“But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us.” Nehemiah 2:19 NIV
Sanballat was the governor of Samaria to the north. Tobiah, whose name is Jewish, ruled the Ammonites to the east. Geshem was the leader of the Arabs to the south. They all opposed a fortified Jerusalem because it threatened their political positions. They didn’t care at all about the plight of the Jews, much less about the name of the LORD being exalted in Jerusalem. They were very displeased and joined together to ridicule the project and accuse the people of rebellion against the king. Nehemiah demonstrates both wisdom and courage in dealing with these enemies. He was wise in that he sensed, “This is no time for diplomacy. I need to meet these enemies head-on.” Any meeting to hear their concerns or to work out a compromise would have been a mistake. Nehemiah courageously confronted them and drew the line between them and The LORD’s people so that they could not join the project with the goal of sabotaging it. He didn’t use the clout of the king’s letters, but rather spiritual clout: “The God of heaven will give us success” (2:20).
Any time God’s people say, “Let’s arise and build,” the enemy will say, “Let’s arise and stop them.” J. Sidlow Baxter writes, “There is no winning without working and warring. There is no opportunity without opposition” (Explore the Book, Six Volumes in One [Zondervan], 2:230). We all need discernment to know when to work with people and when to confront and oppose them.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord, give us discernment when working with those who oppose us.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, as we face opposition in this world, give us discernment through the power and ministry of Your indwelling Holy Spirit. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
Hebrews 3:1-19
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