Nehemiah 4:11 ( ESV )
11And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.”
Out of all of the childhood games ever invented, Capture the flag was always my favorite. I loved that game probably more than any other game. The joy of sneaking up on your enemy and seeing your team run back to your side was always exhilarating to me. We had gotten away with it, under their own noses. They didn’t even see it coming.
The enemies of Israel wanted to destroy them. They wanted more than anything to do it in such a way that Israel would never expect it. They might have even tried to blend in among them with the desire to stain their hands with blood. They cried, “We will stop this work. “ “We will win this battle.”
Sometimes the attacks against us are not done face to face. There are many times when we don’t even see it coming. We become apathetical to the threats that are around us. We want to let down our guard. This is when we are at our weakest moment. Like the old boy scout motto, we need to, “be prepared.”
Nehemiah 4:12 ( ESV )
12At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.”£
The Jews who lived on the outskirts closer to the enemy were affected first. They came repeatedly to Nehemiah asking for him to come and help them. We do not know why they had to come to him for at least 10 times. Nehemiah may have been busy with the work in front of him. He may have been seeking the Lord’s face in prayer. The answer is simply not in the passage. This I do know though, these people who were living near to the enemy, were probably fearful.
If our enemy sneaks up on us we will not be ready. We will perish at the end of their swords and so also will our children. Nehemiah we need your protection. Nehemiah we need your guiding hand.
I grow fearful of things as well in my life. How will I provide? What about my girls? If something happens to me how will my wife get along? Will I remain faithful to Him to the end or disgrace His name? Listen brothers, some of these are real fears that can overwhelm us at times. I need to draw near to Him during these times and not drift away. What would Nehemiah now do?
Nehemiah 4:13-14 ( ESV )
13So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”
Nehemiah went straight into action for his people. Where the people seem to be less protected he gathered them by their clans. He had them stationed with swords, spears and bows. Did you see how he stationed them? Nehemiah divided them by their clans or by their families. He knew people. Nehemiah above all knew that you would kill to protect your family.
When people are fearful we need to encourage them. We need to comfort them during those times. When my girls were younger my sensitivity was not always great. They would become fearful of the dark and I would just simply tell them, in my own comforting way, “DON’T BE SCARED.” Julie on the other hand would simply walk into the room and turn on the nightlight. In this passage this is what the nation of Israel needed. They needed someone who would not only challenge them but comfort them as well.
In verse 14 Nehemiah talks to them as a Father who would challenge and comfort them. Look at these three things that Nehemiah encouraged them to do.
o Do not be afraid of them-Paul will remind Timothy in his ministry, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
o Remember the Lord who is great and awesome-Think of how God had worked in the past for His beloved Israel. Think about how God has worked in the past through the New Testament. Remember how He has been at work in your life. The same one who helped Israel cross the Red Sea still is at work in our lives.
o Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughter, your wives, and your homes.-Lastly what gives me courage against the enemy is that I am fighting for my loved ones. I want them to see me standing up for the Lord. I want to protect those around me by keeping my heart clean. I want to protect those around me by speaking against those who would harm them not only physically but more importantly spiritually. I am called to FIGHT.
Nehemiah 4:15 ( ESV )
15When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
The enemies plan had been exposed. Israel had now prevailed for the time being. They would now be able to get back to the work that God wanted them to finish. They had to take their eye off the work for a short time. They had to focus on a possible attack by their enemy. Now they would go back to the work that needed to be done. Yet, you will notice in the rest of the chapter they would never be the same. They would finish the work, but they would also be prepared for the enemy at all times. They would not let their guard down.
There are times in our walks where we can sense an intense spiritual battle going on. We hear the rumblings and have to focus more of our attention on certain areas in our life. We are ready to fight. Many times the enemy will retreat as we rely upon the armor of God. What a time of awareness of the power of God floods our souls. We sense His love and power. Yet, we must not let our guard down. The enemy often is just waiting for another opportunity. He looks for another way to destroy us. Are we going to be prepared? Nehemiah provides us a perfect example of this in the next few verses.
Nehemiah 4:16-22 ( ESV )
16From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah,
17who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.
18And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
19And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.
20In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
21So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
22I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.”
Nehemiah was going to continue on with the rebuilding project. The rumors had died down about another attack. They needed to get the work done. Nehemiah also realized that the enemy might attack again. The enemy might not attack immediately but he knew they would not give up. I can just see his brain turning, “You know if they are not going to give up, well neither am I.” “I must prepare our people to be ready for battle at the drop of a hat.”
From this point on, half of his servants would continue the work. The other half would be ready with their weapons to take on the enemy at any moment. They were not the only ones, as the rest would carry their construction tools in one hand and strapped to their sides were their swords. They would be ready, come what may. I like what Warren Wiersbe says about this passage. “It is not enough to build the wall; we must also be on guard lest the enemy take it from us. Building and battling are both a normal part of the Christian life.”
In verse 18-20 I like to look at this passage in two ways concerning my walk. First of all, quite often I get spread out to wide in the ministry. I lose focus, and the enemy might sneak up on me, to destroy my walk. I need to be sensitive to hear the trumpets of warning in my life, lest I fall. God help me to be a man who is willing to hear your warnings through prayer and your Word. Secondly, I may need to sound the trumpet and warn my brother of the spiritual danger that he may not even see.
Here is the great part, are you ready? God wants us to be prepared but He also wants us to know that HE will fight for us. I am reminded of these words, of when Israel had the Egyptians behind them, and the Red sea before them. “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” We are to take on the armor of God but always realize that Ephesians 6:10 tells us, “Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”
We are involved in the battle both day and night. The enemy will never ease up on us. Be prepared!! I love the title of Walter Payton’s book it is simply called, “NEVER DIE EASY.” This should be our motto as we face our enemies and the sins that so easily beset us. How ready should we be for the enemy? Look at the last verse of this chapter.
Nehemiah 4:23 ( ESV )
23So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.£
This verse is just beyond awesome. Nehemiah was so prepared for battle that even when he went to sleep at night he slept in his clothes and kept his weapon at his right hand. “Lord, prepare my hands for battle. Help me to be tireless in my pursuit of following you. Help me Father, to be a man who will always be on the lookout for what may cause me to stumble and fall. Give me courage for the battle, and help me realize that you will fight for me. In Jesus name, Amen.”
 |
| Working at the car wash. Working at the car wash, girl. |
No comments:
Post a Comment