Tag: Sanballat

No Way! That’s Impossible! 

Nehemiah 5-7

nehemiah6verse91

Friday, December 9

God really knows how to get things done.  As work progressed on the wall around Jerusalem Nehemiah was appointed governor over the land of Judah.  He was made aware that many of the Jews were oppressing one another.  There were famine like conditions and many people were being exploited in their plight to supply food to their families by fellow Jews.  This was appalling to Nehemiah and he ordered the people to stop exploiting one another.  He also was very generous in making sure that the workers on the wall were receiving food portions.

Then another encounter with Sanballat and Tobiah comes along.  Sanballat plots to meet with Nehemiah  outside the city so that the work on the wall will be stalled or ceased.  But Nehemiah refuses to leave the city.  Then Sanballat further entices Nehemiah to come and meet with him by telling him that lies are being told about him that people  – especially other rulers will believe and come against Jerusalem.  Nehemiah tells Sanballat that his words are just that – a bunch of lies, no one believes because they are lies, and he refuses to leave work on the city wall.   Then in desperation Sanballat and Tobiah hire a false prophet to entice Nehemiah to come and hide in the temple, but Nehemiah sees through the false prophet and work on the wall continues.

The wall is miraculously completed in 52 days!  News of this spreads to the surrounding nations and they know without a doubt that God helped the Jews to accomplish this task.

Can you imagine how awesome it would be to complete a project that big?  In our day and age it would take much longer than that to build a wall around even one of our smallest cities.  Contractors would be arguing, funding would constantly be an issue – in short we could not do that same task today even with modern technology and machinery.  The reason that Jerusalem’s walls went up so quickly and efficiently is because God was in the work.  He was also in the heart of the worker.  Nehemiah was faced with what seemed like an impossible task, but we know that God loves to help do the impossible.  With God all things are possible.   Are you facing a huge test, or a difficult situation, or a relationship that is troubling you?  Have you given that impossible situation, test, or relationship to God for him to handle?  With God all things are possible.  He always provides the answers to our impossible situations in His timing, and His perfect way.  It may not always be the solution that we are expecting but He is able to make impossible situations possible.  God is still able to work miracles and loves to help his children who put their trust in His ability.   Key Thought:  Give your impossible situations to God and let Him handle them – He loves to do the impossible.

-Merry Peterson

 

Hand Me A Hammer, And Maybe A Sword Too

Nehemiah 1-4

nehemiah_rust_door-1024x682

Thursday, December 8

If you have a toolbox, then Nehemiah is the book you should read.  Nehemiah is the story of Nehemiah who was the cupbearer to King Artexerxes.  He had been wondering how the city of Jerusalem was progressing since the captivity of himself and others.   When he heard that the city wall was in ruins and the gates were burned he was greatly distressed.  He was so distressed, and so favored by King Artaxerxes that Artaxerxes  allowed Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem.  With letters of the King’s blessing with Nehemiah he travels to Jerusalem where he does a midnight tour of the damaged gates and places of the city.  Then in the day he proposes to the people of Jerusalem that they rebuild the city gates and walls.  This suggestion is opposed by two men who prove to be enemies of the work named Sanballat and Tobiah.

Work is begun on the wall and each branch of the Jewish families takes on a portion of the wall to rebuild or gate to be hung.  Some families even take on more parts of the wall or structures to repair and rebuild.  The work is going well and is being blessed by God in that all are working toward a common goal – to rebuild the protective wall around Jerusalem.

Sanballat was extremely displeased with the progress of the city wall and plotted against the people of Jerusalem.  He gathered an army of men to come and attack the people who were restoring the wall but the plot was uncovered and Nehemiah devised a plan of his own.  He stationed families with swords, spears, and bows by the wall so that they would be able to defend the city should they be attacked.  He also had all the workers who were working on the wall carry a spear with them from dawn until dark and set night guards around the city as well.  The enemies were discouraged by Nehemiah’s quick  protective thinking, and work on the wall continued uninterrupted by any enemies.

The people were able to accomplish a lot because they worked together.  Nehemiah comments that the people had a mind to work.  Isn’t it a great feeling when people are working together in harmony?  It makes the work seem easier and makes it go faster.  Even when the people had to hold a spear in their hand and continue working they still kept a common goal and interest in mind – the completion of the wall.  How often do we find ourselves working with a group of people with the same goal.  The people in Nehemiah all came from different family backgrounds and professions yet they were able to collectively focus to work on a huge task.  How important do you think it is to be able to work with others ?  Are you able to work towards a common goal with people who have different backgrounds or ideas of what is best than you do?  God wants us to be able to work together with people who are different than ourselves.  When we work together for God’s purposes in life He is pleased with us and will bless our work, just as he blessed the people of Jerusalem who worked together.  Key Thought :  How can I work with others to accomplish God’s purposes.

-Merry Peterson