PROGRESSION OF WARFARE AND THE CERTAINTY OF VICTORY
Neh 4:1-23
But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious
and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of
Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they
offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of
rubbish—stones that are burned?” 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said,
“Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.” 4 Hear, O
our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder
to a land of captivity! 5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from
before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders. 6 So we built the wall, and
the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites
heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be
closed, that they became very angry, 8 and all of them conspired together to come and attack
Jerusalem and create confusion. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of
them we set a watch against them day and night. 10 Then Judah said, “The strength of the
laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.” 11 And
our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and
kill them and cause the work to cease.” 12 So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came,
that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.” 13 Therefore I
positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people
according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and
arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of
them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your
daughters, your wives, and your houses.” 15 And it happened, when our enemies heard that it
was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the
wall, everyone to his work. 16 So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at
construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and
the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. 17 Those who built on the wall, and those who
carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and
with the other held a weapon. 18 Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he
built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 Then I said to the nobles, the
rulers, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far
from one another on the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there.
Our God will fight for us.” 21 So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from
daybreak until the stars appeared. 22 At the same time I also said to the people, “Let each man
and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night and a working
party by day.” 23 So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed
me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off for washing
Neh 6:1-15
Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard
that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not
hung the doors in the gates), 2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us
meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm. 3 So I
sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why
should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 But they sent me this message
four times, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as
before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written: It is reported among
the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to
these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king. 7 And you have also
appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, “There is a king in Judah!”
Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together.
8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in
your own heart.” 9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be
weakened in the work, and it will not be done.” Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who
was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the
temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at
night they will come to kill you.” 11 And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there
such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!” 12 Then I perceived that
God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah
and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that
way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess
Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid. 15 So the wall was
finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And it happened, when all our
enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very
disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God
1. Mocking
Neh 4:1
But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was
furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews
Mock – ridicule, deride
2. Insult and questioning of your ability
Neh 4:2
And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these
feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they
complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that
are burned?”
He Kept Praying and Working
Neh 4:4
Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give
them as plunder to a land of captivity! 5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their
sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the
builders
3. An Attack to Create Confusion
Neh 4:7-8
Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the
Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were
beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, 8 and all of them conspired
together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion.
Confusion tô ā(h) (toe a hah) – wandering, calamity, harm , chaos, trouble
THEY PRAYED AGAIN
v.9
Nevertheless, we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch
against them day and night
4. Discouragement, Loss of Strength and Emotional Fatigue
Neh 4:10
Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish
that we are not able to build the wall.
Neh 4:14
Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your
brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses
5. Compromise and Distraction
Neh 6:1-2
Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our
enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it
(though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), 2 that Sanballat and Geshem
sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.”
But they thought to do me harm.
Neh 6:3-4
So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come
down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 But they sent
me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner
6. Lies and Accusations
Neh 6:5-9
Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his
hand. 6 In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you
and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the
wall, that you may be their king. 7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim
concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, “There is a king in Judah!” Now these matters will
be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together. 8 Then I sent to
him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own
heart.” 9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be
weakened in the work, and it will not be done.”Now therefore, O God, strengthen my
hands
7. Attacks from within
Neh 6:10-14
Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel,
who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God,
within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill
you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.” 11 And I said, “Should such a man as I
flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not
go in!” 12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this
prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this reason he
was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have
cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14 My God, remember Tobiah and
Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of
the prophets who would have made me afraid.
8. The Victory
Neh 6:15-16
So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And it
happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these
things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this
work was done by our God
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