Neh 4

Introduction

Exciting times in the life of our church as progress is being made on the foyer remodel and the painting we are looking to do downstairs.

People being saved, baptized, completing discipleship, and signing up for discipleship.

I believed God was leading me to this study when I planned in back in October…what I didn’t realize was just how appropriate it would be for me as your pastor and for us.

Tonight’s lesson was a help to me in study and preparation as something I can keep in my toolbox for when times like what we are about to look to come.

If you remember where we left off last week, Nehemiah had come back and inspected the walls. He saw the dissaray that they were in. It was something the people there had been living with and hadn’t paid much attention to. After a midnight stroll to inspect the walls he brings the problems to the attention of the people who rally behind him and begin the work on the wall.

These were people from all walks of life that decided to get behind the man God had sent to do a work that would be glorifying to the Lord and better for the people.

Our application from last week was that everyone can do something…what are we doing?

This week I believe we will see what happens when God’s people unite under one purpose and begin working to accomplish something great for Him…I bet it’s not exactly what your thinking though.

tonight we will be going through and seeing what happens

Someone read for us

Nehemiah 4:1–3 KJV 1900

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.

I. Nehemiah’s opposition

We spoke about Sanballat and Tobiah last week and how they opposed the the rebuilding of the wall even before it was started. Now that the work has begun these two have become vocal in their opposition to the work being done.

They are talking amongst their friends and insulting the jews, making fun of God, and mocking the work they are trying to accomplish.

Anytime people try to do something great for the Lord there will at least be spiritual opposition to what is happening. That will typically manifest through people or circumstances that are brought on by people.

It can also be how our minds will begin to work and question or doubt what God is wanting to accomplish.

Opposition can either be internal or external and we can do a decent job of controlling both.

Ever doubted God or your faith? I have. Ever looked out on your life and asked “God, why, how?”

It happens to each of us and the way we can control it is by limiting who and what influences us. David wrote about this principle in

Psalm 101:3 KJV 1900

3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

When we separate ourselves from the wicked, evil, negative influences of doubt, fear, and other things of the world that can oppose living a life of faith in Christ we enable ourselves to be more readily available to take steps closer to the Lord and living a life glorifying to Him.

When we are more concentrated on the life the Lord would have for us we can then respond as Nehemiah did and be confident in the Lord.

Notice that confidence in verses 4-6

II. Nehemiah’s Confidence

Neh 4:4-

Nehemiah 4:4–6 KJV 1900

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.

We don’t have record of him in this moment responding to the words of Sanballet and Tobiah only his call out to God.

When we can turn to God first and trust in him to accomplish His will then we have out faith in the right place.

Nehemiah and the Jews did not allow the ridicule from around them stop what they were doing. They kept working.

When living by faith there will always be those who will question, mock, or doubt the actions you are taking. They might even become vocal about it but don’t let it stop you from living out a life that can appear sacrificial to others.

What do I mean by that? Appear sacrificial?

When a Christian begins living out their faith it could seem as though they are sacrificing fun, finances, time for themselves, etc.

And while in the beginning we may have that skewed view ourselves when you get to the other side of that, you look back and see how the Lord worked things out you realize, you didn’t sacrifice anything…you gained everything.

Nehemiah’s apparent sacrifice of living a posh life in the palace as the Persian kings cupbearer has lead him to this place where God has called him to lead during a difficult time but I believe Nehemiah would not tell you he sacrificed…he would say he gained. He gained the privilage to serve God. He gained the privilage to have an impact on his community. He gained the blessings that come when we live by faith.

By his example the Jews were able to join in on the work God had planned for them to accomplish allowing them to be blessed by living by faith.

When they were working on the wall some could say they were sacrificing their time and efforts that could have been spent on some personal pursuit yet I believe they would not had seen it as a sacrifice. That was an investment into the work of God and the benefits far out way the costs when we are in service to the king.

Nehemiah had opposition and when that opposition became more aggressive than just using words he had to increase his defense.

See with me Nehemiah’s defense

III. Nehemiah’s Defense

Neh 4:7-

Nehemiah 4:7–12 KJV 1900

7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.

Now Sanballet and Tobiah are conspiring on how they can attack the Jews and stop the work that has been halfway completed.

Nehemiah first sets a watch, most likely a single person or team of people on the top of the wall and the bottom of the wall.

Let’s keep going

Neh 4:13-

Nehemiah 4:13–18 KJV 1900

13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. 16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. 18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

On top of setting a watch he has equipped the people that are part of the work with what they need to accomplish the work and what they need to defend against the enemy.

He has even set up shifts of people to where half of them are working on the wall and the other half are awaiting the attack.

Ok, let’s keep going

Nehemiah 4:19–23 KJV 1900

19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. 20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. 21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. 23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.

:19-

Nehemiah 4:19–20 KJV 1900

19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. 20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.

Now lastly Nehemiah has put the people to work all across the wall doing a number of different tasks.

He has a trumpeter next to him and tells the people if they hear the trumpet to come to him.

What can we take from that?

When the enemy attacks an individual, the group, or the cause then we should band together and not shoot our wounded.

We should sound the trumpet and call for help. Not just in prayer but in practicality.

Right now Satan has free roam if you will in this world and the often goes after people and groups of people that are seeking to do the Lord’s work. When something happens it should not be a surprise to us, nor should we run and gossip to our friends. we should sound the trumpet and rally around the brother or sister in Christ.

We go on to see that the work continued and I would say at an even greater, more motivate rate than before. They weren’t even changing their clothes.

What’s the overall lessons from this chapter?

Living by faith will bring internal and/or external opposition. Continue to trust God. Don’t undo a decision you made by in faith unless your sure it’s God leading you to change directions.

The cause is great, the work is overwhelming, we can’t do it alone. How can we each individually contribute to what God is doing in our lives and the circles we are apart of?