“Now when Sanballat and Tobiah 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), 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. 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?’ And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 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. And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, “There is a king in Judah.” And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.’ 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.’ 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. 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.’ 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.’ 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. 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. 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. So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days" (Nehemiah 6:1-15, ESV).
Fear struck the people in an area where earthquake hit!
Fear could also hit us not just by powerful earthquakes, but tremors of problems, trauma, stress due to an illness, or whatever negative things we imagine to happen.
We could suffer fear, because of bad news, or bad things that bad people could inflict on us.
But Jesus told His disciples who would suffer persecution: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:28-31, ESV).
According to Him, His followers should not fear from anything or even from evil person who could kill them. Why? Because the sparrow that is of little value could not even fall to the ground without the permission of God the Father. And His disciples are more valuable than many sparrows. Even the hairs of their head are accounted for. So an attempt even to kill them will not triumph apart from God.
Instead fear God for He can destroy, not only the body but also the soul in hell.
So today, we have our topic… BECAUSE OF FEARING GOD…, as we focus on our text (Nehemiah 6:1-15).
If we really fear God, if we have great respect for Him, if we regard Him highly, if we are in awe of Him, if we revere Him, our attitude or behavior will be so different. For instance, if there are those who would oppose us, or would want to harm us, how would we react?
As Nehemiah led the building of the wall of Jerusalem, difficulties came. There was opposition from the outside. There was also problem in the inside. Yet, the building of the wall continued.
Because of Nehemiah’s fear of God (Nehemiah 5:15), one of the three things he did was to be generous (verses 17-18).
In our text, we see that the attack of the unseen enemy continued in trying to prevent the completion of the work. It was now directed to the leader, Nehemiah. As God-fearing, however, Nehemiah displayed his God-pleasing reaction toward those who opposed him.
And if we also fear God, we could also adopt his attitude to counter the opposition or destructive action of others. So, if we are being hindered or even threatened by others, what should we do?
I – STICK ON THE GOD GIVEN TASK (vv. 3-4).
We read verses 3-4, “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?’ And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner.”
In the previous two verses, it was related that the project was almost finished. Only the doors in the gates had not been set up. The danger of armed attack was lessened. So Sanballat and his accomplices now targeted Nehemiah. Their aim was to lure him away from his supporters in Jerusalem, to make his assassination easier, or to facilitate an attack upon Jerusalem in his absence. They invited him to a certain place about 19 miles from Jerusalem.
Note the reply of Nehemiah, “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?’ And the same answer he gave repeatedly, when he was asked to come four times.
Because Nehemiah feared God, he had high regard or great respect for Him, he counted also the work dedicated to Him as great or important. He would not allow anyone to distract him until he would finish it. In spite of repeated attempts to pull him away from the project, he was unmoved. Immovable. He stuck on completing the task.
When I was still employed, there was one of my officemates whose retirement from life came first before his retirement from work. When he was still alive, we were happy for him when he said he was no longer smoking for a month. Few days later, he was back to his old habit. He failed to finish and build the good habit he started.
There are those who started to have a happy family, but ended up to have a broken one.
There are students who wanted to build a successful career afterwards, but later failed not only in one or two subjects. But failed to finish college.
There is a tendency for people, not only to be distracted but to be derailed from the right track they are pursuing. They don’t stick on the right/good idea, or project, or task they want to accomplish. They allowed themselves to be swayed away from their goal.
How about us -- how many times have we failed to finish the good work we started?
Should we not learn from Nehemiah? He did not allow anything or anyone to uproot him away from what he set his mind to accomplish. Why? He feared God. His regard, respect for God was so high. He was in awe of Him. He revered Him.
So He also regarded the work set before him to be so important. For him it was great.
Attention, or resources, or effort, or time should not be wasted in other things.
As an individual part of the body of Christ, what is now the task set before you? Are you sure it reflects your reverence for God? Have your started thinking or doing it? Is it reading the Bible from cover to cover? Praying daily? Faithful and generous in giving tithe and offering? Telling a friend that you are a lover of the Biblical Christ and of His Word? Inviting someone to attend the church?
What is it in your mind or hand that you believe is God-given? Stick on to it until it is realized.
If we are being hindered or even threatened of harm, what else should we do?
II – SUPPLICATE GOD FOR STRENGTH (v. 9).
Supplicate, pray, ask or beg humbly that God would provide the strength.
We read verse 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..”
After trying to harm Nehemiah, it was related in verses 5-7 that there was an attempt to frighten him. It was made by false accusation. Sanballat falsely accused him that Nehemiah was trying to stage a rebellion.
Nehemiah strongly rebutted the allegation in verse 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.’" And he did not go on further to defend himself. Rather, he asked God to strengthen him. He prayed in verse 9, “…O God, strengthen my hands.”
Praying that instead of being discouraged, he would be more empowered to accomplish the task. Instead of being stopped, he would surge forward. Instead of being weakened or paralyzed by false accusation, he would be stronger to perform what is pleasing to God.
One of the reasons why I opted for early retirement was my health. There were two instances that my mouth was blowing out blood. Blowing out in the sense that it was like a water surging out from the noozle of the hose used by fireman. And I was trying to control or stop the coming out of blood. Later, I realized the case was not just TB.
When I was taken to the hospital, the doctor said that it was not good what I was trying to do -- stop the coming out of blood, when my mouth was ejecting it. It could be fatal. By doing so, according to the doctor, I could suffer suffocation. So, when the next and final attack struck, I really let go the blood. Besides, I told myself, I was already in the hospital. For the first time, my wife witnessed how I “bombarded” even the wall of the toilet with blood! Remember, the doctor said that it was fatal to control or stop the coming out of blood.
However, It would be more fatal, if we try to stop in the work given to us by God.
So, believers or lovers of Christ, should we allow anything that weakens or stops us in the building of our spiritual wall? Should we permit anything that depletes our energy to cease from building whatever spiritual or physical activity that promotes God’s name?
What weakens or even hinders you to proceed and accomplish what God wants you to do?
Of course, one of them, false accusation. You could also add, lack of support from others, you could not see immediate result, or anything that burdens you right now.
Instead of spending the time on anything that discourages you, invest the time in immersing your mind in the promises of God’s Word. Like, for instance, what we read in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Also, when something or someone would weaken you, for example in the reading of the Bible daily, or praying regularly, or witnessing for Christ in every opportunity, or coming to church early, or giving tithe and offering generously, or fellowshipping or praying for other believers lovingly, instead of giving up, pray like Nehemiah: “…O God, strength my hand,” or “…strengthen my resolve.”
And what do you think would be God’s answer? We read in Isaiah 41:10, “… fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Finally, if we are being hindered or even threatened, what should we do?
III – SURRENDER JUDGEMENT TO GOD (v. 14).
We read verse 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."
Again, Nehemiah prayed. He entrusted to God whatever judgement be executed toward Tobiah, Sanballat and even to false prophets.
After the attempt to harm him and frighten him by false accusation, the final assault against Nehemiah was related in verses 10-13. The aim was to discredit him. To give him a bad reputation. And also to make him appear as a coward.
Now, his enemies hired a prophet. He sent a message to Nehemiah that there was an attempt in his life. So, he should come in the temple to find refuge. However, Nehemiah realized that the prophet was a false one. For he was aware of God’s Word that only priests could go in the temple.
Instead of confronting them in their effort of trying to give him a bad name, he prayed. Instead of condemning them for their damaging plan, he told God: “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."
And what was the result of God’s pleasing reaction of Nehemiah? We read in verse 10, ”So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days." God granted him success. God helped him to finish what he was trying to build.
While Nehemiah had a very high regard and great respect for God’s Holy Name, the people in this world would want to protect the honor of their names. They want, not only to be respected but to gain high regard from everyone.
And when others would try to throw dirt, literally or figuratively, at them, they would summon all their strength and resources to protect their “blessed” names. There is the strong tendency to fight back by throwing greater “trash” against those who initiated the garbage-throwing. And who would also retaliate with equal or much filth!
By God’s common grace, there are still few people, even in political arena, who accepted the fact that no one could please everyone. And they would just keep on doing what is suppose to be done. And let others hurl anything at them.
Believers or lovers of Christ, are we among them?
How do we react when others would besmirch or just try to destroy our credibility? Do we join in the “fighting stance” of this world -- trash for trash, stink for stink? Or, are we after for the promotion of the Holiness of God? And interested more to continue on in doing the task of accomplishing His Will?
When others, especially the unbelievers or even false teachers, would try to harm us, let us maintain in our mind what the Psalmist told God:
“All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies. My flesh trembles for fear of you and I am afraid of your judgments” (Ps. 119:119-120).
It’s like witnessing the awesome sight when there is like a pillar of fire surging upward from the mouth of Mayon volcano. You are in the safe place far from the fiery path of the lava -- and you love your safe position, as if within the testimonies of God or in His Presence. But you know that those who are in the path of God’s wrath, as pictured by the fiery lava of the volcano, it’s a fearful thing!
So, let’s not retaliate against those who try to destroy our reputation. In fact, believers or unbelievers are all sinners. Only that believers are forgiven. God placed them in the safe place.
If others would try to harm or damage our reputation, there should be no judgment or condemnation in our heart. We know what awaits them. Like Nehemiah, let’s surrender any judgment to God. Just keep on doing what is pleasing to God.
CONCLUSION:
In closing, like Nehemiah, though others would try to hinder us, or to harm us, we could also stick on the God-given task, supplicate God for strength and surrender judgement to Him. However, we would not be able to have that God-pleasing attitude, if we do not fear God.
Who among us have that kind of holy fear in the heart?
God declared in Jeremiah 32:40, “I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.”
Be sure that God Himself planted the holy fear in our heart, so we may not turn from Him. And because of fearing Him, we will also stick on the God-given task until it’s completed, we will supplicate God for strength and surrender judgement to Him.
