Nehemiah 6
The Jerusalem walls now being near completion the Jews' enemies tried to lure Nehemiah into hostile territory in the guise of having a meeting, but planning to harm him. After 4 fruitless invites they accused him of setting himself up as king, which Nehemiah denied and prayed to God for strength.
Further scheming involved a man called Shemaiah telling Nehemiah that he should come and take refuge in the temple at night because his enemies were going to come and kill him. Nehemiah recognised Shemaiah was lying and refused, and continued to commit the threats to God in prayer.
After 52 days much to the dismay of the Jews' enemies the wall was completed. They continued writing threatening letters to Nehemiah and many letters to Jews in Judah, many of whom had allegiance to Tobiah, the Ammonite official, through family connections.
What opposition Nehemiah experienced! What discernment he needed not to fall for the enemies' traps. When reading about the plan to take refuge in the temple I thought it sounded plausible, but my study Bible enlightened me that for Nehemiah, a layman, to go into the temple would have broken God's laws about who could enter. Nehemiah's knowledge of this helped him realise that it was not a word from God. He seemed surrounded by enemies - even those in his own people who would do him harm and could not be trusted.
And yet what was his response, 'My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and on the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear (verse 14). He resisted their suggestions, he answered wisely, he prayed to God for strength when fearful and he committed them to God. He didn't try to get back at them, or waste time plotting and scheming to overcome them. No, he kept steadfastly on with performing the task God had given him and left them to God to deal with. It reminds me of two texts -
'...the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it' (Deuteronomy 1:17);
'Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.' (Romans 12: 19-21)
Perhaps you are experiencing those who twist your words and actions and accuse you wrongly, or who appear to be trying to catch you out and lure you into making mistakes. Maybe some of these people are those who you thought you could trust, who were your friends, or you think 'should know better'. How hurt, afraid, misunderstood and alone this can make you feel! But these verses remind us to take it all to the Lord, continue to behave in a loving Christian manner and trust the Lord to work his will regarding the outcome.
It reminds me of the Lord Jesus surrounded by his disciples - his followers and friends - eating the last supper with them and saying, 'one of you shall betray me' (Matthew 26:21). As Zechariah earlier prophesised (13:6), 'And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends'; and in Psalm 41:9, 'Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me'.
Although he suffered in this way how did our Lord react? Before his crucifixion, knowing all that was going to happen to him 'he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) - or as Isaiah 50: 7 puts it, 'I set my face like a flint'. When he told his disciples that they would all forsake him and that Peter would betray him, he didn't berate them and say, 'Fine lot of friends you are, bunch of no-gooders!' No, he lovingly told them not to be troubled, and that he was going to prepare a heavenly home for them (John 14: 1-4).
Take comfort dear reader, the Lord Jesus understands and knows what you are going through. I read or heard somebody say recently that 'as a man Jesus understands all you are feeling and as God he can do something about it'. As the Apostle Paul encouraged the early Christians, so we encourage each other to continue, for 'we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God' (Acts 14: 22).
So, be encouraged as you go about your day and you keep feeling this hurt, this sense of aloneness, having been misunderstood or fear, go to the Lord in your trouble, keep giving it to him by prayer and ask for his help to rest in the knowledge that he understands, and will work it all out for your eternal good, and the furtherance of his sovereign plan for this world. And in the meantime, pray for help to continue steadfastly in that which he has given you to do and for the spirit of his love to shine in all your words and actions, even towards the one or ones who have hurt you.
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