Sunday 4 September 2016

I won't run!

For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.”
Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.”
And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!” Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. – Nehemiah 6.9-12

Nehemiah could not be distracted by a chat. That seems like kind of a nice distraction. No threat, just come and have a chat, but Nehemiah would not go and meet with the enemy.

So now they changed tactics. If Nehemiah wouldn’t meet them so decided to increase their threats and their taunts. ‘The Jews are going to weaken. They are not going to get the job done.’

Plus, the enemy had a mole in the Temple. A plant. An informer. A secret agent.

‘So Nehemiah, come into the Temple and we will shut the doors so you will be safe when they come to kill you' he said.

Pretty sneaky approach, huh?

But that wouldn't work either.

I can’t come to your meeting, and I won't run and hide. There is a job to do.

I really like this guy. If I could have a hero Nehemiah would be one of them. No matter what the circumstances or what the opposition or what the problems he was not going to quit.

Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

Just don’t quit – no matter what.

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