Nehemiah's natural ability and supernatural gifts made him a brilliant career
and many enemies..
Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem tried :
1. TO TRICK HIM WITH A FALSE EMBASSY 1-4
"Come 20 miles to Ono for talks" - then kill him en route. Come to Ono? Oh
no!
a. By Prayer he Discerned their Intentions. 1-2
It was their last chance to hinder the completion of the city wall. Nehemiah
knew this by prayer (5:19)..
b. By Prayer he Affirmed God's Intentions. 3-4
I am doing a great work; I cannot leave it. We must build Christ's Church..
"Woe is me, if I preach not the Gospel. . ."..
2. TO TERRIFY HIM WITH A FALSE CALUMNY 5-9
They publish a slanderous open letter as "a basis for new talks"..
a. By Prayer he kept himself Right with his God..
Nehemiah was a man of prayer (5:19; 6:9). His sole intention was to do his
duty to God and the King, and to build the Wall..
b. By Prayer he kept himself Right with his King..
In chapter 1 he prayed for grace and favour in the king's sight; in chapter 2
he got it. He knew he enjoyed the king's full confidence and favour, and
called Sanballat's bluff (8-9)..
3. TO TRAP HIM WITH A FALSE PROPHECY 10-16
As with Daniel, they could only catch him out concerning his religion. So they
arrest Shemaiah and force him to call Nehemiah to a "prayer meeting" in the
safety of the Temple..
a. By Prayer he Perceived the Hand of Tobiah. 10-13
False prophecy is always self-evident to one who walks daily "in the Spirit"..
b. By Prayer he Received the Help of YHWH. 14-16
He was not concerned for his own reputation but for the honour of God's Name
(Shem Iahu). So by the grace of God the Wall was finished in 52 days! Not the
final structure, but a serviceable and effective one. All the tribes and
provinces around knew that this was the work of God and not of Nehemiah alone..
Prayer changes things.....
In Christ,
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
