Nehemiah— A Conspiracy 210912

Nehemiah 6:1-14

As you join me this morning I encourage you to get your Bible and turn to Nehemiah 6 and hold it there for a moment.

Conspiracy as defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is— to join in a secret agreement to do an unlawful or wrongful act or an act which becomes unlawful as a result of the secret agreement— or to act in harmony toward a common end.

Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem had a good thing going. They had become allied with the Jews of the land and were making some handsome profits through exploiting the poor of the land. It was a lucrative gig for them.

Do you remember why they’re upset— Nehemiah 2:10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel. You want to mix things up, just start caring for the unfortunate of the world and you’ll find out real quick who your friends are. That’s a fact you can take to the bank. Continuing with the story…

Someone with letters from the king had come to help the children of Israel. He had authority. He had resources. He personally had the kings ear and they were not consulted.

As I mentioned last week, intimidation was their first attempt at stopping the work. Remember, Nehemiah countered with Prayer, Precautions, Preparedness and Perseverance. The wall continued to be repaired. The element of surprise was gone and Sanballat’s bullying had been confronted head on. He went home to sulk and think about what to do next.

So, the Three Stooges hatch a plan or a conspiracy if you will. It was the old “if you can’t beat them, join them” or get them to join you. That’s where we pick up here in chapter 6. I want to encourage you to be mindful of something— many parts of the story in Nehemiah are Messianic in nature. Meaning they point to the life of Jesus. How Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem conspire against Nehemiah is exactly how the Devil conspired against Jesus and how it still happens today in the church. This is a profoundly timeless story of leadership through crisis and opposition against the work of God.

There are four elements of their conspiracy— incite fear, stop the work, ruin reputation through slander, and to cause religious deception and sin. (Repeat).

Now let’s read together our lesson from Nehemiah 6:1-14–

1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), 2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm.

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”

4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner.

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written:

It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king. 7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, “There is a king in Judah!” Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together.

8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.”

9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.”

Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.”

11 And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!” 12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

This is just a little side not here, but just because someone says they’re a prophet and they say, “thus says the Lord,” doesn’t mean it’s from God.

I John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.