In the Face of Opposition

Nehemiah 4:1–9 NKJV

1 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?” 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.” 4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! 5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders. 6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. 7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, 8 and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

Nehemiah 4:17–18 NKJV

17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. 18 Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.

Sanballat’s Psychological Warfare

Prayer of vv 4-5:

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

4:4–5 This prayer has no introductory remark about who speaks it, but the narrative implies that it is said by Nehemiah, since he is the character who has spoken in the first-person up to this point (2:9–20).

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4

This prayer is based on the promises made by God in the Abrahamic covenant—specifically, the promise to bless those who blessed Abraham’s descendants and curse those who cursed them (Gen 12:1–3). Since Yahweh had already pronounced judgment on Israel’s enemies (Joel 3; Jer 46–49), the prayer simply calls God to act on what He promised. This prayer is reminiscent of those found in the Prophets (Obad 15–21; Hab 2:6–17) and the Psalms (Pss 35; 58; 59; 69; 109; 137).

The New King James Version Chapter 4

4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! 5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders.

Rubbish -

Clearing the rubble to rebuild the 1st century church.....

The New King James Version Chapter 4

Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?”

Nehemiah 4:10 NKJV

10 Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”

Families:

Nehemiah 4:13–14 NKJV

13 Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

Also see the last part of chapter 3.