author: Ryan Hayden Take your Bibles with me and turn to Nehemiah 2. Nehemiah 2.

My grandfather was a career Navy man - he made it all the way to Master Chief - but he actually never served on a boat. He was a Seabee. He was in the Construction Battalion.

If you've ever seen the Seabee Symbol - it's pretty cool. It shows a bee with a navy hat on and in one hand he has a machine gun and in the other he has a hammer.

The Seabees would often get sent in to build bases and air strips. So they were in some pretty hot territory. They had to be master builders, but they also had to be able to defend themselves.

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I'm really kind of proud of that little connection. The Seabees.

Charles Spurgeon had a magazine that he published for many years called "The Sword and Trowel." That's the same idea as the Seabees - a trowel is used for building, an sword is used for fighting and defense.

That name came from the story we are going to look at tonight.

Remember, Nehemiah is coming back to Jerusalem to build up the walls of the city. They are broken down. The people are in shambles. He has a burden to build up Jerusalem again.

Last time we looked at this, we talked about Nehemiah boldly going to the king Artaxerxes and asking permission to come back to Jerusalem to build the wall.

Well, he got it. Now he needs to do it. But it wasn't as simple as that - he's going to face all kinds of opposition in the story tonight.

Are you in Nehemiah 2? Let's start in verse 18:

[!bible] Nehemiah 2:18 - KJV 18. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

So Nehemiah comes back to Jerusalem. He tells the people that he has secured permission and resources to rebuild the city. People are getting ready to do the work.

But look at the last two verses in this chapter:

[!bible] Nehemiah 2:19-20 - KJV 19. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? 20. Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

So right away - there are adversaries. Right away, there is opposition. The three main leaders of the opposition were a guy named Sanballat, a guy named Tobiah and a guy named Gershem.

We are going to come back to that and talk about opposition for most of the message tonight...but first I want to look at chapter 3.

Chapter 3 is a summary of the wall building. Let's just read the first three verses to get a feel for this chapter.

[!bible] Nehemiah 3:1-3 - KJV

1. Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.
2. And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.
3. But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

So the whole chapter goes on like this - letting us know the different sections and the different gates, and who was responsible for building them.

Basically, Nehemiah broke down the building of the wall into (I counted) 34 different sections and assigned each section to a group of people (probably who lived near the wall). They all worked at the same time on their sections and look at chapter 6 verse 15:

[!bible] Nehemiah 6:15 - KJV 15. So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.

This is remarkable. They built the wall in 52 days. This seemed like an impossible task, and in less than two months, it was done.

But of course, there is much, much more to the story than that - because it wasn't done in a vacuum. It was done with a great amount of opposition.

Sanballat and Tobiah and Gershem - they were attacking the whole time. Let's call that external opposition. Then on top of that external opposition, there were problems that had to be dealt with internally.

So what I want us to do tonight is to look at chapters 4 and 6 and talk about the different kinds of external opposition that they had to overcome to build the wall in 52 days.

Next week, we'll come back and talk about the internal opposition.

Let's start by looking at...

The External Opposition

There are three main ways that the enemies of God tried to stop the work that God was doing in Jerusalem.

The first way was through...

A. Scorn

We've already seen what Sanballet, Tobiah and Gershem did in chapter 2 when they heard about Nehemiah's project. Their first reaction was to scorn. To make fun. And that is what they continued to do.

Look at chapter 4 verses 1-3 with me:

[!bible] Nehemiah 4:1-3 - KJV

1. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
2. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
3. Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

The first thing they do is mock. They got the army of the Samaritans together in a kind of parade, and they made fun of these jews building Jerusalem. They even say "that wall - a fox would break that wall."

This is just good old-fashioned mean spirited mockery. Unfortunately - good old fashioned mean spirited mockery is often enough to stop God's people.

People do not like to be made fun of. People do not like to have their work teased. If the enemy can get us into our head and get us down on ourself, then we often stop the work God wants us to do.

But noticed how Nehemiah responds.

[!bible] Nehemiah 4:4-6 - KJV 4. Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5. And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6. So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

Nehemiah just prays - he takes it to the Lord. Then they keep on working.

Listen, we can't let the mockery stop us from doing what God has called us to do.

• If you want to raise your kids for God - people will mock.
• If you want to evangelize - people will mock.
• If you want to live a pure life - people will mock.
• If you want to see God do something - people will mock.

But if we know we are doing God's will, we need to bring that mockery to the Lord and just keep on working.

So the first form of external opposition was mockery. The second form is found in verse 7:

[!bible] Nehemiah 4:7-8 - KJV 7. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8. And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.

The second form of external opposition is...

B. Force

The enemies of God - the opposition - moved from making fun to making threats. From scorn to fighting.

Now it's getting serious. They had armies. They had weapons. Now they were putting their lives in their hands.

But look what Nehemiah did. Look at verse 9:

[!bible] Nehemiah 4:9 - KJV 9. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

Basically, what Nehemiah did was to arm his builders. Some would build, some would be on the lookout. All would have weapons.

Then he set it up so that there was an alarm system and everyone could rush in to help if some part of the wall was being attacked.

They had everyone live inside the city at night so that these people could act as guards. They took this very seriously - but they didn't let it stop their work. They had to keep building.

And Nehemiah, I love this, he is leading by example. He's not even taking time to wash his clothes. They have an important job and they need to get it done.

We are fortunate that we do not labor under the threat of physical violence - but that could come. I think our missionary friend last week is a good example of that - they knew that the Chinese government imprisons pastors - and Christians - and yet they serve God anyways.

We should be faithful, even under the threat of outside force.

We are going to come back to chapter 5 in a minute but I want you to look at chapter 6 and see the third kind of external opposition they faced:

We've talked about scorn, we've talked about force, the third thing that these enemies of God used to try to stop the work was...

C. Deceit (6:1-19)

IF you look at chapter 6, there are actually four types of deceit that they use.

The first type is...

1. Pretense

Look at chapter 6 verses 1-4:

[!bible] Nehemiah 6:1-4 - KJV

1. Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
2. That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
4. Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

These enemies of God kept sending notes and messages to Nehemiah and saying "let's get together. Let's get together on neutral ground." They do this four times.

Nehemiah was smart enough to know there was no getting together with these men. There was no compromise. So he just ignored them and kept working. He said 'I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.'

Sometimes people who oppose the work of God will try to slow us down with seemingly innocent things and we have to be wise enough to stay focused on what God has for us.

The second form of deceit is found in verses 5-9 and that is just...

2. Accusations

Look at what these enemies did:

[!bible] Nehemiah 6:5-6 - KJV 5. Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; 6. Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

They start spreading this open letter that says that Nehemiah is trying to be a king and that the men are planning to rebel against Artaxerxes.

This is just a bold-faced lie. It's a smear. It's a false accusation.

It's also super dangerous - because if people believed this, Nehemiah could lose his job and his head.

So notice what Nehemiah says in return:

[!bible] Nehemiah 6:8 - KJV 8. Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

Nehemiah addresses the slander and says "there is no truth to that - you are just making it up."

One of the devils' greatest tools in slowing down God's work is just lies and slander.

Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:11

[!bible] Matthew 5:11 - KJV 11. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

People can make up lies. And do you know what - for a lie to have any traction at all - it has to be believable. There has to be a kernel of truth to it.

Listen, the New Testament warns us in several places about being a person who is a false accuser.

Look at Titus 2:3

[!bible] Titus 2:3 - KJV 3. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

Listen, that is a very specific command to a very specific group of people in the church - to older ladies. You are commanded to not be a false accuser.

Now, why do you think God called out older ladies here? Because older ladies talk. They have opportunity to spread false things.

Another passage that deals with this is 1 Timothy 3:11

[!bible] 1 Timothy 3:11 - KJV 11. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

This is talking about deacon's wives and it says a deacons wife can't be a "slanderer" (that's the same word as "false accuser" in Titus 2:3). Deacons wives, because they are deacons wives, get a lot of partial information and have opportunity to be slanderers, to be false accusers.

Don't slow down God's work by being a false accuser. Don't be a Sanballat and Tobiah.

So they try pretense, they try accusations. The third thing they try is

3. Traps

Look at verse 10:

[!bible] Nehemiah 6:10 - KJV 10. Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.

Nehemiah has two prophets, two preachers approach him and say "the bad guys are trying to kill you - let's hide together in the temple so you will be safe."

But this is a trap. Nehemiah knows its a trap. He isn't a priest, so him going into the Temple is wrong and Nehemiah suspects that these guys are on Sanballat and Tobiah's payroll.

Look at verse 12:

[!bible] Nehemiah 6:12 - KJV 12. And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

Sometimes, in trying to stop the work of God, the devil is going to spring traps. Maybe he'll use a trusted person, maybe a preacher to set the trap. We have to be wise. We have to keep just serving God.

Finally, they used pretense and accusations and traps and they used...

4. Spies

Look at verses 17-19:

[!bible] Nehemiah 6:17-19 - KJV 17. Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them. 18. For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19. Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

The enemies of the work had people on the inside, people who were giving reports. They were pretending to be Nehemiah's friend, but in actuality they were working to undermine him.

Listen to what J. Sidlow Baxter has to say about this:

There are betrayers like Shemaiah and Noadiah in most Christian congregations today - men and women who have professed conversion to Christ, who share in the fellowship and labors of the saints, who nevertheless seem to find a cruel pleasure in the fall of a Christian leader. To his face they are friendly, fussy, saintly, but behind his back they are mischief-makers. They profess loyalty and concern, yet if he slips or falls they love to gossip about it among the brethren or talk it round the town...All the Christian leader can do in his dealings with them is to just keep on building for God through "evil report and good report," courageously refusing all shady expedients, and continually casting himself on God by prayer.

Conclusion

As we wrap this message up tonight, I want to bring this into our world. To talk about us.

And I want to give you four parallels for us. Four parallels to our church and our Christian lives.

The first similarity between Nehemiah and us is...

1. There is a work to be done.

God has given us a job. Preach the gospel. Send missionaries. Be a light and a city on a hill. There is a work to be done for us.

The spiritual walls are in disrepair, the people of God are ashamed and open to attack, and we have a job to do.

One of the most meaningful passages to me, one i think about almost every day, is the parable of the talents. God has given us talents, He's given us His property - and He's going to come back and He expects us to grow and expand His property.

Listen, whatever your part in that work - if you are a housewife raising kids, or you are working in Sunday School or you are working to be an influence in your family - whatever - do it with your might - because there is work to be done. There is a job to do.

The second similarity between us and Nehemiah is that...

2. There is limited time to do it.

Life is but a vapor. Time is a wasting.

It's amazing, Nehemiah built the wall in 52 days. He basically didn't give the enemies a chance to stop him. They just went for it. They just did it. They acted with some urgency.

Ephesians 5:16 says:

[!bible] Ephesians 5:16 - KJV 16. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Colossians 4:5 says:

[!bible] Colossians 4:5 - KJV 5. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

We have a limited amount of time and that time needs to be spent working.

We sing the song sometimes "work for the night is coming" - but do we live like it. Do we like the people in Nehemiah "have a mind to work?"

So we have a work to do, we have limited time to do it. A third parallel is...

3. We all must share in the work.

Nehemiah divided the building of the wall up into 34 sections and spread the work out to 34 or more groups of people. Everyone had to roll their sleeves up and work. Even the gold smith's and the perfume makers grabbed a trowel and became wall builders.

Listen, if a work is going to be done for God - we all have to share in it. We all have to bear our burden and carry our load.

Let me just be honest with you - I would be ashamed to be a freeloader. I would be ashamed to not be carrying my burden - to not be doing my part.

None of us get a pass. We don't get to sit to the side with soft hands and be supervisors. We all have to do the work. So do the job God has given you. If we all work together - its amazing what we can do and how fast we can do it.

So we have a work to do, we have limited time to do it, we all must do the work. One last parallel and I'm done...

4. We must be on guard against the attacks of opposition.

Nothing of any consequence happens without opposition. If you determine you are going to do something for the Lord, then you can be sure the devil is going to work overtime to oppose you.

People will mock you. They will try to stop you. They will use all kinds of subtle ways to try to get you to stop.

And the key is to not stop. Just keep building and battling. Keep the sword handy but keep the trowel in your hand. Be like the Seabees with a can do spirit.

So that's my challenge for you from Nehemiah tonight. Keep building. Keep battling. Don't let the enemy stop you. Don't come off the wall.

Let's stand for prayer.