Setting – Nehemiah wasn’t distracted by Sanballat, Tobiah & Geshem’s plots against him.
Content – After 52 days the wall was completed and when (v. 16 NLT) “our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.” Before the gates were hung, (v. 2 NTL) “Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But I realized they were plotting to harm me” Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem where trying to discredit Nehemiah (stating lies) to prevent the completion of the city (v. 13 NLT) “They were hoping to intimidate me and make me sin by following his suggestion. Then they would be able to accuse and discredit me.” They wanted to meet him in the plain of Ono (probably to kill him) (v. 2b NLT) “But I realized they were plotting to harm me,” Nehehiah’s reply to Sanballat’s letter, (v. 8b NLT) “You know you are lying. There is no truth in any part of your story” Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem’s goal was (v. 9 NLT) “They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could break our resolve and stop the work. So I prayed for strength to continue the work” They also had prophet’s lie to him (v. 14b NLT) “And remember Noadiah the prophet and all the prophets like her who have tried to intimidate me.” The prophets did this because (v. 18 NLT) “many in Judah had sworn allegiance to him” (him being Tobiah). Of Tobiah (v. 19 NLT) “They kept telling me what a wonderful man Tobiah was, and then they told him everything I said. And Tobiah sent many threatening letters to intimidate me.”
Application – The work rebuilding the city was hard enough, but on top of this, Nehemiah had to deal with Sanballat, Tobiah & Geshem’s threats and plots. Nehemiah remained focused on his task even when faced with danger (v. 11 NLT) “Should someone in my position run away from danger?”
Often times the task itself is hard enough; added to this, can be opposition. Are we able to remain focused on our goal(s) for God? Nehemiah saw that the city wall needed to be rebuilt for God’s people. The wall was something that troubled Nehemiah, (Neh. 1:4 NLT) “When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven” And anytime during this 52 days, Nehemiah could have said it wasn’t worth the work, the threats and lies that he endured.
Nehemiah is a great example of remaining on task. It can be difficult to determine if God is closing a door, or putting on hold, a task that you started. But if you know it’s something that God wants you to do, then you must remain committed to complete it with the understanding that it might be hard coupled with opposition.
Content – After 52 days the wall was completed and when (v. 16 NLT) “our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.” Before the gates were hung, (v. 2 NTL) “Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But I realized they were plotting to harm me” Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem where trying to discredit Nehemiah (stating lies) to prevent the completion of the city (v. 13 NLT) “They were hoping to intimidate me and make me sin by following his suggestion. Then they would be able to accuse and discredit me.” They wanted to meet him in the plain of Ono (probably to kill him) (v. 2b NLT) “But I realized they were plotting to harm me,” Nehehiah’s reply to Sanballat’s letter, (v. 8b NLT) “You know you are lying. There is no truth in any part of your story” Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem’s goal was (v. 9 NLT) “They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could break our resolve and stop the work. So I prayed for strength to continue the work” They also had prophet’s lie to him (v. 14b NLT) “And remember Noadiah the prophet and all the prophets like her who have tried to intimidate me.” The prophets did this because (v. 18 NLT) “many in Judah had sworn allegiance to him” (him being Tobiah). Of Tobiah (v. 19 NLT) “They kept telling me what a wonderful man Tobiah was, and then they told him everything I said. And Tobiah sent many threatening letters to intimidate me.”
Application – The work rebuilding the city was hard enough, but on top of this, Nehemiah had to deal with Sanballat, Tobiah & Geshem’s threats and plots. Nehemiah remained focused on his task even when faced with danger (v. 11 NLT) “Should someone in my position run away from danger?”
Often times the task itself is hard enough; added to this, can be opposition. Are we able to remain focused on our goal(s) for God? Nehemiah saw that the city wall needed to be rebuilt for God’s people. The wall was something that troubled Nehemiah, (Neh. 1:4 NLT) “When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven” And anytime during this 52 days, Nehemiah could have said it wasn’t worth the work, the threats and lies that he endured.
Nehemiah is a great example of remaining on task. It can be difficult to determine if God is closing a door, or putting on hold, a task that you started. But if you know it’s something that God wants you to do, then you must remain committed to complete it with the understanding that it might be hard coupled with opposition.
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