PROGRESSION OF WARFARE AND THE CERTAINTY OF VICTORY

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