The Need for Discernment and Wisdom
Rubble to Restoration: A Study in Ezra and Nehemiah • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction:
Introduction:
This morning, as the title of our message states, discernment and wisdom are absolutely essential for us. If a person is able to discern between good and evil and then make a wise decision based upon that knowledge, it will save you from a lot of heartache and trouble. While these traits offer a life that will inevitably be more fruitful and productive. This is not probably not going to be life changing for you, but “we live ain a corruptible world.”
We are not free from problems and pain, difficulties and hardships. And as believes we have some major enemies too: Satan, the world, and ourselves. As believers in Jesus Christ we are not promised smooth sailing, quite the contrary. God is going to allow us to go through both turbulent times and peaceful times too.
Family, when we are opposed by others or attacked spiritually through difficult trials or temptations, we need the ability to discern between what is true and false, what is good and what is bad. The greatest thing of all is that God promises to give us wisdom and discernment we just need to ask.
Nehemiah’s opponents had failed miserably in their attempt to derail the rebuilding project. We saw this a few weeks ago. Remember chapter 4, Nehemiah’s enemies stood in opposition to the work that God had commanded them to finish. Chapter 5 Nehemiah was confronted by hardship and trials from within his own people. Our passage this morning we are going to see the enemies of God go from attacking the people working on the wall, to attacking their leader… Nehemiah.
Their goal in attack Nehemiah personally, shows us how desperate they were, because the wall was nearing its completion. If it was finished, they would lose all hope of continuing to control the people of Judah and to profit off of them.
Their authority over the area would also be diminished. Once the building was finished it would allow the Jewish returnees to become more settled and grow stronger.
What we are going to see this morning are three different schemes used by the enemies of God.
vv. 1-4) Scheme 1: compromise, cooperation with unbelievers
vv. 1-4) Scheme 1: compromise, cooperation with unbelievers
[1] This first scheme used against Nehemiah was the temptation to compromise, to lead him to cooperate with unbelievers. This scheme is something that Satan and our enemies will use. It is every important for us to understand that the biblical definition of compromise is alway associated with sin.
Whereas, we might use the term in our marriages to promote a health middle ground solution to a given problem, to avoid arguments and murder.
This morning we really have to understand the biblical definition of compromise is something that no believer is to give into. We are never going to be given the go-ahead to compromise.
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
Family if we are led to compromise and to cooperate with the world of this earth, the believer testimony is quickly discredited. Despite all the opposition, Nehemiah had the returned Jews had accomplished an impossible feat: they had finished the wall. The only thing left to finish was putting up the gates at the entrances.
As you can imagine once the walls were finished word was carried by spies and others to the leaders of the surrounding nations who stood in opposition to this project.
Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem and the rest were disappointed that their early attempts to stop the building had failed, now they needed to revise their tactics. Instead of standing opposed to the project they began to sing a different tune.
I believe that these leaders instead of standing opposed to the rebuilding sought to lead Nehemiah into thinking they wanted to compromise. Probably to discuss the differences with him to supposedly work out some kind of mutual agreement.
Their proposal for Nehemiah was to meet them on neutral ground, a site in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. Ono was about 20 miles from Jerusalem, in the upper northwest part near the border of Samaria.
We know better because we have read it, but by all appearances it seemed that these opponents finally wanted to make peace and probably set up economic trade with the Jews.
[newspaper clippings]
[2-3] Yet, Nehemiah saw through their scheme, sensing that they were seeking to get him alone in order to kill him. The tactfulness of Nehemiah here is great! To protect himself, he devised a reply that would either prove their sincerity or else expose their deception.
He simply stated that he could not leave the work unsupervised because the project was at a critical state. Nehemiah suspected foul play about, nevertheless he was leaving the door open for the opponents to suggest meeting in Jerusalem—just in case they were sincere or had a change of heart.
As he suspected, they were insincere.Rather than suggesting a meeting in Jerusalem, they set the same message to him four time after the initial invitation.
Discernment is the ability to judge matters according to God’s view of them, and not according to their outward appearance. We are often deceived by outward appearances:
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Many people confuse being discerning with being negative or cynical too, however discernment is just as able to see the good where others might miss it as it is seeing bad where others might see good according to the outward appearance.
Christians suffer a great deal because we lack discernment. Following leaders and teachers who give a good appearance, but don’t walk in the nature of Jesus. Accepting things blindly because it looks good or sounds good, without carefully judging it against the whole counsel of God’s Word.
We might even picture Nehemiah going to the Word of God and equipping himself with discernment. Perhaps he read Proverbs 27:6
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
A passage like that alone would remind him not to look at the outward appearances, but to judge soberly.
You might be asking the question, how can we develop discernment?
First, you want to see things as God sees them, and the only way to do that is to follow your feelings...
Just making sure you are paying attention. It is by knowing His Word!
Second, discernment comes through spiritual maturity
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Third, discernment can be given as a gift from the Holy Spirit.
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
What it boils down to is this simple truth… We will need to seek God for it!
Application:
Discernment and wisdom will help us be watchful and aware of enemies schemes. The biggest we probably experience in our culture today is that of compromise. Family if you give into compromise not only will you tarnish your testimony you will dishonor Christ too!
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you,
and you shall be My sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
In a different sort of application: Nehemiah was focus on the task given to Him. He knew what God wanted him to be doing and he did it. Do you know what God wants you to do?
Nehemiah wouldn’t be sidetracked by things that sounded good but weren’t of the Lord for him.
Anyone doing a work for God must contend with a hundred different noble causes, and a hundred things that might look good—and be good—but they are not what we are called to do. Discernment gives us focus!
[be open]
vv. 5-9) Scheme 2: slander, rumors, and lies
vv. 5-9) Scheme 2: slander, rumors, and lies
This second scheme used against Nehemiah and the Jews was that of slandering Nehemiah’s name and spreading rumors and lies about him. The opponents were not going to give up, for they were desperate to maintain their authority and economic control over the territory of Jerusalem.
When Sanballat and the others realized that Nehemiahs wasn’t going to budge from Jerusalem to meet with them alone, they again switched their line of attack. Now for the fifth time, they sent another letter… but this time they changed the contents of the letter, and they sent it unsealed.
Typically you would roll up an official letter and seal it with a signet ring or stamp. And only the addressee would be able to read that letter. Here Sanballat sent an unsealed letter to Nehemiah. With the purpose that many eyes would read the letter along the route.
It was the hot gospel and it would have spread like wildfire.
The letter listed two major charges against Nehemiah:
That Nehemiah was plotting rebellion against Persia for the purpose of setting himself up as king of Judah. There was an accusation that Nehemiah was also appointing certain prophet to move among the people proclaiming him to be their appoint king.
Sanballat warned Nehemiah that this report would be taken to the king of Persian; therefore, it was essential to meet with him and his associates… Knowing what was being said about him, Nehemiah would have easily face the enemy to try and defend himself against the false charges.
On one hand Nehemiah understood that these men wanted him dead and the work stopped. On the other, though, if the slander and rumors were left unchecked, his reputation would be ruined, discredited, and in shambles.
Nehemiah carefully thought through the best way to respond to the malicious lies and rumors. There was one fact that stood out above all the others: the slander was completely false.
So Nehemiah concluded that the best response was threefold:
To forcefully deny the slander and lies
To boldly charge the enemy with lying and deception
To pray for strength.
Knowing that their enemies were trying to use intimidation to weaken the himself and the workers. Nehemiah simply turned to the Lord and asked Him to strengthen their hands, for the answer to intimidation tactics is to be strengthened by God.
Application:
Slander and lies are vicious behavior when we closely examine it. They cause extreme pain and often destroy a person’s reputation and character. Slander and lies can cause all kinds of terrible consequences such as:
broken friendships
broken families
loss of employment
broken agreements
separation and divorce
Slander and lies are two terrible evils that mankind can commit. Their results are always harmful and often devastating. And just as harmful as slander and lies is gossip…
Gossip is simply spreading the rumors, slander, and lies.
Family, if we are really going to have an impact on our world with the Gospel, we are going to need to have a good reputation and a strong character.
We need to be people of integrity.
And to be that we must walk in the truth of God’s Word, obeying His commandments and living righteously before the public. We must be a strong testimony to the righteousness of the Lord. This is the best defense against slander and lies.
Listen to what God’s Word says about integrity:
16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
21 providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
vv. 10-14) Scheme 3: cowardly disobeying God
vv. 10-14) Scheme 3: cowardly disobeying God
This third scheme was to lead Nehemiah to act cowardly and disobey God. It was a pretty clever scheme to discredit and perhaps even assassinate him. The enemy had hired the priest Shemaiah to deceive Nehemiah and to lead him into a trap within the temple.
Shemaiah was home locked behind closed doors and that Nehemiah went to Shemaiah’s home to see him. Apparently Shemaiah had sent word for Nehemiah to come because there was a threat against his life.
When Nehemiah arrived, Shemaiah warned Nehemiah of the assassination plot that was planned for that very night. He next suggested that they hide in the temple, within the Holy Place itself.
If we remember Nehemiah had initially trusted Shemaiah as one of the priestly leaders, he immediately detected a hoax or plot when Shemaiah suggested they hide in the Holy Place.
Nehemiah refused to flee and hide. He forcefully responded that he could not disobey God by entering the Holy Place. One the priest could enter the Holy Place of the temple. To hide in the place assigned for priest alone would be disobeying the Lord.
7 Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”
Moreover, Nehemiah would not act cowardly, fleeing the task that God had given him.
Having put two and two together, Nehemiah knew that his enemies had hired Shemaiah…
Sometime later, when all alone, Nehemiah sought the Lord in prayer. He asked the Lord to execute true justice against Tobiah and Sanballat as well as against some prophets who had not been mentioned until now but who had opposed God’s work.
We are not given any more information on the prophetess Noadiah or the other, unknown prophets. However this does give us more insight into what Nehemiah was faced against.
Opposed by a body of political, business, and religious leaders. Nevertheless, Nehemiah stood fast and persevered until the end, completing the task God had assigned him.
Application:
This final application for us this morning is rather straightforward. We must not act cowardly nor disobey God. A coward is a person who runs away from trouble, who avoids the difficulties that arise, who fails to undertake the task or assignment he or she is given or is responsible for. A coward has weak character that is clearly exposed when he backs off or flees a difficult situation.
When a believer acts cowardly, he damages not only their testimony but dishonors the name of the Lord.
25 The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
You might have fallen to one or all of these schemes at different points in you life… Know that God can and will still use you. What I really want to convey is that as we grow in the Lord, in maturity, that we are going to choose to do the right things more and more often because we truly trust the Lord.
I absolutely love God’s Word because it gives us so many example of people doing it wrong:
The cowardly behavior of the 10 spies sent into the land of Canaan: Numbers 13:33-14:5
Cowardly behavior of most of Gideon’s army: Judges 7:3
3 Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ ” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.
The cowardly behavior of Israel’s army as it face the giant Goliath:
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.
The cowardly behavior of the Lord’s disciples when He was being arrested: Mt 26:55-56
55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
If we truly love God we would keep His commandments
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
Benediction:
24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’