Pray Over the Work as Much as You Do the Work! - Nehemiah 1-4

 Nehemiah 4:1-5 (ESV)

Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

When God put into Nehemiah’s heart to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls and the Temple, it is doubtful that Nehemiah thought about opposition to the work.   When we get a vision from God to do something great for Him, we don’t always think of all the problems and challenges.  Their is no doubt that Nehemiah understood the difficulty that comes from repairing a broken down city.  In fact, in chapter two of the book we read how he went out at night and took an inventory of the work.   He knew the structurally challenges.  But, how could he know about two characters who were simply jealous about work being done to make the lives of the people better.  Note what was said earlier about Sanballat and Tobiah: 

Nehemiah 2:10 (ESV)

But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

What would motivate someone to oppose the betterment of the welfare of others?   Since they were not of Israel there is no doubt their hatred for the Jewish people was the catalyst for this rage and obstructionist approach.   Sanballat and Tobiah’s first approach was mocking Nehemiah and the people.   The attempted to use a “mob” mentality to dissuade Nehemiah and his followers.    Nehemiah’s response is to give it all to God.   He is not interested in a verbal battle with these two, or any fools that follow them.  He has work to do.  In fact, later he would respond to a request by the two to meet with them, the following way:

Nehemiah 6:3 (ESV)

And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

Instead of engaging these fools, Nehemiah turns them over to God.  This is such a great strategy for dealing with mockers, scorners and skeptics in our lives. Nehemiah will have many of these prayers throughout the rest of the book.  He simply is drawing to God’s attention their treatment of God’s work and believes God will take care of the problem.   Each time they attempt to prevent the work, Nehemiah turns it over to God.   That is God’s solution for His people.  Nehemiah started this journey in prayer (chapter one) and he continues to perform the work in prayer.