Pressing On Nehemiah 6:1-19

INTRODUCTION The famous Olympic athlete Jim Thorpe was no stranger to adversity. Growing up in the early 1900's as a Native American, Jim experienced the horrors of racism and prejudice. Not only that, he had to deal with the reality of death at an early age. His twin brother died when they were only 9 years old. And before he reached adulthood, both of his parents also died, leaving Jim an orphan.

But God blessed Thorpe in one particular way—his athletic ability. He was one of the first players to ever play professional baseball and football. He was one of those rare athletes that excelled at whatever sport he tried. And among all of his accomplishments, perhaps his greatest was his two Gold medals in the 1912 summer Olympic games in Stockholm Sweden. Shortly before he was to start in the pentathlon, someone stole his shoes. Instead of giving up, Jim went to the trash and found two shoes … of two styles. One was an athletic shoe and another was a loafer. Each shoe was a different size. He compensated by adding an extra sock. He was determined to run the race that he had been asked to run. His perseverance and resolve to finish the race is what enabled him to run it. Jim was determined to run the race set before him with no excuses.

You and I, have a race set before us. In fact, more than once the uses this kind of imagery to describe the Christian life. The Apostle Paul, when nearing the end of his life said this: [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Tim 4:7). His life was focused on the one event which truly mattered - the mission that God had set out for him. Or consider what Paul said to the church at Galatia: [7] You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? (Galatians 5:7). You see they had believed the truth of the gospel, they were applying that belief to their behavior - but someone had hindered them. An obstacle had been thrown on the track.

If the Christian life is akin to running a race, the obstacles are endless. We get begin to run well after righteousness, and yet find ourselves sidetracked by a besetting sin. We begin to run well seeking to know the truth of God, and yet find ourselves floundering to read the Bible. We begin run well living out the gospel in our lives, and yet find ourselves sidetracked by the schemes of the enemy.

And all this happens because - as we’ve seen the last few weeks - every time we do something good for God we will encounter opposition. Every time we live for the glory of god, we will encounter opposition. Where we find ourselves this morning in the is a third look at the kind of opposition Nehemiah faced when running the race God had set before him. He had faced opposition by ridicule and the threat of violence. He faced opposition by way of internal opposition - greed and oppression by his own people. But Nehemiah overcame all of this through faith, courage, and practical wisdom. So just when you think every hurdle has been accomplished, there is another effort to see the mission of God in his life and the life of the people stopped. This time, it’s a much more personal and subtle attack. It’s a plot to distract Nehemiah from the important work God has set before him. It’s the work of the enemy, it’s spiritual warfare. But Nehemiah has the kind of determination that grabs two shoes out of trash can, laces up, and runs the race. And there’s something we can learn from him about what it means to press on in perseverance.

READ NEHEMIAH 6:1-19…

TRANS: How do we press on? How do we endure in the Christian life? How do we persevere when faced with attacks from the enemy? First, we must…

1. Exercise Discernment (vv1-4) You’ll notice in our passage this morning that there are a few different tactics used to stop Nehemiah. But common to them all of them is an attempt to make him afraid. In verse 9, the verb frighten is used and is repeated again in verse 13, 14, and 19. And so the enemies approach is to intimidate and frighten Nehemiah. It’s the same approach he uses with us. But Nehemiah demonstrates that his fear of God far outweighs his fear of man.

Now here’s why I say that we must exercise discernment - because the first tactic we see is deception. Nehemiah and the people are at a crucial time in the building project. Everything is done on the wall except for the gate. There’s still work to be done, but they're almost at the end. The window of opportunity for someone to stop them is growing smaller. So Nehemiah tells us this in verse 1 and 2: [1] Now when Sanballat and and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), [2] Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm.

They’ve given up with the threats and taunts, and now try to lure Nehemiah by political intrigue. It’s a plot to kidnap him. They send a letter asking him to meet with them in a the plain of Ono. That would have been about 20 miles north of , and given it’s proximity to Samaria it could be a hostile place. And so it would take at least one full day to travel there. Another full day to convene over politics, and another day to travel. And you can just imagine what would have happened had Nehemiah been away from his work for half a week. Perhaps they tried to present it as an innocent invitation. A truce of some sort. A political meeting to put differences behind and move forward. Or perhaps they thought they could appeal to the sense of pride that exists in all of humanity. “Hey Nehemiah, you're a big shot. You deserve to have a retreat from the work with all the other big shots. How about an all expense paid business trip?”

Satan is a master deceiver. The enemy wants nothing more than for us to give in to subtle appeals. He tries to convince us that we have no real enemies. He tries to entice us to sin by luring us to places we shouldn’t be. He does everything possible - especially when we’re making progress - to lure us into a vulnerable spot so he can destroy us.

Nehemiah, however, doesn’t give in. In fact, in verse 1 he recognizes that these people are his enemies. Why doesn’t he fall prey to their trap? Because he’s discerning. And how did he become a man of discernment? He first became a man of prayer and study. He knew very well the promises of God. And as we’ve seen every week, he prays at all times. He’s prayed before taking action and in the midst of action. I picture Nehemiah getting this letter and going before the Lord in prayer. There’s a valuable lesson in all this. If we give ourselves to the study of the Word, and if we saturate our lives in prayer - then we will be made sensitive to the guidance and warnings of God. In those crucial moments, we will know what to do.

And so when they try to get Nehemiah to go to Ono, he essentially says, “Oh no. I’m not going.” Look at verse 3: [3] And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” I love how Nehemiah responds: “I am doing a great work.” And that statement becomes even more striking when you compare his work in Jerusalem to the work he was doing as cup bearer

to the king. Back in Persia, Nehemiah was in the palace. He was oversaw everything that came into contact with the King. He was a high level official who was trusted. And now, he’s on the outskirts of the empire in the midst of rubble. He’s working on a construction site. But this - to Nehemiah this is the important work. It's a great work.

Most people thought the great work would have been in the palace. Most people would have thought Nehemiah was demoted. But not in the kingdom of God. Here he was - laboring for God and laboring for the people of God. The walls were going to protect the people of God. The rebuilt city was going to allow the people of God to fulfill their calling. In the city of Jerusalem, the very name of God was at stake. That’s what made it a great work.

And did you know, that in the lives of God’s redeemed people - His name is at stake? Listen: God has called each and every one of us to live for His glory by trusting Him, walking with Him in purity, thanking Him for what He gives us, and by making disciples. And so if you’re called into vocational ministry, you have a great work to do. If you’re called to be a plumber, you have a great work to do. If you’re called to be an engineer you have a great work to do. If you’re called to be a stay at home mom, you have a great work to do. It’s not so much what we do, but how we do it and who we do it for.

So the next time you're faced with temptation - temptation that will threaten your holiness - say, “Sorry, I’m doing a great work.” When lesser things lobby for your time, say, “Sorry, I have a great work to do.” When every excuse imaginable is running through your head to neglect fellowship, and study, and prayer… “Sorry, I have a great work to do.” When you're faced with distractions that try to stop you from sharing the gospel… “Sorry, I have a great work to do.” When sin is crouching at your doorstep like a prowling lion… “Sorry, I have a great work to do.”

If we are to not be deceived, we must be discerning. We need to be like the person in Proverb 14:16, “[16] One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil…” We need to study the Word and pray. We need divine guidance. And when we can be discerning, we can be focused. If we can discern when something is a distraction from the work of God, we can more easily resist. Look at verse 4: [4] And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner.

Because Nehemiah was discerning, he knew how to say no. He knew how to say no to temptation, but also to say no to petty distractions. If Nehemiah had been a people pleaser, he would have probably caved after the fourth letter and gone to meet him. But because he’s focused on the mission of God in his life, he doesn’t. Chuck Swindoll says that, “One of the marks of maturity is the ability to say “no” without explanation.” We see this in the life of Paul. He told told Timothy, “[4] No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him (2 Tim 2:4). He told Titus to “avoid foolish controversies…and quarrels…for they are unprofitable and worthless” (Titus 3:9). We see it in the life of Jesus. The disciples came and said, “Everyone is looking for you.” Jesus response was to say, “Let’s go to the next town so I can preach. This is why I’m here. I came to seek and save the lost.”

If we learn to be discerning, what will grow out of that is an ability to not be deceived by the enemy, the ability to say no to distractions, and the ability to stay focused on the priorities of the Christian life.

TRANS: So how do we press on? How do we endure in the Christian life? How do we persevere when faced with attacks from the enemy? First, we must exercise discernment. Second, we must…

2. Pray for Strength (vv5-9) Since Nehemiah didn’t cave, his enemies take things up a notch. They move from trying to deceive him to slandering him. Verse 5: [5] In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. So here is an open letter. Before they were sending private letters to Nehemiah, but now they’re sending ones that everyone would have had access to. It was intended to be read in public. It was really a smear campaign. It’s like one of those commercials during campaign season that one political opponent puts out in order to tarnish the reputation of the other person.

And here’s what the accusations are in verse 6 and 7: [6] In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. [7] And you have also set up to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in .’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.”

So what’s going on here? Well, Sanballat has gone to the trouble of trying to make things look official…”it’s reported among the nations.” Of course he never points to any evidence of these so called “reports.” For all we know we know these reports have been generated by Winnie the Pooh. I mean, that’s how slander works doesn’t it? There’s no actual evidence or reliable source of information. And he goes on to say that you and the Jews are plotting a revolt after this wall is done. You’re planning to become their King - in place of the king of Persia. And you’ve even appointed some prophets to say this so the people will buy in. They’re accusing him of treason, rebellion against the king, and manipulation.

And all of this to to try and frighten Nehemiah and to get him to do whatever it is they want. And all of this is a huge deal because anyone who gave the slightest indication of rebelling against the king of Persia was likely to lose their head. I mean, the OT prophets talked about a day when the Lord would raise up a king. But Nehemiah knew he wasn’t a king. He had no aspirations for that. This is nothing more than slander.

And I was thinking about it this week. Anytime someone spreads a rumor, slanders us, unjustly criticizes us….what’s our response? Typically we find ourselves getting angry and hurt. But I was brought back to Matthew 5:11-12: [11] “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Perhaps the reason why we respond the way we do is because we’ve lost sight of the reward that awaits us. I mean, if we’re living for the glory of God - and that kind of life brings ridicule and falsehood…blessed are you.

And all of this brings up a great question: does the Bible offer advice when someone says something untruthful or slanderous about us? I’m glad you asked. Because it does! To begin with, the Bible is clear as crystal that we are not to retaliate. Romans 12:17: “[17] Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.” We know from Mark 14:61 that Jesus stood in silence before his accusers. And look at what Nehemiah does in verses 8 and 9: [8] Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” [9] For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

Nehemiah does this: He denies it and he moves on. And when I say he moves on, I mean he moves on to the work God has called him to do. He doesn’t try to track down all the people who may have heard the rumor. He doesn’t allow himself to be sidetracked from his responsibilities. Nor does he become angry. Instead he dismisses them for what they actually are - rumors.

Now, this doesn’t mean that Nehemiah didn’t honestly examine his own heart. We never want to assume more than the text indicates. But my guess is that since Nehemiah was a man of prayer and the Word, he probably took a moment to examine himself the way David did in Psalm 139: [23] Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! [24] And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Perhaps when unkind things are said about us, even though it may be ill intended, we can use it as an opportunity to see if there be any sin in us.

In Nehemiah’s case, he knows it isn’t true. He knows this is all a ploy to stop the remaining work on the wall. And so he prays for strength. Notice, he doesn’t pray for God to change his circumstances. He prays for strength. He doesn’t ask God to end the opposition. He asks God to bring him through it. You see, God never told us that following Jesus would be easy, but he does promise to empower us and strengthen us. It is a certain thing that all who desire to live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted. And it is a certain thing that all of us face a common enemy. But this is why Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 to “…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” And so Nehemiah prays for strength. It’s that kind of quiet prayer, “Lord, I can’t do this on my own. Please give me strength to endure what you have ordained for me.” You see, one of the keys to faithful endurance in the Christian life is to be constant in prayer during tribulation. So often it is the case, that the only thing we can do in a situation, is pray.

TRANS: So how do we press on? How do we endure in the Christian life? How do we persevere when faced with attacks from the enemy? First, we must exercise discernment. Second, we must pray for strength. Third, we must…

3. Act on Truth (vv10-19) You would think Nehemiah’s enemies would give up at this point. But that doesn’t happen. Look at how he describes his next hurdle in verse 10: [10] Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.”

So here’s what we know. Shemiah is a and regarded within the community as someone who is trustworthy. And so he tells Nehemiah that there is a threat on his life and he is better off taking refuge in the temple. But despite the fact that Shemiah has a good reputation, look at how Nehemiah responds in verse 11 and 12: [11] But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” [12] And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

How did Nehemiah know that this man wasn’t telling the truth? How did he know that he was hired by his enemies to lure him into a trap? Answer: He knew the Word of God. Nehemiah is intimately familiar with the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. And in there it says that only the priests can go into the temple and only at appointed times. And so he knew that if he were to listen to Shemiah, he would doing something that explicitly contradicts the word of God.

He knew that it would dishonor the name of God, and inevitably incur the judgment of God. He knew, that it would jeopardize all their progress in rebuilding.

There’s a lesson to be learned here: If you want to know the will of God, then know the Bible. The Lord has a revealed will and its contained in the pages of this book. When someone says they know the will of God, how do you know what they claim is true or not? Evaluate it by the standard of the Word. And so we should never act based on the reputation of others, based on feelings, based on whims…but based on the Word of God. And you can only do that if you know the Word of God. Nehemiah continues in verses 13 and 14: [13] For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. [14] Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

Two things are clear: #1 Nehemiah fears offending God more than the threats of people. #2 He prays again, and in light of who God is. He says, “God deal with these people.” Because he knows the word of God, his actions reflect the word of God. Which means there is no action on his end to get even or get vengence. He know from Deuteronomy 32:35 that vengeance is left to God. And in the same way he trusts God to remember his good deeds (5:19), he trusts God to execute justice on those who would dishonor the Lord. And if you and I are passionate about the glory of God in all these, that’s how we will endure through every trial and setback.

For Nehemiah and the people, the result was a a completed wall: [15] So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month , in fifty-two days. [16] And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. [17] Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. [18] 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. [19] Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.

The wall is done. God used a bunch of ordinary people to accomplish his purposes. All the enemies and surrounding nations are standing back in fear….because if they can do this, then who know what will happen. But don’t miss the fact that even their neighbors recognized the manner in which it was done. It was done with the help of our God. Nehemiah knows where the credit goes. And its no different in our lives. We must never think that it is by our own strength that anything good comes about.

But of course, just when you think you’ve jumped over all the hurdles, there’s more. Tobiah starts causing problems again. He starts sending letters to his wealthy friends in Jerusalem to make Nehemiah afraid. But Nehemiah fears God more. Nehemiah realizes that one of the keys to pressing on is to fear God more than anything else. And as believers we need to grab a hold of this because the reality is that until we meet Jesus face to face the opposition will not stop and the need for perseverance will not cease. In fact, we finish this morning a major section of the book of Nehemiah. The walls are rebuilt. And now it’s time for the people to be rebuilt.

CONCLUSION How do we press on? How do we endure in the Christian life? We exercise discernment. Pray for strength. Act on truth. But ultimately, we can endure because He endured. No believer can persevere on the path of discipleship based on their own might or merit. Instead, it is Christ who

said that he will lose none of the people whom the Father, but raise them up on the last day. It’s Christ who said that no one is able to snatched the redeemed people of God out of his hand.

It is Christ who endured every trial imaginable. From the moment of his birth he experienced opposition. Herod tried to kill him. His own family thought he was crazy. His own people rejected him as the Messiah. He was constantly slandered, falsely accused of wrong doing, subject to gossip. And as He inched closer to accomplishing the mission given to him by the Father, the opposition only increased. Knowing the gravity of what the Father called him to do, and knowing the opposition he was up against, our Lord collapsed in agony in the Garden of Gesthemane. And yet, he endured. He willingly subjected himself to betrayal, arrest, and an unjust trial. Publicly ridiculed. Beaten and tortured. Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross.

And not only did Christ endure, he triumphed. In his sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, Christ defeated the greatest enemy and the greatest fear of all - death. So it’s in His power that we can endure anything and everything the enemy might throw at us. We can endure, because He endured.

Let me leave you with perhaps the greatest exhortation given to us by the author of Hebrews:[1] Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, [2] looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [3] Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (12:1-3)