matthew 5:44 ESV

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

And

Luke 23:34 CSB

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots.

But we likewise have ample scripture calling us to act on what we’ve been called to.

1 Corinthians 15:58 CSB

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

And

Hebrews 12:1 CSB

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,

To be clear, I’m not advocating that focusing solely on prayer or solely on action is correct. I fully believe the Lord has called us to both. We were designed to be a praying people. But we were also designed to be people of action. Pursuing what is right, good, holy, and glorifying to God. And in the face of opposition, assured of our calling, we will find no greater comfort than seeking the Lord in prayer, and then continuing with the work he’s called us to.

But importantly, we were not designed to do this work alone. And that brings us to our third and final point this morning;

We must recognize the importance of unity in the face of opposition

We see this in verses 14-23

Nehemiah 4:14–23 CSB

After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.” When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall. From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers supported all the people of Judah, who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. At that time, I also said to the people, “Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” And I, my brothers, my servants, and the men of the guard with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.

The community of Israel was a crucial element in the success of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Were it not for a strong, unified goal amongst all of the people, they may well have been destroyed. It was the collective effort to both build and defend, even at the same time, which saw them through to success.

Without men standing in the gaps to defend while others built, or without holding a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other, the wall could not have been completed.

And just as the people of Israel were called, collectively, to a unified purpose, so too is the church.

I just want you to picture the logistics for a moment. If you’ve ever built anything, or pursued any kind of creative endeavor, you can appreciate the difficulty inherent in building with one hand and defending with another. Even if we don’t take it strictly literally, the complexity of the operation remains. And it stands to reason that some men would get tired or hungry, or lose focus or whatever the case may be. But because they were a united body, they could withstand.

There’s no chance I’m going to get through this next part with dry eyes, so just bear with me.

Some of you may not be aware of the journey that Katelyn and I have been on over the last couple of years. And this is certainly not unique to us. But it was unique for us. Over the last 20 months, we experienced multiple miscarriages in a row. And as I watched my wife suffer in a way I couldn’t understand, and as we mourned together, the fight slowly drained from each of us. And while it was the darkest season of our life together, I can confidently say that it was the love and the prayers of the Church which held us together, and brought us through. It’s because of each of you who carried the sword and stood beside us in those dark moments that I can stand here this morning.

So while we may not be fending off the literal, physical attacks of enemy armies, we are each constantly fending off our own attacks from the enemy, just like this one. And just as the Israelites found their success in combined efforts, we also fight best when we fight together.

Conclusion/Application

As we conclude this time together this morning, I just simply want to challenge you to spend a few moments considering your response to opposition. When you’re faced with those moments of struggle, do you respond in faithful pursuit of the Lord? Do you seek comfort and support in the body of Christ, or do you withdraw? In just a moment, as we always do, we’ll have a time of prayer and response in the partaking of the Lords Supper. We simply ask that you be a believer, baptized in the local church, though not strictly this church. Once you receive your elements, please hang on to them and Darrell will come up and lead us together.

Let’s pray;

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for this time together. Lord, thank you for your Church. Thank you for the calling which you have called each of us to, and for your Holy word to guide us in that calling. Lord I pray this morning that each of us here would be inspired and emboldened by your word to pursue your will. And I pray all of this in Christs name. Amen.