1 Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
6 Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
16 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.
17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Chapter 6 of the Book of Nehemiah continues the story of Nehemiah's efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. This chapter focuses on the opposition he faced from his enemies and how he remained steadfast in his faith and determination to complete the task at hand. The main themes of this chapter include perseverance, faith, and wisdom in the face of adversity.
Nehemiah had been working tirelessly to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians. Despite facing opposition from the neighboring nations, he had managed to make significant progress. However, his enemies were not ready to give up and continued to plot against him.
The chapter begins with Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and their allies sending a message to Nehemiah, inviting him to meet with them in the plain of Ono. Nehemiah, however, realizes that their intentions are not genuine and suspects that they are planning to harm him. He responds by sending a message saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?" (Nehemiah 6:3).
Despite their persistent attempts to lure him away from Jerusalem, Nehemiah remains focused on his mission. His enemies then change tactics and send false prophets to try and scare him. They claim that there is a plot to kill him and suggest that he seeks refuge in the temple. Nehemiah, however, sees through their lies and responds, "Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in" (Nehemiah 6:11).
As the enemies' schemes continue to fail, they resort to spreading false rumors about Nehemiah. They claim that he is planning to rebel against the king and make himself king of Jerusalem. They even hire a prophet to spread this false message. However, Nehemiah remains steadfast in his faith and refuses to be swayed by these lies.
In the end, the wall is completed in just 52 days, despite all the challenges and opposition that Nehemiah faced. This is a testament to his unwavering faith and determination in the face of adversity.
There are several themes that can be drawn from Chapter 6 of the Book of Nehemiah:
Perseverance
Nehemiah faced numerous challenges and opposition from his enemies, but he refused to give up or be swayed from his mission. He remained steadfast in his determination to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. This is a powerful lesson in perseverance, showing us that we should never give up on our goals, no matter how difficult the journey may be.
Faith
Nehemiah's faith in God is evident throughout this chapter. Despite facing threats and plots against him, he remains confident in God's protection and guidance. He trusts that God will see him through the challenges and enable him to complete the task at hand. This is a reminder to us to have faith in God and trust in His plans, even when we face difficult situations.
Wisdom
Nehemiah's wisdom is also on display in this chapter. He is able to see through his enemies' lies and deceit and remains focused on his mission. He does not allow himself to be swayed or distracted by their attempts to lure him away from Jerusalem. This is a lesson in wisdom, showing us the importance of staying focused and not being easily influenced or misled by others.
Chapter 6 of the Book of Nehemiah teaches us valuable lessons about perseverance, faith, and wisdom. It shows us that, with determination and faith in God, we can overcome any challenge and accomplish our goals. It also reminds us to stay focused and not allow ourselves to be distracted or misled by the schemes of our enemies.
Furthermore, this chapter also highlights the importance of having a strong foundation in God. Nehemiah's faith and trust in God enabled him to stand firm in the face of adversity and complete the task that God had entrusted him with. This serves as a reminder for us to build our lives on a strong foundation of faith in God, which will help us withstand any challenges that come our way.
Overall, Chapter 6 of the Book of Nehemiah is a powerful example of faith, perseverance, and wisdom in the face of adversity. It encourages us to trust in God and remain steadfast in our goals and beliefs, no matter what challenges may come our way.
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