Nehemiah 4:17b-18a - “Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked.”
Nehemiah 6:9 - “They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”
I have been reading through a chronological study Bible, placing events in an ordered timeline. I know it was not a coincidence that just before school began, I encountered Nehemiah, and was reminded of his story of calling, leadership, opposition, and success.
Nehemiah was the cupbearer to Artaxerxes and the governor of Israel. Politically, Nehemiah had standing with the King, and the King trusted Nehemiah. God had given him favor and a platform, because He was going to use Nehemiah for His glory.
The Lord called Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls after Jerusalem had been destroyed and lay in rubble. Nehemiah approached the king about his task. Apparently wearing his emotions on his sleeve, the king asked Nehemiah why he was so sad. Knowing his job to request to leave the king, he wrote, “I was very much afraid..” (2:2b); however, he told the king that his heart was heavy, because the city in which he was raised lay in ruins. When the king asked him what he wanted, Nehemiah wrote that he prayed to the God of heaven and answered the king at the same time, requesting to go back to rebuild the walls In Jerusalem. In Nehemiah 2:6, he states, “It pleased the king to send me…” He had favor with the king and used his influence to ask for letters for safe travel and timber for the beams for the gates and a house in Jerusalem. He writes, “And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.”
Nehemiah inspected the wall, or lack thereof, and the burned gate, and he called together the priests, nobles, officials, and others to rebuild the wall. Chapter three of Nehemiah maps the plan for the priests, nobles, and workers to complete the wall around the city. One man after another, from priests to perfume-makers, to rulers, goldsmiths, and merchants, each accepted the call and stood side-by-side to rebuild the wall. No one said, “That’s not my forte.” They simply stepped up to be wiling.
As one would assume, people who had position were threatened by the strengthening of the protection of Jerusalem and what the wall around the city might mean for their own positions. The workers endured threats, insults, and mocks, but Nehemiah states, “..the people worked with all their heart.” (3:6) Hearing of the threats, Nehemiah stationed guards and prayed for protection. The workers began to become weary, exhausted physically and mentally, but Nehemiah reminded them, “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.” (3:14)
Strengthened by the reminder that God would protect them and fight for them, Nehemiah wrote, “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 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked.” (Nehemiah 4:16-18) They did not stop their work out of fear. They grabbed a weapon to fight, if necessary, while they continued to restore the wall piece by piece.
Tobiah and Sanballat plotted to harm Nehemiah, but he would not fall for their scheme to meet them. Finally, they sent word to Nehemiah that they heard he and the Jews were plotting a revolt, to which Nehemiah answered they were making it up! People were trying to frighten them, thinking their hands would get too weak, but Nehemiah prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” (6:9b)
And God did. And the wall was finished.
God called Nehemiah, and though he was afraid, he was obedient. He knew the job ahead of him and saw the extent of the job when he surveyed how Jerusalem’s walls were burned and in rubble, but that didn’t deter him from the calling.
Sanballat and Tobiah and several others mocked and threatened Nehemiah and those working, and the workers who were working with all of their heart became weak, mentally and physically. Nehemiah reminded the people who their God was, great and awesome, and encouraged them to continue. With a weapon in one hand or a sword at their side, they completed the work before them. Nehemiah prayed for their hands to be strengthened for the task, and God gave them strength.
After reading through the story, I gathered my kids together to give them the charge of Nehemiah’s story for this school year, as well as to charge myself, and so I offer this charge to you, as well:
God gives us each a platform of some sort, and He uses that platform for His glory. You may be placed as a cupbearer to the king, or you may be placed as a worker to accomplish a task under a Godly leader who is following God’s call. We, too, may know or hear a calling that brings fear and overwhelming odds and opposition, but may we be reminded that the gracious hand of God is upon us, too. We will no doubt encounter spiritual battles from the enemy, yet God will fight for us when we have His favor! So, we follow Nehemiah’s example, entering the year with the Sword of the Spirit, the very Word of God, by our side and ask for God to strengthen our hands for the work ahead when we feel defeated, or when the odds seem too great.
Weapon in one hand, working with the other!