Don't Quit Serving God's Purposes

The narrative of Nehemiah is dead on about leadership. I can attest from experience. There are constant attacks facing the work of the Lord. I have only two decades of ministry leadership experience and as I read this text I'm overwhelmed by the corollary realities presented which Nehemiah faced. God's people are hard to get moving in the right direction, you'll always have enemies, you'll face internal struggles, and the organization will grow weary and discouraged on a regular basis.

Nehemiah 5 left off with Nehemiah reversing the unfair economic practices among the Jews who were enslaving and extorting each other. Nehemiah not only stops the vicious financial practices of Jews against each other, but he also models remarkable generosity toward the workers, hosting regular feasts at his own expense and refusing the normative financial perks as governor. 

The last line of chapter 5 is a call for God's remembrance of these acts:

Nehemiah 5:19 (ESV) Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

In light of these events, how does the next chapter open? With yet another onslaught of personal attacks from the enemies of the Jews. This time, an invented conspiracy attacking Nehemiah is presented to him in successive attempts to distract and discourage him.

Nehemiah 6:1–2 (ESV) Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm.

These same enemies who were once mocking the work now see the work getting done and so they turn to lie about the leader. Their first attempt is a distraction, "Come and me." But Nehemiah knows a wolf when he hears one.

Now I absolutely love the next verse:

Nehemiah 6:3 (ESV) And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

When you know you're doing what God wants you to do, don't give that up to do what your enemies request you do. You don't need to explain it, you don't need to defend it, and you don't need to substantiate your mission to those who hate you and your God. Ronald Reagan once said about politics and I feel it applies here: "If you're explaining, you're losing."

Not to be deterred, the enemies come back again and again:

Nehemiah 6:4 (ESV) And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner.

Nehemiah's resolve is impeccable, so they come one more time with "evidence" of a conspiracy wide open for all to read.

Nehemiah 6:5–6 (ESV) In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king.

This time they bring accusations of treason against the empire. Such a charge would warrant tremendous fear in Nehemiah. Moreover, they hire someone to trick Nehemiah into hiding in the temple!

Nehemiah 6:10 (ESV) Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.”

Nehemiah 6:12 (ESV) And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

What an incredible mess for Nehemiah. But he's not tricked and he stands strong in the face of these lies and attacks. And his secret (not so secret) weapon is once again the answer - prayer and continued progress. 

Nehemiah 6:14–15 (ESV) Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. 15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 

Now notice the result as Nehemiah brings the people across the line on an important milestone - the finished walls of Jerusalem:

Nehemaih 6:16 (ESV) And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

When you keep doing and get done what God wants - God helps and the accomplishment demoralizes whatever enemies we face. But please do not miss this - Nehemiah is committed to building God's city and God's house. This is not his personal quest for power or prestige. It is a God-honoring, God-centered, God's people-benefiting work. There is NO greater work than that.

Now the best news is that our true Nehemiah is committed to bringing us - God's people - to completion no matter what lies, scrutiny, and attacks we face. 

Philippians 1:6 (ESV) And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.