Weapons Used Against Nehemiah

He is constantly the victim of plots and schemes.

Illus: Reminds me of these three fellows name Stupid, Trouble and Shut up.

One Day Stupid, Trouble, and Shut Up were driving along in their car when Trouble suddenly hurled himself out of the window.

Well, Stupid and Shut Up did not know what to do so they went to the police station.

When they got there the chief asked them their names. “Shut Up”, replied Shut Up. “Stupid”, replied Stupid.

The police chief thought these people were telling him to shut up, and were calling him stupid. Which made him very mad.

“Excuse Me!” shouted the chief. Thinking the chief was hard of hearing, They once again shouted there names. “Shut Up!” “Stupid!”

The police chief was very riled. He then asked ”Are you looking for trouble?”

Stunned at the idea of the chief knowing that they were looking for their friend, they replied, ”Why yes, how did you know?”

When it comes to trouble also it seems some folks look for it, but there are others who do not look for it but trouble finds them.

Now trouble is never far away from Nehemiah!!! When we get to chapter 6 he finds himself in the midst of trouble again

This trouble comes primarily from three men, Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem–(we've met them before in Nehemiah chapter 2.)

Now it is important that you know these were men of influence. They were governors over there areas in which they live.

For example, Sanballat is a Babylonian name. He's from Beth-Horon, a place 16-17 miles northwest of Jerusalem.

His daughter married Eliashib the son of the high priest, and he will have an introduction then into high society and high priestly society within Jerusalem.

Historical records tell us that he was the governor of Samaria and that his two sons had Jewish names. We assume that he wasn't Jewish, but that his wife was probably Jewish. He's an ambitious politician.

He's the governor of Samaria to the north of Jerusalem.

Like Nehemiah, he is under the authority of the Persians, but

he wants to make a name for himself. He probably sees Nehemiah, and especially the building of the walls in Jerusalem, as a threat to his political ambitions.

Tobiah is a Jewish name. His son will also marry a high society daughter within Jerusalem.

And Geshem — Geshem is an Arab. He's the governor of Edom and Moab, to the south and to the east of Jerusalem.

So we've got three would-be politically ambitious rulers to

1) The north (Sanballat)

2) The east (Tobiah)

3) The south (Geshem)

Surrounding Jerusalem.

They have nothing in common with Nehemiah except that they don't like what's going on in Jerusalem when it comes to the rebuilding of the wall.

They do not like Nehemiah or what they see as Nehemiah's own political ambitions, and they've come together as a TRIO of political convenience for the purposes of bringing down Nehemiah.

In Nehemiah chapter 6 we want to look at three strategies that they deploy in order to bring Nehemiah down. However, we’re going to watch Nehemiah through discernment out smart them.

We’re going to see him as a great leader. But look at some of the things they did to try and stop him.

I.THEY USED VANITY.

THESE INFLUENTIAL MEN NOTIFIED HIM THEY WANTED TO MEET WITH HIM.

The first strategy is an invitation to come to “talk” in a place called Ono.

[Well, you all know the joke! They’re invited to Ono, and Nehemiah says, “Oh, no!”

He actually did say NO on numerous occasions.

HOW DID THIS TAKE PLACE?

Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, invited Nehemiah to a summit, a summit that would produce perhaps some kind of political agreement, it's a thoughtful attempt to appeal to Nehemiah's vanity.

Nehemiah's sense of pride that he would be there with these recognized leaders, Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem.

Look at Nehemiah 6:1-2 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

Now these men have been Nehemiah’s enemy. But when they heard the wall was completed, (But it was not because the gates had not been built) they change their strategy IF YOU CAN NOT BEAT THEM JOIN THEM!

But notice how they appealed to his vanity. They more or less said to themselves, “We have not been successful in defeating him, so if we cannot beat him let us join him.