Repairing the Breach
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But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were going up and that the breaches were being closed, they were very angry.
When we get delivered from people.
When we get delivered from people.
God uses all kinds of people. The chapter mentions rulers and priests (vv. 1, 12–19), men and women (v. 12), professional craftsmen (vv. 8, 32), and even people from outside the city (vv. 2, 5, 7). There was a place for everyone, and a job for everyone to do.
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.
And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
Neh
And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired.
The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
Some people will not work (). Tekoa was a town about eleven miles from Jerusalem, and some of their people traveled to Jerusalem to assist in the work. What a contrast between these people and their nobles! The Tekoites built in two places on the wall (vv. 5 and 27), while their nobles refused to bend the neck and work in even one place. Were these “aristocrats” so important in their own eyes that they could not perform manual labor? Yet Paul was a tentmaker (), and Jesus was a carpenter ().
The Tekoites were not the only “outsiders” to go to Jerusalem to work on the wall; for men also came from Jericho (), Gibeon, and Mizpah (v. 7). Their loyalty to their nation and their Lord was greater than their local interests. They were certainly safer back in their own communities, but they risked their lives to do the work of the Lord ().
And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.
“I like work, it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.”
Leadership is beyond you if serving is beneath you
Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.
Some people do more work than others (, , , , , ). Most workers are glad to lay down their tools when their job is finished, but these people asked for additional assignments. It isn’t enough for us to say that we have done as much as others; we must do as much as we can as long as the Lord enables us. Jesus asked, “What do you do more than others?
Some people work harder than others (). Baruch is the only worker of whom it is said that the work was done “earnestly” (“zealously,” NIV). The Hebrew word means “to burn or glow” and suggests that Baruch burned a lot of energy! “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (, NIV). Paul admonished the slaves to work hard for their masters because they were really working for Christ (). Lazy workers not only rob themselves and the Lord, but they also rob their fellow workers. “He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster” ().
When we can endure the Ridicule
When we can endure the Ridicule
verse 1-3
7-8
Neh
Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.
And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?”
Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”
Jeer:to mock v. — to treat with contempt, for example, verbally.
ridicule verb
to make an object of laughter <ridiculed him for his inability to perform the feat>
synonym RIDICULE, DERIDE, MOCK, TAUNT mean to make an object of laughter of. RIDICULE implies a deliberate often malicious belittling
Ridicule: British critic and author Thomas Carlyle called ridicule “the language of the devil.” Some people who can stand bravely when they are shot at will collapse when they are laughed at. Shakespeare called ridicule “paper bullets of the brain,” but those bullets have slain many a warrior.
Merriam-Webster, I. (1996). Merriam-Webster’s collegiate thesaurus. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster.Ridicule: British critic and author Thomas Carlyle called ridicule “the language of the devil.” Some people who can stand bravely when they are shot at will collapse when they are laughed at. Shakespeare called ridicule “paper bullets of the brain,” but those bullets have slain many a warrior.
And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?”
Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”
Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives.
Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.
IMPRECATION, IMPRECATORY PSALMS Act of invoking a curse. In the Imprecatory Psalms the author calls for God to bring misfortune and disaster upon the enemies (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ). These psalms are an embarrassment to many Christians who see them in tension with Jesus’ teaching on love of enemies (). It is important to recall the theological principles that underlie such psalms. These include: (1) the principle that vengeance belongs to God (; ) that excludes personal retaliation and necessitates appeal to God to punish the wicked (cp. ); (2) the principle that God’s righteousness demands judgment on the wicked (; ); (3) the principle that God’s covenant love for the people of God necessitates intervention on their part (; , ); and (4) the principle of prayer that believers trust God with all their thoughts and desires. See Blessing and Cursing.
Neh
There was a politician that was running for a particular office that turned real dirty real quick , The politicians opponent put out a bunch of malishus lies to attempt to damage the character and reputation of his opponent when the team of the accused politician asked their boss how were they going to respond to all of the lies and ridicule ...
He responded to his team and said every time there is a full moon my dog barks and barks and barks at that full moon and the full moon never responds the moon just keeps shinning!!
Let the dogs bark.
When we have the right Mind
When we have the right Mind
So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
We see Co-operation. “The people had a mind to work.”
Success in war is due to two principles. The one is, Divide your enemy; and the other is, Unite yourselves.
We see in this passage: I. Co-operation. “The people had a mind to work.” Success in war is due to two principles. The one is, Divide your enemy; and the other is, Unite yourselves. In proportion as co-operation has been real and vital, in that proportion has it been crowned with success.
II. Cheerfulness. “The people had a mind to work.”
Some men think that their function is that of critic
Sometimes people have a mind to talk, but not to work.
Some have a mind to complain not to work
Some have a mind to supervise not to work
Of course, the rebuilding of the walls and the setting of the gates also meant protection and security for the people.
Jerusalem was surrounded by enemies, and it seemed foolish for the residents to improve their property when nothing was safe from invasion and plunder.
Over the years, the citizens had become accustomed to their plight.
Over the years, the citizens had become accustomed to their plight. Like too many believers in the church today, they were content to live with the status quo. Then Nehemiah arrived on the scene and challenged them to rebuild the city to the glory of God.
Like too many believers in the church today, they were content to live with the status quo. Then Nehemiah arrived on the scene and challenged them to rebuild the city to the glory of God.
(3) As they worked with purpose, so they worked with cheerfulness.
III. Success. “And all the wall was joined unto the half thereof.”
Nicoll, W. R. (Ed.). (1958). The Sermon Outline Bible: 1 Kings– (Vol. 2, p. 163). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were going up and that the breaches were being closed, they were very angry.
When we can recognize the Enemy
When we can recognize the Enemy
And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints,
And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
When we get tied of the trash and not let the trash tire us.
When we get tied of the trash and not let the trash tire us.
In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.”
And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.”
When I’m Bold enough to keep Building
When I’m Bold enough to keep Building
When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah,
who were rebuilding the wall. The workers who were carrying loads did the work with one hand and held their weapons with the other,
And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.
In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.”
So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined (pp. 50–51). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.