Nehemiah Chapter 4
Please read: Nehemiah 4 –
With only a small number of people, the Jews were beginning to accomplish the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. This would have been a great accomplishment to remove the rubble that was left behind and to rebuild the walls as the formidable fortress that it once was. The people were really putting their hearts into the project. But as mentioned in chapter 2 there were those who opposed the project. There was Sanballat and Tobiah and the Samaritans, all who thought that their positions under the king of Persia gave them some sort of authority over the Jews. The last thing they wanted was for the people of Judah to become strong again. And if you are thinking that this sounds like the work of the enemy, I would have to agree. The enemy never wants followers of the one true God to become strong in their faith, strong in their position, or strong in their purpose for God.
Let's Reflect
1. Apparently, these men who were angry with the wall being rebuilt were close enough for Nehemiah to be able to hear all of their smears against them because he recorded what they said. What were the smears meant to do?
2. Rather than answer the smears of these taunting men, what did Nehemiah do?
3. Verse 6 lets us know that the people kept on working and so those men who had been taunting them must have left at some point. They had been able to complete enough of the wall that a major gap had been closed. But what still needed to be done?
4. Despite having letters of protection from the king of Persia, there were those who were not going to allow this wall to be rebuilt, or so they thought. What did they plan to do to stop the building?
5. The work had been very hard and difficult. Now on top of their weariness, they were getting messages that an attack was being planned. According to verse 9 what did they do when they heard this news?
6. There were fellow Jews who thought they should leave the building project and go into hiding, but instead Nehemiah set up a defense. How did Nehemiah describe the people who were working on the wall and at the same time providing defense against a possible attack?
7. According to verse 15 how did Nehemiah describe the plans of the enemy’s attack being stopped?
8. The real test of their faith was not to pick up arms and to remain ready at all times for the sound of a trumpet of battle; but the real test of their faith was to go back to rebuilding the wall. What had Nehemiah reminded them of in the event there was an attack?
