Key Verse: Nehemiah 6:1-4, “When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.”
Nehemiah 6 deals with three different tactics that the enemy uses against the leadership and the work. As the Jews went through these situations, we see that GOD gave them success in what they began!
The first tactic that the enemies used, was ‘fake friendship’! When the enemies found that there were no more gaps left to be repaired (the wall was almost finished- the gaps were closed, the only thing left was the doors on the gate), their anger rose. But, they knew that their anger could never do any good, as they had enough experience from their previous visits. So they tried to change their strategies to stop the work for ever. They called for a meeting in the plain of Ono.
In the previous chapters, we see how hard-working the people were. Sometimes, Satan tries to use our situations to implement his tricks on us. The enemies may have sugar-coated their invitation, “we know you were working for long, you had not enough rest. Why can’t you guys take a break, let’s gather for a meeting in the plain of Ono?” We won’t be able to recognize the strategy that the enemies try on us, unless we have a spirit of discernment!
Discernment is GOD’s gift to us, to judge things according to GOD’s point of view. “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Or we can say, discernment is viewing things and people, how GOD sees! Nehemiah identified their trick. “But they thought to do me harm.” Vs. 2.
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” Proverbs 14:12. If Nehemiah had taken the step without discerning, he could have ended up in total destruction. Count your call more important, than the situation which you are going through now. You may be weak, alone, lacking in financial support or you may be going through trials in life. And when people come before you with help, and friendly deals, discern it. The smiling faces may trick you to take your attention from your call.
Nehemiah rejected the invitation in a humble manner, by sending his messengers. “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” (Verse 3)
1) Vision: Nehemiah had a clarity about his call. He called his work as ‘a great work’ and the great work can’t be skipped giving excuses or with things of least priority. When we see things from GOD’s perspective, the things that are important to GOD will become our priority.
2) Focus: The discernment gave Nehemiah focus. He was firm in his call and knew that he had to finish the good work for which he was called to. He knew that it was of no value to meet Sanballat and Tobiah and it could cause the work to cease.
People fail from their vision and focus as they fail to discern the people who come to them. We can see many examples for this in the BIBLE itself.
Without discernment:
- We may fall into sin like Eve and Adam,
- We may fall into the tricks of our enemies like the Israelites (Joshua 9),
- We may take wrong decisions like Rehoboam (1 Kings 12).
Practical Living: So, pray to discern the ‘fake friendship’ tactics of the enemy and focus more on those appointments set by GOD. Consider our call more important than any other priority and work together for the glory of the LORD.
