As we started our journey through the book of Nehemiah, we found a great deal of encouragement when the king agreed to help Nehemiah. True to his word, the king wrote letters to arrange materials and supplies, and he sent soldiers and horsemen to protect Nehemiah. With clear direction from the Lord and the blessings of King Artaxeres, Nehemiah began his journey to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls. Nehemiah was off to a good start, but he quickly meets some antagonists (bad guys) upon his arrival in Jerusalem. In Nehemiah’s story, the opposers are some politically influential people who don’t want to see Jerusalem rebuilt and the Jews officially reestablished in the land God had given them.
Nehemiah wisely refuses to let political opposition stop him. Nehemiah had received his instructions from the Lord. He was to help rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem. Now he needed make an accurate assessment of the situation so he could put together a solid plan to accomplish his mission. He quietly goes about the business of putting a plan together to do what God sent him there to do.
There are some lessons that Nehemiah will teach us in this passage:
1. When God leads, expect opposition, but don’t let it stop you.
2. Good and godly plans are vital to success. (Don’t share your plans until the time is right.)
3. Team building is essential to the Lord’s work.
Listen as we uncover what God has for us in this section of Nehemiah’s story.
9 When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king’s letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me.
10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.
11 So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later,
12 I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding.
13 After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates.
14 Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but my donkey couldn’t get through the rubble.
15 So, though it was still dark, I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate.
16 The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders — the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration.
17 But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!”
18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.
They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.
19 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked.
20 I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
1. Why do you think there was opposition to the rebuilding of the walls and gates in Jerusalem? Why is there opposition to the Lord’s work today? (2:9-10)
9 ¶ When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king’s letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me.
10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.
In this verses we are introduced to a couple of guys who are not on Nehemiah’s side at all. Both these men are political leaders in the area. When Nehemiah shows the area leaders the letters from the king, some of these guys don’t like the situation at all. They will continue to oppose Nehemiah. Political opposition to the Lord’s work is still alive and well today. There are plenty of people who believe that the teachings of Christianity are not good for society. We often get labeled as intolerant and hypocritical. A quick Google search for opposition to Christianity reveals much more than I could imagine. An article in Time seems to support a real effort to label us as supporters of Christian Nationalism and define us as being in opposition to the very ideas we support.
2. How did Nehemiah prepare himself to present his plan to the Jews? What is the value of doing an accurate assessment before making a plan? (2:11-12)
11 So I arrived in Jerusalem. Three days later,
12 I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding.
Nehemiah slipped out at night and made a good assessment of the condition Jerusalem was in. Nehemiah spent his first three days planning and surveying the situation in Jerusalem. He needed to know exactly what this project would require. He needed to see the difficulties and obstacles in front of him. He could not afford to make a plan and then have the people see that he had missed some obvious details. Nor did he want to let his opposition know what he was doing.
3. Why are good and godly plans important in our lives? In which areas of life have you seen good plans produce positive results?
Pr 21:5 (ESV) The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
Good plans (made in accord with God’s word) result in positive outcomes. The lack of a good plan leads you toward poverty. The writer of Proverbs gains our attention by telling us that even the ant knows to plan for winter. Proverbs 6:6 (NLT) Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. We ought to be at least as smart as an ant.
Some of the areas in which planning is important to my family are:
(1) Planning for retirement. (2) Preparing for when our cars need to be replaced. (3) Planning for health care in our senior years. (4) Planning for gifts for occasions like Christmas and birthdays. (5) Planning for charitable giving.
4. What did Nehemiah find in his inspection of the city? (2:13)
13 After dark I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal’s Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates.
He saw the details of the conditions that he already knew about. The walls were broken down and the gates had been burned. These were the very things he expected to see when he arrived at Jerusalem, but now he had enough information to put a good plan together. Hanani told him about this, and now he had seen the destruction with his own eyes. Now he knew enough of the details to move forward with a detailed plan.
5. Why were the officials unaware of Nehemiah’s plan? In what ways do you think it was wise for Nehemiah to not yet talk about his plan? (2:16)
16 The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the Jewish leaders — the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else in the administration.
Nehemiah had the wisdom to keep his plans and his ideas to himself until he was sure he knew what he talking about. When we speak about issues in which our understanding is low, people are less likely to trust our words. We should refrain from talking about any subject until we have a good understanding of the subject and logical way to move forward. Also, Nehemiah had the wisdom to protect his plans from his enemies back keeping his activities quiet until he was ready to share them with his team.
6. How did Nehemiah motivate the Israelites to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem? (2:17)
17 But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!”
First, he talked about the 800 pound gorilla in the room. It was obvious to everyone that Jerusalem was in trouble. It was in ruins. Most likely these verses are but a brief summary of what he actually said. The walls and gates had been destroyed, and everyone knew they needed to be rebuilt. To everyone, it would have been obvious that the Jews were in disgraceful situation.
7. How did the Jews respond to Nehemiah? What encouragement did Nehemiah offer those people who may have initially doubted his plan? (2:18)
18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.
They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work.
With the unspoken now spoken, Nehemiah offers encouragement to the project by telling the people about the commitment from the king. Then, the people drew the only sensible conclusion there could have been, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” Their conclusion was more than just words – they began to do the work.
It seems clear that the people of Jerusalem understood that God was at work in and through Nehemiah, and they wanted to join God.
This reminds me of what Henry Blackaby said in Experiencing God, “Look around and see where God is working, and join Him.”
We may not have a wall to build, but we have something to build. At this church we help build or re-build the lives of valuable people who had at one time lost their way. Now they are ready to rebuild, and we try to help.
8. How did Nehemiah respond to his critics? (2:20)
19 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked.
20 I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”
Any attempt to fortify Jerusalem would have been labeled as trying to gain independence from the king. Some of the other political leaders seemed to be all too happy suggest that Nehemiah was out of line in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was not hesitant in his reply. He had prayed to God about this. The king had granted his requests, and Nehemiah was not about to wimp out now. Sure, he had opposition, but he had his instructions from the Lord Himself. He replied that the opposition did not matter because God would help them succeed, and the opposition had no share in what was happening in Jerusalem.