Neh 8:9-12 ESV

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

GRIEF AND JOY

Soaking in the law they heard having been read by Ezra for six hours has had profound effect upon the people. They wept under the conviction of the Holy Spirit trough the Word of God. Indeed, the scriptures is like sharp sword that reprove and correct us.[2 Tim 3:16,17] Thus, Nehemiah and the other leaders had encouraged them, saying, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.”

It’s good to recognize the thing that should grieve us – our sinfulness. We should be thankful that we’re guilty when we rebel and transgress the will of God. Otherwise, we are already hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.[Heb 3:13] We need not to remain broken and grieving mercilessly, do we? As a ball that falls, we can bounce back with joy from grief because of the grace of God’s forgiveness. Jesus said, “ Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”[Matt 5:4] that is, true joy is preceded by brokenness of sin.

Certainly, the people of Judah felt sad because they were aware of their sins. However, they could lift up their spirits in joy because of the great work God was doing in their midst. Indeed, it’s the goodness of the Lord that leads us to repentance.[Rom 2:4]

At the end of the day, they did choose joy, didn’t they? All the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. They were grieving yet rejoicing at the same time. Yes, our joy for having been forgiven becomes sweeter when we remember how awful sinners we have been. A paradoxical truth impressed by the Spirit we should appreciate in our lives.

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THE REVIVAL AT THE SQUARE

All the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. Certainly, the Spirit of God was at work among them so that they requested Ezra to read God's Word. People won’t gather together as one man for the things of God or desire God's Word unless and until the Spirit of God has moved them.

And why was it Ezra that they requested? For he was the man responsible for having the temple rebuilt in order that God's people to worship. Hence, Nehemiah, in all his work of rebuilding the walls, had just continued on the work Ezra had begun. He was a scribe devoted to God Himself, because he was also a godly priest.

And, it was the book of the Law of Moses they wanted to hear, which refers to the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). This was Israel's specific instruction manual for how to walk before God.

Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people. And as he opened it, all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Their reverence was unquestionable.

Ezra read God's Word from daylight to mid-day. For some six hours he read God's Word and the people listened. This was a move of the Spirit of God. People who will be attentive to the Book of the Law for some six hours are people touched by the Spirit of God. From morning is literally, "from the light." Wow, these people gathered from dawn to hear God's Word. Their hunger and thirst were evident as they were willing to sacrifice something to hear it - they wanted it so much. Like, Jacob in desperation, they would not let go until they had their blessing from God. Everyone who could understand it, heard it clearly.

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-Neh 7:5-6, 66-73 ESV

5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it: 6 These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town.

66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. 68 Their horses were 736, their mules 245, 69 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.

70 Now some of the heads of fathers' houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests' garments and 500 minas of silver. 71 And some of the heads of fathers' houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests' garments.

73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns. And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.

THE PIONEERS

There were only about 2% of the Jews who were exiled to Babylon who came back. Surely, these ones who have the pioneer spirit are worthy of mention. Thus, their names are mentioned here as well as in Ezra 2.

Each of these individuals were dear to God. Just think of what they did that the rest of the Jews did not do. They took the challenge and adventure to return to the Promised Land after they had already set down roots for seventy years in the Babylonian empire.

As a people having a pioneer spirit, they were willing to endure hardship and discomfort, because they had a call from God that was more important than their own comfort. Certainly, life was easier in Babylon if they just want convenience. But, it was better in Jerusalem! Why? It was home where God is.

Notedly, in this list several things were important. Who they were individually was important, so that, there specific names were mentioned. What tribes they came from was important, so that, most family heads are named). Lastly, their gifts to support the work were important so that they are specifically listed also. God does have a book of remembrance (see Mal 3:16), and surely the names of God's faithful pioneers will be in it.

The fact that our names are written in heaven is wonderful, is it not? In fact, Jesus wanted his disciples to rejoice that their names were written not because of what they had done. He said, “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”[Luke 10:20].

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Neh 7:1-4 ESV

Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. 3 And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” 4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.

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Nang ang pader ay naitayo na at nailagay ko na ang mga pinto, ang mga bantay-pinto, mga mang-aawit, at ang mga Levita ay nahirang na, 2 aking ibinigay kay Hanani na aking kapatid at kay Hananias na tagapamahala ng kuta, ang pamamahala sa Jerusalem, sapagkat siya'y isang higit na tapat na lalaki at natatakot sa Diyos kaysa marami. 3 Sinabi ko sa kanila, “Huwag bubuksan ang mga pintuan ng Jerusalem hanggang sa ang araw ay uminit; at samantalang sila'y nagbabantay, isara nila at ikandado ang mga pinto. Humirang kayo ng mga bantay mula sa mga mamamayan ng Jerusalem, bawat isa'y sa kanyang binabantayan, at bawat isa'y sa tapat ng kanyang bahay.”

A FAITHFUL AND GOD-FEARING MAN THAN MANY

It was a joyous occasion when the gates were finally attached to mark the completionof the rebuilding of the wall as the singers and the Levites were there to lead the people in worship. These walls were not rebuilt so the people of Jerusalem could look nicer. They were rebuilt so they could worship God with greater glory and freedom than ever before, were they not? The wall was not the end but the means to praise and worship God.

Then, the ‘charge over Jerusalem’ was handed over by Nehemiah to his brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor. For what reason? They were faithful and God-fearing among many. On top of being gifted and skillful, the character and spirituality of the person is paramount.

And, they are rare treasures to find .According to Solomon, “Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?[Prov 20:6] Today, we’re not short of men with great minds and skills. But, seldom could we find men with great hearts.

The true measure of our faithfulness is in ‘the little things’ we do. Jesus said, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”[Luke 16:10] In other words, our promotion from the Lord depends upon our faithfulness in seemingly insignificant things that we do. Joseph was promoted as a prince because he was faithful in the little things that he did as a prisoner.

Today, let’s put premium in honing our character and relationship with the Lord above anything else. As Solomon has written on what he observed, that is, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”[Prov 22:29]

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Neh 6:17-19 ESV

17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. 19 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.

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17 Bukod dito, sa mga araw na iyon ay nagpadala ng maraming sulat kay Tobias ang mga maharlika sa Juda at ang mga sulat ni Tobias ay dumating sa kanila. 18 Sapagkat marami sa Juda ang nanumpa sa kanya, sapagkat siya'y manugang ni Shecanias na anak ni Arah; at kinuha ng kanyang anak na si Jehohanan ang anak na babae ni Mesulam na anak ni Berequias upang maging kanyang asawa. 19 Nagsalita rin sila tungkol sa kanyang mabubuting gawa sa harapan ko, at ibinalita ang aking mga sinabi sa kanya. At si Tobias ay nagpadala ng mga sulat upang takutin ako.

THE PERIL OF COMPROMISE

Tobiah was the man who had opposed the rebuilding work in connivance with Sanballat. He was disturbed that Nehemiah came to rebuild the walls [2:10], mocked Nehemiah's work [2:19; 4:3], was angry that the work was being done [4:7] and tried to get Nehemiah to stop the work, and came to the plain of Ono where he could attack Nehemiah.

Yet, there were many in Judah who pledged with him, that is, they befriended him. Why? It was because he had family ties to many in the tribe of Judah. In fact, Nehemiah observed and said that “they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him.” Perhaps they were oblivious to the sinister work of Tobiah, so that they have had a hard time believing and perceiving his evil deeds. Perhaps they were saying, "He has always been nice to us; we saw all the good he has done to us." Their ‘pledges with him’ suggested that they have had financial dealings with Tobiah. That is, their self-interestswere evident in protecting their trading contracts through marriage connections. This is the peril when self-interest overrules God’s purposes.

It’s sad that their self-interests had caused them to justify this friendship, thereby treating the enemy lightly. A compromise happens when people choose what is convenient rather than the commitment to the truth. Is it an ordinary situation when one becomes an enemy of God by befriending the world? [Jas 4:7] Nehemiah, in this case, did not allow himself to be sidetrack by listening to them. He neither ignore them nor entertain them. He was focused to his priority task and let the finished wall answer his critics.

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Neh 6:15-16 ESV

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

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15 Sa gayo'y natapos ang pader sa ikadalawampu't limang araw ng buwan ng Elul, sa loob ng limampu't dalawang araw. 16 Nang ito'y mabalitaan ng lahat ng aming mga kaaway, ang lahat ng mga bansang nasa palibot namin ay natakot at napahiya sa kanilang sariling pagmamataas, sapagkat kanilang nabatid na ang gawang ito ay natapos sa tulong ng aming Diyos.

THE WALL WAS FINISHED

In 52 days, the rebuilding of the wall was completed. This was quite a feat for the fact that it lied in waste for more than 100 years. Why wasn't the job done in the more than 100 years before?

Many people saw broken walls, knew how they ruined the lives of the people of Jerusalem, but no one got past the place of just wishing there were walls. And the worst came when they accepted that having broken wall was the normal situation of the city. There is a big difference between intention and action, desire and deed and wish and work. As the saying goes, “ A little deed is greater than a the grandest intention.”

It took one man, Nehemiah, a man of vision and courage to spark a movement. That a 100 year old eye sore problem can be solved in 52 days. We do have the same God of Nehemiah to face our challenges today, don’t we? Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

We observed though that Nehemiah prayed for four months (the span between Neh 1:1 and 2:1) before he embarked the project. However, the work itself took less than two months. In other words, labored longer in prayer than they needed to work to do the job. A reality for us to embrace is that our spiritual battles in prayer should be given time than our actual work in ministry. As S. D Gordon writes, ““You can do more than pray after you have prayed but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” Spending much prayer accomplishes the work more effectively than without it. We are often told about this, but we feel it’s too impractical to be true!

Their success was sweet. The enemies were disheartened. All the nations perceived that this work was done by God. It was evident that God did the work from the start to the finish, so that He deserves all the glory.

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Neh 6:10-14 ESV

10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” 11 But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. 14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

SHOULD SUCH A MAN AS I RUN AWAY?

Certainly, courage is one of the prominent characteristics of an effective leader, is it not? Cowrds are easily intimidated but a courageous person is fearless, like Nehemiah. Here, a certain false prophet Shemaiah, offered him a safe haven in the temple. He knew how to use religious talk, but it was a trap. What he proposed sounded reasonable, was it not? Did not David say, that is,

“ One thing have I asked of the Lord,

that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter

in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

he will lift me high upon a rock.”? [Psa 27:4,5]

Nehemiah discerned that an end does not justify the means. To use the temple as a place of refuge to a non-priest like him is prohibited. King Uzziah, at one time, went into the temple. Resultingly, God instantly struck him with leprosy. The author Redpath says, “An easy-going, compromising religion that will shirk persecution, that will carry no cross, and that is governed by fear of the opinions of other people."

Nehemiah stood bravely against this religious deception. In his commitment to obedience, God revealed to him the heart of Shemaiah, who was a false prophet but was in Sanballat's side.

How Nehemiah handled his enemies should remind us of Jesus. They said to Jesus, "come down from the cross." But Jesus was doing a great work - the greatest work - on the cross, and would not be stopped. Jesus was also slandered, and did not debate His critics - He spoke the truth and trusted in His Father in heaven. Jesus was also offered a way out of the cross by Satan. Satan said to Him to worship him and all the kingdoms of the world would be delivered to Him. Jesus, instead rebuked him to flee away.

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Neh 6:6-9 ESV

5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

ARE OUR MOTIVES RIGHT?

Sanballat and company won’t give up in their pursuit to discredit and destroy Nehemiah. In his fifth attempt, he sent a messenger to read before Nehemiah a fabricated letter of accusation. The letter reads, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.”

It was a slanderous letter twisting the motive of Nehemiah and the Jews. Should the king believe the lie that they’re building the wall to rebel against him? And, should the king believe that Nehemiah has the ambition to become the king of Judah? These possibilities could produce haunting thoughts and created fear. And, the work will cease.

The prophet Jeremiah has had the same experience. In Jer 20:10 we read, “For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him” Luke recorded about Jesus wrongly accused too, saying, “And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.”[Luke 23:2]

However, in all these, Nehemiah did not budge in. As Solomon says, “…the righteous are bold as a lion.”[Prov 28:1b] Nehemiah has discernment. Likewise, we must be watchful “lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”[2 Cor 2:11] Truth always dispel error as light to darkness.

He went to the Lord for strength and who is also the avenger for their wrong doings. As the psalmist expressed, “They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.”[Psa 38:12] Certainly, God allows slander to check our motives. In summary, according to Rom 8:28 it’s a win-win in both ways although its offensive – to correct our motives if the accusation is true and to thank God to keep our right motives in check it is false.

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Neh 6:1-4 ESV

Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner.

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Nang maibalita kina Sanballat, Tobias, at Gesem na taga-Arabia, at sa iba pa naming mga kaaway na naitayo ko na ang pader at wala nang sirang naiiwan doon; (bagaman hanggang sa panahong iyon ay hindi ko pa nailalagay ang mga pinto sa mga pintuang-bayan), 2 sina Sanballat at Gesem ay nagsugo sa akin, na nagpapasabi, “Pumarito ka, magkita tayo sa isa sa mga nayon sa kapatagan ng Ono.” Ngunit nagbabalak silang gawan ako ng masama. 3 At ako'y nagpadala ng mga sugo sa kanila, na nagsasabi, “Ako'y gumagawa ng isang dakilang gawain at hindi ako makakababa. Bakit kailangang itigil ang gawain, habang wala ako upang makababa lamang sa inyo?” 4 At sila'y nagsugo sa akin nang apat na ulit sa ganitong paraan at sinagot ko sila sa gayunding paraan.

I AM DOING A GREAT WORK AND I CANNOT COME DOWN

The rebuilding of the wall was almost complete but Sanballat and company were still relentless. When they couldn’t intimidate Nehemiah and the people, they changed their strategy. They sent Nehemiah a message, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.”

However, Nehemiah knew they couldn’t be trusted. On the guise of peaceful negotiation, their intention was to harm Nehemiah. Thus Nehemiah replied, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” By this, Nehemiah demonstrated two things.

Firstly, he knew the value of his time. It was a waste of time to negotiate with the enemy. He did not allow himself to be sidetrack. In doing the will of God, Satan wants us to leave it in order to do some urgent things. No matter how good or better they are, they’re poor substitute in fulfilling the will of God. The tyranny of the urgent is a ploy of the enemy.

Secondly, he did not allow to sacrifice his priority. His work was a good or noble work. His statement “I can’t come down’ implies his value of work with higher, or even heavenly values, as opposed to base and trivial work. Like Nehemiah, let’s not trade in doing His will with something of lesser value. Like Moses, we should chose God and His work, not the riches and fleeting treasures in Egypt.

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Neh 5:14-19 ESV

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND OTHERS

Unlike the nobles and rulers, Nehemiah and his brothers were men who put the work of God ahead of their own personal interest. Nehemiah certainly had the right to tax the people for his support as those before him did but he didn't. It wouldn't help the work of God. Paul did the same for the cause of the gospel.[read 1 Cor 9:1-15] But, the most explict reason is his fear of God. His reverence to God couldn’t be questioned.

He received a surplus of food provisions from the king. He could have monetized these for his own profit. Instead, he generously gave them away, feeding as many as 150 people regularly. He was not opportunistic to take what he could. Nor, was he covetous to hoard more than what he needed. Certainly, he was an example for what he did not take and for what he did not keep. In this hard time of famine, his mind was for others, commenting, “because the service was too heavy on this people.” He didn’t allow the people to be over burdened, did he?

Did he do these things for a show in order for people to recognize him? Definitely No! We see him praying to God in secret, saying, “ Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.” His confidence and expectations are from God only. As Jesus exhorted us, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”[Mat 6:3,4]

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