Wednesday, October 23
Read Nehemiah 4. What did the Jews do under Nehemiah’s leadership to stand up to opposition? Why was it important for them to prepare themselves to fight, rather than just do nothing, believing that God would protect them?
After starts and stops, the people began working again. The Jews prayed, and then Nehemiah set up an active guard. The people rotated through shifts during the day and nighttime in order to be prepared for any looming attacks. Nehemiah also organized the people around the wall with weapons so that each family was ready to fight. Additionally, he divided his servants into two groups, with one working and the other holding weapons. There were also special provisions for all those who worked on the wall, as they were closest to the danger. Each one of the builders held a sword with one hand and with the other added bricks/stones and mortar to the wall. They were prepared to face the opposition. They did their part; God did the rest. Nehemiah’s faith in God’s protection is inspiring. However, he didn’t sit on the couch and expect God to do everything. They prepared to the best of their abilities.
The two passages, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses” (see Nehemiah 4:13, 14), and “Our God will fight for us” (see Nehemiah 4:19, 20) are some of the most inspirational statements found in the Bible.
The Jews could have stopped building once again because of the persistent opposition, but, this time, instead of being overcome by fear, they held onto the promise that God would fight for them. When we encounter opposition for the name of God, for our beliefs, or for what God calls us to do, we should remember that “God will fight for us”.
In the end, the Jews realized that the Lord was behind what they were doing, and this gave them the courage to press on ahead.
Why is it so important to know that what you are doing is God’s will? Thus, an important question to ask is: How do I know if what I am doing is God’s will?
