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Nehemiah (Part 4) - The Stand

Dec 1, 2012 by: Viji Roberts| Series: Nehemiah

Review
1. SETTING - Introduction
2. SITUATION - A matter of perspective
3. STRATEGY - A matter of persistence
Last week we saw:
• That Nehemiah was a man of prayer.
• Life lessons from some of the prayers of Nehemiah.
• What persistent prayer did for Nehemiah – the 3D effect of Dependence, Determination, and Discernment.
• That we need to be ‘shamelessly’ persistent and that we can access to the throne of grace at moment’s notice.
• We are all called to be overcomers in this world.

STAND

Nehemiah 9:38 – 10:1.
This week we will look at the STAND that Nehemiah took; and the word for today is PRINCIPLE.

Principles are defined as, “beliefs that governs one’s behavior”. Our inherent belief system is so strong that no matter what we hear, read or learn, it is like water off a duck’s back, unless we consciously align ourselves and change that existing belief system for the right one.
Since our beliefs govern our behaviour, our behaviour is the measuring stick to show up the principles we stand – whether it be Christ centered or otherwise.

Luke 6:44 - “For each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush”.

Let us see from the life of Nehemiah how we can take the stand on the right principles. We will cover:
1. Courage to Commit: Stand up and be true.
2. Challenge to Consider: Watch for the tricks up the devil’s sleeve.

But before we do that, it is important we understand a little more of the meaning of the word ‘principle’.
In New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art hangs a painting called the “Death of Socrates”. It is one of an old man sitting on a bed, stripped to the waist, talking to a group of friends. His hand is outstretched, reaching for a drink. Socrates is being put to death, judged by the jury for ‘questioning the status quo’ and for ‘corrupting the youth’. In a jury of 500, the verdict goes against him 280-220. Friends of Socrates are shocked, they even try to bribe the prison guard; but Socrates would not relent. Even though he understood that the judgement against him was in error, he was not willing to violate the law. He was not willing to do a wrong to correct a wrong. Socrates thus demonstrates his conviction for truth over what is popular by drinking of the poison cup of hemlock. [Paraphrased. Pg 3-4. What do you stand for? Stories about principles that matter. Jim Litchman. Scribblers Ink. Published in Canada.]

It is interesting to see that the world recognizes the importance of ‘Principled Living’; if that is so, it is so much more in Christian living.
Nehemiah is willing to stand for what he believes is God’s truth in spite of every form of opposition. Two lessons for today, the first is:

1. Courage to Commit
Neh 10:1 - "The document was ratified and sealed with the following names: The governor: Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and also Zedekiah."
Nehemiah was the first to commit – ratify the covenant. In my estimation, this is one of the greatest of lessons we will learn from Nehemiah about practical Christian living — Commitment to the Stand.

Think of any number of the great men or women that you admire, either from the Bible or from history. You will soon see that their success lay in their strong beliefs about matters of principle and unwavering commitment. Those beliefs are always outside of them. It is a cause, a purpose, a mission they are compelled into.

According to the National Marriage Project, a study undertaken at Rutgers University, men today are overwhelmingly apprehensive about getting married. Cohabitation — commitment with an escape hatch — is on the rise. [http://ca.askmen.com/dating/curtsmith_100/131_dating_advice.html#ixzz1nsXpngrW]
This escapist attitude is reflective even in the Church. Doing God’s work without the willingness to commit — “I am willing to do the job, but don’t make me give commitments”. I will not sign on the dotted line, but I will do it my way. With that approach, we fail even before we begin. If we learn anything from Nehemiah it is that we must be the first to sign; be willing to commit.

Chapter 9 lists the history of God’s faithfulness and Israel’s failure, and therefore we read:
Neh 9:38 “And because of all this we make a sure [covenant], and write [it]; and our princes, Levites, [and] priests, seal [unto it].”
Nehemiah tells us the very reason we need to commit is because we have a tendency not to. The secret of success is to make the commitment.

• Relational: I commit that I will work on my relationship with my spouse or I commit to be patient with my brother or my sister.
• Spiritual: I commit to praying and reading God’s Word daily or I commit to give 10% of what I earn.
• Interactional: I commit to be involved in at least one of the Church’s activities or there is no place for guest privileges in a family, and likewise in a Church community.

The possibility of failure must not prevent me from committing, because when I commit, I commit to the Lord. Paul expressed it well, when he committed to the Lord. He realized that his success is not because he is able to keep his commitment, but that the Lord was.
2 Tim 1:12“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
Paul says, “hey I know it is not going to be easy; I am willing to suffer and will not be ashamed because “I know what I committed unto the Lord, He will keep it”. It is not my strength that I depend on.”

We therefore need to get the stinking thinking of failure; personal privileges; self-imposed limitations out. We must be committed Christians.

A number of years ago, Norman Cousins wrote an editorial in Saturday Review in which he reported a conversation he had on a trip in India. He was talking with a Hindu priest named Satish Prasad. The man said he wanted to come to our country to work as a missionary among the Americans. Cousins assumed that he wanted to convert Americans to the Hindu religion, but when asked, Satish Prasad said, “Oh no, I would like to convert them to the Christian religion. Christianity cannot survive in the abstract. It needs not membership, but believers. The people of your country may claim they believe in Christianity, but from what I read at this distance, Christianity is more a custom than anything else. I would ask that either you accept the teachings of Jesus in your everyday life and in your affairs as a nation, or stop invoking His name as sanction for everything you do. I want to help save Christianity for the Christian.” [B. Clayton Bell, in Preaching, May-June, 1986. http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/c/commitment.htm, Accessed: March 1, 2012]

God’s Word is clear to the non-committed.
Luke 9:62 “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Turn with me to Ephesians 6: 11-18. Notice how many times the word ‘Stand’ has been used. Notice the feet. These are covered in shoes, which is the preparation of the gospel of peace. Interestingly, once you have put on the full armour of God the command is not to march forward as onward Christian soldiers. The command is to STAND. The shoes referred to here had spikes on the soles that allowed the soldier to sink them into the soil and take a stand in the battle. The first century Christian understood the imagery; however, we have lost both the imagery and the principle.

Nehemiah took a stand on three things:
1. Rebuilding the wall was God’s work and that he will be totally involved.
2. Be dependent on God at all times, and
3. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem will have no part in the work.

Pushover Christianity: We mistakenly assume that Christians must be good doormats, great pushovers, and grudging weaklings. That is a fallacy. The difference is not between being aggressive and assertive; the difference is between principle and personal.

• It is the difference between looking for personal benefit, versus being resolute as the true witnesses of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8).
• It is the difference between standing for the “Truth” at all cost versus fighting for things that affect me personally – my space, my time, my things, my family, my, my, my.

True Christ likeness is not in weakness, but in meekness. In every situation, even as Jesus at the trial was meek, not weak, we are called to stand greater than our circumstances, through the power of the Holy Spirit who resides in us.

2. Challenge to Consider

The stand we take is not without challenges. Nehemiah, even with all the prayers, plans and prompting from God faced challenges. In fact the Bible says, you can be sure when you take a stand for Christ you will face challenges and difficulties. That is not to say you will lose but even through it be victorious.
John 16:33 – “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

To begin with, let us look at the three enemies he faced and lessons we can draw from them.
Sanballat
Neh 2:10“When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard [of it], it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.”
The name “Sanballat” means “strength”. He is the main man behind most of the attacks. He was wealthy, had influence, and exerted power and control. Horonites were people from the place in Moab. Sanballat, is a Moabite and he is the hater of God’s people, the very devil himself. He is not happy that anyone should seek the welfare of God’s people.

Tobiah
The name Tobiah means, “Jehovah is good”. Don’t let his name fool you. Tobiah was an Ammonite. The Bible pictures an Ammonite as our flesh, the Old Adam. The desires of our flesh come to us wrapped in godly motives. Christians are asked to be mature to distinguish one from the other.

Geshem
The name Geshem means “violent rain”. He is the third enemy.
As Christians we face three enemies – the devil, the flesh and the world (worldly worldview) and each of them are not very happy for any spiritual good to happen with the Children of God.

Chapters 4 to 6 are lessons for us on the different challenges Nehemiah faced. If you are building, you can be sure you will be battling. It is only by standing resolute that we can be successful.

Weapons of the devil:

1. The ridicule: (Neh 4:1–6)
Neh 4:2 “feeble Jews”. (Neh. 2:19 - “They laughed us to scorn, and despised us.”)

Thomas Carlyle called ridicule “the language of the devil.” Calling somebody a failure is the worst form of injury. If you are a Christian you can be sure the devil will call you that. A sense of loss compared to what your friends have achieved.
Sanballat asks, “Will they sacrifice?” implying, it will take more than prayer to rebuild the wall, and with that they were not just ridiculing the Jews but also God Himself.

Nehemiah’s response as always– he prayed. Neh 1:4–11; 2:4.

2. The despair (Neh 4:10)
The commonest weapon the devil uses and we often fall prey to this fiery dart.

3. The scare (Neh. 4:11–23)
Neh 4:12 “The Jews who lived in the villages were spreading rumors and creating fear; and they kept at it.”
“Ten times” is a Hebrew phrase meaning “many times”. (Gen 31:41 and Num 14:22)

Nehemiah’s response - “Watch and Pray”

In his First Inaugural Address on March 4, 1933, President Franklin D Roosevelt said to a nation in the grip of an economic depression, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
We can sing, “With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm”.

Neh 4:15. When the enemy understood that Jerusalem was ready and armed, they backed off for God frustrated their plot. (A wonderful example of faith that worked).
When Charles Spurgeon started his church magazine in 1865, he borrowed the title from Nehemiah and called the publication The Sword and Trowel. He said it was “a record of combat with sin and labor for the Lord.” It is not enough to build the wall; we must also be on guard lest the enemy take it from us. Building and battling are both a normal part of the Christian life if we are faithful disciples (Luke 14:28–33). [Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be determined (56–57). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books]

Weapons of the world

The second enemy, the world, also has some serious stealth weaponry at its disposal. (Wiersbe presents these as four strategies by the devil).
1. Compromise: “We will help you work” (Neh 6:1–4)
When the opposition did not work, the world decides to join hands. It looks reasonable and very neighborly.
The struggle within the Church has been that it is been found with the world inside of it.

2. Slander: “We will tell everybody about you”. (Neh 6:5-9)
If the world can market to you an alternative purpose for the spiritual work you are involved in, it will. What do you do? Go to the Lord like Nehemiah did rather than to give up the work.

3. Threats. “For they all made us afraid” ( Neh 6:10–14)
According to Nehemiah 1:9, there were Captains of the Army and horsemen with him, but never once did he threaten to retaliate using force but again he goes to the Lord (Neh 6:9).

4. Intrigue (Neh 6:17–19)
When all the above did not work, they tried to win Nehemiah, by having people speak good about Tobiah (Neh 6:19).
Nehemiah knew that he had not entered himself in a popularity contest – he wasn’t about being popular but faithful. We saw last week, how Nehemiah had both discernment and determination. He refused to change his mind in spite of repeated offers (Neh 6:4). If their offer was wrong the first time, it would be wrong even the fourth time.
Neh 13:1 reminded them from God’s Word that both the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever. This meant both Sanaballat and Tobiah must be kept out.
Next week, we will see the third source of attack and the weapon that the flesh uses against the work of the Lord.

Application

What is your stand?
How do we behave when we are tested? Or as someone asked “What is our reaction at the ‘moment of principle’”?
In our weakest of moment, after repeated onslaught, how strong is our stand on the principle that God has called us to?
We want to do well in this life. There is no harm in that, however, most times it translates to a choice between what I can enjoy now, versus waiting for the pie in the sky by and by. I am saying it doesn’t have to be a choice. We are not called to be ascetic.

However, if we are not ashamed of the broken down spiritual walls, I want to say to our shame, and on the basis of the truth of God’s Word that we are the biggest losers, the worst form of gamblers. For we play with the riches of eternity for the passing pleasures of the present. We are no better than the prodigal son trying to satisfy ourselves with the husks of the world, and consider it gourmet.

It is easy to point to others and say, I don’t see commitment in that person, or I don’t see it in you, preacher. It is time to get of the high horse and square with ourselves. God is not going to ask you how to judge someone else or how He should deal with me. He is going to ask you. This is the real deal.
When the rubber meets the road, will you be found standing? Standing on the principles of Christ, the only basis of our stand.

I want to end with a story by Max Lucado that demonstrates that application of this lesson needs to be personal.
February 15, 1921. New York City. The operating room of the Kane Summit Hospital. A doctor is performing an appendectomy. In many ways the events leading to the surgery are uneventful. The patient has complained of severe abdominal pain. The diagnosis is clear: an inflamed appendix. Dr. Evan O’Neill Kane is performing the surgery. In his distinguished thirty-seven-year medical career, he has performed nearly four thousand appendectomies, so this surgery will be uneventful in all ways except two.
The first novelty of this operation - The use of local anesthesia in major surgery. Dr. Kane is a crusader against the hazards of general anesthesia. He contends that a local application is far safer. Many of his colleagues agree with him in principle, but in order for them to agree in practice, they will have to see the theory applied.
Dr. Kane searches for a volunteer, a patient who is willing to undergo surgery while under local anesthesia. A volunteer is not easily found. Many are squeamish at the thought of being awake during their own surgery. Others are fearful that the anesthesia might wear off too soon. Eventually, however, Dr. Kane finds a candidate. On Tuesday morning, February 15, the historic operation occurs.
The patient is prepped and wheeled into the operating room. A local anesthetic is applied. As he has done thousands of times, Dr. Kane dissects the superficial tissues and locates the appendix. He skillfully excises it and concludes the surgery. During the procedure, the patient complains of only minor discomfort. The volunteer is taken into post-op, then placed in a hospital ward. He recovers quickly and is dismissed two days later. Dr. Kane had proven his theory. Thanks to the willingness of a brave volunteer, Kane demonstrated that local anesthesia was a viable, and even preferable, alternative.
But I said there were two facts that made the surgery unique. I’ve told you the first: the use of local anesthesia. The second is the patient. The courageous candidate for surgery by Dr. Kane was Dr. Kane.
To prove his point, Dr. Kane operated on himself! A wise move. The doctor became a patient in order to convince the patients to trust the doctor. [Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, Word Publishing, 1991, pp. 35-36]