The wisdom and courage of spiritual leaders

Nehemiah 6:1~14

1 When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it--though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates--

2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they were scheming to harm me;

3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?"

4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

5 Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter

6 in which was written: "It is reported among the nations--and Geshem says it is true--that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king

7 and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: 'There is a king in Judah!' Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together."

8 I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."

9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed,"Now strengthen my hands."

10 One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you--by night they are coming to kill you."

11 But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!"

12 I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.

14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.

I. Message:

Content:

1. Scheme against Nehemiah (v. 1~4)
2. Wrongful accusation against Nehemiah (v. 5~9)
3. Intimidating and misleading words for Nehemiah (v. 10~14)

Theme:

1. Persistent attacks
2. See through Satan’s scheme
3. The wisdom and courage of spiritual leaders

II. Who is God, Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit?

1. God listens to prayers (v. 9, 14)
2. God reveals (v. 12)

III. What does the passage teach us (about commands, promises, examples, exhortations and warnings)?

1. Persistent attacks

2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they were scheming to harm me;

3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?"

4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

5 Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message,

The opposition is fierce and is not giving up until its goal is reached. “When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of enemies that [Nehemiah] had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it,” they came up with a trap to murder Nehemiah. They invited him to meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono. They intended to take him away from his guards and to isolate him so that they could murder him.

Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of enemies sent Nehemiah the same message four times, and each time he gave them the same negative answer. However, they did not give up and changed their scheme, seasoned with rumours, to intimidate Nehemiah in a fifth message. It is clear that Satan’s attack is persistent until the goal is achieved.

Reflections: Can I see through Satan’s scheme? Have I experienced repeated attacks from Satan? How did I deal with it?

2. The wisdom of a spiritual leader

3 so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?"

8 I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."

9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."

11 But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!"

12 I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.

Nehemiah was able to find out the hidden agenda behind each scheme. First, there were four invitations to meet him in person. He knew that there were other intentions behind the invitation so he declined each time with the same firmness. The fifth message was a threat and Nehemiah was able to see the falsehood of the rumours and replied, "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."

In the end, Nehemiah went to see Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. Having heard Shemaiah’s advice, Nehemiah thought through everything and realized that God did not speak to Shemaiah but Tobiah and Sanballat did. They used Shemaiah to intimidate and to mislead Nehemiah so that the later would commit a sin and be discredited.

Nehemiah is clearly gifted with discernment to see which message came from God and which one came from Satan; which is true and which is false. He was able to discern in time following careful thought.

Reflections: Do I have discernment like Nehemiah? Am I mature enough in faith to possess such discernment? Do I have an intimate relationship with God?

3. A life of continuous prayers

9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed,"Now strengthen my hands."

13 He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.

14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.

Facing one attack after another, including the pretentious messages and the false prophet, how was Nehemiah capable of discernment each time? One major reason is his intimate relation with God. A person with intimate relation with God is more sensitive to His will. And the main path towards such intimacy is through prayers. According to the Scriptures, Nehemiah prays continuously and for every matter. When he realized that enemies were trying to stop the rebuilding of the Temple by intimidating him, he prayed to God to strengthen his hands.

Then he found out that enemies used false prophet Shemaiah to intimidate him and to lead him to sin so that they have a way to discredit him. He prayed like this, “remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.” It is clear that Nehemiah prays continuously and for everything.

Reflections: Can I discern God’s will or not? How is my spiritual life? How prayerful is my life? What lesson can I learn from Nehemiah’s prayer filled life?

4. False message from false prophet

When Nehemiah was facing danger, he went to see prophet Shemaiah for advice. In the end, Shemaiah urged Nehemiah to hide in the house of God inside the Temple. This is against the law. According to Numbers 18:7, only the priest on duty may enter the house of God. Anyone else shall be put to death.

Therefore, Shemaiah’s advice is a trap, seeking public disapproval of Nehemiah as he would have committed a major sin. The rebuilding of the Temple may be stalled or simply stopped if he did sin. Nehemiah thought through carefully and realized that Tobiah and Sanballat hired Shemaiah to intimidate and to mislead him to sin so that they may discredit him.

It is clear that Shemaiah is a false prophet, ready to sell his soul and to set all kind of traps.

Reflections: Since false prophets exist always, how can I discern them from the genuine ones? What can I do to gain such discernment?

5. Ask God to strengthen our hands

9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed,"Now strengthen my hands."

Most of the time, when we are dealing with enemies’ attacks, we tend to ask God to deliver us. But Nehemiah prayed to God to strengthen his hands so that he can stand firm through the tribulations. He possesses good characters and unfailing courage: he does not flee or refuse to take responsibilities; he holds on to his duties, faces challenges with courage, seeks to overcome the obstacles and accomplishes the tasks he was assigned.

Reflections: What is my attitude when I am facing challenges? Do I pray to God? How do I pray? Do I ask God to deliver me? Or do I ask God to strengthen my hands and heart to face challenges with courage?