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Nehemiah 6:17 – 7:73 Stepping out in Faith

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Nehemiah 6:17 – 7:73 Stepping out in Faith Nehemiah 6:17 – 7:73 Stepping Out in Faith This morning we return to chapter 6 to finish up our look at that chapter – time did not permit us to finish up the chapter the last time we were together. The context of things is that the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem has just been completed. It was a project that was 100 some years in the making. The enemy (Babylon) had come in and destroyed both the city and the temple way back in 586 BC. Here we are now in the 440’s. No doubt people had thought about taking on this project before many times, but for one reason or another, they failed to do so. Nehemiah and the other Israelites, however, are able to do what for over 100 years others could not (or would not) do - rebuild the walls. And, as we learned in 6:15, he does so in 52 days. So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 6:15 The people had a mind to work and the hand of our good LORD was upon it. A great victory had been accomplished, but as we will learn in verse 17, that doesn’t mean the battle is over. The battle will continue to be waged and thus the need for diligence will continue. Let’s look at the latest scheme of the enemy starting in verse 17. Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid. Nehemiah 6:17-19 We have been introduced to Tobiah many times now. Tobiah was the fellow I likened to the little scrawny kid that tags along with the disproportionately big bully in the school yard. In light of these verses, perhaps that is not the best depiction of this fellow. You recall that along with Sanballat, Tobiah was first disturbed by the return of Nehemiah to rebuild the walls (2:10). 1 | P a g e Nehemiah 6:17 – 7:73 Stepping Out in Faith We then saw in chapter four him mocking the work (and the workers) and then becoming angry at the work’s progress. Later in chapter six we see him plotting to lure Nehemiah out into the Plains of Ono where he intended to do him harm. Here in verses 17-19, we see that he is not some little kid standing in the background saying, Yay, What he said, but rather, a schemer and a conniver working hard to infiltrate Nehemiah’s inner-circle. We see in verse 17, there is a little spy network that’s developed where Tobiah is sending letters to the nobles and nobles are sending letters back to him. Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. Nehemiah 6:17 We can only imagine those letters had some inside information of what Nehemiah was doing and planning. I suspect Tobiah also did some carefully crafted bad mouthing of Nehemiah. Not too strong, just enough to shake the nobles loyalties, which likely wasn’t too hard based on the confrontation we saw between those nobles and Nehemiah in chapter 5 (5:7). Notice also (verse 18) through a carefully crafted marriage-union, key noble officials in one way or another became bound to do Tobiah’s bidding. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. Nehemiah 6:18 Finally, notice (verse 19) how Tobiah has these officials singing his praises to Nehemiah whenever possible. Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid. Nehemiah 6:19 2 | P a g e Nehemiah 6:17 – 7:73 Stepping Out in Faith Aw come on. Tobiah is a great guy. He’s never been anything but kind and generous to us. They may or may not have believed that, but regardless of how they felt about him, Nehemiah had seen through his various schemes and discerned the real intent of the man’s invites and attacks. Though everyone else may have thought him wonderful, Nehemiah knew that Tobiah was a man that could not be trusted. Tobiah was a man that was opposing the work of God and if he (Nehemiah) was going to accomplish the work of God he would need to be on his guard against him and others like him. We will close out chapter 6 with one final point. Take notice how the chapter concludes, and Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid. Nehemiah 6:17-19 There is no mention of how Nehemiah responded. The implication being he didn’t. The idea being that he felt no need to respond or defend himself or anything like that. It seems that Nehemiah was content to let it go and let God take care of it. He had far more important things to occupy his time, his energy and his thoughts - like leading the people of God. That brings us to chapter 7, where we read. Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and 3 | P a g e Nehemiah 6:17 – 7:73 Stepping Out in Faith some in front of their own homes.” The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt. Nehemiah 7:1-4 There are a number of things we should take notice of in these few verses. Notice in verse 1 and 2, Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. Nehemiah 7:1-2 Nehemiah voluntarily steps away from this position of power and all that they had accomplished. This wasn’t about him – it never was. It was about the Lord and His glory. Following the American Revolution, General George Washington voluntarily approached the Continental Congress and relinquished control of the armed forces. In response to this incredible act of selflessness, King George III (of England) is said to have declared, If he does this, he will be the greatest man in the world.” Washington had given so much to secure his nation’s freedom and could have easily gone on to become its’ king. But, like Nehemiah, he laid that all down for the sake of the glorious cause. In Washington’s case – a free republic. In Nehemiah’s case – the glory of God. For Nehemiah, this wasn’t about building his own little kingdom or establishing his lasting legacy. It was about accomplishing that which God had called him to accomplish and staying out of the way so that people could see God and ascribe to Him the glory and the praise. Nehemiah finds the right men for the job and turns power over to them as quickly as appropriate. A second point we take notice of in these verses is who Nehemiah turns the power over to. Again, look at verse 2, 4 | P a g e Nehemiah 6:17 – 7:73 Stepping Out in Faith I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. Nehemiah 7:2 Nehemiah could confidently relinquish control of Jerusalem to these two men because of the way in which these two men had established themselves prior. Hanani, you may recall, was one of the small group of men that had made their way from Judah to Susa to seek Nehemiah out and inform him of the conditions in Jerusalem. That Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah….And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame.
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