But
it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he
was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.
Furious and Indignant – speak of a boiling over type of ANGER & very indignant = RAGE
A)That is how the Devil
reacts when you decide you want to rebuild – broken
down areas of your life
B)He
loves seeing things in Chaos and ruins!
C)The minute that you –
decide that you want to make a difference – opposition is something you can
count on.
D)There are many ways that
the Devil tries to tempt and pull down
E)But what we see here in
1)IS very consistent with how He seeks to come against those who
want to be used by God – those who want to make a difference!
Three
areas: Discouragement / Division / Distraction
All in 52 day
time frame – less than 2 months
Ch.4 Discouragement /
Ch.6 Distraction
E)Look
at the tactics as well as how Nehemiah dealt with them to gain insight into
what to do when the enemies comes against us
1st
Discouragement:
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
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."
There
are two types of Discouragement that we see in this Chapter
A)The first comes in the
form of Mocking – These pp are weak – they are incapable of pulling this
off
B)And it won’t be strong
enough ! Fox will knock it over! { Casting doubt
C)Listen the enemy loves to
get us focused on our weaknesses
1)You will never pull this
off – not in you
D)Never
be the husband you are supposed to be – Never be the kind of man God can use! –
Never pull it off { Why even try – that is his goal
How did
Nehemiah respond? – He prays
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.
Here
is what Nehemiah is saying in His prayer: My enemies and Critics are your
problem God!
A)We have been called by you
to a do a work – so Lord these guys are your problem.
B) Lord you hear what they
are saying – Deal with it!
1)This is brilliant - Nehemiah is not even going to let himself or
the pp get caught up in this
2)Nehemiah refused to even
consider this: PP waste so much time playing what if game
C)Nehemiah’s answer is a recognition that the success and
the strength of the wall was not up to them but up to God
Result: 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. Half way done
RD V. 7-9 { Key Watch and Pray
Internal
discouragement RD
V.10-13
A)Notice v.10 says the
strength of the workers was failing -
Fatigue is setting in
B)Note the time frame of
this – ½ way mark { Hiking / Swimming / Ministry / ½
way marks are tough
1)The newness wears off. –
So many things are exciting at first
C)Mission trips – 12 Hr
plane ride – 1st six hrs exciting – this is going to be great – last
six hrs get me off this plane
D)21 day trip – First 10 excited – last 11 dying I miss Denise – I
miss little Aaron
Reason
for the Discouragement:
Loss of Focus: Two much
Rubbish –
Problem – instead of seeing all
that has been done – only see what needs to be done
And the threat of
Violence: Rumors they are going to
attack and kills us!
Answer: RD V. 13-23
Nehemiah’s
does 4 things here that help the pp make it thru!
#1 Remember where their
strength lies v.14 – Remember the Lord great and awesome
Always important to see the
bigness of the task in light of the greatness of our God.
#2
He reminds them of what they are fighting for. – Positioned
them by their families and homes -
A)Get your eyes off of what
is difficult and on to what is precious
B)This needs to be done for
my families well being!
C))What has God entrusted to
you – what is precious in your eyes – flock / family / the lost
#3
He made sure the people were adequately equipped – Sword and a Trowel!
A)Right tools for their
success
B)What is needed for a
person a ministry to be successful
#4
He creates a rallying point! - Underscores the need to rally together Fellowship
In the midst of a “great work” for a “great God” came a
“great cry”
WHAT
WAS THE PROBLEM:
A) Economically times were
hard – the people were dealing with famine
B) The city
had not been tilled and cultivated to meet all
the demands of the hundreds of people who had suddenly flooded in to build the
wall.
1) The current crop could not
meet the demands – shortage of food supplies.
C)
Not only that but the people were also dealing with heavy
taxation that was coming down from the King – the Persians were ruling at this
time
1)
And all the regions were taxed
D)
So in order to get food and to pay their taxes – the people were borrowing
against their farms and their homes
Now
one of the things that you need to understand is that there weren’t banks at
this time –
A) So they were borrowing from
the wealthy Jews – the rulers & the nobles
B) But there were two problems associated with what was happening
1)
The first is that the rulers and the nobles were charging interest
C) Now God had clearly outlined
rules for lending & borrowing in his word- they were allowed to lend – but
they were not to charge interest
Purpose was to
help not Profit
D) So the first problem was
that the rulers and nobles were Charging interest – which went against God’s
word
The
second problem was that when someone couldn’t pay back their loan the lenders
were taking their homes their land & in some cases their children for
slaves
A) This practice was also
forbidden by the Lord –
B)So
these rulers and nobles were clearly acting in a way that was contrary to God’s
word in their EXPLOITATION OF their brethren
C)There is some big time
strife and division happening here.
1) Again that is always a
major tactic of the enemy – If he can’t discourage he will seek to Divide.
C)Granted
what was happening here was wrong -
1)Not right Biblically
- Strife and Division usually isn’t
Whenever there
is strife and division happening in a ministry, in a family, in a friendship –
it almost always involves the rationalizing of poor behavior and the ignoring
of the word of God
A)Be it in the form of gossip
and back biting – be it in the form of holding grudges – You can’t do that
without ignoring scripture
B)The way Nehemiah handles
this is amazing!
1st
consider his response :V.6 And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and
these words.
A) The first mark of a good leader: He becomes angry at injustice
B)It was good that He was
bothered!
C) 2nd thing he
does is even better though he consulted
before he confronted V7 After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles
and rulers,
C)
Nehemiah was a man passionate enough to get angry; but wise enough to not act
until he had considered the matter
carefully.
1)
I admit that I have faltered in this area more times than I care to admit
D) But
I am learning – to Slow down think things through.
1)Respond
in the Spirit instead of reacting in the flesh
Now after considering the
matter – Nehemiah under control – took action RD V.7- 10
Nehemiah
starts by rebuking these guys – He calls them on the carpet and points out
where they were wrong.
A) The word rebuke means to
reprimand sharply
He
reminds them that these were their brothers – Redeemed by God He uses the term brother or brethren 4 times
in these verses
A) Now this is a good thing
for us in the body of Christ to remember – we are FAMILY –
B) Linked by Blood – the
blood of Jesus Christ -
1)More unified – the
stronger – The father and the sticks 1
stick break – 2… 3 …. 4 couldn’t
C) Question: Were they going
to be guilty of putting their brothers whom God had redeemed back under bondage?
–
D)That same thing can happen
in the Church when we are guilty of laying trips on pp that God – didn’t put on
them.
Nehemiah wants
them to see that their sin against their brothers is really sin against God – Exhorts them to walk in the fear of God
Paul’s pt concerning
Therefore – I will gladly
forfeit my liberty in order to not stumble my brother.
#2 He corrects them: V.11 11 Restore now to
them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and
their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the
oil, that you have charged them."
Doesn’t do any good to point
out problems if you don’t offer any solutions
So
Nehemiah doesn’t just rebuke but he has a answer and a plan for the problem :
The response V.12
So
they said, "We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we
will do as you say."
Nehemiah
doesn’t stop there V.12b
Then I called the priests, and required
an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.
A) As I picture this scene in
my mind , I see Nehemiah pointing to the money-lenders: “You
make a promise to these workers.”
B)
Then he looks at the priests: “You remember
their promise before God.”
1)
This was a way of saying that the promise was not just between the bankers and
the builders but between them and the Lord.
C)This is like marriage
vows!
1)Break these you are not
just dishonoring your spouse but more importantly God!
2)
He was asking the Priest to hold them accountable – { Accountability
C)
Nehemiah concludes this meeting with a very serious visual illustration
V 13 Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said,
"So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who
does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and
emptied."
The
Chapter ends with Nehemiah setting a great example by taking all that he had
and sharing it with those in need on a daily basis
RD V. 14-19 later on your own
CH.6 Distraction:
I
THINK the biggest reason why Projects remained unfinished is DISTRATCTION
1) We get distracted in the work – we get pulled
away AND we never get back
B) As we come to Chapter 6 –
this is the issue facing Nehemiah – Distraction
RD V.1-4
So
we see here that the enemy was trying to pull Nehemiah away from the work –
A)They are persistent – 4
times they ask – { the enemy doesn’t
give up easy
B)Nehemiah answers the same
way all 4 times
1)I can’t leave I am doing a
great work
C)This is the way to deal
with being distracted –
You have to believe that
what God is calling you to right now – It is a great work
D)Are you presently
doing what God has called you to do!
Mom! – That is a
great work / grand kids ….
Ambassador at
your work! – That is a great work
Teach a home group Great work
There is nothing greater than
doing what God has called you to RIGHT NOW
Problem w/ so many, always
thinking something else
There
was a missionary in
They
offered him an attractive job with a salary to match, but he turned it down.
He told them that
God had sent him to
He
thought that would end the matter, but instead they came back with a better
offer and an increase in salary.
He
turned that down too, but again they came back, doubling the financial package.
Finally
he said to them, “It’s not your salary that’s too little. It’s the job that’s too small!”
Where-ever God
has you right now is YOUR GREAT WORK- don’t be pulled away!
Perspective
means a lot
3
Guys Laying Bricks same job site – Little Boy asked first guy what are you
doing? -
A) What does
it look like – Laying bricks
2nd Guy – I am building a building
3rd Guy: I am building a Cathedral where people will come to worship
the living God
B) Which Guy do you think
was the most excited about what he was doing
1) And Motivated
to finish!
C)
How do you see the Ministry you are involved in? Great work –
1)
Laying bricks – building a wall / Building or a Cathedral
D) Listen if it is God’s
work – it is a Great work !
When that doesn’t work the
enemy seeks to Distract Nehemiah with lies rumors and intimidation
RD V.5-9
Here
is what Happens here – A messenger shows up to the Job site with an OPEN LETTER
A) That means that it was to
be read in the hearing of everybody –
B) Two key phrases in v.6 It is reported
among the nations……. therefore, according to these rumors
C) This
was a pure insinuation: The rumor being reported? Nehemiah wants to be
King
1) That is what he is doing
and why he is so eager to get these walls built
D) What is the Big deal
about that ? Well if that got back to King Artx – and he believed it
1) It would cost Nehemiah
his head and the People of
E) Now this is another
Distraction of the enemy –
1) the enemy wants to get Nehemiah side tracked
by trying to defend himself against rumors
F)Nehemiah refuses to even give it the time
of Day!
Let God be his defense
Nehemiah says –
You are lying – that is not my heart – I trust the people know that
A) He prayed - Now therefore, O
God, strengthen my hands.
B) Listen that is all you can do – let God be your defense – time will tell!
Distraction #3 Intimidation
v.10
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."
So
Shemiah who was of the priestly line and probably a confidant of Nehemiah –
takes a turn
A) Trying to set Nehemiah up
– run to the temple
Notice Nehemiah’s response
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!"
B)
Nehemiah rejected Shemaiah’s proposal because it was contrary to the Law of
Moses.
1)
It was forbidden for a layman to go beyond the altar of burnt offering at the
temple.
(Num.
18:7 “The outsider who comes near shall be put to death”,
NKJV).
C)
(2 Chron. 26:16–21). When King Uzziah tried to invade the holy precincts, God
smote him with leprosy
Now
it was at this point – that Nehemiah realized that something was wrong –
Something wasn’t right – Shemiah is contradicting God’s word
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.
Anytime
someone has a word for you that doesn’t line up with scripture – Reject it
A) God is not going to give
a word that is going to contradict the written word
B) Word above his name !
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.
MORE FEAR – DISTRACTED
Nehemiah rejected it – was
not distracted because he clung to the word – would not compromise
So
the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16
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.
Awesome thing to have happen
Cause for CELEBRATION