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Bible Study Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (12-2-2002 Framsden Baptist Church)
Having dealt with internal conflicts among the people, Nehemiah now faced attacks from his enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. This was their last desperate attempt to destroy Nehemiah’s work. The wall was now built. No gaps were left. All that was needed was a door hung in the gateway. The door probably had to be especially made and erected with aid of scaffolding and a primitive lifting device. So if his enemies were to succeed, it was now or never. Their three final ploys were directed at Nehemiah personally. The plan was to destroy his leadership so that his followers would lose heart and give up the struggle.
Threats and ridicule (Nehemiah 6:2,3) had not succeeded
in the past, so the enemies tried the opposite – flattery. They proposed a
top-level conference on mutual ground (on the plains of Ono, halfway between
Jerusalem and Samaria) to plan the future together. Their proposal appeared
flattering, attractive and sensible.
But things were not as they seemed on the surface, and
Nehemiah could see what lay behind the suggestion. There had not been a sincere
change of heart in Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. Ono was a full day’s journey
from Jerusalem and on the edge of hostile territory of Samaria. They could walk
into a trap, be surrounded and killed. Four times the invitation came, and four
times Nehemiah declined. He answered them politely and truthfully: I am
carrying on a great project and cannot go down (Nehemiah 6:3).
We can learn several lessons from Nehemiah’s response.
If we are called by God to do something, we must keep that clearly in view. We
must maintain our priorities, not just at the beginning but till the job is
done. It is easy to be distracted. Some Christian societies and congregations
start out totally committed to the Gospel, and the social side in subordinate.
But gradually the social side takes over in importance, and the Gospel aims are
lost. A minister can easily be distracted and end up as a specialist in youth
work, marriage guidance counselling and social work. Every time we take
something on, we should ask if that will help forward the work to which we have
been called.
Then we need to be aware of flattery. It is one of the
subtle ploys people use to manipulate and control. The older we get, the more
cynical we get of those who flatter and fawn. Do not let flattery influence you
or turn your head.
There is also danger in spending time discussing with
people with whom we have nothing in common, and even more danger in joining with
them. This can easily lead to our losing our cutting edge. There are men in the
Church of England who are evangelicals, but are so often not outspoken and are
guarded in what they say so as not to offend. They are working with people who
do not share their convictions, and they have to be all things to all men. There
are problems too in independent churches, but in the ecclesiastical world there
is enormous pressure on evangelicals to put the congregation, position,
friendship and favour of others before what you know is the Lord’s will.
We need to be God-centred, goal-orientated and single-minded, and maintain the right priorities. We may lose some friends, but we will never lose God’s friendship. Once we leave the path of consecration and obedience, we cease to count in terms of spiritual effectiveness.
The fifth time Sanballat sent his assistant to Nehemiah
with the same message and an unsealed letter saying, "It is reported
among the nations that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore
you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to
become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation
about you in Jerusalem: 'There is a king in Judah!' Now this report will get
back to the king; so come, let us confer together." (Nehemiah 6:6,7).
This was a threat to spread rumour if Nehemiah did not agree to meet with
Sanballat. Rumour can spread like wildfire and do people great damage and
heartache even when later proven to be false.
Someone once said, “Gossip is something we all condemn
but all enjoy!” It is often rife in Christian circles because the tongue is
the last part of the body to be consecrated to the Lord. Few pray with the
Psalmist: Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my
lips (Psalm 141:3).
Nehemiah did the only two things possible. He denied the
rumour, and prayed to God to strengthen his hands (Nehemiah 6:8,9). He asked
God’s help to ignore the gossip and to keep on keeping on as leader and
overseer till the task was done. He wanted strength to counter the fear in his
own heart and in that of the people. He was not worried about reputation or the
king’s reaction, because he was only worried about carrying on the work of God
and doing His will. He left all other matters in God’s hands.
When God’s servants are in trouble but humbly get on
with the work God has given them, great grace is regularly given. Christians
often have to face the fact that they will be gossiped about, rumours, wicked
lies and misrepresentations will abound, sometimes to their face, sometimes
behind their back. The world cannot believe they are concerned only for God’s
glory, that their motives are selfless and actions pure. The world is not like
that, so they can’t believe anyone else is.
Dr Barnardo (1877) was accused of being a thief, a brute
charlatan and immoral monster when he claimed “No destitute child is ever
refused admission”, the motto of his orphanages. The charges against him were
set out in a 62-page booklet. One example: he had been seen with a prostitute on
his arm – in fact he was leading the poor wanton to a rescue home – but that
was not how his accusers saw it. A board was appointed to investigate all the
allegations, and Barnardo was proved to be the unstained champion of the outcast
child.
When we are attacked, we must commit the matter to God and trust that He will vindicate us in the long run no matter what happens in the short term. A totally clear conscience is a priceless possession in times like this.
Finally Shemaiah, a prophet, was hired by Tobiah and
Sanballat to intimidate Nehemiah, urging him to go into the Temple, close the
doors, because men were going to kill him at night. This would discredit
Nehemiah as a coward, and cause him to commit sacrilege. Laymen were confined to
the courtyards, only priests had the right of access to the Temple itself.
Nehemiah refused to accept this as true prophecy because
it required him to act against the Word of God (2 Chronicles 28:16f) and sin. He
tested the alleged prophecy by the Word of God. He also maintained the dignity
of his office as governor and leader of God’s people. Should a man like me
run away? (Nehemiah 6:11). His was an office bestowed by God and he had
responsibilities and dignity and was under God’s protection. C.f. Joseph
refusing Potiphar’s wife, not only because it was sin against God, but because
of his office, being put in charge of his master’s house, he would be failing
in his duties if he agreed to the seduction.
Nehemiah showed physical as well as moral courage. He
used discernment. He was not naïve. He compared all suggestions to God, His
Word and glory at every point, and asked himself what would be for God’s
glory. Therefore he found out the truth behind his enemy’s stratagems. True
courage is not absence of fear, but moving ahead and doing what is right in
spite of fear. Such courage is not natural; it is God’s gift to us to enable
us to take risks for Him. It is learned when we look on the Cross.
“It
makes the coward spirit brave,
And
nerves the feeble arm for fight.
It
takes death’s terror from the grave,
And
guilds the bed of death with light.”
We will need plenty of that courage in this country where Christians are increasingly seen as an eccentric minority. When we speak out and protest about sin, wrong practices and belief, it will be seen as hatred. Saying that Christ is the only Saviour will be seen as hatred.
From these trials Nehemiah emerged triumphant. The work
was completed on the 25th day of Elul, in just 52 days. It was a
remarkable achievement, a triumph of sheer concentration over every kind of
distraction. It had a dramatic effect on the enemies – they were afraid
because they could see that God was behind Nehemiah’s leadership and work.
But Nehemiah’s troubles were not over. (See Nehemiah
6:17-19; and Nehemiah 13). The higher one’s exposure, the greater one’s
influence as a leader, the more one is under the microscope about one’s
personal standards and ability. If Satan can bring us down, or send us down
blind alleys, taking others with us, he will score heavily. Leaders are in a
goldfish bowl. The higher they climb, the lonelier it gets and the louder they
crash when they fall. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in
them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers (1
Timothy 4:16).
Nehemiah, despite all the pressures, made it and won through. He was not his own boss – he was God’s servant, in touch constantly with God by prayer, single-minded and God-centred. He walked a straight course and would not be deflected. His character was marked by holiness and obedience. If you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 4:29).
