“Opposed By The World”
Nehemiah 4:1-6
5-21-2023
As we continue to look at prayers in the Bible; I was reading about a great uproar that happened because the Jews were following the Lord.
I find this very interesting because so many believe that if we are doing what God wants there should be no problems and everyone should be excited that you are doing the right thing.
The truth is that this is the common action that the world shows toward a person or group of people who are choosing to obey the Lord.
There are still Sanballat’s in the world.
They are watching and waiting for you and me to work for the Lord and then they will react.
Do you remember that I said, “We should always act and not react to things in our lives?”
This is one of the reasons why; If we react to the scorn, and anger of another it will just cause us to quit doing what the Lord wants us to do.
In this case the wall and gates of Jerusalem were damaged, burned and destroyed.
Nehemiah was given direction by God and the King of Persia, Artaxerxes, to rebuild the walls and repair the gates.
Nehemiah 2:6b “So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.”
Interesting that a letter was sent to the governors of the land telling them what is going to happen. Nehemiah 2: 9-10 “Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.”
I. The Indignation From The Opposed
Nehemiah 4:1 “But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.”
Wroth - to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled
Indignation - be vexed (provoked; irritated; troubled; agitated; disquieted; afflicted), be indignant, be grieved, provoke to anger and wrath
Mocked – ridicule, mimicked in scorn; laughed at
Sanballat was outraged and could not contain his disgust toward the Jewish people.
Is this still not happening today toward God’s people?
Just stand up and begin to serve the Lord and watch the opposition begin to show up.
II. The Organization Of The Opposed
Nehemiah 4:2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
I have heard it said; “we must be right, just look at how many are with us.”
Sin is sin no matter how many people say it is not.
There will come a day, and I see it now, that right will be called wrong; and wrong will be called right.
Isaiah 5: 20 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
III. The Obstinance Of The Opposed
Nehemiah 4:3 “Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.”
Webster says: stubbornly adhering to an opinion, purpose, or course in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion.
If you're obstinate, you're just plain stubborn.
Seems like the bigger the crowd the braver they get.
Does that not sound familiar today?
IV. The “O” toward God
Nehemiah 4:4 “Hear, O our God;…”
“O” - to seek out, swell, cause to swell, boil up, enquire; If it please, pray excuse me, excuse me please!
I think this just may be a great time for a “Praise, Hallelujah” break.
OH GOD!
Oh GOD!
OH GOD!!!!
Ya know when you are getting close to God when you find yourself without words! OH GOD!
V. Prayer Toward The Opposition
Nehemiah 4:4-5 “Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
1. Hear, O our God; for we are despised… - Lord they are against your people
2. Turn their reproach upon their own head… - What they are planning, let it happen to them.
3. Give them for a prey in the land of captivity… - Devour them up as a nation and people.
4. Cover not their iniquity… - Hold them accountable for their sin and reproach.
5. Let not their sin be blotted out from before thee… - Judge them for the wickedness that they are
6. They have provoked thee to anger before the builders… - Lord they attacked your workers.
VI. The Obedience Of God’s People
Nehemiah 4:6 “So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.”
The battle is not over, and there will be times we get tired; but they had a mind to work.
Conclusion:
There is a reason Paul instructed us to put on the whole armor of God.
Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Wiles - cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery
Are you ready to build?
We still build God’s Kingdom when we reach others.
We still repair the walls in people’s lives when they have fallen.
We are instructed and commanded to teach others to observe all things.
Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Satan is still opposing God’s work; BUT … Do we have a mind to work even in the midst of opposition?
About time we picked up our tools and went back to work.
Nehemiah 4:17 “They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.”
Let’s Pray
