Effective Christian Living - Nehemiah
6 - Chapter 6
The key verse of chapter 6 of Nehemiah is verse 3. Nehemiah says, "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should this work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" The key words in this verse are, "Why should the work stop?" Once again we see the desire of Satan. He wants to stop the progress of the work of God and God's people. In chapter 4 he tried outward opposition. He failed. In chapter 5 he tried again to stir up division and discord within the ranks of God's people. He failed again.
In chapter 6 we see Satan at his most devious. His technique is subtle craftiness. Martin Luther, the great reformer, recognised this aspect of Satan's activity. In his hymn 'A safe stronghold our God is still' he says in the first verse, 'Strong mail of craft and power he weareth in this hour'. When Satan fails to bring you down through open attack against your soul, he resorts to 'playing dirty'. The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2 verse 11, "We are not ignorant of his schemes". In Ephesians 6 verse 11 he says, "Put on the whole armour of God so that you can take your stand against the Devil's schemes". Nehemiah chapter 6 exposes some of those schemes. Knowing how he works will help us to stand firm and continue serving the Lord.
When Nehemiah said in verse 3, "Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" He was responding to an invitation from Sanballet and Tobiah to meet with them and talk. You'll remember that these two men are enemies of God's work. Now they appear friendly. They said in verse 2, "Come let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono". This would be seen to be a neutral position. Ono was near Joppa, between Ashdod and Samaria, outside the borders of Judah. Their real reason for this summit meeting was to kill Nehemiah. Nehemiah discerned this. He said at the end of verse 2, "But they were scheming to harm me".
If Satan cannot overthrow the work, or divide and conquer it, he will try to side track you. He will attempt to distract you. Our priority is to be about God's work and to finish whatever He has called you to do. Don't be diverted from it by useless side issues. As genuine as this invitation sounded, and appealing as it seemed, attending the meeting would have slowed God's work. With the leader off the scene morale would drop, and the building work would gradually come to a halt. The danger always exists of talking about God's work, meeting for seminars and conferences about God's work. That is fine, as long as we actually go and do God's work in the end. Satan isn't concerned until we put our hands to the plough. Talkers are no threat to him. Doers are!
The enemy is relentless in applying pressure. We read in verse 4, "Four times they sent me the same message". You must be just as relentless in your determination to be faithful to God in your service.
The second technique of the enemy is slander. In verses 5 to 9 Sanballet sent a letter in which he insinuated that Nehemiah had ulterior motives for his zeal in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. It was implied that Nehemiah was guilty of treason. In verse 6 we read, "You and the Jews are plotting to revolt". Also it was suggested that Nehemiah wanted to become King. The letter continued in verse 6, "According to these reports you are about to become King". Of course, if this got back to King Artaxerxes in Persia, Nehemiah would be in trouble. This concerned him. Spreading false rumours and slander is detrimental to work of God.
Opponents of the Gospel will look for opportunities to throw Christians into a bad light to discredit their motives and aims. You will be falsely accused from time to time. Some will imply you are only out for money, or personal gain. Others might accuse you of being a fanatical fundamentalist trying to take over the world! Of course, you must be careful not to give the wrong impressions through lack of care and wisdom. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5 verse 11-12, "Blessed are you when people insult you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you".
Nehemiah dealt with the false accusations by an honest denial, and by committing the matter to the Lord in prayer. The pressure was intense. The enemy tried to frighten the workers. Nehemiah's answer is in verse 9, "But I prayed, now strengthen my hands". Learn to take all your troubles to the Lord in prayer and leave them with Him.
We find another scheme of the enemy in verses 10 to 14. Nehemiah thought he had a trusted friend in Shemiah the prophet. Shemiah warned Nehemiah of an attempt against his life. He said in verse 10, "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". Nehemiah refused for two reasons.
First, his leadership would be discredited. The Jews would believe him to be selfish coward concerned for his well-being. He said in verse 11, "Should a man like me run away?" He was their leader and protector. Nehemiah's safety was in God. You need not run away and hide from the enemies of the Gospel. Be like Nehemiah, pray for God to strengthen you. Remember God's word. David said in Psalm 46 verse 1, "God is our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble". Your life will have an impact on others when they see you are a person of integrity before the Lord.
Second, Nehemiah knew scripture. He remembered Numbers 18 verse 7, God said to Aaron and his sons, "But only you may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain". Nehemiah knew that only the priest could go into the temple. Nehemiah said in verse 12, "I would commit a sin by doing this". Nehemiah realised that Shemiah had been hired by Sanballet and Tobiah to trap him. Satan will be unsuccessful in ensnaring you and getting you to sin when you know God's word and obey it. David said in Psalm 199 verse 11, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you". Satan will try hard to get you to behave unscripturally so that you will discredit your claims to be a servant of the Lord. A firm grasp of the Bible will give you discernment so you will be able to know truth from error, and right from wrong.
The chapter ends in verses 14 to 19 with reference to correspondence that took place between Tobiah and his relatives who were involved in the rebuilding of the wall. The relatives weren't in opposition to the building work. They worked hard at it. They probably couldn't see why Tobiah was rejected from sharing in the work. They spoke well of him. Nehemiah said in verse 19, "They kept reporting to me his good deeds". Tobiah may have been a charming man. The discerning person would see that he was an enemy of the work. One of Satan's schemes that he uses to frustrate spiritual leaders is to try to influence things through well-meaning believers who sadly lack discernment about the nature of the spiritual battle in which we fight.
Be a spiritually minded Christian. Look at everything from the standpoint of scripture. See things as God sees them. No matter how pleasant a person might be, if he isn't guided by scripture, and doesn't support God's work, then first and foremost your allegiance is to Jesus Christ. May you be an effective Christian by not being ignorant of Satan's schemes.