"Can They Bring the Stones Back to Life . . .?"
Nehemiah 4
James R. DavisOur God is the God of the impossible. When the angels came to visit Abraham and Sarah in their old age, they promised them a son. Sarah and Abraham laughed. But the angels asked, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" In Nehemiah 4 we see those critical of the Jews ability to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The critics asked, "Can they bring the stones back to life . . . ?"
God has been at work in Nehemiah the butler's heart to bring about a national revival. God opened his heart and placed in his heart what he wanted him to do. God supported him with his gracious hand. Nehemiah understood that Israel was totally dependent upon the gracious hand of God for success. Nehemiah understood that there was a part that he would have to play in order to bring about God's purposes. He also understood that if he cooperated with God's purposes he would be able to bring the stones found in the rubble back to life.
As we observe Nehemiah raising the walls of Jerusalem from the rubble of destruction, we begin to realize that nothing is too hard for the Lord. It also gives us confidence that God can resurrect the rubble in our lives. Important lessons of life can be learned as we observe Nehemiah's labors.
Hindrances to the Work
Following the instructions of God while his gracious hand guides us is a sure guarantee that you will have opposition as you deal with the rubble in your life. When we come to the third chapter of Nehemiah, we find Nehemiah after he has returned to Jerusalem. He has surveyed the damage to the walls of the city and now he is organizing the people to do the work. Of course, no matter what you do, there are always those who don't want to get their hands dirty. Nehemiah 3:5 says, "The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under the supervisors." The nobles didn't cherish following the instructions of a butler that was in charge of the project.
It doesn't matter what we try to do for God there will always be opposition from within and from without.When the Devil realizes that we are serious about rebuilding the walls of our lives through personal revival he takes off the gloves and the real battle begins. When we seek to rebuild the walls to our lives, recover the damage, hurt and ruin the Devil seeks to hinder our every effort. Discouragement through criticism, ridicule and rejection is his greatest tool.
Nehemiah 4:1-3
When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble-- burned as they are?" Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building-- if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"You can hear the scorn, derision and sarcasm in those comments. I want you to especially notice what Tobiah the Ammonite said, "What they are building-- if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!" The world is full of sidewalk supervisors and Monday morning quarterbacks second-guessing every move you have made. Those are very easy positions to play for there is no personal risk involved. It is not difficult to see a mistake after someone has made it. And after all you can gain wisdom from the pain that others endure without having to pay the price yourself. The funny thing about critics is that it really doesn't matter whether you are successful or a failure they will continue to be your critic. Either way they will continue to oppose what you do.
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually try to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.Nehemiah 4:7-8Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." (Theodore Roosevelt)
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.There is a way to discern between constructive criticism and criticism that is bent on destruction. If the criticism becomes intensified as you make progress toward your goal then it is probably from the Devil? This is especially true if your goal is God's will for your life. At first the critics said a fox could breakdown the wall. Then the gaps in the walls were plugged and they began plotting to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble. You can began to see the motive of the critic.
Do We Magnify Our Problems in The Face of Opposition?
Nehemiah 4:10-12
Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall." Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work." Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."Notice that they begin to grow tired and weary. The laborers are tired. The work is beginning to seem insurmountable." Criticism can cause us to lose our perspective. After all that is what this sort of criticism is designed to do. It is usually very effective. All of us have experienced the kind of criticism, ridicule and mockery that is employed here. When you try to revive your spiritual walk with God there is always someone who says, "Who do you think you are anyway? Do you think you are better than us?" Or perhaps someone else says, "You've made a good start but you won't hold out. You won't last."
They told us ten times over. Do you get the picture? I want you to pay special attention to how many of the Jews reacted to the ridicule of their enemies: "Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, 'Wherever you turn, they will attack us.'" Do you see how they are magnifying their problems? We can magnify our problems due to the opposition. I think churches fail today because they have a tendency to look at things from a human point of view. God's work requires giant steps of faith. Are we really looking to God for growth and direction? Are we going to focus on the critics and our fears or are we going to focus on God? When we focus on our problems we will become discouraged and weak. Do you notice how the criticism gets magnified ten times over? Critics have a tendency to demoralize.
"Hear Us, O Our God, for We Are Despised"
Nehemiah reacts against the mockery and scorn from God's perspective. Nehemiah cries out in prayer. "Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. (Nehemiah 4:4-5)
Nehemiah fought his battles through prayer. He believed that with God's help the job could be done. I read something in the Gospel Advocate years ago that I have never forgotten. I don't remember who wrote the article but it basically said that you are never very far from a church fight if you want one. The easiest thing in the world is to come off the wall you are building for God and start fighting with the critics. In fact if we are not very careful this will seem like the most natural thing to do. But you can't win playing the Devil's game. Vengeance belongs to God. He will repay! Especially if your critic is trying to hinder what God has told you to do!! Nehemiah has prayed to this end. He knew that the best way to deal with a critic was through prayer.
Psalms 27:1-3, 5, 13, 14
The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident . . . For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock . . . I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.When David went to fight Goliath he tried on Saul's armor, his shield, helmet sword, etc. Yet David put those weapons aside for his sling and five stones. He faced Goliath without any other armor. David said, "For the battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:47) David spent most of his life running from those trying to kill him. He was actually a guerrilla fighter. His battles were fought on the countrysides. In David's earlier years he never enjoyed the protection that the stronghold of a high walled city provided. He was never able to sit in a high tower positioned on the wall of a city so he could see his enemies coming. He hid in caves and in the countryside but he learned one thing. If you have God, God is all the protection you need.
In the following verses notice how God made up for all that David lacked. I would like to think that Nehemiah recalled these same scriptures to gain strength for the occasion.
Psalms 18:1-6
I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.We would put less stock in the critic's remarks if we could realize our strength lies in God. Paul said, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Cor 4:7-10) God has given us his work to do in his strength. He wants us to know from the very outset that winning doesn't have anything to do with how smart or how strong we are. Our success is totally in his hand.
"So We Rebuilt the Wall . . . "
Prayer helps us keep our focus. Prayer is a wonderful thing. It exposes us to the power of God. But it doesn't alleviate problems. At the same time we must never underestimate the power of the critics. It requires action on our part. Nehemiah posted guards day and night to meet this threat. Criticism may be from the Devil but it is to be taken seriously. The best way to take criticism seriously is to make sure that we do not allow it to change our focus. We lose our focus when we chose to seek vengeance and retaliation against the critic. This will cause us to lose sight of God's purpose for our lives. One of the worst situations you can enter is to deal with every critic one by one. It is a sure way to lose your focus. Nehemiah never said a word to his critics, he talked with God. He refused to retaliate. He encouraged the people to work with all their heart and they kept their focus.
Nehemiah 4:6-9
So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.God Frustrated Nehemiah's Enemies
Nehemiah never lost sight of his responsibility in the battle. Nehemiah 4:15 says, "When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work." The battle belongs to the Lord but he needs our help to accomplish his purposes. There is something we must do.
When the criticism intensified, Nehemiah intensified his efforts. This enabled him to keep his focus.
Nehemiah 4:16-18
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.As the criticism intensified, Nehemiah became even more vigilant.
Neh 4:21-23
So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. At that time I also said to the people, "Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and workmen by day." Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.Neh 4:19-20
Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!"The Battle Is Always Personal
An Australian Aborigine said, "If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us walk together." It is a sign of great leadership when a leader can make those following understand their importance in what is taking place. It is amazing how Nehemiah made each person understand that his or her liberation was bound up together. He was able to get them to walk together. Notice that Zadok made repairs opposite his house and Meshullam made repairs opposite his living quarters. (3:28-32) The work was assigned in such a way that each person had a stake in building the wall. Who wouldn't want the wall to be strong in the neighborhood where they lived?
When it came to defending the city the same thing was done. Nehemiah positioned the people according to families.
Neh 4:11-14
Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work." Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us." Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."If you want to get the adrenaline for battle flowing in people who are exhausted, give them something very personal for which to fight. Make sure that they understand that it is a fight for their survival. Nehemiah made them realize that this work had to do with their sons, daughters, wives and their homes. We have our families at stake as we endeavor to build this congregation. You have your family at stake as you contemplate your faithfulness to the Lord. You will influence them more than anyone else.
Conclusion:
The question was asked early on in this chapter, "Can they brings stones back to
life . . .?Matthew 3:7-9
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.They can if they persevere and God is behind their efforts!