Mobilizing God's People

We are going to jump right into our study today, so, for those of you who like follow along by taking notes, we’re getting started right away.

God is working through Nehemiah to restore the nation of Israel, and as we continue the story today, I am going to arrange our study under 6 headings.

The opening heading for us I am going to call “The Affirmation of God.” The Affirmation of God.

We left off last week with verse 8, and while it was the Persian king who granted Nehemiah everything he asked for, Nehemiah understood that behind it all was God’s sovereign, faithful, and powerful hand. God is empowering Nehemiah to move forward.

As we come to verse 9 of chapter 2, we see Nehemiah setting out on his journey to Jerusalem, and we see more evidence on God’s blessing upon him.

Verse 9 says—Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.

These local governors might have seen Nehemiah’s journey as a threat to their authority, but he comes prepared. If anybody has any doubts about Nehemiah’s right to do what he is going to do, there are letters from the king, along with an armed guard, also sent on behalf of the king. This is official business with blessing of the king and the blessing of the King of kings. Nehemiah is a man travelling with complete confidence that he has the affirmation of God upon his task.

Despite Nehemiah’s confidence, however, and despite the clear evidence of the king’s support, there are people who oppose this work. We get introduced to them in verse 10, and this leads us to our second heading—The Opposition of Enemies. The Opposition of Enemies.

No matter how clear it may seem that God is doing a work, there will always be those who stand in the way. For example, when God miraculously demonstrated that He was going to lead the people through Moses, there were those who rejected Moses’ leadership. Pharaoh rebelled. The sons of Korah rebelled. Even Moses’ sister, at one point, Miriam rebelled against his authority.

During the reign of King Saul, everybody knew God had removed His blessing from Saul. Everybody knew David was the next king, but Saul opposed it. He fought against the plan of God moving forward.

In the time of Jesus, no matter how plain it was to see that Jesus had been sent from God, the Pharisees and the scribes resisted.

You need to understand this principle. God’s work will come with opposition. You need to be prepared for that. No matter how convinced you are that God is going to work through you, don’t assume that means there will not be opposition. Satan is always working.

The laws of physics tell us that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Do you understand that? If you punch the wall, the same amount of force that makes a hole in the wall will be what potentially breaks a bone in your own hand. There’s a force that pushes back.

Well, when God is going to do a great work, Satan and our sin push back. I think that’s part of the reason Jesus cast out so many demons. God was working through Jesus Christ in a distinct way, and so Satan was ramping up his work as well.

Let’s read verse 10 and see the opposition Nehemiah is going to face—But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

Whoever these men are, they cannot stand the idea that someone wants to see Israel restored. They resent anyone helping Israel get back on her feet. Because of the king’s authorization, they can’t take any official steps to stop what’s going to happen, but they are not happy.

We see a similar thing in the book of Acts when the Apostles heal a man born crippled. Everybody knows it’s a genuine miracle. Everybody knows it was to the benefit of the man. But the religious leaders are indignant. Why? Because they are the enemies of God’s work.

You and I are going to run into those kinds of people. You’re going to do something to bless others or to advance the cause of Christ, and someone is going to be upset. Don’t let that surprise you. Be ready for it. God will affirm you, but Satan and the world will oppose you. Don’t let the world’s opposition undo in your mind God’s affirmation.

If Paul would have allowed that to happen, he would have stopped preaching and planting churches once the enemies tried to kill him. But, just like Nehemiah, he continued in the face of his enemies. In fact, speaking of the city of Ephesus in 1 Corinthians 16, Paul says “A wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” You see, for Paul, enemies were not in contradiction to the opportunity to serve God.

Now, having seen God’s affirmation and the enemies’ opposition, the story now shifts back to Nehemiah. And the next heading we have is “The Inspection of Nehemiah.” The Inspection of Nehemiah.

Look at verses 11-16 with me—So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. [12] Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. [13] I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. [14] Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. [15] Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. [16] And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.

Those first three days mentioned in verse 11 could have been a time of rest. Nehemiah had just travelled about 900 miles.

But once the journey is complete, and Nehemiah is rested, what does he do? He sneaks out one night to inspect the walls. He initially goes out with a group of men, but it seems that he slips away by himself, and no one knows what he’s doing. Maybe they just assume he’s going for a private walk in the cool of the night.

There’s no fanfare. There’s no ceremony. It’s just Nehemiah and his animal. No big deal. No caravan. Verse 12 says Nehemiah hadn’t told anyone about his plan. As far as they knew, he was just another visitor sent by the king, maybe simply intending to go back with a report.

The wall that surrounded Jerusalem needed points where you walked in and out. Those were the gates. That’s where business could take place during the day, and it’s where you stationed a guard at night.

Those of you who are familiar with Rose Hills, you know that they have gates there as well. The gates are labelled by numbers. The main gate is Gate number 1, but there are other numbered gates to enter the property.

In Jerusalem, the gates aren’t numbered; they each have a distinct name which could be connected to the geography or to a function of something nearby.

It’s not important for us to know exactly where these gates are, but the main point is that Nehemiah is going around the wall to investigate. He starts in the city and then heads outside through the Valley Gate. Then he heads to the Dragon Spring, and then to the Dung Gate, which was probably near a sewer.

The end of verse 13 confirms the initial report Nehemiah heard back in the beginning of chapter 1. The walls are broken down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire. No honor. No beauty. No protection. It’s a disgrace.

As Nehemiah continues, his animal can’t even continue because of all the debris, the broken pieces of wall and of gates. So, Nehemiah eventually turns around and goes back into the city at the place of his original exit, the Valley Gate.

Verse 16 repeats what we were told in verse 12. Nehemiah hasn’t told anybody about his plans to rebuild. Why did he sneak out on a private inspection in the dark? Was he just trying to confirm the reports he had heard? Did he want time alone to grieve over the city again? There’s more to it than that.

As we saw last week, Nehemiah understands the value of being prepared. He is a man who knows how to form a plan. Before he tells anybody about the project, he wants to see exactly what kind of work needs to get done. He knew things were bad, but he needed to see for himself how bad they were. He was doing an assessment or an analysis. He was evaluating the situation. Once that’s complete, then Nehemiah is ready to make his announcement.

This leads us to our fourth heading for today, which is “The Proclamation of Nehemiah.” The Proclamation of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah, as a leader whom God is using is convinced of God’s affirmation. He’s prepared for the opposition of the enemies. His inspection is complete. And now he’s ready to make his proclamation.

This process points us back, also, to Nehemiah’s patience. He didn’t want to speak too early. He wanted to see the facts for himself before he announced any sort of plans. That’s a key factor in leadership as well. There are some things my wife and I don’t immediately tell our kids because we know it won’t go well. It could be good news, or it could be bad news, but if we tell them right away, it actually has a negative effect, so we delay. That’s part of leadership. Not every needs to know everything at the same time that you do.

But the time has come for Nehemiah to make his announcement, his proclamation. Verse 17—Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.”

There are some helpful lessons here in Nehemiah’s announcement. First, he clearly explains the problem. He wants them all to see it and to understand it. “We are in trouble. The wall is destroyed and the gates are burned.”

Second, he identifies himself with it. This is not “their” problem, according to Nehemiah; this is “our” problem. “We” are in trouble.

Nehemiah explains the problem, and he identifies with the problem. But then immediately, number 3, he explains the solution, and, number 4, he gives the motivation for the work.

What’s the solution to a broken wall? You rebuild it, right? Simple, isn’t it. Do you think anybody there said, “Oh my goodness, Nehemiah. You’re a genius! We never thought of that! Why didn’t we think of this before!” No, nobody said that.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t see that the walls and gates were broken. And it wasn’t that they didn’t know how to fix them. It’s that they stopped caring. They got used to seeing it. But Nehemiah comes and he gives them a proper perspective. His proclamation comes with a motivation.

He's saying to them, “We were meant to be a glorious nation showcasing God’s power and wisdom. Instead, people laugh at us. We are a people of derision. But we can do something about that. We can change that! We can work for the glory of God.”

This was a motivating proclamation. It was inspiring. It was restorative. I don’t get the idea that he’s scolding the people for their complacency, although he may have wanted to do that. He is helping them see things from God’s perspective. That’s what true biblical leadership does; it helps other to see things the way God sees them and to do those things which God wants them to do.

Nehemiah’s motivation continues in verse 18. He gives a personal testimony about God’s goodness and faithfulness. He doesn’t just want the people excited about a new wall, he wants them to be confident, like him, that God is on their side.

Verse 18—And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

Moms and Dads and husbands and wives and teachers and bosses—isn’t this what we would like the ability to do. Wouldn’t it be great to know that God can use us, not just in personal action, but to spur someone else to godly action? Isn’t that the command we find in the book of Hebrews? We are called to consider how to spur one another to love and to good deeds.

If you want to think about how to best do that, think about Nehemiah’s example. He was personally burdened. He was personally invested. He was personally dependent on God in prayer. He worked hard to form a plan and to be informed. And then, he communicated that plan effectively, instilling purpose and passion and vision and confidence in the people he was going to lead. Because of Nehemiah, the people are ready to get to work. They’re excited.

But as soon as we get a big step forward in God’s plan, we come once again to “The Opposition of Enemies.” This is going to be our fifth heading, and it’s the same as the second. The Opposition of Enemies.

The middle of the sandwich, if you will, is Nehemiah’s work to understand the job and communicate it effectively to the people. But just outside in this story, pinning it on either side, is the opposition the people are going to face.

Once again, when a wonderful work of God is getting ready to be done, opposition is going to come. Don’t le that frustrate you. Don’t let that deter you. Instead, let it be a sign that you’re moving in the right direction.

Verse 19—But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

Initially, the opposition was just emotional. These guys were mad about Jerusalem being restored. But now, it’s moved to another level. It advances to ridicule and to threats.

Have you ever seen unbelievers ridicule God’s work? Have you ever seen unbelievers threaten those who seek to serve Jesus Christ?

I assume you have because that’s a fact of life. I hear about it in the news, at a political level, and I’m sure you see it in more specific ways at work or in your family. This world rejects God and rejects Jesus Christ. And when they know they can’t oppose it legally or logically, they resort to ridicule and to threats.

The goal of that is to discourage. These enemies can’t stop the work by force because it comes with the king’s approval, but they can hope to bring enough discouragement so that the work stops from within. If the people who are supposed to do the work no longer want to do it, then they won’t have to do anything to stop it. Right?

“You’re not intending to rebuild this wall, are you?! It’s been broken down since before any of us were born. What do you hope to accomplish? You guys are in over your heads! By the way, is rebuilding this wall some kind of sign that you want to defend yourselves better. Are you trying to raise up an army to fight against the king of Persia? This looks pretty suspicious, guys; you wouldn’t word to get back to the king that you all are intending to rebel against him.”

Do you see the kind of threats Nehemiah is receiving. It’s an intimidation aimed at discouraging the work. The enemies are mischaracterizing their intentions and making false accusations. They’re trying to scare them into stopping the work in the very early stages.

But Nehemiah knows how to deal with these fools. He knows the proper response to the enemies of God. And this leads us to our final verse and our final heading for today. We end today’s story in the same place we started—with “The Affirmation of God.” The affirmation of God.

When God-honoring work begins to move forward, opposition will come, but beyond that opposition, and to a much greater degree, God continues to affirm and empower His work.

When you want to start doing God’s work, opposition will come knocking on your door . But don’t let that stop you, because there’s a louder knock at a bigger door, even though some people can’t see it. God’s sovereign, loving hand is still working.

Some of the Israelite men who were inspired by Nehemiah’s speech might have been discouraged by the enemies’ taunts, but Nehemiah steps in to defend them and set things right again.

Verse 20—Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah doesn’t need to defend himself or the men who are intending to build by their own power or authority or credentials. He simply points everything back to God. He is responding to the enemies, but also strengthening his own men at the same time. This is good leadership.

“The God of heaven will give us success. Nothing is going to stand against us. And, oh, by the way, you have no claim at all with what we’re doing here. Get out of here. Leave us alone. You have nothing to do with us and wit hour God.”

Wait a minute! Isn’t Nehemiah being exclusive here? Is he being judgmental? What about tolerance? What about being winsome and attractive to the people around them?

These are not the kinds of people that God wants to bless and accept. How do I know that? Because they have rejected Him. Even if they worship the God of Israel, it’s only as part of a mixture with the worship of other gods. It’s not true worship. And they are not loving in obedience with God’s revelation and God’s plan, which includes the restoration of Israel.

The same happens today with faithful churches in our own American culture. We face criticism from the world and sometimes even from those who claim Christianity.

Some say, “Oh, there’s a better way to reach people. Here’s how you’re supposed to do it. The way you do things is backwards and slow and old-fashioned. Don’t worry so much about the Bible. Just do fun things that people like. Don’t talk about repentance or holiness or the absolute authority of Jesus. Don’t get in people’s business. People don’t like that. Don’t make people feel uncomfortable with their sin. That’s not going to work. Look how small your church is compared to ours. Come, do things our way.”

A lot of times, I think the best response to that kind of pressure is an answer just like Nehemiah’s. “Get out of here. Leave us alone. You have nothing to do with the true work of God. Your mind is set on the things of man, not on the things of God.” And then, with that response, we get right back to doing what God has called us to do.

You and I have work to do. And sometimes, we can waste too much time giving a voice and a power to those who are opposed to God’s work. We let them slow us down or even stop us for a time. Don’t let that happen.

When we begin to see things more like the way God sees them—when we are shaped by the word of God—when we begin to take action and lead others to do the same—opposition is going to come. Be ready for that. But know that God is still on your side. The opposition of man, no matter how much it stings, is temporary. The affirmation of God is eternal and powerful.

Let’s keep moving forward with what God has called us to do in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s preach Jesus, let’s live for his glory, and let’s lead others to do the same.