“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,” Nehemiah 4:17.
In order to take the correct medicine for an illness it is necessary to have the correct diagnosis otherwise we may do ourselves much harm!
Nothing is more common than a misunderstanding of the true state of our hearts and that of the Church of God today. We may misapply God’s Word and deceive ourselves. This portion sets forth the state of the Church in a day very like our our day! May we learn from it.
* Nothing denotes whole-hearted service for the Lord like that stated here in our text. Both hands are engaged in the labour. * It also sets forth the nature of a full-orbed witness for God — sword in one hand and a trowel in the other! * It denotes a willingness to labour to build and a readiness to defend against the enemy that which they were building!
I. SUCH A WITNESS IS SURELY CALLED FOR TODAY
We face circumstances that are so similar to those which here faced the Jews.
1. The walls of the city were demolished and in need of rebuilding. This had been reported to Nehemiah and distressed him greatly, Nehemiah 1:3-4.
Such is the state of the work of God today. Wherever there is a witness, it is in the midst of ruin and decay!
2. There was only a small remnant engaged in the labour. Few had returned from captivity. “The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province [are] in great affliction and reproach,” 1:3. There were only some 50,000 who returned. “The whole congregation together [was] forty and two thousand three hundred [and] threescore, beside their servants and their maids, of whom [there were] seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and [there were] among them two hundred singing men and singing women,” Ezra 2:64-65.
Compare this previous population. “ . . . three hundred thousand choice [men,” 2 Chron 25:5. This was Judah in a robust and healthy state. It was far removed from this in Nehemiah’s day!
3. The remnant of the Jews was riddled with fear, hesitation, self-interest and treachery. 4:10-13, 5:1-10, 6:10-13, 17-19.
4. They were opposed by a strong and crafty enemy. There was an army opposing them, Nehemiah 4:2. The enemy was crafty and deceitful, Ezra 4:1-4, Nehemiah 6:1-2, 5-8. They were well connected, Ezra 4:4-9.
Do we not find ourselves today in very similar circumstances! This therefore is a day of the sword and trowel!
II. BUT THEY RESORTED TO OTHER SUPERIOR MEANS
OF SEEKING VICTORY OVER THEIR ENEMIES
1. Again and again they sought the Lord in the face of the enemy’s attacks. “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God,” Neh 4:4-5, 9, 5:19, 6:9, 14.
2. They were ever watchful. “ . . . and set a watch against them day and night, because of them,” 4:9 and verse 23.
3. Above all they had a wise leader. How we need a Nehemiah today. He is of course a type of our Saviour. In a much more glorious way, the Lord Jesus left the palace to come and help His people, 2:10, and to build the ‘Church’, Matthew 16:18.
III. SUCH A STAND WILL BE HONOURED OF GOD
1. Nehemiah had faith that the Lord would bless the work. 2.20.
2. Despite all the difficulties, the work progressed. 3:1-32- note ‘builded’, ‘build’, ‘repaired’. 4:1, 6-7, 6:1.
3. It was finished. “So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard [thereof], and all the heathen that [were] about us saw [these things], they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God,” Nehemiah 6:15-16. There was not just a restoration of the walls but a reinstating of the rule of God’s Word.
The closing words of Nehemiah indicates that even down to the smallest matters, things were set in order. “Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good,” Nehemiah 13:29-31.
May the Lord visit us again in these evil times and revive us again and rebuild the walls and restore the paths of righteousness amongst us and the witness of His truth.