Nehemiah Chapter 4 * Healing
Nehemiah Chapter 4
Gone to Mex & Back
"Healing"
The work is great and extensive and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.
To say that I had read that verse a hundred times or more prior to that morning is no exaggeration. That particular morning, I felt as if God had called long distance to say, “Jill. I know the work is great, and we are separated far from one another, but I’m here for you.”
(Neh. 4:20) Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.
I read it again, and when my favorite song, "Oceans" by HillSong, came on the Christian radio station, I cried and danced. Surgery went as planned, but when I woke up in my hospital room, I heard the nurses and my P.A. comment about my surgery being unusual. Later, I stopped the nurse and asked her about my surgery. “Didn’t your P.A. tell you?” she said. “They found nothing wrong. Yours was a very unusual case.”
I was surprised, but it wasn’t until I became more clear-headed that I understood. God had healed me during my intensive prayer time. In fact, I was sure of it. That He chose my favorite verse in Nehemiah and my favorite song to bring it to my attention should have been no surprise. Afterwards, I told everybody who came into my room, including the P.A. and doctor, the reason they couldn’t find anything wrong was because God had healed me prior to surgery.
Before that healing, my whole purpose in moving back to Nebraska was to focus on physically and spiritually rebuilding my life. At that time, I had no clue what restoring my spiritual wall even meant. I was a former hippie child, the one who wanted peace, not war. I carried my sign and held it up for all to see, “Tear down the walls!” By tearing down walls that I didn’t know even know existed in the spiritual sense, I had opened myself up to false teachings—a big mistake.
While living in Rosarito, my thinking, (more likely my heart), underwent a radical change. Worship and studies, church, fellowship, and prayer gave me a new outlook. When I made plans to return to Nebraska, it dawned on me during my Nehemiah class, to follow his principals: Prayer, planning, preparation and fasting. “Fasting” was never one of my strong points, so I likened it to a “spiritual fast,” and gave away my belongings, taking only what could be squeezed into my station wagon. No longer was I bound to a household of “stuff.” God provided for me when I arrived in Mexico; He would provide for me in Lincoln.
Back in Lincoln, I picked up my stored boxes of miscellaneous and was amazed at all the rubbish they contained. As part of my spiritual restoration, I made it my mission to get rid of the physical rubble that no longer served a purpose. I’m still working on clearing it out, like getting rid of the false spiritual rubble, old habits and beliefs that aren’t doing me any good. Nehemiah continues to serve as a big inspiration to me. I especially love Chapter 4, all about healing, restoration and sorting through the rubbish.
NEH 4: DAY 13 READY, SET, READ!
Section 1: The Wall Defended
1 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.
2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?’
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”
The enemy uses ridicule to discourage Nehemiah, mocking him with chants like “Those men of God are such weaklings. They don’t even know how to build a wall. They’re using rubbish!”
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity!
5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders.
6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
“The people had a mind to work,” says it all. They worked together and they worked hard.
7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry,
8 and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion.
9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.
The enemies are not giving up, instead they become very angry, and decide the best course is to unite and attack. Surely those wall workers would be terrified and start running in circles, dizzy with fear, falling all over each other, maybe race home to be with their families. No doubt, work on the wall would stop, or so Sanballat and Tobiah hoped. Then they wouldn’t have to fight. Once again, Nehemiah calls on God, and then sets up an around-the-clock watch.
10 Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”
Imagine the towers of rubbish, plus broken bricks, shards and clay stacked high beneath the walls. Remember when Nehemiah went on his midnight spy trip, and his animal couldn’t pass through them? So there’s a good reason for everyone to be feeling muscle aches and pain in their hands and arms. From the perspective of rebuilding, the laborers were exhausted from repairing and re-purposing boards and stones. They were tempted to quit; exactly what their enemies wanted.
Section II: Do Not Be Afraid
11 And our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.”
12 So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.”
The Jews who heard of the enemies’ plan rushed to tell Nehemiah, not once but 10 times to emphasize the danger the builders were in. Nehemiah had a plan of his own.
13 Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the LORD, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
“Fight for your loved ones and your homes.”
A perfect example of intrinsic motivation.
15 And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.
Section III: Arm Yourselves and Rally Here!
16 So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah.
17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.
18 Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
Look at the transformation God brought to the Israelites. Those who labored went from workers to warriors. Not only did they work, they stood guard. Half of Nehemiah’s servants carried weapons as well. Plus, even the leaders supported the builders. Life on the wall was getting more interesting.
19 Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall.
20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
Very powerful words. When Nehemiah said we are “separated far from one another,” he wasn’t kidding. According to Wikipedia and other sources, the length of the wall is nearly 2.5 miles. Average height is 39.37 feet; average thickness is 8.2 feet. For more wall facts, see Chapter 5.
21 So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.
22 At the same time I also said to the people, “Let each man and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night and a working party by day.” 23 So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off for washing.
NEH 4: DAY 14 CLASS NOTES & CONNECTIONS
In this chapter, we read how the enemies tried to stop the work, and how Nehemiah dealt with opposition, and how he defended the wall. When we’re rebuilding our spiritual wall, the devil will resort to several tactics to keep us from growing. The good news, “Opposition is an evidence of God’s blessing. It is an opportunity for us to grow!”
As soon as the enemies heard the wall would be repaired, opposition started. The rebuilding of the wall did not actually start with physical labor; it started with the idea, the burning heart that lead to a plan. As soon as Sanballat got wind of it, he tried picking apart the idea. Right there is confirmation that the plan to rebuild was a good idea because the enemy was against the plan. But, since the rebuilding was actually God’s idea, there was no way the plan could fail.
Opposition is an evidence of God’s blessing.
Let’s look at four different tactics the enemy uses to stop the work. Bear in mind that these tactics not only pertain to Nehemiah, Chapter 4, but can be a daily occurrence in our lives.
Ridicule
Intimidation
Discouragement
Fear
Ridicule attacks us personally challenging our faith or self-worth. But don’t fear, God is on our side. Tobiah ridiculed the efforts of rebuilding the wall, and how a fox could cause it to tumble down; Goliath on the battlefield hurled insults at the children of Israel. Their hearts melted with fear and they cowered whenever they saw Goliath approaching. God’s own children forgot that He was more powerful than anyone.
Intimidation is another form of ridicule. An enemy questions our courage, whether or not we’re strong enough to handle the task. When Tobiah and Sanballat accused the Israelites of being feeble, they were actually comparing them to something old and withered. Miserable and weak. Feeble. Barely able to lift a brick. Now that’s funny, especially if you consider most people in the world and in the church don’t understand how God delights in using our weakness (I Cor. 1:27). “ . . . God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.”
The world may esteem wealth and power, but what the LORD looks for is a humble and contrite spirit to carry out His plans. Therefore, be encouraged when you reach the end of yourself in ministry and all seems hopeless. When you say, “Enough!” that’s when God will take over. Sanballat asked how these Jews would build the wall? Sanballat, the mortal man, couldn’t see the big picture. He couldn’t recognize that God worked behind the scenes. God does what God wants. He glorifies Himself. If He wants the Israelites to build a wall, they will. They trusted God. They worked with one mind. Nehemiah understood this was God’s wall, and God was in charge; He would provide everything the Jews needed. We’ll run into the same taunts and accusations from the enemies of God as we work to restore our spiritual wall. If someone teases you or insults you or wonders how you will build the wall, tell them it’s God’s wall. He’s building it, and He’s building it for us.
In verse 4, Nehemiah has had it with the mockers. He prays that God will turn the table on their adversaries. “Hear O God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity!”
Nehemiah didn’t take his anger out on the opposition, he poured out his heart to God. The lesson here is, if you’re too mad, don’t say it to a human, take it to the LORD, to your prayer closet where you have complete freedom. God wants you to vent. You may come out of your prayer closet more committed and motivated to finish the project. You can pray anywhere, anytime, but when you need to vent, do it in private. Christ taught us to pray, “Father, Your will be done.” If we are angry because a school shooting takes the lives of innocent children, go to your prayer closet or church or bedroom and pray that God will take care of it His way, and to show you what you can do to help. Don’t expect opposition to back off; instead, it will intensify. Opposition can separate churches into camps. Satan’s hope was to destroy Jerusalem, God’s City, God’s People, and God’s Son.
THE JESUS CONNECTION: Watch and pray.
After Christ shared the Passover supper with His disciples, He took Peter, John, and James with Him to the garden. "Then He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.'" (Matt. 26:38) Jesus, sorrowful and deeply disturbed, because He knew what was about to transpire went to His prayer closet. But the true prayer closet is within us. Christ looked to His Father for both inner and outward strength, and to His friends for support. "Watch and pray," He said. Unfortunately, the same intense sorrow that disturbed Jesus numbed the disciples to the point they kept falling asleep. Three times He checked on them, and woke them. The third time, it was too late; Judas and the soldiers were coming down the path. How sad. Although the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. Even if we stay awake watching for the visible enemy, we need to understand the invisible enemy can do more damage than any we can see.
In verse 8, Nehemiah responded to the rumors of the enemies’ by posting guards AND he encouraged the people to pray. For spiritual warfare, we need to take the same stand when we feel threatened. The main thing is not to be afraid of intimidation. The best thing to do is arm yourself with prayer and faith.
Discouragement in verse 10 is a tactic that creates unrest and confusion affecting the work of the people as a whole. In fact, discouragement is a key weapon Satan uses because of its effectiveness. Discouragement can create outside external pressures that can lead to big-time internal problems. Picture this: Work on the walls is progressing. ”Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard of the progress and the gaps were being closed, they all came very angry. Together, they conspired to attack Jerusalem and create confusion.” When the workers on the wall got wind of this new threat of attack, they reacted; their work probably slowed down, they began looking over their shoulders, whispers turned into loud protests and concerns for themselves and their families. They thought they were all going to die. If you heard something bad was going to affect you, how would you respond? Would you respond or react? The Israelite builders reacted in fear. Nehemiah responded with prayer and a plan.
Fear (verses 11-23) feeds on itself. The Jews living outside the Jerusalem walls had been privy to the rumors started by their adversaries. In turn, they told their brethren inside the walls, and started a stampede of fear. Then, along comes Nehemiah with a good healthy super-dose of faith and prayer. Through prayer, Nehemiah came up with a solution to fight fear and opposition in his camp.
Strategies. Nehemiah needed a strategy to motivate people to fight against the fear. He called on the guards and strategically placed them near their families, a perfect example of intrinsic motivation. That way, the builders had something different to focus on other than their fear. Nehemiah also reminded them that the LORD God was Great and Awesome. He knew God would fight the battle if they were obedient to Him.
Take it to the Man. When fear raised its ugly head, fed by the rumors and opposition, Nehemiah’s men didn’t sit around nursing their fear. They took their concerns to Nehemiah, who in turn prayed for them and encouraged them to pray as well.
Don’t be afraid. Have you ever been afraid of the physical storms or war? What about the spiritual storms? The times you feel discouraged or want to give up because you started to believe Satan’s lies. Remember if we fear the LORD, we don’t need to fear the enemy.
Author Warren Wiersbe said, “The Will of God comes from the heart of God, and we don’t need to be afraid.” God understands our fears intimately.
(Lam. 2:19) Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the face of the LORD, lift your hands toward Him.
Working together is part of the solution, even if you feel your battle is personal. At the wall, every person held a sword in one hand and a brick in the other. Pastor Michael said, “It is sad when someone quits because the project is too big or becomes too hard. If you’re tempted to quit, remember that’s when God will take over.”
Again, what are the four tactics the enemy uses against us? Ridicule, Intimidation, Fear, Discouragement.
Nehemiah 4:19
The work is great and extensive and we are separated far from one another on the wall. When you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.
The person chosen to sound the trumpet was at Nehemiah’s side as a precaution that if things got hairy, he would blow the horn so everyone would rally together. From a spiritual standpoint, if the trumpet sounds, we need to rally there.
WAIT! Where’s there? Will we know where to go? Will the Apocalyptic trumpet sound like a real trumpet? Those were my thoughts, especially in the middle of the night when an emergency vehicle siren woke me with a newer, louder and strange-sounding siren. I sat up in bed, my mind racing, and asked, “Is that the trumpet?!”
I decided not worry what the trumpet sounds like or where “there” is. I’m confident that when THAT trumpet sounds, we’ll know what it is. And in answer to where “there” is, Jesus tells us in Luke 21:28, “when that happens, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
God wants to fight for us, but He also expects us to be ready in case He wants us to be involved in the battle. To be ready, we need to grow in faith, labor in the word, and get others involved. (I Cor. 15:58) Therefore be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD knowing your labor is not in vain.
Fear and faith cannot live together in the same heart.
RUBBISH
by any other name—garbage, trash, litter—is still rubbish. In verse 10, Judah cried, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”
What is the rubbish in our lives? Looking around my tiny apartment, I begin to feel claustrophobic. Everywhere I step, rubble is underfoot. “Things” nobody wants, but me. THE TRICK is to take the time to get rid of it. If you want to prepare your head and heart to really understand the teachings of Christ, you have to get rid of the old beliefs that have outlived their purpose. Thoughts such as anger, depression, worries, or being judgmental can lead to “a multitude of anxiety,” either directed at yourself or someone else. These thoughts lead to the dark side of feeling hopeless, doubtful, weak, and other negative emotions that drain you both spiritually and physically, affecting others around you as well.
The other day, in spite of knowing a housing inspection was coming up, I folded my arms and said, “I don’t feel like cleaning, ever, anymore, and nobody’s going to make me. Period. Exclamation point!” And then the LORD broke through the rubbish in my mind, and said, “Jill, how do you expect to write about clearing the rubbish emotionally, physically, and spiritually, if you can’t do a few dishes?”
Okay, LORD. You win! I was just having a little meltdown that left me vulnerable to the enemy’s suggestions not to finish what I started.
NEH 4: DAY 15 NEHEMIAH & ME
Jan. 4, 2017 Nehemiah 4:9 The Watchmen
God does not want to give up on us. In Ezekiel, God implores the wicked to “turn, turn” away from sin. He compares the Israelites to a watchman on the wall. The watchman blows the trumpet warning if enemies are advancing; the Israelites are to blow the trumpet warning about sin.
Jan. 7, 2017 Nehemiah 4:6-9
Enemies heard walls were being restored, gaps closing, and so they conspired to attack Jerusalem and create confusion. When we make progress, spiritual enemies, powers of darkness try to confuse us.
Jan. 8, 2017 Nehemiah 4:10 Rubbish
Rubbish was in the way of rebuilding the wall. Huge piles. This a.m., I decided to divide up my tasks of sorting through the rubble. Save the large piles for later, like my Native American Music collection (articles, CD’s, photos, files & interviews) to put into notebooks for later; break down boxes of small files. Complete each task before starting another.
Feb. 1, 2017
Prayed, read some awesome verses in Zechariah, baked cinnamon rolls, and read Neh. 4. Previously, on Jan. 31, legs & calves very sore, but tried to limit Ibuprofen & Tylenol. Went on errands with Ret. Today, CWF Bible Study. And now, back to our regularly-scheduled program.
Neh. 4. Sanballat & Tobiah mock Nehemiah and the builders working on the wall. Sanballat’s gang is angry because the gaps are closing. This means war! Meanwhile, builders deal with burned bricks & rubble. Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”
And so it is with me. My strength fails. Energy lags, pain drains, and the rubbish I must deal with, the bins and boxes of a previous life, is just too much. Yes, this rubbish/rubble is my BIG DISTRACTION or BD, and when I am distracted, the enemy makes plans to attack. But because Christ is in me, I can overcome because He overcame the world.
He will fight for me & encourages me to fight for my family, children, & house (Neh. 4:14.} Nehemiah reassures the laborers. They work with one hand building, the other hand holding a weapon. So the attack plans are not taken lightly. Keep working, keep building, stay alert. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built, and the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.”
It’s not just about re-building Jerusalem’s walls or my life. It’s about being prepared to fight and to respond immediately at the sound of the trumpet (see Rev.) to come together (Neh. 4:20) “Whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. OUR GOD WILL FIGHT FOR US.
Aug. 16, 2017 Just Breathe
Read Nehemiah, the prayer where he says, “Remember me, O God for all the good I have done for Your people.” Definitely made me think. I could not pray that or ask that, though my jobs, I may have helped many people in the process of rebuilding their lives, but lately, nada, zilch, zero, especially God’s people or the body of believers, and neighbors. So I pray, “Remember me, O LORD, for wanting to do something. Does that count? Help me, LORD, to be more of a doer.”
Oct. 17, 2017 Rubble and Trash
Yesterday I realized I don’t want to clean house, even 3 rooms seems tedious. It wears me out sometimes. Must be the clutter, the rubble sneaking back into my life. My spiritual life, my wall, is like that. I want to keep the old clutter out, like the old ways I judged people or myself, and became quick to anger, and selfish, always desiring more, more, more! So now I must be careful not to bring home any more garbage,. Thanks for reminding me, LORD, to be careful to keep a clean uncluttered spirit. I'm sure the enemy will try to soil that spirit with false teachings and accusations, and discouragement.
Sadly, rubble in the churches, too, LORD. Do we remove it or just turn our backs and ignore it? Like a landfill – no, like the Tijuana landfill, it gets bigger, and more toxic, yet hundreds of people live there as well, as though their lives were trash.
Curious about the TJ Dump Dwellers and number of people living in the 22-acre trash canyon, I googled TJ Dump. Surprise! My former neighbor, Matt Kooi, and Spectrum ministries came up talking about "bath day."
LORD, how can we help rebuild the lives among this physical refuse and rubble? If I had not lived in Mexico, I would never have imagined there were families who actually live at the dump in make-shift shelters.
This morning, woke at 12:30 A.M. and typed on the Nehemiah Project for a couple of hours. Later read Heb. 12 and Ephesians “Armor of God.”
Jan. 22, 2018 Flying Lessons
Decision to let the LORD lead if He wants to use me (squirm, squirm) to teach others to fly. It goes back to my dream about flying and helping others escape the forces of evil or fight them. I must learn to fly too. God knows what’s in my heart and what I read in Nehemiah about how to pray and be open to know God’s heart. Prepare for extreme joy and heartache. Also, ask others to pray with and/or for me. Present my requests to God with prayer and thanksgiving.
*Notes from June 22, 2017. Thoughts about “flying.” God doesn’t call me to start a movement, but to be part of His movement to help others. Time and time again, God confirms this is what He wants, by leading me through my forgotten previous entries. A good reason to keep a journal. Thanks, LORD.
YOUR TURN! Open your journal and write! Chapter 4 is rich with ideas. 1) You can journal about how to defeat an enemy; 2) Journal about the rubbish in your life; or 3) Share a verse or a miracle.
NEH 4: DAY 16 PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE
INSPIRATIONAL VERSE: NEH 4:4 “Hear O God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity!”
Whenever we start believing we are weak or question our ability to do what the LORD asks us to do, remember Neh. 4:4 and pray. “Hear O God, when I think discouraging thoughts, to turn that reproach into a reminder that through You all things are possible. Do not let me yield to those negative thoughts, but send them back into captivity.”
Earlier this week I read, “Leave room for God’s wrath.” I counter-thought, “Leave room for God’s blessings.” In class we talked about the importance of venting to God in our own Prayer Closet, and often coming away from prayer more focused and motivated. If someone makes us angry or calls us cowards, and we decide to take matters into our own hands, we discourage the Holy Spirit. It’s like taking a brick out of our own wall and throwing it at the enemy. If we do that enough times, our spiritual wall will tumble. We end up mocking God in our anger against those who intimidate or wrong us. Jesus was ridiculed on the cross, yet he did not retaliate, but left it in the Father’s hands. In the end, the Father gave all authority to the Son to do as He pleased. God will bless us by taking care of the situation.
We read in 4:10, how Judah reported that the “strength of the laborers is failing.” It was an honest report, and something the enemy was quick to point out—from the enemy’s lie comes a little bit of truth. David Guzik said in his commentary on Nehemiah 4, “Like most attacks of discouragement, there is a trace of truth in the words of the enemy. As builders, the Jews were feeble. They would not complete it in a day. They didn’t have the best materials to work with.
Often when believers group together to rebuild their physical lives or spiritual walls or work to rebuild their church, the workers will indeed experience some fatigue or feel overwhelmed. That’s when the enemy comes along and laughs and calls us weak or hopeless. Guzik says, “A lying, discouraging attack will often have some truth in it, but it will neglect the great truth: God was with them and has promised to see them through.”
There is so much to glean from this chapter. No matter how many times I read Nehemiah 4:19-20, I get excited.
“Our God will fight for us.” 
The Building and the Battle
Just a reminder that you’re not in this battle alone. Together, we’re repairing the walls and gates within ourselves, and at the same time strengthening His church. The work is great and extensive. We are separated by a great distance from each other, and constantly under attack or threat. But, no matter the distance, no matter where we are, we will all hear the trumpet, we will come together. Our God wants us to support each other and be eager to please Him. He will fight for us. The Great Shepherd. From Pastor Michael, I learned:
