Days 231 & 232: Nehemiah 1-7

King Artaxerxes (I love that name) graciously (with God's help) allowed Nehemiah to leave and go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city. He gave Nehemiah letters to guarantee safe travel and supplies to help with the project. There was opposition to this endeavor from the very beginning...

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” (4:1-3)

Sanballat was right about one thing...the Jews were feeble. They were undertaking a project that was too big for them...

Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” (4:10)

The people looked at the work that needed to be done, and the opposition that was building against them, and, even though they believed in the vision, they were feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.

Nehemiah must have been a pretty inspirational leader and motivator.

After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” (4:14)

Reminds me of Braveheart. He reminds them of the greatness and power of God...and who they were working for...and they stepped up:

From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. (4:16-18)

This had to be gruelling work. They were already exhausted but now they redouble their efforts at building while simultaneously defending themselves from attack.

So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water. (4:21-23)

Finally the wall is complete. The gates aren't all finished but there is not a gap in the wall. Still, Sanballet tries to undermine the project...and Nehemiah's leadership. When direct conflict doesn't work he resorts to spreading rumors designed to undermine Nehemiah's reputation:

Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written:
   “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”
I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” (6:5-8)

People love conspiracy theories. If you don't like the changes that are taking place and find that you and your cronies are in the minority...undermine the credibility of the leader. Sanballet did it to stop Nehemiah's work, Satan did it to in the Garden of Eden to stop God's relationship with His creation...and naysayers of every generation have done it to stop the ongoing work of the church.

Nehemiah's words need to echo in our hearts: “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”