What I Noticed Today (Nehemiah 4-6)
Nehemiah 4
In verses 1-3, when Sanballat (a Samaritan official in Persia) heard about the rebuilding he mocked the Jews. Tobiah (an Ammonite who was possibly governor and a Jew) also taunted the people rebuilding the wall.
Note: There are two long prayers in Nehemiah (1:4-11 is private, and 9:1-37 is public). There are also six short prayers in Nehemiah (4:4-5, 5:19, 6:9, 6:14, 13:14, 13:22). Nehemiah’s short prayers were either to ask God for help or to ask God to note the effort of the people to fulfill God’s purpose.
In verses 4-5, Nehemiah prayed to God asking for the insults of Sanballat and Tobiah to be returned to them.
In verse 6, the people continued rebuilding the wall.
In verses 7-9, Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites were angry about the work continuing so they surrounded Jerusalem plotting to fight against the exiles.
- Nehemiah prayed and set in place guards to protect the city.
In verses 10-14, the people themselves became discouraged because there was so much work to do and they were being attacked by their enemies.
- Nehemiah stationed guards to protect the workers at the lowest points of the wall.
- Nehemiah reminded everyone they were building for the Lord.
In verses 15-21, as if external issues were not enough, even some of the Jews started to lose confidence in their ability to finish the wall.
- Nehemiah encouraged the people and took precautions against a surprise attack by having half of the people stand guard while the other half worked.
- Nehemiah also put in place a warning system so if they were attacked a trumpet would sound an alarm for the people to gather for the fight.
Nehemiah 5
Nehemiah 5 describes the issue of social injustice that Nehemiah had to face.
In verses 1-5, the wealthy Jews had taken advantage of the poorer people by charging them interest on loans, which led to people losing their land and being sold into slavery.
Note: Jews charging interest to other Jews was a direct violation of Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:35-38, and Deuteronomy 23:19-20.
In verses 6-11, Nehemiah was angry and confronted the nobles and officials telling them they needed to restore the people’s land and repay interest.
- He had them swear an oath to the Lord that they would do as they had promised and even called out a curse on those who did not keep their promise.
In verses 12-13, the people agreed that they would return the property and the interest. He even summoned the priests and made the people take an oath before the Lord.
In verses 14-19, Nehemiah set an example to the nobles and officials in that for 12 years as governor of Jerusalem he did not take a salary that was due him for being governor of the people.
- Instead, he paid for his own expenses, and even personally paid for the care of his servants and some 150 men who ate at his table.
Nehemiah 6
The plot to assassinate Nehemiah.
In verses 1-9, when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Nehemiah’s other enemies heard that the work on the wall had been completed, they conspired against Nehemiah pretending to befriend him.
- Four times they sent a messenger asking to meet, and Nehemiah told them he could not stop working to meet with them
- Then they sent a letter accusing the Jews of planning a rebellion against the king of Persia and asked to meet to discuss the issue. Nehemiah told them they were only spreading rumors trying to intimidate the people into not finishing the work.
In verses 10-14, then Sanballat and Tobiah hired a Shemaiah the prophet, to scare Nehemiah into hiding in the temple so they could speak out against him.
- Nehemiah refused to be intimidated, knowing that Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him to make him look weak and discredit him as the people’s leader.
In verses 15-19, despite all the taunts, threats, conspiracies, and false accusations the people under Nehemiah’s leadership had rebuilt the walls of the city in only 52 days.
- During the time of the rebuilding, many of the nobles of Judah sent letters to Tobiah, and he sent letters to them.
- The nobles kept trying to influence Nehemiah on Tobiah’s behalf saying he was a good man. All the while, Tobiah had been sending letters to Nehemiah to intimidate him.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- How often when God gives us a grand vision of the work He has for us do we endure opposition! We should anticipate the opposition and realize that it comes in many forms as the enemy is always trying to keep us from fulfilling God’s purpose in our lives.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
