Nehemiah Chapter 4
In last week’s lesson, we covered the rebuilding of the wall and the names of all the people who took part in the restoration of the wall. Many people came out and put their hands to the work to allow the wall to totally be rebuilt. There immediately arose opposition from without. The enemies of God’s people threatened them to such a degree that the work was done with weapons at their side to defend themselves. Moreover, there comes trouble from within. The work is extremely difficult and there soon came weariness and discouragement. Subdivisions of the chapter are: (1) the opposition of Sanballat and others in verses 1-6; (2) the conspiracy of the adversaries in verses 7-15; and (3) Nehemiah’s precautions in verses 16-23.
David Parham
9/27/20252 min read
Nehemiah Chapter 4
Distributed by: KJV Bible Studies
Website: KjvBibleStudies.net
e-mail: mail@KjvBibleStudies2.net
Introduction: In Last week's lesson, we covered the rebuilding of the wall and the names of all the people who took part in the restoration of the wall. Many people came out and put their hands to the work to allow the wall to totally be rebuilt.
Overview of Nehemiah 4: There immediately arose opposition from without. The enemies of God’s people threatened them to such a degree that the work was done with weapons at their side to defend themselves. Moreover, there comes trouble from within. The work is extremely difficult and there soon came weariness and discouragement. Subdivisions of the chapter are: (1) the opposition of Sanballat and others in verses 1-6; (2) the conspiracy of the adversaries in verses 7-15; and (3) Nehemiah’s precautions in verses 16-23.
I. Opposition by Sanballat and the Others
Neh 4:1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
Neh 4:2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
Neh 4:3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
As is often so typical of Satan, opposition quickly arose to God’s work. It began from without. Though not expressly noted, Sanballat evidently was a Samaritan official or a man of great influence. As he heard of the commencement of the reconstruction of the wall of Jerusalem, “he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.” He not only was angry that Jerusalem (the historic rival of Samaria) was being fortified, he retaliated immediately with mockery of the project.
A comparable modern example might be a politician publicly ridiculing a project he opposes. Moreover, he conferred not only with his cohorts (his brethren), but also of the army of Samaria. Evidently, the Persian government had allowed Samaria a small standing army for local defense. He sarcastically and derisively spoke publicly against the wall project. He mocked the Jews calling them feeble.
Continue reading in PDF: