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Responding to Opposition, Part II: Conspiracy Nehemiah 6:1-19

Introduction

o If you are like me, it is easy to become fretful and angry at what we see in the news media and how it portrays Christ and his church

o It doesn’t take long to see the insidious depth of enmity against believers (Note—worldview level)

o However, none of this should really surprise us—scripture makes it clear that this is what is to be expected, considering the spiritual battle going on in the world (cf. Gen 3:15)

o Yet, we struggle with knowing how to respond…

o Much like how we observed Nehemiah’s response to opposition in chapter 4, we will do so again in this lesson

o However, the opposition has taken different form—that of conspiracy…

Responding to Opposition, Part II: Conspiracy

1. Conspiracy Against Nehemiah (v.1-15)

a. The ‘usual suspects’—Sanballat, , and Geshem (cf. 2:10, 19; 4:1, 3, 7)

i. Having lost ‘round one’ in chapter 4, they are back again—on the occasion of the progress of their work on the wall around , which they see as a threat (v.1) 2

ii. Taking into account information we get in chapter 13, along with other historical records which mention these men, suggests that infiltration of the Jews via marriage alliance, political ambition, and greed were in involved in their opposition to Nehemiah (seeking to discredit the Jews and please Persia)1

iii. Application:

1. Most likely, these three men were out for themselves, not each other—yet, it is common for differing individuals and groups will, however, unite together in opposition to Christ and His church (e.g., Jews and Romans in the crucifixion of Christ)

2. Our spiritual enemy is relentless, attacking on a number of different fronts, always prowling around, looking to devour, always looking for an opportune time (as he did with Christ—Lk 4:13)

3. We must be on constant watch (and in much prayer) that we may not enter into temptation (cf. Matt 26:41; 1 Pet 5:8-9)

b. Conspiracy tactic #1: the friendly ‘summit’ (v.2)

i. They wanted to meet with Nehemiah in the plain of Ono (27 miles northwest of Jerusalem) for ‘talks’— under the pretense of trying to be ‘friendly’ neighbors regarding commerce, trade, and the like

1 Thomas, Nehemiah, 289-290. 3

1. Note—there is no neutrality in the world (either people are for Christ or against Him)

2. Though God can certainly give his church favor with pagan governments from time to time, there is no ultimate neutrality or goodwill, but rather enmity—I don’t say this to be fatalistic, but rather as a warning about where to place our trust (not nations or governments, but the Lord—Note: a constant temptation and problem for OT Israel)

ii. Yet, Nehemiah perceived that they were setting a trap, in order to do him harm

iii. Nehemiah’s initial response (v.3)—he knew these men from his previous encounters; he was more concerned about the work God had called him to than for any political ambition to ‘get in good’ with them

iv. These men are relentless—they ask four times for Nehemiah to come! (v.4)

1. Nehemiah’s answer remained the same

2. Application—how often do we allow repeated onslaughts of the enemy to weaken our response? Why does this happen?—we take our eyes of the Lord and His word and begin to listen to ‘plausible arguments’ to the contrary c. Conspiracy tactic #2: insinuation & threat (v.5-7)

i. Nehemiah receives a fifth invitation & letter from the trio 4

ii. ESV Nehemiah 6:6 In it was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Geshem1 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."

1. They insinuate that Nehemiah is leading a rebellion against Persian power under the guise of rebuilding the wall

2. Moreover, they insinuate that Nehemiah really wants to be king over the Jews in opposition to the Persian empire

3. Lastly, they threaten that Artaxerxes will hear of these reports (implied—they will tell on him; hence, Nehemiah should reconsider meeting with them) iii. Application—have you felt the pressure of these types of assaults as a believer living in this evil and twisted generation? How have you responded and handled them? iv. How did Nehemiah respond?

1. He denies their accusations and calls them out for their lies (v.8)

2. He detects the real motivation behind their insinuations and threat—they wanted to frighten them, thinking, “their hands will drop [hpr] from the work, and it will not be done” (v.9a) 5

3. Perhaps, most importantly, he talks to God about it (v.9b)

4. Application

a. If you get nothing else from this lesson, the most important response to any opposition is to cry out to God in prayer (God-ordained healthy way to deal with it—e.g., the Psalms), versus just getting into a horizontal shouting match

b. Use Scripture to give voice and articulation to your emotions and fears (e.g., Psalm 75)

d. Conspiracy tactic #3: Intimidation & Fear2 (via their own people) (v.10)

i. We know nothing of the , Shemaiah, other than this verse—and we are not certain why he was confined to his house (though there are theories) or how and why Nehemiah went to his house3

ii. What is important is what we know from the text concerning what he said to Nehemiah—he urges Nehemiah to essentially hide in the temple, because ‘they’ (presumably, the trio and perhaps others) are coming to kill him by night (v.10)

iii. Nehemiah’s response (v.11-14)

2 Cf. Thomas, Nehemiah, 295. 3 Fensham, Nehemiah, 204. 6

1. He would not run away, nor would he go into the temple (v.11)

2. Nehemiah perceived the following (v.12-13):

a. That God had not sent Shemaiah

b. He had prophesied against him, because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him

c. He was hired to make Nehemiah afraid and act sinfully, so they could give him a bad name and to taunt him

d. Application

i. He was able to perceive and discern God’s hand at work in his life and he knew what would be pleasing (and not pleasing) to Him

ii. How did he perceive these things? How do we ‘test the spirits’ (1 John 4:1)?

iii. Note—the text here does not tell us how he came to know this, but how do other passages in scripture help us to answer these questions?

3. Prayer (v.14)

a. He calls on God to ‘remember’ the deeds of Tobiah and Sanballat, and also the 7

prophetess, Noadiah, and other prophets who “wanted to make them afraid” (cf. 4:14; 6:19)

b. Note—the phrase, ‘make them afraid’ is interesting in light of many other passages where it appears:

i. Here, it is associated with the enemy’s attacks and opposition

ii. However, in many other places (in direct answer to this), we find the phrase, ‘none shall make them afraid’—referring to God’s people/sheep; it is found in contexts of salvation blessing experienced in light of the work of the messiah related to the New Covenant (cf. Jer 30:10; 46:27; Ezek 34:28; 39:26; Mic 4:4; Zeph 3:13)

c. Whereas our enemy seeks to make us afraid of death, judgment, and even God himself— our heavenly Father desires that none should make us afraid—if He desires that for us and has purposed it as part of our salvation in Christ, why would we think He would seek to make us afraid? (Don’t believe the Devil’s lies!)

2. The Wall Is Finished (v.16-19)

8 a. Despite the opposition, the work is completed—God’s work is not in vain! b. Not only that, but there is actually a reversal of the enemy’s plotting:

i. They are the ones who are afraid (v.16 vs. v.9, 14)

ii. They are the ones who fell in their own esteem (v.16 vs. v.9 [that the Jews’ hands will ‘drop’ from the work])

iii. Why such reversal?—for they perceived that the work had been accomplished with the help of God (v.16b)

iv. ESV Psalm 7:14 Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. 15 He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. 16 His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends.

v. Just a few decades earlier (Esther): ESV Esther 9:25 But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.1

vi. God is seen in scripture as the One who brings about such ‘reversals of fortune’—How might knowing and believing this help us in dealing with temptations to be afraid? c. Conspiracy exposed (v.17-19)

i. The nobles of Judah were involved in Tobiah’s part in the conspiracy against Nehemiah! (based on marriage alliance—which firmly opposed [cf. Ezra 9-10]) 9

ii. Think about how great the opposition was to Nehemiah and the work, involving even the elite of Judah—and how discouraging it would have been for him to find this out!

iii. Application—put yourself in Nehemiah’s shoes, how would you have responded? How would we avoid sinning in our response?

3. Closing exhortation

a. Pick a passage this week to meditate on in the face of the spiritual opposition we face through news media, government, etc. (e.g., from our reading challenge OR Psalm 75 from last Sunday)

b. Meditate—read, think, write, pray

Pray to close