December 17, 2010
Opposition by Deceit and Trickery: The opposition(s) by ridicule, anger, discouragement, greed, and heartlessness didn't work, so now Sanballat and Tobiah tried trickery and deceit, under the guise of seeking peace. They sent Nehemiah a letter asking to meet together.
Response: Nehemiah refuses. He understood they were trying to harm him.
Opposition by Relentlessness: They send the same message to Nehemiah four times. The 5th time they send an unsealed letter with a messenger. They've upped the rhetoric. This time they say that the word is out on what he (Nehemiah) is trying to do. People are talking about him; everyone knows he is trying to be king of Judah; he is trying to be in charge; and the king will hear about this, "So come... let's discuss this together."
Response: Nehemiah sends back the same response as the first four times. They up the ante and accuse him of trying to take over Judah. This time he sends back a reply that says, "Nothing you are saying is really happening. You are just making it up in your own mind."
Opposition by Scare Tactics: Our enemies were trying to scare us, thinking, "they will get too weak to work. Then the wall will not be finished."
Response: Prayer. "God, make me strong."
Opposition by Fear: Nehemiah goes to see Shemaiah. Shemaiah says, "Let's meet in the Temple of God. Let's go inside the Temple and close the doors because men are coming at night to kill you." Fear.
Response: Nehemiah said, "Should a man like me run away? Should I run for my life? I will not go." Nehemiah knew that God had not sent Shemaiah for his protection, but rather Sanballat and Tobiah had hired him to frighten Nehemiah. If they could get him to succumb to fear, then Nehemiah would have lost all credibility. To try and take matters into his own hands to protect himself would have shown a lack of faith. Do you trust God—or not? Is the LORD, God—or not?
Nehemiah prayed again. "My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat and what they have done." He was asking God to hold them accountable for their actions.
The wall was finished. When their enemies and the nations around them who opposed them saw it, they were shamed. The NIV says they lost their self-confidence. Nehemiah 6:16 - "Then they understood the work had been done with the help of our God."
Tobiah continued to try and undermine Nehemiah. Some of the Jews kept in contact with Tobiah, telling Nehemiah about the good Tobiah was doing. They would tell Tobiah what Nehemiah would say about him and Tobiah would write letters trying to frighten him. But—God!
Addendum: 12/20/14 ~ I recognize the actions of Sanballat and Tobiah. The account of how Sanballat and Tobiah tried to defeat and destroy Nehemiah and prevent him from accomplishing God's plans, is like a step-by-step description of the opposition we've encountered; it mirrors the tactics used in "the storm." I'm struck by the fact that there really are no "new" sins, motives, or methods. The sins of yesterday are the same sins of today. The heart of the matter reveals the matter of the heart.
God's will cannot be circumvented. CANNOT! His will, WILL ultimately be realized. You can try anything and everything under the sun, but nothing surprises or outwits the creator of all things. Sanballat and Tobiah tried, but God ruined their plans. God's will WILL prevail! God did not allow their evil plans to succeed.
We will wait on the LORD. We will trust HIS promises.
Next Entry: Nehemiah 6:1 – 7:73 (Continued)
Opposition by Deceit and Trickery: The opposition(s) by ridicule, anger, discouragement, greed, and heartlessness didn't work, so now Sanballat and Tobiah tried trickery and deceit, under the guise of seeking peace. They sent Nehemiah a letter asking to meet together.
Response: Nehemiah refuses. He understood they were trying to harm him.
Opposition by Relentlessness: They send the same message to Nehemiah four times. The 5th time they send an unsealed letter with a messenger. They've upped the rhetoric. This time they say that the word is out on what he (Nehemiah) is trying to do. People are talking about him; everyone knows he is trying to be king of Judah; he is trying to be in charge; and the king will hear about this, "So come... let's discuss this together."
Response: Nehemiah sends back the same response as the first four times. They up the ante and accuse him of trying to take over Judah. This time he sends back a reply that says, "Nothing you are saying is really happening. You are just making it up in your own mind."
Opposition by Scare Tactics: Our enemies were trying to scare us, thinking, "they will get too weak to work. Then the wall will not be finished."
Response: Prayer. "God, make me strong."
Opposition by Fear: Nehemiah goes to see Shemaiah. Shemaiah says, "Let's meet in the Temple of God. Let's go inside the Temple and close the doors because men are coming at night to kill you." Fear.
Response: Nehemiah said, "Should a man like me run away? Should I run for my life? I will not go." Nehemiah knew that God had not sent Shemaiah for his protection, but rather Sanballat and Tobiah had hired him to frighten Nehemiah. If they could get him to succumb to fear, then Nehemiah would have lost all credibility. To try and take matters into his own hands to protect himself would have shown a lack of faith. Do you trust God—or not? Is the LORD, God—or not?
Nehemiah prayed again. "My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat and what they have done." He was asking God to hold them accountable for their actions.
The wall was finished. When their enemies and the nations around them who opposed them saw it, they were shamed. The NIV says they lost their self-confidence. Nehemiah 6:16 - "Then they understood the work had been done with the help of our God."
Tobiah continued to try and undermine Nehemiah. Some of the Jews kept in contact with Tobiah, telling Nehemiah about the good Tobiah was doing. They would tell Tobiah what Nehemiah would say about him and Tobiah would write letters trying to frighten him. But—God!
Addendum: 12/20/14 ~ I recognize the actions of Sanballat and Tobiah. The account of how Sanballat and Tobiah tried to defeat and destroy Nehemiah and prevent him from accomplishing God's plans, is like a step-by-step description of the opposition we've encountered; it mirrors the tactics used in "the storm." I'm struck by the fact that there really are no "new" sins, motives, or methods. The sins of yesterday are the same sins of today. The heart of the matter reveals the matter of the heart.
God's will cannot be circumvented. CANNOT! His will, WILL ultimately be realized. You can try anything and everything under the sun, but nothing surprises or outwits the creator of all things. Sanballat and Tobiah tried, but God ruined their plans. God's will WILL prevail! God did not allow their evil plans to succeed.
We will wait on the LORD. We will trust HIS promises.
Next Entry: Nehemiah 6:1 – 7:73 (Continued)
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