Nehemiah completes his work

We learn in chapter 5 of Nehemiah that the government was overtaxing the Jews.  Nehemiah's response to this had various stages.

First, he was angry.  Then he thought about it.

Let's pause here.  How many of us give in to anger over injustice only to "live" there instead of regrouping and giving it thought?  Do we tend to let our emotions get the best of us?  Or do we move on into rational thought instead?  It's hard to do sometimes, but very possible!

Nehemiah's response after he gave it some thought was to confront the powers that be over their misdeeds.  He told them flat out that they were taking advantage of his people.  He said directly, "The thing that you are doing is not good." (v 9)  That took guts!

Then, Nehemiah told the governor to fear God and restore to the Jews everything they had stolen from them.

It's like they needed to be told, like children, right from wrong, and how to rectify their wrongdoing.  And they listened and did what he told them to do!

Is confrontation always the best route where there is injustice?  Not always.  Since Nehemiah's faith was ever strong, his connection to his God solid, I believe he was carrying out God's will in all he did and said.  We need to seek the Lord before we do any confronting and make sure that it is God's will.

In Nehemiah's case, here's how the powers that be responded:  

"They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say." (v 8)

Busted!

Even after they agreed to make right their wrongs, Nehemiah made them vow to it.  I love Nehemiah!

Nehemiah was appointed governor and was offered the best of foods.  He refused to eat it, in solidarity with his people.  Then he reminded God,  "Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people." (v 19)

God has total recall.  Yet Nehemiah reminded Him to remember all he had done for his people - his people were God's people.  We can ask God to treat us with favor when we do His work with integrity.

Just before the wall was completed, Nehemiah's enemies tried their last ditch efforts to derail Nehemiah.

They pretended to be his "friends" and lure him away from his work.  They were scheming to harm Nehemiah.  He didn't fall for it. 

Their next tactic:  send Nehemiah a nasty letter stating lies that made him look bad.  We see Nehemiah's response in chapter 6, verses 8 and 9.

"I sent him this reply: 'Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.' They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, 'Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.'  But I prayed, 'Now strengthen my hands.'"

It never ends!  Even up to the end, Nehemiah and his great work were threatened. 

When we do any work for the Lord, we will face the same - unending opposition!  I wish it weren't so, but we have story after story in the Bible letting us know that this is how it works.

We learn so much from Nehemiah in how to handle opposition.

Always seek the Lord
Stay the course
Confront when necessary
Don't let anyone stop us
Trust God to favor us as we obey Him

In verse 10-13, Nehemiah's enemies even used the temple to try and trap him.  Knowing that Nehemiah was a godly man, they tried to get him to go into the temple and lock himself there because someone was dying, and he "should" save that person's life.  They were appealing to his "good deed" doing.  No soap!  Nehemiah didn't buy it because God revealed to him that they were liars.  

"He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me." (v 13)

Oh how we need to be on guard when we belong to God!  It seemed like everyone was after Nehemiah to destroy him and his work for God.  But God's hand was on Nehemiah.  God's wisdom and discernment was given to Nehemiah.  And if God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

When we strive toward godliness, people will always try to discredit us because they are convicted, jealous, or are power hungry.  We are to keep our "hand to the plow" and continue with God's work.  God knows our character.  And when our aim is to please Him, He will take care of our enemies, protect us, and give us wisdom in the thick of it.  

Our God is Almighty! Alleluia!

"When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God." Nehemiah 6:16