Nehemiah 3-4
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Sword and Trowel
Intro
Intro
On March 23, 1775, in Virginia, the largest colony in America, a meeting of the colony's delegates was held in St. John's church in Richmond.
Resolutions were presented by Patrick Henry placing the colony of Virginia
"into a posture of defense...embodying, arming, and disciplining such a number of men as may be sufficient for that purpose."
Before the vote was taken on his resolutions, Henry delivered his most stirring speech imploring the delegates to vote in his favor.
He spoke without any notes in a voice that became louder and louder, climaxing with the now famous ending. Following his speech, the vote was taken in which his resolutions passed by a narrow margin, and thus Virginia joined in the American Revolution.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, "Peace! Peace!" -- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!
Describing the cast of characters of The Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis writes of Reepicheep,
Reepicheep is the Chief Mouse. He is the self-appointed humble servant to Prince Caspian, and perhaps the most valiant knight in all of Narnia. His chivalry is unsurpassed, as also are his courage and skill with the sword.
Reepicheep is chivalrous and courageous because more than anything—more even than his own life—he loves Aslan and Aslan’s prince.
In Prince Caspian, while fighting valiantly, Reepicheep is almost killed, and would have died were it not for Lucy’s ability to heal with the drops from her diamond bottle. Practically raised from the dead, Reepicheep leaps to his feet and bows before the lion, Aslan, only to realize that he has lost his tail in battle.
Reepicheep pleads with Aslan to restore his tail, and as Aslan discusses with Reepicheep whether he thinks too highly of his own honor, represented by his tail, Aslan, noticing what Reepicheep’s fellow mice have done and asks:
“Why have your followers all drawn their swords, may I ask?” said Aslan.
“May it please your High Majesty,” said the second Mouse, whose name was Peepiceek, “we are all waiting to cut off our own tails if our Chief must go without his. We will not bear the shame of wearing an honor which is denied to the High Mouse.”
“Ah!” roared Aslan. “You have conquered me. You have great hearts. Not for the sake of your dignity, Reepicheep, but for the love that is between you and your people … you shall have your tail again.” (Lewis, Prince Caspian, 220–24)
Reepicheep’s comrades love him because the mouse was more valiant than most men!
His great aim in life was to serve the high cause of the Aslan, Narnia, and her rightful king. Reepicheep was ready to protect those he loved, ready to stand for truth, and justice, and ready even to lay down his life for them.
The truth, goodness, and beauty of God on display in the gospel is worth more and must be worth more to us than our own petty causes, our personal luxuries or advantages, and more than even our very lives.
Neh 3-4 =
An example of good godly leadership.
An inspiration for christians to follow.
An illustration of Jesus Christ.
Message
Message
God wants to use ordinary people to build His kingdom.
Nehemiah 3
1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.
8 Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired.
12 Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.
Every single one of us has a job to do.... Do you agree?
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.
27 After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. 28 Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house.
When we don’t do it someone else has to… we put others in danger!
32 And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.
Neh 3.3, 6, 13, 14, 15
... built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars... repaired the Gate of Yeshanah. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars...repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate... He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars...repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
Our work or lack of work will be recored and remembered… even the little things matter…
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.
.... If you love me keep my commandments… All Authority given to me… therefore GO!
God wants to use ordinary people to build His kingdom.
The enemies of God will seek to oppose us.
Nehemiah 4:1–12
1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. 2 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?” 3 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!”
They will oppose us with words
1 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
4 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. 5 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.
6 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. [a heart for work]
7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 8 And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.
They will encourage us to oppose ourselves
They will oppose us with actions
10 In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.”
1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
God wants to use ordinary people to build His kingdom.
The enemies of God will seek to oppose us.
We will have victory in the LORD.
Nehemiah 4:13–23
13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people,
“Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”
13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” 14 Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
Remember the Lord
Fight for those whom you love
15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.
Arm yourselves for the task at hand
18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
15 On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city.
20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.
19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.”
23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.
Labor heartily and unified, for the work is worthy !!
God wants to use ordinary people to build His kingdom.
The enemies of God will seek to oppose us.
We will have victory in the LORD.
An example of good godly leadership.
An inspiration for christians to follow.
An illustration of Jesus Christ.
Jesus the Carpenter sent from God to restore that which is broken
He did the work that we could not do
He was opposed by the enemy even to the point of death
He has obtained victory and is now our cornerstone
good high priest who starts - completes the work - consecrates a people - stays up day and night to watch
hears the accusations of the enemy [of which they are true] and loves us even in the face of them - is not dismayed by the “rubble” of our lives
leaves no stone unturned or unfinished - fights for us as sons/daughters - protects with his might and none can harm
Labors even now building us as his people until that glorious day when he comes again to take us home
Even today Jesus works with both sword and trowel
Close
Close
Reepicheep and Prince Caspian are together again in C. S. Lewis’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
They are traveling to the edge of the world, and at one point in the story it looks as though the crew might not be willing to go any further. The strongest desire in Reepicheep’s valiant little mouse heart is to get to the end of the world that he might enter Aslan’s country. As the crew seems unwilling to go on, Lucy seeks help from Reepicheep:
“Aren’t you going to say anything, Reep?”
“No. Why should your Majesty expect it?” answered Reepicheep in a voice that most people heard.
“My own plans are made. While I can, I sail east in the Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I paddle east in my coracle. When she sinks, I shall swim east with my four paws. And when I can swim no longer, if I have not reached Aslan’s country, or shot over the edge of the world, I shall sink with my nose to the sunrise (ever facing the land of the lion which he loves) … (Voyage, 230–31)
On March 23, 1775, in Virginia = Patrick Henry
I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!
God wants to use ordinary people to build His kingdom.
The enemies of God will seek to oppose us.
We will have victory in the LORD.
The truth, goodness, and beauty of God on display in the gospel is worth more and must be worth more to us than our own petty causes, our personal luxuries or advantages, and more than even our very lives.
Will you join me with trowel and sword?
Group Questions
Why do you think Nehemiah answered Sanballat in 2:20 but did not respond to them in chapter 4?
In Nehemiah’s day, Sanballat and Tobiah were mocking those rebuilding the wall. Today God’s people are still striving to advance His kingdom, what form does mocking from our enemies take today?
How do you most often respond?
Nehemiah prayed that God would not allow unrepentant sin to go unpunished. Against whom and against what would/should we pray if we were to follow Nehemiah’s example today?
How might/does grace come into play in these situations?
Nehemiah led the people to set a guard against the enemies day and night (4:9). What should God’s people be on guard against day and night today?
What does setting a guard look like to you?
In 4:12 other Jews were discouraging those at work on the walls. How do Christians discourage other Christians today? Are there any ways that you yourself might discourage other Christians?
How might we do the opposite, (what are ways we can/should encourage one another?)
Why did Nehemiah redouble his defenses and rebuilding efforts in the face of discouragement (4:13)? What were his other options? Why was taking action his best option?
How might you direct the eyes of others to the great and awe-inspiring Lord, as Nehemiah did (4:14)?
In 4:16–17 the people work with a weapon in one hand and a tool in the other. If God’s people were to follow this example today, what would be analogous to the weapon, and what would be analogous to the tool?
In a military battle, sometimes leaders direct the action from the rear, and sometimes they place themselves at the point of crisis, as Nehemiah did (4:18–20). Which do you think a leader should do in the kinds of spiritual battles a church faces today?
What are ways that the leader of a church might model sacrificial devotion, as Nehemiah did in 4:20, 23? How can you model this kind of leadership over those who God has placed under your care?