The People Had a Mind to Work

Day 135 – A Year in the Bible – Nehemiah 4-6

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NEHEMIAH 4 – SO BUILT WE THE WALL

A Mind to Work
So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
Nehemiah 4:6

This verse reminded me of another:

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:10‬

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NEHEMIAH 5 – THINK UPON ME FOR GOOD

According to all that I have Done for This People
Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
Nehemiah 5:19

Nehemiah as governor, could have taken from the people but instead, because of the burden the people were already under, he did not. He took all the resources needed for himself and the 150 in his household. All he asked was that the Lord remember what he did.

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NEHEMIAH 6 – THEY PERCEIVED THIS WORK WAS WROUGHT OF OUR GOD

O God, Strengthen My Hands
Over and over, Sanballat and Tobiah asked Nehemiah to meet with them. Over and over, Nehemiah refused. So they made up rumors that the reason he built the wall was that he was setting himself up to be king. They once again asked him to come and meet with them. Nehemiah instead sent his answer to them and prayed to God.

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.
Nehemiah 6:8-9

My God, Think Thou Upon These According to Their Works
Then prophets came to tell him that he would be killed that night and go with them to hide in the temple. Nehemiah, though, discerned that these “prophets” were not sent by God but hired by Sanballat and Tobiah to prophesy against him. They wanted him to be afraid and in fear, then sin. If he sinned by entering the temple to save his life, they could report it to the people, and the people would turn away from him. Nehemiah prayed.

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.
Nehemiah 6:14

The Wall was Finished and Our Enemies Perceived This Work was Wrought of Our God
So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. 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.
Nehemiah 6:15-16