DAY 9 OF 40 - Better Together Through Prayer And The Word

DAY 9 OF 40 - Better Together Through Prayer And The Word

Nehemiah 4:1-5

1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 2 And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?" 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!" 4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

DAY 9 – DODGING THE STONES OF THE ENEMY

You would think that when something good begins to happen, neighbors would rejoice with the good news. But when the Jews began to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, they were met with ridicule and insults from their neighbor.

SCRIPTURE: Nehemiah 4:1 But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?” 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.”

4 “Hear, our God; for we are despised; and turn back their reproach on their own head, give them up for a plunder in a land of captivity; 5 don’t cover their iniquity, and don’t let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have insulted the builders.”

Sanballat, the Governor of Samaria, was the leader. He knew that rebuilding Jerusalem would eliminate Samaria as the political center of Judea. He was angry. His anger was a great indignation or being greatly incensed…angered at something unjust or wrong…a look of outraged disbelief.

Read again the insults he and his associate, Tobiah, said to the builders in verses 2 and 3. Definitely not words of encouragement to continue the massive task. It was said that their wall definitely can’t keep them safe, for even the weight of a fox would cause it to crumble.

Nehemiah prays with full force. He is tired of the enemy’s attacks. “Hear us, O God!...Boomerang their insults back on their heads; give them over to captivity; do not blot out their guilt or cover their sins.” (My paraphrase) Why did Nehemiah pray this way? The Samaritans were not only ridiculing God’s people; they were insulting the Almighty God! He is not praying for revenge but for God’s justice to be carried out.

LIFE APPLICATION: 1) What are some examples today where God’s people and God are being ridiculed and insulted by the enemy over issues in the 21st century? 2) Lord, guide our minds to know how to pray for these situations and those leading them. Amen

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