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Nehemiah
Chapter Four
Nehemiah 4
Chapter Contents
Opposition of Sanballat and others. (1-6) The designs of
the adversaries. (7-15) Nehemiah's precautions. (16-23)
Commentary on Nehemiah 4:1-6
(Read Nehemiah 4:1-6)
Many a good work has been looked upon with contempt by
proud and haughty scorners. Those who disagree in almost every thing
will
unite in persecution. Nehemiah did not answer these fools according to their
folly
but looked up to God by prayer. God's people have often been a despised
people
but he hears all the slights that are put upon them
and it is their
comfort that he does so. Nehemiah had reason to think that the hearts of those
sinners were desperately hardened
else he would not have prayed that their
sins might never be blotted out. Good work goes on well
when people have a
mind to it. The reproaches of enemies should quicken us to our duty
not drive
us from it.
Commentary on Nehemiah 4:7-15
(Read Nehemiah 4:7-15)
The hindering good work is what bad men aim at
and
promise themselves success in; but good work is God's work
and it shall
prosper. God has many ways of bringing to light
and so of bringing to nought
the devices and designs of his church's enemies. If our enemies cannot frighten
us from duty
or deceive us into sin
they cannot hurt us. Nehemiah put himself
and his cause under the Divine protection. It was the way of this good man
and
should be our way. All his cares
all his griefs
all his fears
he spread
before God. Before he used any means
he made his prayer to God. Having prayed
he set a watch against the enemy. If we think to secure ourselves by prayer
without watchfulness
we are slothful
and tempt God; if by watchfulness
without prayer
we are proud
and slight God: either way
we forfeit his
protection. God's care of our safety
should engage and encourage us to go on
with vigour in our duty. As soon as a danger is over
let us return to our
work
and trust God another time.
Commentary on Nehemiah 4:16-23
(Read Nehemiah 4:16-23)
We must watch always against spiritual enemies
and not
expect that our warfare will be over till our work is ended. The word of God is
the sword of the Spirit
which we ought to have always at hand
and never to
have to seek for it
either in our labours
or in our conflicts
as Christians.
Every true Christian is both a labourer and a soldier
working with one hand
and fighting with the other. Good work is likely to go on with success
when
those who labour in it
make a business of it. And Satan fears to assault the
watchful Christian; or
if attacked
the Lord fights for him. Thus must we wait
to the close of life
never putting off our armour till our work and warfare
are ended; then we shall be welcomed to the rest and joy of our Lord.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on
Nehemiah》
Nehemiah 4
Verse 2
[2] And he spake before his brethren and the army of
Samaria
and said
What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves?
will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the
stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
In a day — Do they intend to begin
and finish the work
all in
one day? For if they spend any long time about it
they cannot think that we
will suffer them to do it.
The stones — Will they pick up their broken
stones out of the ruins
and patch them together.
Burnt — Which stones were burnt
and broken
by the Chaldeans
when they took the city.
Verse 4
[4] Hear
O our God; for we are despised: and turn their
reproach upon their own head
and give them for a prey in the land of
captivity:
A prey — Give them for a prey to their enemies
and let these
carry them into the land of captivity.
Verse 5
[5] And cover not their iniquity
and let not their sin be
blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the
builders.
Cover not — Let their wickedness be in thy
sight
so as to bring down judgments upon them
that either they may be
reformed
or others may be warned by their example. God is said to cover or
hide sin when he forbears to punish it.
Provoked thee — They have not only provoked us
builders
but thee also.
Verse 6
[6] So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined
together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
The half — Unto half its height.
Verse 10
[10] And Judah said
The strength of the bearers of burdens
is decayed
and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the
wall.
Judah — The Jews now dwelling in Judah
some of them being partly
terrified by their enemies
and partly wearied with continual labour.
Rubbish — More than we are able suddenly to remove.
Not able — Being forced to spend our time in removing the
rubbish
and therefore we must desist for a season.
Verse 12
[12] And it came to pass
that when the Jews which dwelt by
them came
they said unto us ten times
From all places whence ye shall return
unto us they will be upon you.
By them — Or
among them: whereby they came to the knowledge of
their counsels. Tho' these had not zeal enough to help in the work
yet they
had some concern for their brethren.
Ten tribes — Very often
a certain number for
an uncertain.
Be upon you — They will invade you every way
by which we can come to you
or you to us; therefore keep watches on every
side.
Verse 13
[13] Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall
and
on the higher places
I even set the people after their families with their
swords
their spears
and their bows.
Behind — Within the walls where they were not yet raised to
their due height
and therefore most liable to the enemies assault.
Higher — Upon the tops of the walls where they were finished
and the towers which were built here and there upon the wall; whence they might
shoot arrows
or throw stones.
Verse 14
[14] And I looked
and rose up
and said unto the nobles
and
to the rulers
and to the rest of the people
Be not ye afraid of them:
remember the Lord
which is great and terrible
and fight for your brethren
your sons
and your daughters
your wives
and your houses.
Looked — He looked up
engaged God for him
and put himself and
his cause under the Divine protection. That was his way
and should be ours:
all his cares
all his griefs
all his fears he spread before God.
Great and terrible — You think your
enemies are great and terrible. But what are they in comparison of God?
Especially in opposition to him?
Verse 16
[16] And it came to pass from that time forth
that the half
of my servants wrought in the work
and the other half of them held both the
spears
the shields
and the bows
and the habergeons; and the rulers were
behind all the house of Judah.
From that time forth — Lest our enemies
should repeat their enterprize.
My servants — Of my domestick servants
and of
my guards.
Held
… — All their weapons: they stood in their arms prepared
for battle.
Were behind — To encourage them in their work
sometimes to assist with their own hands: and to direct and command them in
case of an assault.
Judah — The Jews who were upon the wall.
Verse 17
[17] They which builded on the wall
and they that bare
burdens
with those that laded
every one with one of his hands wrought in the
work
and with the other hand held a weapon.
A Weapon — This is to be taken figuratively; being a proverbial
speech
as when they say of a man pretending kindness
he carries bread in one
hand
and a stone in another. Thus must we work out our salvation
with the
weapons of our warfare in our hands. For in every duty we must expect
opposition from our spiritual enemies.
Verse 18
[18] For the builders
every one had his sword girded by his
side
and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
Sounded — To call the people together
when
and where it was
necessary.
Verse 23
[23] So neither I
nor my brethren
nor my servants
nor the
men of the guard which followed me
none of us put off our clothes
saving that
every one put them off for washing.
Washing — When they were to wash and cleanse themselves from
some impurity
which might befal them or their garments.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Nehemiah》
04 Chapter 4
Verses 1-23
Verses 1-4
But it came to pass
that when Sanballat heard that we builded the
wall
he was wroth.
Sanballat: a study in party spirit
You must clearly understand
to begin with
that Samaria was
already
even in that early day
the deadly rival of Jerusalem; and also that
Sanballat was the governor of Samaria. And Sanballat was a man of this kind
that he was not content with doing his very best to make Samaria both
prosperous and powerful
but he must also do his very best to keep Jerusalem
downtrodden and destroyed. And thus it was that
when Sanballat heard that Nehemiah
had come from Shushan with a commission from Artaxerxes to rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem
the exasperating news drove Sanballat absolutely beside himself. And
thus it is that such a large part of Nehemiah’s autobiography is taken up with
Sanballat’s diabolical plots and conspiracies both to murder Nehemiah and to
destroy the new Jerusalem. We see in Sanballat an outstanding instance of the
sleepless malice of all unprincipled party spirit.
1. Now
in the first place
diabolically wicked as party spirit too
often becomes
this must be clearly understood about party spirit
that
after
all
it is but the excess
and the perversion
and the depravity of an
originally natural and a perfectly proper principle in our hearts. It was of
God
and it was of human nature as God had made it
that Sanballat should love
and serve Samaria best; and that Nehemiah should love and serve Jerusalem best.
And all party spirit among ourselves also
at its beginning
is but our natural
and dutiful love for our own land
and for our own city
and for our own Church
and for those who think with us
and work with us
and love us.
2. But then
when it comes to its worst
as it too often does come
party spirit is the complete destruction both of truth and of love. The truth
is hateful to the out-and-out partisan. We all know that in ourselves. As many
lies as you like
but not the truth. It exasperates us to hear it. You are
henceforth our enemy if you will insist on speaking it. It is not truth that
divides us up into such opposed parties as we see all around us in Church and
State
it is far more lies. It is not principle once in ten times. Nine times
out of ten it is pure party spirit. And I cling to that bad spirit
and to all
its works
as if it were my life. I feel unhappy when you tell me the truth
if
it is good truth
about my rival. And where truth is hated in that way love can
have no possible home. Truth is love in the mind
just as love is truth in the
heart. Trample on the one and you crush the other to death. Now the full-blown
party spirit is utter poison to the spirit of love as well as to the spirit of
truth. Love suffereth long
and is kind; love rejoiceth not in iniquity
etc. But party
spirit is the clean contradiction of an that.
3. By the just and righteous ordination of Almighty God all our sins
carry their own punishment immediately and inseparably with them. And party
spirit
being such a wicked spirit
it infallibly inflicts a very swift and a
very severe punishment on the man who entertains it. You know yourselves how
party spirit hardens your heart
and narrows
and imprisons
and impoverishes
your mind. You must all know
how party spirit poisons your feelings
and fills you with antipathy at men you
never saw
as well as at men all around you who never hurt a hair of your head
and would not if they could.
4. Another Divine punishment of party spirit is seen in the way that
it provokes retaliation
and thus reproduces and perpetuates itself till the
iniquity of the fathers is visited upon the children to the third and fourth
generation of them that hate the truth and murder love. And
inheriting no
little good from our contending forefathers
we have inherited too many of
their injuries
and retaliations
and antipathies
and alienations also. And
the worst of it is that we look on it as true patriotism
and the perfection of
religious principle
to keep up and perpetuate all those ancient
misunderstandings
and injuries
and recriminations
and alienations.
5. Who
then
is a wise man
and endued with wisdom among you? Who
would fain be such a man? Who would behave to his rivals and enemies
not as
Nehemiah
good man though he was
behaved to the Samaritans
but as Jesus
Christ behaved to them? Who
in one word
would escape the sin
and the misery
and the long-lasting mischief of party spirit? Butler has an inimitable way of
saying some of his very best and very deepest things. And here is one of his
great sayings that has helped me more in this matter than I can tell you.
4. “Let us remember
” he says
“that we differ as much from other men
as they differ from us.” What a lamp to our feet is that sentence as we go
through this world! And then
when at any time
and towards any party
or
towards any person whatsoever
you find in yourself that you are growing in
love
and in peace
and in patience
and in toleration
and in goodwill
and in
good wishes
acknowledge it to yourself; see it
understand it
and confess it.
Do not be afraid to admit it
for that is God within your heart. That is the
Divine Nature--that is the Holy Ghost. Just go on in that Spirit
and ere ever
you are aware you will be caught up and taken home to that Holy Land where
there is neither Jerusalem nor Samaria. There will be no party spirit there.
There will be no controversy there. (A. Whyte
D. D.)
What do these feeble
Jews?--
Feeble agencies not to be despised
When we behold a wide
turf-covered expanse
we should remember
that its smoothness
on which so much of its beauty depends
is mainly due to
all the inequalities having been slowly levelled by worms. It is a marvellous
reflection that the whole of the superficial mould over any such expanse has
passed
and will pass again
every few years
through the bodies of worms. The
plough is one of the most ancient and most valuable of man’s inventions; but
long before he existed the land was
in fact
regularly ploughed by
earth-worms. It may be doubted whether there are any other animals which have
played so important a part in the history of the world as have these lowly organised
creatures. Some other animal
however
still more lowly organised--namely
corals
have done far more conspicuous work in having constructed innumerable
reefs and islands in the great oceans; but these are almost confined to the
tropical zones. (Charles Darwin.)
Intrinsic energy not to be gauged by magnitude
Remember that lofty trees grow from diminutive seeds; copious
rivers flow from small fountains; slender wires often sustain ponderous
weights; injury to the smallest nerves may occasion the most agonising sensation;
the derangement of the least wheel or pivot may render useless the greatest
machine of which it is a part; an immense crop of errors may spring from the
least root of falsehood; a glorious intellectual light may be kindled by the
minutest spark of truth; and every principle is more diffusive and operative by
reason of its intrinsic energy than of its magnitude. (J. Gregory.)
Censure should not interfere with duty
Be not diverted from your duty by any idle reflections the silly
world may make on you
for their censures are not in your power
and
consequently should be no part of your concern. (Epictetus.)
Fool’s-bolts should be disregarded
What action was ever so good
or so completely done
as to be well
taken on all hands? It concerns every wise Christian to settle his heart in a
resolved confidence of his own holy and just grounds
and then to go on in a
constant course of his well-warranted judgment and practice
with a careless
disregard of those fool’s-bolts which will be sure to be shot at him
which way
soever he goes. (Bp. Hall.)
Petty criticism should be disregarded
It is often more difficult to endure the stinging of insects than to face the bravest
perils. Explorers in tropical countries find these tiny
noxious creatures much
more destructive of their peace and comfort than the larger and more deadly
animals which sometimes beset them. Many a man faces courageously a grave peril
who becomes a coward when a set of petty annoyances have worn his nerves out
and irritated him to the point of loss of self-control. Every man who attempts
an independent course of life
whether of thought
habit
or action
finds
himself beset by a cloud of petty critics
who are
for the most part
without
malice
but whose stings
inspired by ignorance
are quite as hard to bear as
they would be if inspired by hate. The misrepresentations and misconceptions
which good men suffer are a part of the pathos of life. The real answer to
criticism is a man’s life and work. A busy man has no time to stop and meet his
critics in detail; he must do his work
and let that be his answer to
criticism. (Christian Age.)
Verse 6
So we built the wall.
Fellowship in Christian service
1. They built it notwithstanding
sneers. “What do these feeble Jews?” Sanballat said. All the Sanballats are not
dead yet. Often
when you would attempt some new or difficult work for Christ
there are a good many modern Sanballats ready to stand about and say
“You can’t
do anything; you are not strong enough; you are not experienced enough; you haven’t money
enough; the idea of your attempting such a thing!
2. they built the wall
notwithstanding active opposition they kept
right on steadily building. Said the great William Carey--who wrought such
wonders
and against such opposition
in modern missions--to his son Eustace
“Eustace
if they say I am a genius
it is not true; but if they say I can
plod
that is true. Yes
I can plod
I can plod.” And a plodding persistence
in the face of almost any opposition
is sure at last to triumph.
3. They built the wall
notwithstanding despairing friends. I have
been reading how General Washington
only a little time before the battle of
Yorktown
was in the very darkest time of the long
hard struggle. Friends on
every side were despairingly saying
“You can’t do it; you might just as well
give up.” But the great Washington would not let himself despair. Whoever else
might
he would not. He would keep at it; and
keeping at it
notwithstanding
the despair of friends
a nation’s independence was achieved at Yorktown.
4. They built the wall by prayer. I asked Mr. Spurgeon once how he
prayed. He answered
“I go to the Bible and find a promise applicable to my
need
then I reverently plead that promise before the Lord
asking Him to keep
it for Jesus’ sake; and I believe God will
and He does.” That is the prayer of
faith--the prayer of great grip on the Divine promise.
5. They built the wall by working together. Did you notice that “we”?
“So ‘we’ built the wail
” our Scripture says. Even one is worth something
but
two are worth more
and many striving together are worth immeasurably more.
Associate others with yourself
or yourself with others. It was because the Rough Riders
rushed up the heights of San Juan together
and because the coloured regiments
rushed up together
and together with them they were enabled to plant Old Glory
on the summit. Fellow ship is better than individualism in all noble service.
6. They built the wall by willingness on the part of each to do
whatever he could. Sometimes they bore burdens; sometimes they grasped swords
and spears; sometimes they stood sentinel. There was no selfish picking and
choosing. There was no mean declaring “I will do this
but I won’t do that.”
Each one was ready to do anything; the thing which seemed just then the thing
best to be done. It is no wonder that the wall went steadily and triumphantly
up.
7. They built the wall by courageous trust in God. Said Nehemiah
“Be
not afraid of them; remember the Lord.” (W. Hoyt
D. D.)
For the people had a mind
to work--
Conditions of success in Christian work
The chief characteristics displayed by Nehemiah and his
fellow-citizens in prosecuting their work were--
1. Earnestness. Earnestness is an important factor in all Christian
work and consists--
2. Persistency.
3. Union.
4. Courage.
5. Prayerfulness.
Summing up these characteristics
we may say to the Christian
worker
“Add to your work earnestness
and to earnestness persistency
and to
persistency union
and to union wisdom
and to wisdom courage
and to courage
prayer”; “for if these things be in you
and abound
they make you that ye
shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ” (2 Peter 1:8). (W. P. Lockhart.)
A mind to work
This implies--
I. A recognition
of the duty of work.
II. A recognition
of the privilege of work.
III. An earnest
sympathy with
and longing for
the results of work. (The Church.)
A mind to work
I. The work.
Circumstances have changed
and the methods are altered
but the work is the
same. You are entitled to ask me
“What are we to do?”
1. Bear the insignia of your religion before the world. Let all men
know that you are the followers of Christ.
2. Maintain His public worship.
3. Christianise the world.
II. The mind. This
implies--
1. Readiness.
2. Heartiness.
3. Cheerfulness.
4. Thoroughness amid discouragement and opposition. (T. Davies
M.
A.)
A mind to work
I. The work the
Jews had to perform. The work they had undertaken was one in which it was
natural to suppose they felt the deepest possible interest. It will be admitted
that the work they had undertaken was a great work. Then as to the magnitude of
the work
it is indescribable--it is
in a word
to seek the present and
eternal salvation of a guilty
ruined
and perishing world. Nor must good men
lose sight of the fact
that this glorious work is to be accomplished
not by
miracle
nor by a Divine power or agency in the abstract
but by the feeble
and of itself powerless
instrumentality of Christian men
as accompanied with
the sanctifying and saving influences of the Holy Spirit of God.
II. The obstacles
which
in the prosecution of their work
the Jews had to encounter. The Church
then
must never forget that her adversaries are both numerous and powerful.
But have not the Church’s greatest difficulties often proved her greatest
blessings? It has led the Lord’s people both to see and to feel more of their
dependence upon Him.
III. The spirit in
which the jews carried on their work. They had their minds
that is to say
their souls
in it
and they were determined to accomplish it. They loved their
Master
their work
and each other.
IV. The success of
which their labour was productive.
1. Are there any of us who are engaged in the Lord’s service
but
whose hearts are not in it?
2. Are there any who have no disposition to labour for the Lord Jesus
Christ? (Essex Remembrancer.)
A mind to work
We have here--
I. co-operation.
“The people had a mind to work.” Nehemiah was
of course
the ruling spirit. He
was only one man
but he was one of those men who count for thousands. He was
one of those men who not only embody but create the spirit of an age and lead
it on to victory. He was only one man
but in this world men have not to be
counted but weighed; and it is when men are weighed--weighed as to their
intellect
their convictions
their courage
their principles
their
self-denial--that it is seen that one man is not as good as another. All the
great epochs of the world have gathered around one man
just as the restoration
gathered around Nehemiah
and so filled his soul that the electric power of his
patriotic purpose enkindled the hearts of the people with a flame that never
expired till the work was done. Then as ever
it was seen that the world’s work
must be done by a combination of men who toil with the brain and who toil with
the hands. Nehemiah was architect
clerk of the works
diplomatist
general
all
in one. But he could have done nothing unless he had been able to secure the
co-operation of the people. There is here a lesson on the value and the
necessity of co-operation in work for Christ. Success in war is due to two
principles--the one is divide your enemy
and the other is unite yourselves. On
these two conditions success is certain. Real and vital co-operation in Church
work will be equally successful. There may be a Church and no co-operation. It
may be a mass
but not a body. Many individual men do far more than a society
because the individual men work
and the society does not
but thinks that it
has fulfilled all its duty when it has appointed a committee
with its usual
complement of officers. You would think that an army had strangely misconceived
its mission if because it saw its staff-officers it lay down and left the
fortunes of battle to be settled by them. But this is just what is done by
societies which devolve on committees the whole work.
II. Cheerful
resolution. There is a great deal of work done in our world
and has always
been
in which there has been no mind at all
either in the shape of
intelligence or goodwill. I suppose that some of the greatest structures of the
world were so built--the Pyramids
the great aqueducts of Rome and the
Coliseum. The slaves had not a mind to work
but had an eye to the rod of the
taskmaster. You will search this book in vain for the trace of a taskmaster.
They had a mind to work
and not to criticise or cavil. This is a suggestive
warning to all such characters in our day. Many have a mind only to think
and
not to work. You ask them to come and set their shoulder to the wheel
but they
prefer to spend their time in solving
so far as they can
sundry theological
or religious fiddles. H by their thinking they accomplished anything
then they
might think on
but they are like a corn-mill
the stones of which are
perpetually revolving
but there is no corn between them
and so they only
grind themselves. More doubts are removed and more difficulties are solved by
working than by thinking. “If any man will do the will of God
” etc. Some
people have a mind to speak
but not to work. Speech is good enough in its
place. The end of all talk should be action. As a rule most work is done where
there is least noise. When a machine goes noiselessly
it means that the
friction is reduced to the smallest possible quantity
and that the force is
not wasted on the process
but comes out in the accomplished work. At the
building of Babel there was far more noise than at the building of the temple
but the temple was the successful work. Their heart was in their work
and by
their heart we mean chiefly their purpose and their cheerfulness. He that works
without a will is nothing better than a machine
and may be worse. When people
have a mind to work there will be no unseemly ambitions
no quarrels for posts
of honour. The man who can lighten labour with a song is likely to be a good
worker. He will be like a soldier
who marches best to the rhythmic throb of
the drum
and to the sounds of inspiring music. As to Christian work
none can
be entitled to such a name unless it be cheerful. God loveth
we are told
not
a giver
but a “cheerful” giver. If we show mercy we are to show it cheerfully.
We are to serve the Lord with gladness. We are to come into His presence with
songs. Saints are to be joyful in the Lord.
III. Work crowned
with success. (Enoch Mellor
D. D.)
The secret of success in the
work of the Lord
I. That we have a
great and an important work devolving upon us: to aid in raising the world from the ruins
of the fall
and restoring it to something of its former order and beauty
that
the Lord may dwell among us. This work has been committed to the Church. It is
her high corn
mission. This work must commence with our own hearts.
II. That this work
must re engaged in with consecrated zeal and activity.
III. The diligent
use of all appointed means. Nehemiah having set his heart upon his work
judiciously employed every means calculated to promote it.
1. Let us stimulate each other to engage vigorously and unitedly in
this work. Generally speaking
there is only a small fraction of every Church
that engages actively in the great purposes of religion.
2. Having brought all the truly pious up to a proper point
we should
then address ourselves
every one to his proper sphere of labour.
IV. That in the use
of means the work must be followed up with fortitude and perseverance.
Such was the perseverance of the Jews in rebuilding the walls
that they never
pulled off their clothes
except for the means of cleanliness
during the whole
of the work; but continued night and day working. There was no time for delay
or indulgence.
V. That to insure
the successful issue of the work
there must be an entire dependence on the
blessing of god. Here was the grand secret of Nehemiah’s success. He first
sought Divine direction
then employed the means
and then implored the Divine
blessing. In no other way can we account for the rapid progress of the work
and its successful issue in so short a time. (G. Richards.)
Rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem
Consider--
I. The persons by
whom the work was mainly performed.
II. The spirit in
which it was accomplished. In a great multitude of instances the work of
conversion or reform is begun too near the surface. You ask the hand to work
and what is wanting is the mind to work. What we want is
not a new power but a
new disposition
to have the mind newly cast in the image and character of God.
It is in vain to change the hand of the watch if the mainspring is defective;
it is in vain to heal the muscle or the sinew if there is no life’s blood in
the heart; it is in vain to mould the mere image of a man if the spirit of life
is not communicated. All these typify the man without the mind
without the
will. (J. W. Cunningham
A. M.)
Advance in solid column to Christian work
When General Grant was in front of Richmond
and his army had been
repulsed in the Wilderness
he called together his co-commanders and held a
council
and asked them what they thought he had better do. There were General
Sherman and General Howard
now leading generals
and all thought he had better
retreat. He heard them through
and then broke up the council of war and sent
them back to their headquarters; but before morning an orderly came round with
a despatch from the General directing an advance in solid column on the enemy
at daylight. That was what took Richmond and broke down the rebellion in our
country. Christians
let us advance in solid column against the enemy; let us
lift high the standard
and in the name of our God let us lift up our voice
and let us work together
shoulder to shoulder
and keep our eye single to the
honour and glory
of Christ. (D. L. Moody.)
Absorbing work is successful
A gentleman who recently visited Mr. Edison’s great laboratory
at
Menlo Park
and whose son was
about to enter upon business life
asked the Professor to give him a motto for
his boy
so that he might remember it as a guide and stimulus in after-life.
Mr. Edison laughed a little at the novel request
and then said
“Well
I’ll
give him this--tell him never to look at the clock!” Which means this--that the
man who succeeds to-day is not the man who does just what he has contracted to
do and no more
but the man who throws his heart into his work
feels a genuine
interest in it
and does not grumble if he has to work ten minutes after office
hours.
Putting heart into work
An employer
pointing to two men working side by side in his shop
said
“Though I pay them the same wages
one of them is worth twice as much to
me as the other
because he puts his heart into everything that he does. He is
interested. He is always anxious to do his best. His neighbour
on the
contrary
thinks only of his wages. He will shirk whenever he thinks that he
can do so and not be found out. I cannot trust him. I have to watch him
closely
or he will
send out work that is imperfect
and will injure the reputation of the shop.”
“Well
what does the man you commend gain by putting his heart in it
if you
pay the same wages?” “Nothing at present except the satisfaction one feels in
trying to do his duty.”
Verses 7-18
But it came to pass
that when Sanballat
and Tobtah
and the
Arabians
and the Ammonites
and the Ashdodites
heard that the walls . . .
conspired all of them together.
Foes of the faith
It is well we should know our enemies
and then we can
better resist them.
I. think of those
foes of the faith Nehemiah had to withstand.
1. There was Noadiah the prophetess. She would have put Nehemiah “in
fear.” She used a sacred position and the name of God to cheek the efforts of a
good man. Noadiah could threaten
instil doubts
and arouse dread. The Church
to-day lacks courage. Too many Noadiahs are prophesying evil things
and
leading others to believe that Christian missions
Christian social efforts
Christian gospel preaching
and Christian hopes of the final triumph of truth
are only doomed to disappointment
but the Noadiahs are often wrong.
Pessimists
philosophical or ecclesiastical
are all the prey of paralysis.
2. Then there was
Shemaiah (Nehemiah 6:10)
who was “shut in the
temple.” He pretended that great danger approached. He sought to allure the
Reformer into a state of inactivity. He said: “Let us shut the doors of the temple
for
they will come and slay thee; yea
in the night
they will come and slay thee.”
However
Shemiah had his price. He had been hired. Money dictated his actions
as it does that of many mercenary hinderers of the truth
especially the men
who say
“We exist for the benefit of the people.”
3. Then there was Sanballat the Horonite. He was a most dangerous
enemy. He had a position at Samaria
the nearest strong city. He had special
influence also with the garrison. Of him it is said
“Sanballat was very wroth
and took great indignation
and mocked the Jews and spake before his brethren
(relations)
and the army of Samaria.” He said
“What do those feeble Jews?
Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the
stones out of the heaps of rubbish
that are burned?” He raged. His anger was like Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace
heated
seven times hotter than usual. It was like the fires of the Inquisition that
did put out evangelical truth throughout Spain
and nearly through France.
Sanballat was most irritating to Nehemiah
for he taunted him bitterly. He
sought in every way to check the work by abuse of the courageous leader.
Sanballat
indeed
was a bitter east wind.
4. Tobiah
who lived at Ammon
was another enemy. He had power over a
province. He had probably reached his post by flattering when a slave in the
imperial court. Nehemiah calls him the slave (Nehemiah 2:19) (where servant should be
rendered slave). He was a sprung-up
conceited opponent of the truth. He
assumed that wisdom would die with him. This Tobiah was acquainted with the
internal state of Jerusalem
and had shown contempt for the efforts of
Nehemiah. He said
“Even that which they build
if a fox go up
he shall even
break down their stone wall” (Nehemiah 4:3). He ridiculed their aims
and kept up a constant intrigue with those within who were disaffected (Nehemiah 6:17). This man
even after the
temple was finished and the walls built
managed to establish himself in the
sacred place itself
because he had relationship with the chief priest (Nehemiah 13:8). This man may represent
those who are traitorous betrayers
and who now cast ridicule upon the truth
or on efforts after the truth--those who
pretending to help Protestant truth
are its betrayers.
5. Another enemy was
Geshem or Gashmu an Arabian (Nehemiah 6:6). Geshem and Gashmu seem to
have been identical. He was an Ishmaelite. He was a wild
characterless
man--”an idle chatterer.” He had nothing to lose and everything to gain by
opposition. He brought false charges against Nehemiah as one who only wished to
set up a sovereignty
and to be independent of the central power at Susa (Nehemiah 6:6). Most dangerous of all
enemies was this Geshem
or Gashmu
for he could insinuate that mean motives were the
spring of holy efforts. He was a whisperer. Oh
how very many Gashmus there are
even now! They are of no importance
save that they can spread reports
and do
much damage. Gashmus will say that they pretend to be anxious about the cause
of God
when they are only anxious to gratify their own ambition. Or Gashmu
will say that Christians only desire advance in material prosperity. The
Gashmus are too indifferent to understand the enthusiasm of Christians.
6. Noadiah
Shemaiah
Sanballat
Tobiah
and Gashmu were united. They
were cunning and cruel. They had allies within Jerusalem. Some were
half-hearted. Individually we have traitorous tendencies to indifference and
ease in our souls. We have many enemies whom we find represented by the
Ammonites and Arabians. They are such as these--doubts as to whether we are
converted
or unbelief as to Christ’s acceptance of us
or superstitious and
self-righteous leanings
seductions of the world
of pleasure
of wealth
of
fame
desire to have the good opinion of the world
desire to be known rather
as “good fellows” than good Christians. To be without temptation would be to be
without that element that goes to form character. “Better have the devil’s war
than have the devil’s peace.”
II. Nehemiah
teaches us how to resist the enemies of the truth.
1. He resisted by establishing sentinels
setting the watch to give
warning; he resisted by placing weapons into the hands of all. Our weapons of
defence are God’s commands
God’s promises
God’s love. Nehemiah resisted by
teaching the people to keep behind their defences. We
when assaults on our
faith or temptations come
should get behind the walls
should keep within
conscience--keep within the Word.
2. Nehemiah resisted his foes by pressing all into service. “None
were despised.”
3. Nehemiah resisted his foes by inspiring his people with confidence in God. God
is mightier than our foes.
4. Nehemiah resisted also by insisting that there should be no
parleying with the enemy. “Answer him not again.” He resisted by leading the
people to be as unrestful in toil as unceasing in outlook. “They laboured
and
half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars
appeared” (Nehemiah 4:21). He inspired his followers
with courage
saying
“Be not afraid of them. Remember the Lord
great and
terrible
and fight for your brethren
your sons
your daughters
your wives
and your houses.” And again
“Our God shall fight for us” (Nehemiah 4:14; Nehemiah 4:20). Words these worthy to be
the battle-cry of the Church. Moreover
Nehemiah resisted best by setting an
example of courage. “Should such a man as I flee?” All Christian life should be
courageous. Shall we
in view of the value of our souls
yield to evil? The more we work
for Christ and watch against evil
the stronger we shall become. Soldiers are
not kept idle while in garrison; work of some kind is always found for them. If
unemployed they would soon become flabby
weak
and without muscle. There is
ever something in Christian life to develop the watchful and the heroic. Persistency
prevailed. We are told that “when his enemies heard of the fact that the wall
was finished they were much cast down in their own eyes” (Nehemiah 6:16). Walls had risen which they
could not batter. Crestfallen
the enemies had to depart. Chroniclers might
have said of them
as it was written of Charles VIII. of France
and his
expedition against Naples
“They came into the field like thunder
and went out
like a soft shower.” So went away
in the time of Nehemiah
the enemies of
God’s struggling Church. “God brought their counsel to nought.” (F.
Hastings.)
And to hinder it.
The builders interrupted
I. The work
Nehemiah was commissioned to do.
II. How Nehemiah’s
work was hindered.
1. By ridicule.
2. By weariness (verse 10).
3. By fearfulness (verse 12).
Many now feel that there is danger in building the walls of Zion.
4. By bribery. No other cause so weakens the Church as defection in her own membership.
III. The measures by
which Nehemiah accomplished his work.
1. Prayer.
2. Sagacious efforts.
3. Single-ness of aim. Nothing could divert him.
4. Enthusiasm. Zeal in one heart sets other hearts burning. There is
a suggestive legend of the venerable Bede which tells us that when he was old
with eyesight almost gone
one of his scholars led him to a heap of stones
and
told him they were people; this was enough. The aged servant was true to his
commission. With fiery tongue he preached the gospel. He ended as usual with
the doxology
“To whom be glory through all the ages.” Then from that heap of
stones a voice rose
“Amen venerabilis Bede!” True zeal springs not from
impulse
but from conviction.
5. His securing the co-operation of the people. “Every one to his
work.” When Wesley was asked the secret of his success
he replied
“To my
voice in the pulpit on the Sabbath the people add a thousand echoes during the
week.” (Monday Club Sermons.)
Hinderers
Nehemiah had enemies and hinderers in his great undertaking.
I. Those who said
“ye shalt not do it.” Sanballat
Tobiah
and Geshem
etc. These are the least
to be dreaded.
II. Those who said
“you ought not to do it.” Those were the Jews who dwelt by these Samaritans.
They were near neighbours to them; so near as to be influenced by their threats
and their derision. This was a danger far more serious than that which came
directly to the good governor from the wicked Sanballat. The solicitation of
friends was far more likely to weaken his forces than the intimidation of foes.
This would tend to consolidate the people for defence
while that would draw
them off little by little
a few to this village and a few to that
until a
considerable part of them would be found to have melted away. The pleas of
friendship are stronger than the threats of enmity. This kindly interest shown
in their welfare
this fear in their behalf
and the possible need of them at
home--these were strong inducements to them to desert and go back to their various
villages. This is a plea
too
which can be repeated many times. So while the
threats are recorded as repeated twice
this call to return to those who loved
them was made in one form or another as many as ten times. Let the Church of
Christ and let the Christian man beware of these friendly voices which urge them
to withdraw from
the service on which they have entered
or from some special part of it
because it may involve some danger or some sacrifice. It is those who live near
the enemy who reinforce his threats with their friendly entreaties; who add to
their” You shall not do it
” their own “Please do not do it.” Especially if we
are-in any way building the walls of Jerusalem
helping the cause of God and
His kingdom
we will be wise to beware of the call of those we have just left
to enter on this service when they say
“Ye must return to us
”
III. Those who said
“we cannot do it.” This was the most pressing peril that could befall Nehemiah
and his mission.
A deserter is more demoralising than a dozen foes. One taken from the helpers
and added to the hinderers makes a difference of at least two. Their complaint
is twofold.
1. They find that their strength has given out.
2. That there is much “rubbish
” in the midst of which they had to
build. Out of the past city came the obstacles to the building of the future
city. Some of the worst hindrances to the accomplishment of our work as
Christians and as Christian Churches are those whose origin is in our own past
selves
lives
habits--the rubbish which has fallen from the neglected walls of
our own living. For the future
daily penitence and prayer will prevent the
accumulation of so much rubbish that we cannot build. (George M. Boynton.)
Rebuilding the wall
The enemies of the Jews felt that the rebuilding of the walls of
Jerusalem was a menace to their own welfare and local supremacy. They must
arrest it.
I. They tried
laughter. God’s people at work on the walls of Zion are continually told that
it is no use
they shall have their labour for their pains. A hundred years ago
William Carey was dubbed “the consecrated cobbler” for proposing the
evangelisation of India
but to-day all Christendom delights to do him honour.
God crowns the heroism that can face an epithet. All efforts at political and
social betterment are met in the same manner. The same is true of the rebuilding
of personal character. It is hard work to rebuild the walls of manhood out of
the rubbish-heaps of mislived years while old comrades stand by pointing their
fingers and cracking jokes
but by God’s grace it can be done.
II. Their
opposition assumed the form. Of threatening (Nehemiah 2:19). A good work is always in
the realm of danger
because it is in the nature of lese majeste--rebellion
against the prince of this world. A reformer never goes scot-free. Loss of
business or social standing
ostracism
political decapitation
are some of the
penalties which a true man is ever called upon to confront in the discharge of
duty.
III. They proposed a
compromise (Nehemiah 6:2). Duty knows no compromise.
The only way to serve God is unreservedly. The only way to avoid evil is not to
tamper with it. The apparently innocent diversions of Vanity Fair gave the
Pilgrim more trouble than all the giants and lions along his way. Diluted
theology and limp morals will sap the vitality of the most vigorous man or
Church. Right is right; to dilute it makes it wrong. Truth is truth; to
adulterate it makes it error. Duty is duty; to alloy it with disobedience makes
it sin. Conclusion:
Observe how these efforts were met.
1. By prayer. John Knox is said to have bedewed the walls of his closet
with hie tears of supplication. George Washington was glad to profess his
dependence upon God. Abraham Lincoln
when asked if he was accustomed to pray
answered
“The man who would assume to perform the duties of the Presidency
without seeking Divine guidance must be a blockhead.” No man can ever afford to
spend a prayerless day.
2. A watch was set. The countersign was given; it was the same that
long afterwards rang from the lips of the Roundheads in their struggle for
English freedom
“God with us” (verse 20). The authorship of the famous maxim
“Trust in God and keep your powder dry
” may be traced to Nehemiah. No
enterprise fails that is backed by faith and works.
3. Nehemiah and his men kept on working. Prayer
vigilance
and
patient continuance in well-doing can work wonders. (D. J. Burrell
D. D.)
The soldier builders
I. Combination of
prayer and watchfulness.
II. Combination of
precept and example (Nehemiah 4:14-15; Nehemiah 4:18.)
III. Every builder
was also a soldier.
IV. A mutual
co-operation went hand in hand with personal work and responsibility. (J. M.
Randall.)
A bold and united front to the enemy
It was therefore necessary to present a bold and united
front to the enemy
and to be soldiers as well as builders; and it was only by
similar zeal
diligence
and unity that they could hope
under the blessing of
God
to encircle Jerusalem with wall! and bulwarks. Nelson
the day before the
battle of Trafalgar
took Collingwood and Rotherham
who were at variance
to
the spot where they could see the fleet opposed to them. “Yonder
” said he
“are your enemies; shake hands and be friends like good Englishmen.” Let
Christians learn to cultivate unity in spirit
and as far as possible unity in
action. Let us ascend from the minor specialities in which we differ
the
narrowness and jealousy of sect and party
to the grand platform of truth
wherein we are all agreed. (J. M. Randall.)
Verse 9
We made our prayer unto our God
and set a watch.
Watch and pray
I. The duty of
prayer.
1. Prayer implies trust.
2. It implies acknowledged weakness.
3. It realises Divine power. Hence in the Christian life that man is
only safe
prosperous
or happy who is constantly on his knees.
II. Active
vigilance and duty. God’s help is not intended to favour indolence
but to
encourage exertion. The husbandman knows that God gives the increase
and
therefore ploughs and sows. A man may talk
says Jay
about casting his care
upon God
and may sing “Jehovah-Jireh” with all his energy as long as he
pleases
but if he is idle
dissolute
foolish
he only tempts God
not trusts
Him
for if a man will not work neither shall he eat. We have to carry on a
greater work than Nehemiah. An enemy is endeavouring to prevent us building our
eternal habitations
to hinder our work of preparation for heaven. Let us give
our mental
moral
intellectual ability to working out our own salvation
knowing that God worketh in us to will and to do. (Homilist.)
Piety and prudence
I. The appeal of
the church of God.
1. Recognising their weakness and dependence
they prayed unto God.
2. In spite of discouragements these men prayed. “Nevertheless.”
3. They must have been encouraged by remembering what relation God
sustained towards them. “Our God.”
4. They united in supplication.
II. The reliance of
the church upon itself. “Set a watch.”
1. There are enemies all around us.
2. God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves.
3. Our enemies are vigilant and untiring.
4. Our enemies conspire together. There is an unholy alliance of the
forces of evil. (The Study.)
The union of prayer and watchfulness
This union is equally pleasing and profitable. It keeps our
devotion from growing up into rank enthusiasm
and our diligence from sinking
into the wisdom of the world which is foolishness with God. The life of the
Christian is held forth as that of a warfare. What
then
can be more
reasonable than to betake ourselves to prayer and vigilance?
I. Let us make our
prayer to God.
1. It is recommended by God Himself--“Call upon Me in the day of
trouble
” etc.
2. The very exercise of prayer is useful.
3. Prayer is the forming of a confederacy with God.
II. Set a watch
because of our enemies
night and day.
1. Impress your minds with a sense of your danger.
2. Study your constitutional weakness and failings.
3. Observe how you have already been foiled or ensnared.
4. Guard against the beginnings of sin.
5. Avoid the occasions of sin.
Nothing is more dangerous than idleness. Our idle days
says
Henry
are the devil’s busy ones. Stagnant waters breed thousands of noxious
insects; but this is not the case with living water. (William Jay.)
The model of a Christian warrior
I. His
prayerfulness.
II. His
watchfulness. Watchfulness without prayer is pre sumptuous pride
but prayer
without watchfulness is presumptuous sloth. Confidence in the help of God must
not prevent the use of all proper means for safety and deliverance. God
promised Paul the lives of all on board the ship in which he sailed; but they
were to use the means of safety. “Some on boards
and some on broken pieces of
the ship; and so it come to pass that they escaped all safe to land.” While the
Christian is surrounded with a powerful conspiracy of all the principalities of
evil
he should aim at a military discipline of his heart and his thoughts. His
conscience
like the trumpeter at Nehemiah’s side
should be always awake.
III. His industry.
IV. His exalted
courage
associated with a holy caution.
V. His
cheerfulness in the performance of his arduous duties. (R. P. Buddicom.)
Nehemiah’s devotion
The hardiest devotion is the healthiest. The devotion of
the cloister is for the most part like the ghastly light that hovers over
decomposition and decay; the devotion which characterises the diligent
spiritually-minded man of business resembles the star which shines on in the
storm as in the calm--when the sky is clouded as when it is serene. (R. P.
Buddicom.)
Praying and doing
I. Praying is the
most important step of life. If a bad man would be good
the first step should
be that of prayer. And our last breath when we leave this earth for the other
world is prayer.
II. If our prayers
are to bless us
we must pray earnestly.
III. Moreover
when
we pray we are not to neglect the means of making our prayer effectual. We are
to do as Nehemiah did--pray to God
and set a watch. I am not afraid of
thieves; but while I pray to God to let His angels encamp about my house and
guard it
I do not expect the angels to come into my lobbies and lock the
doors. I can do that. While we pray we are not to neglect any means at our hands for doing the
work for which we pray. In the same way
a working man who earns a couple of
pounds a week may pray
“O Lord
provide for me
and keep me from debt.” It is
right thus to pray
but then let not the working man neglect the means which
are in his power to fulfil the prayer; let him put by two or three shillings a
week to provide for any time of need. Some people seem to think that religion
is a kind of spiritual charm
like the horse-shoe that our superstitious
forefathers nailed behind the front door to keep out the “bogies.” They think
that religion is for them to say prayers and go to church
and then God will
keep them from hell. Oh
no.
IV. While we pray
for success
let us take heed to watch for opportunities of doing good. A
wealthy farmer
whose haystacks were numerous
and whose barns were full of
corn
on reading in the newspapers about the great distress in the time of the
cotton famine
prayed earnestly at the family altar that the poor might be fed
and clothed
but he did not send any donation to the fund
and the next Sunday
he uttered the same prayer. On the way to church the little son said
“Father
I wish I had your corn.” “Why
my boy
what would you do with it?” “Father
I
would give it to the hungry
people for bread.” It is no use praying that the hungry may be fed if you will
not help to feed them from your full cupboard. The purpose of prayer is--asking
God to give you power to do good
and then seeking opportunities to exert that
power. (W. Birch.)
The two guards
praying and watching
In the text I see two
guards.
I. First guard
prayer.
1. It was a prayer that meant business.
2. It was a prayer that overcame difficulties.
3. It was a prayer that came before anything else.
4. It was a prayer that was continued.
5. It was a prayer that was home-made.
6. It was a prayer that went to the home of prayer.
7. It was a prayer saturated with faith.
II. Second guard
watchfulness. This setting of a watch was--
1. A work appointed.
2. A work carefully done.
3. A work continued.
4. A work quickened by knowledge.
(a) Ungodly relatives. Be patient
gentle
loving towards them. Do
nothing that will give them occasion to blaspheme.
(b) The evil tendencies of our corrupt nature.
5. Watch for yourself when you see another fall
lest you should fall
in the same place.
III. I finish by
putting the two guards together. Neither is sufficient alone. (C. H.
Spurgeon.)
Watchfulness needed
An old writer
speaking of men as stewards of God
urges upon them
as wise traders and servants to look to themselves carefully
and take care of
four houses which are under their charge.
1. Their warehouse
or heart and memory
wherein they should store up
precious things
holy affections
grateful remembrances
etc.
2. Their workhouse
or their actions
wherein they retail to others
for God’s glory
the grace entrusted to them.
3. Their clock-house--their speech--which must always
like a well-tuned
bell
speak the truth accurately; and meaning also their observance of time
redeeming it by promptly doing the duties of every hour.
4. Their counting-house
or their conscience
which is to be
scrupulously kept
and no false reckonings allowed
lest we deceive our own
souls. (J. M. Randall.)
Watchfulness and prayer
A believer’s watchfulness is like that of a soldier. A
sentinel posted on the walls
when he discerns a hostile party advancing
does
not attempt to make head against them himself
but informs his commanding
officer of the enemy’s approach
and leaves him to take the proper measures
against the foe. So the Christian does not attempt to fight temptations in his
own strength: his watchfulness lies in observing its approach
and in telling
God of it by prayer. (W. Mason.)
At rest
but ready
At Christmas-time soldiers are in the habit of decorating
their barrack-rooms
and are fond of putting mottoes cut out of gilt paper
amongst the holly on their whitewashed walls. Last year I noticed in one room
these two. Over the door there was
“At peace
but still on guard”; and in
another place
“At rest
but ready.” Are not these equally applicable to
spiritual life? If we have left our sins at the foot of the Cross
we should be at
peace and rest
but on our guard against temptation
watching for the coming of
the Lord. (The Quiver.)
And there is much rubbish.
The hindrances of rubbish
I. That there is
too much “rubbish” in the pulpit. Carlyle
in giving a whimsical instance of
the importance attached to etiquette at the Court of Louis XVI.
while the
infuriated mob were demanding entrance to his private apartments
compares it
to the house-cricket still chirping amid the pealing of the trump of doom. And
so
too
when the ambassador for
Christ doles out to souls perishing for the Bread of Life the
vain speculations of metaphysics and philosophy
he ought to be held
accountable for the spiritual slumber which such narcotics are certain to
produce.
II. Another reason
why the walls of the spiritual Jerusalem are not built up with more rapidity is
because of the “rubbish” about the post. The minds of multitudes are bewildered
and turned aside from the pursuit of the one thing needful by unprofitable
discussions concerning the modes of baptism and the disposition to magnify
unimportant things into essentials.
III. The heaps of
“rubbish” about the Lord’s table is another reason why the walls of the
spiritual Jerusalem are built up so slowly.
IV. Then there is
the “rubbish” of flimsy excuses which blocks up the path of life. (J.
N. Norton.)
Removing rubbish
The ancient Jerusalem was but an imperfect type of the true city
of God
which through the ages prophets have panted for and poets have sung
a
city of truth
and righteousness and love; of liberty
equality
and
fraternity
in a far fuller sense of the words than Rousseau dreamed of. For
ages men have been building against opposition malignant and persistent
and
with sure if slow progress. And we are building to-day. In a moment of pause we
look round and still we say
“There is much rubbish.” What rubbish do you meet
with.--
I. In English law.
II. In English
society.
III. In English
life.
IV. In church life.
V. In our
libraries.
VI. In newspapers
and magazines.
VII. In our minds.
VIII. In our hearts.
(David Brook
M. A.)
Rubbish
We have to build the wall of the Church for God
but we cannot
build it
for there is so much rubbish in our way. This is true--
I. of the building
of the Church
which is the Jerusalem of God.
1. When the apostles began to build for God
there lay before them
towering heaps of rubbish.
2. Soon after apostolic times came the old Roman rubbish.
3. At present there is still much rubbish coming from the world
the
flesh
and the devil.
II. This is equally
true of the temple of God
which is to be built in each one of our hearts.
There is oftentimes in Christian people the old rubbish--
1. Of legal thought
of legal acting
of legal fearing.
2. Of old habits.
3. Of worldly associations.
4. Lofty thoughts of ourselves
engendered by worldly prosperity and
spiritual acquisitions. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Rubbish
But in our text we read of an unexpected difficulty pleaded by the
men of Judah--a weary
trying
and depressing task
entailing much toil and
little show of progress. So in the Christian’s inner life; there lies in his
way a heap of broken resolutions
of former good intentions never carried out;
a ponderous mass of indolent excuses for doing nothing; a rubbish pile of petty
procrastinations
promising that some day we will improve
but putting off that
day from time to time! It does indeed need Divine help and aid to summon up energy
and to commence
beginning at once
that arduous work of removing the rubbish
and ruins and starting afresh. So
also
those who would do good to others
who
would rebuild God’s Zion and populate the kingdom of Christ with souls
must
expect to find in their way a heavy and inert mass of ignorance
apathy
and
opposition. We shall find at first disappointments and failures heaped up high
in our path
but
like the faithful men of Jerusalem of old
let our answer be
“We will rise up and build
” and the encouraging voice of the true Nehemiah
the real Restorer of the Heavenly Zion
will greet us with the promise
“The
God of heaven will prosper” you! (W. Hardman
LL. D.)
Verse 11
And our adversaries said
They shall not know.
The craft and cruelty of the Church’s adversaries
I. A strong
combination against the church of god.
II. A wicked design
they were combined in.
III. A bloody means
propounded.
IV. A subtle way
projected for the affecting of this. (Matthew Newcomen.)
Satanic subtlety
I. In this
serpentine
crafty
and malicious dealing of these wicked men appeareth the old
serpentine nature and malice of Satan.
II. The next
property of the serpent that appeareth in them is that they mercilessly would
murder them when they had once thus suddenly invaded them.
III. The last
property of Satan appeareth here in these wicked men
in that they would gladly
overthrow this building of Jerusalem
that it should never be thought of any more. (Bp.
Pilkington.)
Verse 14
Remember the Lord
which is great.
The power of memory
Consider--
I. The power of
memory.
II. The application
of the text to ourselves.
1. Parents should remember that God regards them as stewards
to whom
are committed the care
the instruction
and the discipline of their offspring.
2. Children should remember that forgetfulness of the claims of home
of a father
of a mother
is a forgetfulness of God.
3. Employers should “remember the Lord” in the example which He
furnishes of gentleness
patience
kindness
forbearance
and deep humility.
4. Servants should “remember the Lord
” that He “took upon Him the form of a
servant.” Conclusion: Remember the promises He has made
the deliverances He
has wrought
the blessings He has conferred
the invitations He has given
and
the relations He now fills. Remember Him--in calamity to trust Him
in
prosperity to praise Him
in danger to call upon Him
in difficulty to expect His interference.
Remember Him
for it is your duty
it is your privilege. Remember Him
for He
never forgets you. (W. Horwood.)
God is on the field
Always believe that God is on your side. “He is on the field when
most invisible.” In one of the great continental cities the regalia are not
kept behind iron bars as in the Tower of London
but lie upon an open table. It
might appear an easy thing for some thief to snatch a diamond or a jewel from
the glittering array
and yet no man dare put out his band to take one
for
that table is charged with electricity
and woe to the person who touches it.
The protection is complete; you cannot see it
but there it is. Only live in
daily--hourly communion with Christ. Don’t break the spiritual connection
and
you are as safe from Satan and sin as the jewels from the devices of the thief.
Greater is He that is for us than all enemies that can be against us. (E.
Abbott.)
Verse 15
Every one unto his work.
Specialty of work for each man
There is something beautiful to me in the thought that there is a
specialty of work for each man. In work
as in character
disposition
history
and destiny
there is a specialty; and when the Church arises to the New
Jerusalem
it will not be to sit there as one vast photographic likeness
nor
shall one be able to say of its members
“I have heard their history
” when the
story of one has been told. The history of the Church will be made up of
individual histories; and each one shall possess its own peculiar interest.
Your history will be none the less interesting when mine has been told
nor
mine when you have related yours. Your head and heart will not be as mine
nor
mine as yours; we shall not be mere fragments of a universal Church; but we
shall be fully
roundly
and conspicuously ourselves
in the Church of which we
make a whole
and perfect
and unexampled individual. (H. W. Beecher.)
Every man at his place
In that fearful national catastrophe which befell England
i.e.
the loss of the ironclad Victoria
the staunch steadfastness of our
British sailors was grandly illustrated. When the crash came
instead of a wild
rush on deck of all below
every man remained true to his post. All knew that a
serious collision had occurred
yet the most perfect order was maintained. The
engineers kept their eyes on the indicator and moved their levers as directed
in spite of the fact that their lives were in imminent danger. Even when it was
seen that the vessel was settling down
and all were called on deck
the men
ranged themselves in line
and the order
“Right about face
” was obeyed
though while in the act the vessel heeled over
and all were precipitated into
the sea. Our personal duty:--The only way to regenerate the world is to do the
duty which lies nearest to us
and not to hunt after grand
far-fetched ones
for ourselves. If each drop of rain chose where it should fall
God’s showers
would not fall as they do now on the evil and the good alike. (Charles
Kingsley.)
Our own duty to be attended to
There is a story with which many of the present generation have
been made familiar in our reading books which has an important application to
Christian life. The story is that a German
with an ear sensitive to music
one
day entered a church
and
being distressed by the discords of the singing
put
his fingers in his ears; but there penetrated through them a single clear
rich
soprano
singing in such perfect tune
that he was moved to listen. The singer
never faltered because of the jarring notes
nor increased the volume of her
voice to drown them. She kept steadily on till one after another came into
accord with her sweet tones
till she brought the entire body of singers into
harmony.
Verse 17-18
Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work
and with the
other hand held a weapon
The work and warfare of life
Life is work
and life is warfare; and these are ever commingled.
Our text is but an epitome and sample of that larger and longer work which
fills the broad area of all human history.
I. This life is to
men a scene of toil. “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” is the
universal and unchanging law of human life. Inaction is no blessing. The spirit
of man stagnates and sickens under it
and it issues in a weariness which is
worse than the fatigues of labour. Activity is needful to the true enjoyment of
life. Adam was not inactive in paradise (Genesis 2:15). Heaven is a rest
but not
a rest of indolence. There “His servants do serve Him.” The true labour of life
involves self-denial
apprehension
patience
fatigue
disappointment. Every
man has a work that is specific and peculiar to him. The great Taskmaster never
set two of His creatures the same task. Amid much general sameness
there is
the strictest individuality. Life’s work is twofold.
1. The secular department. How great is the number of human
avocations! And in each of these avocations what a number of workers! And each
one has a task given him to do which is as distinct as himself
which no one
can do but he
and which is defined by his circumstances
his relations and his
endowments.
2. The spiritual department. The work of the soul and of eternity;
the end of which is--“to glorify God and enjoy Him for ever.”
II. This life is
also a scene of conflict. We have to fight--
1. Against ourselves. As internal wars are ever fiercest and most
painful
so the battle-ground of a Christian’s own heart is that on which he is
called to wage the severest fight and win the hardest victory. We have to
overcome our sluggishness
our unbelief
our sensuality
our concupiscence
the
heavy clog of sense
and the fierce impulse of corruption.
2. Against men. This enemy is called the world. And by it we mean
that vast mass of maxims
opinions
beliefs
pursuits
ways
habits
opposed to
the mind and service of God
which characterise human society.
3. Against spirits. The devil and his angels
numerous
powerful
malignant (Ephesians 6:12). (R. A. Hallam
D. D.)
Construction and contention
We have here illustrated two principles--
I. construction.
Each of us is put into the world to be a builder
and himself is the building.
Each separate disciple is a “habitation of God
through the Spirit.” If your
faith
your work
your prayers
your watchfulness shall ever succeed in
edifying you into anything like a completed Christian
your character will be
an edifice where God’s glory will be more distinctly manifest than it is over
any altar
where His praise will resound more acceptably than from the grandest
organ
and where His truth is more effectually preached than from the most
eloquent pulpit of any cathedral in the world.
1. Because character is a building it is not therefore to be
understood that there is no need in the Christian life for an instant change
or conversion. That comes before the building can be begun to any purpose
or
on any right plan. All must be sound at the base. If any man should try to
build on a false foundation his work would come to nought. No outside clamps
would hold it up. Except ye be converted
ye cannot enter into the kingdom of
heaven.
2. We must not take the impression that the formation of Christian
character consists in putting pieces of moral propriety together--a patchwork
of merits without any all-controlling Divine principle. In all buildings there
must be one “design
” an organising principle held clearly in the builder’s
mind. In the structure of character this organising principle is the in working
life of Christ. It is the will of God. The spiritual laws are just as
necessary
in order to success in a righteous life
as the mechanical laws in
order to architectural success. The first of those laws is that God is the
centre and object of all religious affections; the second
that Jesus is the
way to the Father. Hence--self-renunciation--yielding the heart--submission to
the Heavenly Will is the inmost necessity of a Christian character. To the
question how we
shall build character fair and strong
the answer is--“Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ.” Into every particle of life must run this secret power of the
Holy Christ--like the builder’s invisible design spreading through all the
beams and braces and apartments of the house
or else it will be no “habitation
of the Spirit.” Christian character means a righteous will
a purpose
consecrated to God
and acting in all well-doing for man. You may grow in
character by doing
thinking
and feeling more vigorously for God and your
brother-man. Construction
then
is the multiplying of that inward spiritual
energy out of which right outward deeds will be sure to come. It is
replenishing the stock of life in the heart. It is making conscience quick
watchful
unbending. It is cultivating loyalty to the voice of God in the soul.
It is the increase of humility
sincerity
temperance
integrity
patience
sweetness of temper
submission
benevolence. Additions to these
by whatever
means
by Bible and prayer
and sacrament and labour
by the study of them in
the lives of heroic saints
are the positive building of character.
II. contention. In
the positive process of achieving good
hindrances are met. It has been said
“There is nothing real or useful that is not a seat of war.” Take construction
without resistance.
If I ignore the fact of sin and forget temptations and simply go
on cultivating good
as if there were no opposite
presently I shall find these
sins are making assaults on me from behind: my work will be undermined
my pious pains
spoilt; I shall be no true builder. On the other hand
take resistance without
construction. This will produce a hard
censorious
belligerent type of piety.
The sword will crowd out the gentle arts of peace. It makes soldiers against
Satan
but not tillers of the soil of God. We become clever disputants
but not
good
trusting
patient
loving
holy men and women. Looking out so sharply for
the Ammonites and Ashdodites the walls do not go up. We want the watchful eye
of the old anchorite
without his austerity. We want the practical activity of
the modern reformer without his blindness to the personal foes in his own
heart. We want one hand for service
one for battle; when this is understood
Christ’s Church will be filled with consistent believers and fearless soldiers.
(Bp. Huntington.)
The sword and the trowel
The stirring incident suggests lessons to the workers in God’s
cause to-day.
I. The Church of
God has still a great work to do for the salvation of the world. The walls of
many a Jerusalem are down and need building up. Injustice
oppression
and
wrong are found in many places.
II. How is the
Church to accomplish all this work? Consider the people named in the text.
1. They had a wise and skilful leader. It is said that Alexander the
Great was strolling among the tents of his soldiers on the eve of some great
battle. Hearing some of his men engaged in conversation in one of the tents
he
stopped to listen. The men were losing courage and heart
and said so. As they
deplored their insufficiency for the task of the morrow
he slipped up to the
door of the tent
and swinging back the canvas
said
“Remember that Alexander
is with you.” Nehemiah told the people of a greater than Alexander. In all
aggressive movements there must be aggressive leaders.
2. All the people were willing to help. The danger in these days is
to leave the work to a few
to recognised leaders and officers. This is always
foolish; in the Church of God it is fatal.
3. Each one had a work and did it. God has a piece of work for each
one of us to do. Some have to stand in the front; others have to stand in the
rear. Some work in the blaze of day
and others work out of sight. I sometimes
admire the bridges which cross the Thames. As I have sailed under them
I have
thought about the divers who had to work below the surface of the water to lay
the foundation of some of the strong work which carries the weight of the
whole. The work these divers did out of sight was all-important. If they had
done it badly the whole would have suffered in consequence. It may be so with
our work.
4. They did the work in dependence upon God. They did their secular
work in a religious spirit. (C. Leach
D. D.)
The work of a Christian
This is well set forth by the occupations of a builder and a soldier.
1. There are heaps of rubbish to be removed. There must be a true
repentance
a confessing and forsaking of sin.
2. Foundations deep and strong must be laid. Christ the one
Foundation.
3. The wall must be carried up
little by little
etc. There must be
a growing up into Christ
an advance in grace day by day.
4. This must be done according to the settled plan
by rule and
square. Our rule is the written Word.
5. The Christian has to carry on his work in troublous times. He must
stand bravely at his post
like a sentinel on watch. He must stand where his
Captain has placed him. Obedience to Christ is the glory of the Christian
soldier. We must believe where we cannot see
and trust where we cannot trace.
The end will justify all His dealings with us and by us. In the Peninsular War
the captain of a division was placed by Wellington at a point remote from the
field where s battle was about to be fought. He was expressly ordered to remain
there
and on no account to quit his post. When the battle was raging fiercely
the captain could no longer endure the inaction of his position
and so left it and
joined in the fight. The enemy were driven from the field
and fled in the very
direction that Wellington had anticipated
and where the captain with his men had
been posted. The general felt confident that their flight would be cut off; but
great was his anger when he found that his orders had been disobeyed
and the
post vacated. It is said that he never again employed the captain in any
important affair
and that the latter died of a broken heart through the loss
of his reputation as a soldier. (J. M. Randall.)
Verse 19-20
The work is great . . . and we are separated upon the wall.
The common work of the Master
In time of war you visit the camp. There is flying from the
flagpole in the sun the stars and stripes. You look upon the men in their
scattered avocations. A few men are playing
a few men are cleaning their guns
a few men are cooking
here and there a sentry is pacing back and forth
some
men are lying on
the grass asleep
there is no common life
there seems to be no common purpose
there appears to be no common endeavour
or action. But suddenly the bugle sounds
the call
or the drum its roll
and instantly the men spring to their feet
drop their cards
awake from their slumber
leave their cooking utensils
anal
stand ready to meet the enemy
ready to do the bidding of their commander. Deep
down in their hearts there is a common purpose
and that flag that floats at
the topmost pole and over their camp indicates what that purpose is. So
Christians are to gather
in the name of Christ--you
merchant--you
lawyer--you
physician--you
minister--you
teacher--you
parent
each in your several place
each doing
your several work. Whenever the drum shall beat its roll-call
you are to be
ready
not merely to do your
own work
but to stand shoulder to shoulder in serried ranks
to do the common
work of the Master
in fulfilment of the common aim which has really united
you. (Lyman Abbott.)
Verse 20
So we laboured in the work.
Perseverance
The builders not only began well
but they persevered to the end
of their work. Perseverance is s great element of success. It was George
Stephenson’s motto
“Persevere”; and the celebrated mathematician
Arago
tells
us that his master in mathematics gave a word of advice which he found in the binding
of one of his text-books. Puzzled and discouraged by the difficulties he met
with in his early studies
he was almost ready to give up the pursuit. Some
words which he found on the waste leaf used to stiffen the cover of his
paper-bound text-book caught his eye
and interested him. It proved to be a
short letter from D’Alembert to a young person disheartened
like himself
by
the difficulties of mathematical study
and who had written to him for counsel.
“Go on
go on
sir
” was the counsel which D’Alembert gave him. “The
difficulties you meet will resolve themselves as you advance.” This maxim
followed out made him one of the greatest astronomers of his day. And
Christians must persevere in the work of God. (J. M. Randall.)
Perseverance
A Christian negro was once asked the meaning of
perseverance
and he said
“Masse
me think it mean hang on
hold fast
and no
let go.” And when some one questioned John Wesley on the remarkable success of
his followers
“Sir
” he said
“they are all at it
and always at it.” (J.
M. Randall.)
Verse 23
None of us put off our clothes
saving that every one put them off
for washing.
The necessary and the unnecessary
Some people waste all their energy in putting off and on their
clothes: their
whole life is a question of clothes; they cannot do anything until their
clothes are right. Nehemiah showed how he distinguished between the necessary
and the unnecessary. We must attend to health if we are to attend to successful
toil. Time is not wasted that is spent in obeying the laws of life. (J. Parker
D. D.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》