Mar 9
Following Jesus will come with rejection by haters and mockers. Nehemiah 6 shows us an admirable example of what staying focused on serving God looks like. Louie Giglio encourages us that when the negative voices come, we need to stay rooted in the Word of God for strength and purpose.
Scripture References
Further Opposition to the Rebuilding
1.When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— 2.Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages6:2 Or in Kephirim on the plain of Ono.”
But they were scheming to harm me; 3.so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” 4.Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.
5.Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter 6.in which was written:
“It is reported among the nations—and Geshem6:6 Hebrew Gashmu, a variant of Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king 7.and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”
8.I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”
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.”
10.One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.”
11.But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!” 12.I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13.He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.
14.Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. 15.So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
Opposition to the Completed Wall
16.When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
17.Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. 18.For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19.Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
Sayings of King Lemuel
1.The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
2.Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
3.Do not spend your strength31:3 Or wealth on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4.It is not for kings, Lemuel—
it is not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,
5.lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6.Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!
7.Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8.Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9.Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10.
31:10
Verses 10-31
are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11.Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12.She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13.She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14.She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15.She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16.She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17.She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18.She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19.In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20.She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21.When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22.She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23.Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24.She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25.She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26.She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27.She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28.Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29.“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30.Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31.Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Louie Giglio
Louie Giglio is the Visionary Architect and Director of the Passion Movement, comprised of Passion Conferences, Passion City Church, Passion Publishing and sixstepsrecords, and the founder of Passion Institute.