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Nehemiah 6:1-9 – Praying through the Bible #153 – A Prayer About Blackmail
Great leaders attract great enemies and are attacked by great means. One of America’s great leaders was Martin Luther King, leading a great cause of equality among the races. Studying history we learn he attracted great enemies such as J. Edgar Hoover, who stooped to blackmail to discredit and stop him. That was not the first time a great leader is attacked by blackmail.
Nehemiah’s hope of finishing the wall is almost complete: “No gap was left in it – though at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates” (Nehemiah 6.1). Punning that statement, the enemy sees the door of their opportunity still open; but rapidly closing.
Still at it, Sanballat and Geshem send Nehemiah a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of the Ono Valley” (6.2). Is this feigned friendship? Unfortunately pretend friends are too common; maybe we are personally guilty. Posturing is done until they get what they want. Nehemiah knows what they want, “they are planning to harm” him (6.2). So…oh no, it’s plain, they plan to cause pain to Nehemiah in the plain of Ono! Some will say that is feigned humor. Risking sounding judgmental, not everyone is what they appear to be. This proposed trap is located 25-30 miles geographically north of Jerusalem. Such a delay would cost Nehemiah several days even if on the up and up. The true intentions of others can be revealed by how easy or difficult they accommodate us. Do they go the extra mile or require only us to do so? Rephrasing Shakespeare, prudence is the better part of valor. Courage and wisdom to stay the course is needed.
Nehemiah replies: “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” (6.3). Notice Nehemiah considers his work “great.” Four times this message is sent. When someone has more time to waste than we have to work, they might not be the proper partner for God’s great work.
The fifth message stops feigning false friendship. The fifth message is blackmail, in the form of an open letter, open for all to see. This letter spreads the false rumor that all the nations agree Nehemiah and the Jews intend to rebel. Insurgency is the truth, according to the lie. Furthermore, Nehemiah is setting himself up to be king, say the naysayers. In closing the miscreants warn, “These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together” (6.6-7).
Knowing such rumors to be false, Nehemiah counters, “You are inventing them in your own mind” (6.8). Since a wall without doors and gates is not finished, nor much protection; Nehemiah prays, “But now, my God, strengthen me” (6.9). Strength is needed to both physically finish the task and not be emotionally finished by enemies. Some walls need to be built. Some walls need to be torn down.
Prayer Challenge: Pray not to be swayed from great work by feigning friendship or fear.
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