Nehemiah 6: Facing Opposition and Finishing the Work
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Nehemiah 6 delves into the intense opposition Nehemiah faced as he neared the completion of the wall around Jerusalem. This chapter serves as a powerful reminder that the final stretch of any God-given task is often met with the fiercest resistance. It also highlights the importance of discernment, prayer, and unwavering commitment to God's will. The events in Nehemiah 6 offer timeless lessons for believers facing challenges in their own lives.
The Final Push and Enemy Intimidation (Nehemiah 6:1-4)
With the wall nearing completion, only the installation of the doors remained (Nehemiah 6:1). Ironically, this final step proved to be the most challenging. Nehemiah's adversaries, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, recognized that a completed wall would solidify the security and independence of Jerusalem, thwarting their own ambitions. They attempted to lure Nehemiah into a meeting, hoping to harm him (Nehemiah 6:2).
Nehemiah, aware of their malicious intent, refused to be distracted from the crucial work at hand. His response, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?" (Nehemiah 6:3), demonstrates unwavering focus and commitment. Nehemiah understood a vital principle: we must not abandon a greater purpose for a lesser one. We should never abandon God's will for something else. Before following anyone's lead, consider whether they are drawing you closer to or further away from God's plan for your life.
Slander and Psychological Warfare (Nehemiah 6:5-9)
Undeterred, Nehemiah's enemies shifted their tactics to psychological warfare. Sanballat sent an open letter filled with false accusations, claiming that Nehemiah intended to declare himself king (Nehemiah 6:6). This was a calculated attempt to undermine Nehemiah's reputation and incite rebellion among the people. Such a public accusation was designed to sway public opinion and sow seeds of doubt.
Faced with this alarming turn of events, Nehemiah turned to the most powerful weapon available to him: prayer. He recognized his vulnerability and cried out to God for strength: "Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands" (Nehemiah 6:9). This simple yet profound prayer reveals Nehemiah's dependence on God's power to persevere. When feeling pressured to compromise your values or abandon what you know God has called you to do, remember that God's opinion is the only one that truly matters. Don't let the will of the majority override God's will in your life.
False Prophecy and Deception (Nehemiah 6:10-14)
The enemy's deception deepened as they employed a false prophet, Shemaiah, to manipulate Nehemiah. Shemaiah, claiming to receive a divine warning, urged Nehemiah to seek refuge in the temple to save his life (Nehemiah 6:10). This would have been a violation of God's law, as Nehemiah, being a layman, was not permitted to enter the temple's inner sanctuary.
Nehemiah, through discernment and wisdom, recognized the trap. He understood that God had not sent Shemaiah, but rather that he had been hired by Tobiah and Sanballat (Nehemiah 6:12). This episode serves as a crucial warning: be cautious of those who use religious language for their own purposes. Religious terminology doesn't guarantee legitimacy. Nehemiah refused to compromise his integrity out of fear, choosing instead to trust in God's protection.
Victory and Recognition (Nehemiah 6:15-19)
Despite the relentless opposition, the wall was completed in just fifty-two days (Nehemiah 6:15). This remarkable achievement struck fear into the surrounding nations, who recognized that the work had been accomplished with God's help. "And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God" (Nehemiah 6:16).
Even after the completion of the wall, the attempts to intimidate Nehemiah continued. Those aligned with Tobiah maintained communication with him, seeking to undermine Nehemiah's authority (Nehemiah 6:17-19). This highlights the persistent nature of spiritual warfare.
The story of Nehemiah 6 demonstrates that fulfilling God's plan for your life will inevitably involve facing opposition, temptation, and moments where you feel the enemy is trying to destroy you. However, if you remain committed to God's agenda, you can overcome these challenges and proclaim, as Nehemiah did, that the task was accomplished by God. Don't be afraid of intimidation.
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Nehemiah 6 delves into the intense opposition Nehemiah faced as he neared the completion of the wall around Jerusalem. This chapter serves as a powerful reminder that the final stretch of any God-given task is often met with the fiercest resistance. It also highlights the importance of discernment, prayer, and unwavering commitment to God's will. The events in Nehemiah 6 offer timeless lessons for believers facing challenges in their own lives.
The Final Push and Enemy Intimidation (Nehemiah 6:1-4)
With the wall nearing completion, only the installation of the doors remained (Nehemiah 6:1). Ironically, this final step proved to be the most challenging. Nehemiah's adversaries, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, recognized that a completed wall would solidify the security and independence of Jerusalem, thwarting their own ambitions. They attempted to lure Nehemiah into a meeting, hoping to harm him (Nehemiah 6:2).
Nehemiah, aware of their malicious intent, refused to be distracted from the crucial work at hand. His response, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?" (Nehemiah 6:3), demonstrates unwavering focus and commitment. Nehemiah understood a vital principle: we must not abandon a greater purpose for a lesser one. We should never abandon God's will for something else. Before following anyone's lead, consider whether they are drawing you closer to or further away from God's plan for your life.
Slander and Psychological Warfare (Nehemiah 6:5-9)
Undeterred, Nehemiah's enemies shifted their tactics to psychological warfare. Sanballat sent an open letter filled with false accusations, claiming that Nehemiah intended to declare himself king (Nehemiah 6:6). This was a calculated attempt to undermine Nehemiah's reputation and incite rebellion among the people. Such a public accusation was designed to sway public opinion and sow seeds of doubt.
Faced with this alarming turn of events, Nehemiah turned to the most powerful weapon available to him: prayer. He recognized his vulnerability and cried out to God for strength: "Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands" (Nehemiah 6:9). This simple yet profound prayer reveals Nehemiah's dependence on God's power to persevere. When feeling pressured to compromise your values or abandon what you know God has called you to do, remember that God's opinion is the only one that truly matters. Don't let the will of the majority override God's will in your life.
False Prophecy and Deception (Nehemiah 6:10-14)
The enemy's deception deepened as they employed a false prophet, Shemaiah, to manipulate Nehemiah. Shemaiah, claiming to receive a divine warning, urged Nehemiah to seek refuge in the temple to save his life (Nehemiah 6:10). This would have been a violation of God's law, as Nehemiah, being a layman, was not permitted to enter the temple's inner sanctuary.
Nehemiah, through discernment and wisdom, recognized the trap. He understood that God had not sent Shemaiah, but rather that he had been hired by Tobiah and Sanballat (Nehemiah 6:12). This episode serves as a crucial warning: be cautious of those who use religious language for their own purposes. Religious terminology doesn't guarantee legitimacy. Nehemiah refused to compromise his integrity out of fear, choosing instead to trust in God's protection.
Victory and Recognition (Nehemiah 6:15-19)
Despite the relentless opposition, the wall was completed in just fifty-two days (Nehemiah 6:15). This remarkable achievement struck fear into the surrounding nations, who recognized that the work had been accomplished with God's help. "And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God" (Nehemiah 6:16).
Even after the completion of the wall, the attempts to intimidate Nehemiah continued. Those aligned with Tobiah maintained communication with him, seeking to undermine Nehemiah's authority (Nehemiah 6:17-19). This highlights the persistent nature of spiritual warfare.
The story of Nehemiah 6 demonstrates that fulfilling God's plan for your life will inevitably involve facing opposition, temptation, and moments where you feel the enemy is trying to destroy you. However, if you remain committed to God's agenda, you can overcome these challenges and proclaim, as Nehemiah did, that the task was accomplished by God. Don't be afraid of intimidation.