Wednesday: Nehemiah Takes Action (444 B.C.)
Read Neh. 4:1-23. What did the Jews do under Nehemiah’s leadership to stand up to opposition? Why was it important for them to prepare themselves to fight, rather than just do nothing, believing that God would protect them?
After starts and stops, the people began working again.
Watchfulness While Working
The Jews prayed, and then Nehemiah set up an active guard. The people rotated through shifts during the day and nighttime in order to be prepared for any looming attacks. Nehemiah also organized the people around the wall with weapons so that each family was ready to fight. Additionally, he divided his servants into two groups, with one working and the other holding weapons. There were also special provisions for all those who worked on the wall, as they were closest to the danger. Each one of the builders held a sword with one hand and with the other added bricks/stones and mortar to the wall. They were prepared to face the opposition. They did their part; God did the rest. Nehemiah’s faith in God’s protection is inspiring. However, he didn’t sit on the couch and expect God to do everything. They prepared to the best of their abilities.
The two passages, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses” (see Neh. 4:13-14; NKJV), and “Our God will fight for us” (see Neh. 4:19-20; NKJV) are some of the most inspirational statements found in the Bible.
The Jews could have stopped building once again because of the persistent opposition, but, this time, instead of being overcome by fear, they held onto the promise that God would fight for them. When we encounter opposition for the name of God, for our beliefs, or for what God calls us to do, we should remember that “God will fight for us”.
In the end, the Jews realized that the Lord was behind what they were doing, and this gave them the courage to press on ahead.
| Why is it so important to know that what you are doing is God’s will? Thus, an important question to ask is: How do I know if what I am doing is God’s will? |
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The lesson authors ask the question: "Why is it so important to know that what you are doing is God’s will? " and follows with another question: "How do I know if what I am doing is God’s will?"
The issue for most of us is that God does not always speak in a voice that stops you in your tracks. His voice comes to us in the form of suggestions by friends, reading a key idea, a thought in the middle of the night, and the affirmation of our community of believers.
I sat in a meeting where someone tried to convince us that he had a direct call from God on a particular idea and that collectively we should follow what he was suggesting. The problem was that no one else agreed. This person was clearly using his so called knowledge of God's will purely as a weapon to bully us in to doing things his way.
God does not bully, but in the maze of life where we cannot see the future, he provides a light and promises to be with us. It is no use demanding guidance from God if we are not willing to listen.
Maurice,
Thank you for your comment. Interesting list of ways God communicates.
Nehemiah prepares the building of the wall in the midst of opposition
Sanballat: used scorn and intimidation to prevent the work from starting
Charles Swindoll points out that there were many of them together doing the sarcastic, mocking criticism – and observes “critics run with critics.” One measure of a leader is to be able to measure criticism; to not allow one to be run down by the critical, while still be sensitive to God’s voice even in the midst of criticism.
Nehemiah’s response was a great example. He didn’t debate, he didn’t form a committee, he didn’t even deal with the two enemies directly. Instead, he took it to God in prayer.
For Nehemiah, prayer was a first resource, not a last resort.
Nehemiah’s prayer gave God a reason to show mercy and to come against his enemies. Nehemiah recognized that this was God’s cause, not his own.
If God is for us who can be against us.
Today's Lesson portrays a very powerful lesson that no matter the situation God always has a way to help us overcome our fears. Despite the Opposition Nehemiah and the people did their part and Believed that God will do the rest for them.
Here we see that Believing in God is a Vital part of our daily walk with our savior and having faith with courage to stand against all the Negative vibes that is coming our way everyday.
Amen.
Guidance from the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit guides everyone different ways. This can be in our physical, spiritual, social, or mental life. The way he might direct someone over an issue might be different to another, in the same situation.
We might be praying for a specific situation or a job, the job we don’t care about, the Lord might give us. We then refuse it. When one is in connection with God it appears like there’s something in him that directs him.
I will ask the Lord to remind me to take something with me when I am going out. At intervals I will be reminded to get the thing. Sometimes I procrastinate until I might forget it, but I was reminded to begin with.
How do I know if what I am doing is God's will?
I need to ask Him. I need to look for Him always! There is nothing that I do that He does not know. It is an every day task, search and act, do what is supposed to be done, work hard doing good and face what is ahead with trust. God knows the future, so we must place our present on His hand! This way our future will be succesfull!
“They prepared to the best of their abilities”. “And had sword’s in one hand and added bricks and mortar with the other hand.” Where or how do we draw the line between raising a sword in self defense, and totally relying on God for protection.
Seems as though the instruction was to be ready with swords and spears to defend yourself, your family, and Gods work. The total reliance was in the form of, “be not afraid I will keep you from harm.” Nehemiah 4:13-14.
Our job is to be ready for whatever God calls us to do. If it’s fight then we need to be ready to do so. If it’s build, we need to be ready with tools in hand. To sit on the proverbial couch and say that God will take care of everything is being presumptuous. Faith comes in to play by listening to what God asks you to do and then acting on that instruction. Believing that He will provide for, defend and complete His will through you.
Yes, this is a continuing question - who decides what is God's will?
Is it the majority by voting?
If there are 9 wolves and 1 lamb and they vote what is for dinner?
This is where dependence on God comes in. Even if you go with the majority and it is not His will ... sometimes He will frustrate the process. We should remember that the Lord "allows" bad things to happen. Honest and faithful will die, lose their jobs, be imprisoned, incorrect decisions will be made, etc