Facing opposition

Nehemiah 4

Introduction

The opposition to Nehemiah had started even before the rebuilding had got underway (Nehemiah 2:19). He faced ridicule early on, but now from chapter 4 – 6 the opposition really intensified. Throughout, Nehemiah kept his eyes on God and his call, and he was triumphant. This is one of the greatest lessons of this book. What Nehemiah started, he brought to completion.

So often people in churches start a work with great enthusiasm, but they lose heart, become discouraged, and the job is never finished. Sir Francis Drake, in 1587, before sailing into Cadiz harbour, prayed, “O Lord God, when Thou givest to Thy servants to endeavour any great matter, grant us to know that it is not the beginning but the continuing of the same, until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory.”

Despite opposition and threats, Nehemiah won through and completed the work. We can expect opposition whenever we take on any work for God. It even happened to the Lord Jesus Himself, so we cannot expect any different. When He spoke to His disciples about going to Jerusalem to suffer and die, and Peter said, “Never Lord, this shall never happen to you”, he was rebuked by the Lord (Matthew 16:21ff).

Nehemiah had three opponents, Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. Then he was also opposed by the Arabs, Ammonites and the men of Ashdod. Behind them all was Satan, the adversary himself. He hated God, His cause, His people and His work. In every age, Satan has used men as his instruments to threaten, discourage, oppose and persecute to the very end. Through us, he is getting back at God. The Bible variously describes him as “destroyer”, “murderer”, “liar” (John 8:44), “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8), who “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13). We must take him seriously, but we do not need to panic, for he is a defeated enemy (John 12:31).

The first of the major opponents was Sanballat, from Beth Haran, 18 miles NW of Jerusalem. His daughter married into the High priest’s family. He was thoroughly worldly. He was governor of Samaria (i.e. the remnant of the kingdom of Israel and foreign settlers.) The Jews had trouble with them right into New Testament times. He would have been apprehensive that if Jerusalem emerged as a strong city, it would be a threat to him. Pleasure, power and profit were his main concerns, so he dismissed the efforts of the Jews as hopeless.

Tobiah was closely related to Jewish aristocracy. On a visit from Ammon (in Jordan), he sneered that even a fox could knock down the wall Nehemiah was building. Geshem, we learn from another source, ruled a league of powerful Arabian tribesmen.

Men like these three emerge in every generation, anxious to frustrate the believer if their own power and influence is challenged. We meet them in local churches, Christian societies, mainline denominations, as well as in the secular world. They are more concerned with position, status quo, not rocking the boat, rather than the will of God. Even if spiritual life is snuffed out and the Holy Spirit is quenched, they must look after their own interests first. Routine, and not revival, is their concern.

Psychological warfare

This is the modern title for something Nehemiah faced – a concern to destroy morale. His opponents came at him with a barrage of words, not needing facts or logical argument, just words of scorn, abuse and mockery. This is a very telling weapon. We feel it when people make fun of us, and we are made to feel stupid and foolish. Sanballat’s aim was to create depression and a sense of hopelessness, and Tobiah joined in with his comment about the fox.

The Jews might have been near to cracking if they had the least inner insecurity and fear of failing. Nehemiah must himself have reasoned he was involved in an enormous task and so many things could go wrong. But his solution was prayer. He pleaded to God for two things. Firstly, Hear us, O our God, for we are despised (Nehemiah 4:4). He asked God to counter the weakening effect of the enemy’s words by giving fresh strength.

“Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer”

J.M.Scrinen wrote these words when he was 25 years of age; when his fiancée was drowned accidentally the day before they were due to marry.

Secondly, Nehemiah asked God’s judgement on his enemies: Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight (Nehemiah 4:4,5). Some may see this as an expression of personal vindictiveness, but it should be seen more as zeal for God to vindicate Himself against His enemies. Nehemiah wanted God to deal with the ungodly as they deserved. Some people have a problem with this prayer, but when we pray that God’s will be done, and His name be hallowed, and His kingdom come, the implications are the same.

In the Book of Revelation there is a longing for God to judge the world and avenge His people’s blood (Revelation 6:10; 19:1-13). God is glorified in His judgements against sin and against rebels who defy Him. While Christ prayed for His enemies, He also spoke of banishing from His presence those who resisted Him.

God answered Nehemiah’s first prayer, and morale held steady. So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart (Nehemiah 4:6)

Physical threats

The next problem was the threat of invasion to demolish what was built thus far. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it… Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work." (Nehemiah 4:8,11). These threats came from Jewish settlers living around Jerusalem – with friends like those, who needs enemies? The alarm was spread about, and despondency on a grand scale set in. The defenders felt they did not have a chance.

Actually it was unlikely that enemies would attack in full force, since Nehemiah had the backing of the Persian Empire. But guerrilla warfare was a real possibility. How did Nehemiah deal with the threat? Praying first, he posted a guard day and night. When people began to lose heart because the work was beyond them, he stopped the work, armed the people, and arranged people in family groups at the most exposed places on the wall. This gave them heart again. The enemies realized the Jews were ready for them, and so the pressure lessened. Thus work resumed, with the people at the ready. Half the people were armed while the other half worked. If the trumpet sounded, they would all down tools and be ready to defend themselves.

The working day was extended, from first light till the stars came out. The people stayed in the city by night as well as day. Nehemiah also strengthened the people by telling them that his confidence was in God (Nehemiah 4:14,20). He himself was constantly at prayer. Prayer moves mountains, said Jesus (Matthew 17:20). There is no limit to what prayer can do in times of trouble.

Finally Nehemiah shared the hardships with the people. As a leader, he identified himself with them fully, keeping his clothes on at all times, keeping himself armed, as they had to. He did not ask them to do anything he was not prepared to do himself. So the threat was met and averted in a way which made Nehemiah’s leadership even stronger.

Personal discouragement

All this pressure, threats and arrangements to meet danger took its toll. It slowed down the work, and brought burdens not anticipated at first. People lost heart. Their strength was going. Getting rid of the rubble was beyond them, it was all a bigger job than they realized, and they felt they had bitten off more than they could chew. This discouragement all added to Nehemiah’s problems. As the leader, the buck stopped with him.

Today, the person in leadership also experiences this. There is always that bit extra that goes with the job that only the leader knows. It makes leadership very lonely. Sometimes the greatest problems and burdens come from God’s own people. Moses must have felt the problems created, not by enemies, but by the Children of Israel in the Wilderness. Jesus was grieved by the dullness of the disciples. Paul was upset by the immaturity, heresy and moral lapses within the churches he ministered to.

How much more evangelism could be carried out if leaders did not have to deal with problems nearer home. If only believers were growing in grace, getting on with their fellow Christians, getting their priorities right, then leaders could be released for the work of reaching out to others. Problems within churches make leadership twice as hard and the going twice as slow.

Did Nehemiah feel the temptation to throw in the towel, ask for another job in the Persian Empire or for his old job back? If it did cross his mind, he did not act on it, and instead he kept going – as did Moses, and Paul, and countless leaders, pastors and missionaries since. What is the secret source of strength on which they drew and on which we all may draw? What is it that can stabilize and encourage and equip us to keep going in the face of personal discouragement?

Remember the Lord (Nehemiah 4:14) – this is the answer. This is a good thing to say to ourselves in every situation – when we are afraid, when we open the Bible, when we enter church, when tempted, when going about our daily work, when downcast, or when making a decision. Think of Him, and apply that knowledge to every situation. He is great and awesome, great in word, grace and power, and awesome in His sovereign control and purposes.

We have already seen Nehemiah’s constant prayer life, how he turned to the Lord in every situation. He knew when the Lord had laid a thing on his heart. He asked God to grant him success. He recognized the gracious hand of God on his life. He did not depend on his own gifts or personality, but on God. If God had called him, God would see him through. God had not called him to mock him or dishonour Himself by failure.

To be a fellow-labourer with God and to be an instrument in His hand is the greatest privilege life offers. There is such glory in being Christ’s colleague. “One with God is a majority” “The wages for serving God here may be scrappy, but the pension is out of this world.” We are to work as though all depended on ourselves, but pray as though all depended on God. “Trust God and keep your powder dry” (Oliver Cromwell). To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me (Colossians 1:29). Work out what God puts in.

Alas, too often the Christian church looks in every direction except upwards – looking for new ways but not at God, spending much time on work and organisation and not enough time spent with God. That relationship with God is all-important. It determines out stickability, stability, and confidence in all circumstances of life. The result is ultimate success. Those who know God are those who keep their heads when conditions could cause panic, and remain strong.

Christian life and service is not about trying hard and living up to principles. It is all about a relationship with God. It is not just having a sound doctrine, but a passion for closeness to God Himself. It affects every part of us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you (2 Chronicles 20:12). The Lord is my light and my salvation… Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:1,14).