Charles Spurgeon Commentary Nehemiah 4
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
Nehemiah 4
Charles Spurgeon Commentary
Nehemiah 4
"But it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews." — Nehemiah 4:1 (ASV)
It was necessary to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, which had been lying in ruins. They proceeded pretty briskly, for everyone had a mind to work. There never was a good work yet that some did not oppose, and there never will be until the Lord comes. Sanballat heard what the Jews were doing, and he was very angry. He was wroth, and took great indignation. He was consumed with anger that God's work was continuing.
"And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?" — Nehemiah 4:2 (ASV)
The enemies of God's people generally take to sneering. It is a very easy way of showing opposition. Will they fortify themselves?
Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
No doubt these questions were thought to be very witty and very sarcastic. The enemies of Christ are generally good hands at this kind of thing. Well, if it amuses them, I do not know that it need hurt us much; for, after all, it is their way of paying homage to God's power.
"Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall." — Nehemiah 4:3 (ASV)
A man like Sanballat never lacks friends. If there is a bad man anywhere, there is sure to be another close by. The devil does not make a fire with one stick. When he has set the first one alight, he can generally find another stick to put near it. Tobiah the Ammonite, who was tarred with the same brush as Sanballat the Horonite, was with him.
"Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach upon their own head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity; and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked [thee] to anger before the builders." — Nehemiah 4:4-5 (ASV)
This was righteous indignation; but Nehemiah is not a perfect model for us. He was not only stern, but he mingled with his severity a measure of bitterness in his prayer that we must not imitate. Sometimes, when we have seen men plotting against God, seeking to ruin the souls of others, and trying to stop us in our endeavor to build up the church of God, we have felt such language as this trembling on our lips. It would be better, however, for us to bow the knee, in humble imitation of our Lord upon the cross, and cry, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
"So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto half [the height] thereof: for the people had a mind to work." — Nehemiah 4:6 (ASV)
So built we the wall.
You half expected to read, "So we stopped building the wall, and answered Sanballat and Tobiah." Not a bit of it. They kept to their work and let these two men scoff as they pleased.
And all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
They built the wall as high as they meant it to be ultimately; but they carried it all round, and joined it well together. If we cannot do all we would like to do, let us do what we can; and let us endeavor, as far as possible, to finish off the part that we do, waiting for better times to carry the walls higher.
Jump to: