1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” 4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.
This chapter in Nehemiah is one of the most important and transformative in the entire book. In order to understand it on two different levels, we’re going to take it from an historical perspective first, then a spiritual perspective.
In these first five verses, we see Sanballat beginning his reign of terror against Jerusalem. We first spotted him in 2:10 (when his was very disturbed) and in 2:19 (when he resorts to mockery to halt work on the wall). Here, in verse 1 & 2, he outwardly mocks the Jews and tries to discourage them. As we will see, Sanballat’s job is to discourage the Jews so they will stop the work; so that they will do nothing. Discouragement is dispiritedness. It is the opposite of courage. But instead of buying into the discouragement, what does Nehemiah do? He prays. And his prayer, in verse 4 & 5, is interesting. First, he seeks God’s attention. Then he asks for God to battle for him. Third, in verse 5, he reminds God that the opposition seeks to disrupt God’s plan. In short, this is an important prayer, not only because of what it says, but how Nehemiah approaches it. Prayer is his first resource.
When we look at this story in a metaphorical, or spiritual sense, we have to understand 3 key elements of it:
1. Metaphorically, Sanballat represents Satan 2. The wall represents our own spiritual wall that we must build against the trappings of the world. 3. Nehemiah’s actions are the response we must have to the world and what Satan brings against us.
6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. 7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
Historically As the wall is built to half its height, Sanballat assembles more forces to intimidate Jerusalem; his aim is to cause confusion. These same forces are getting angry because the work on the wall is continuous and the gaps are being filled in. When threats are made, Nehemiah prayed then he meets that threat by posting a guard on the wall day and night.
Spiritually When we look at the wall Nehemiah is building as our own spiritual wall that we must build against the world, we first have to understand that it is a wall built over time. It doesn’t all go up overnight and it isn’t a sudden stronghold. It takes time. As we are building that wall, spatial attacks come and we aren’t always equipped to fully fight. We lose battles. Things get in. But this work must be a continuous work, and as we move through our life and fill in the gaps, we get stronger, we are more fully protected by temptation and sin. So we first have to pray when trials and temptations come our way, because the attacks will come. Then, as those attacks come, we must “post a guard” in our weak spots.
10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” 11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.” 12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” 13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” 15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
Historically Here we see a three-part process for the workers beginning to stumble. First, the work is too hard. Second, the builders begin to lose heart. Third, enemies are tinkering with their heads, claiming there will be “surprise attacks”, and they’ll never see them coming. Also, the people around the area are echoing the claims of Sanballat and his cronies: the attacks are coming.
So Nehemiah posts guards at the exposed places. He reminds the people to turn back to God for strength. He stations them in the spots by families, meaning groups are guarding those spots now. Nehemiah supports the people and reminds them of their goal. This gives the people a reason to continue.
Spiritually The words of others, and our very situations, have a draining experience on us spiritually. As we continuously build, satan tried to undermine our work. As satan pries and pokes and attempts this undermining, he looks for those places where he can squirm in. Our response should be this: guard the vulnerable areas. Tis spiritual fight is not only about us. It is a battle for our strength, for those in our life. When we put our faith in the foundation of God, we have the strength to return to the work given to us.
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. 19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” 21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.
Historically Half of the men are now at work, but half are guarding the workers, defense agains the “surprise attacks” of the enemy. As the workers work, Nehemiah is roaming around with a trumpeter. As an overseer to the entire work group, if he sees trouble, the trumpeter will blow his trumpet and the work will stop. Trouble will be met with all of their energy and focus. The work will continue anyway, dawn until dark, in order to finish the job. In this they do not change their clothes and even on water breaks they carry their weapons.
Spiritually This section displays our faith in action: building our faith, our defenses, takes a two-pronged effort: it takes a degree of faith (defense) and a degree of diligence (diligence). When trouble comes, there is a rally point, first to God, then to practical needs. The focus is clear: building the spiritual fortress must be primary. We cannot afford to be caught unprepared. This speaks to our focus, our desire and our diligence.