Nehemiah 6:1-10

Ne 6:1

Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

Now once again we see the three enemies of God banding together to scheme against Nehemiah and the builders.  They now knew the project was a serious one because the wall was completed since there were no breaches or openings in the wall.  The only thing left to do was to hang some of the doors upon the gates which would give it a one hundred percent completion.  They knew that once the wall was completed then it would be much harder to penetrate the city than if the wall was still in disrepair.

Ne 6:2

That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

Sanballat and Geshem then decided to ask Nehemiah for a meeting but they did not want to have the meeting within the walls of Jerusalem instead they wanted the meeting to take place outside of Jerusalem in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.  The plain of Ono was about 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Jerusalem which would have meant that Nehemiah would probably have to travel about a day and a half to get there on foot and much shorter if he went by horse.  Their desire was not to have a regular meeting but they wanted to do him mischief which could have been kill him or confine him so he would be unable to get back to Jerusalem and the project.  Nehemiah knew their intentions were anything but diplomatic.

Ne 6:3

And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

Then Nehemiah sent messengers to them that he was not going to come to that meeting.  Nehemiah knew in his heart they did not mean it for good and if something happened to him, then the work on the wall would have ceased.  Nehemiah did not want to leave the wall because he knew it was a project which was sanctioned by God and the Persian King.  He did not want to be diverted from his original task of completing the wall.  In my early days I worked at companies where meetings were called by managers who had nothing to do so it seemed like they were actually doing something.  Nehemiah then makes a tremendous statement, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down:”  When the Lord Jesus Christ was on the cross, there were people who had taunted him to come down.  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. (Matthew 27:40)  Jesus could not have come down from the cross because he was paying for the sins of his people.  If he would have come down, then no one would be saved plus the Scripture would have been broken and Satan would have won.  Jesus did not come down because he was building the wall which contained every true believer who would ever become saved. 

²⁰ And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; ²¹ In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: ²² In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20-22)

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)

Just as Nehemiah refitted the wall with good stones and not rubble, the Lord Jesus Christ built the body of believers as lively stones until the spiritual house would be completed.  This is the lesson Nehemiah gives us when he refuses to come down from his work until the wall would be complete just as the body of believers will be complete when the last one is saved.

Ne 6:4

Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

Their persistence in desiring to get Nehemiah to leave the work and come to them resulted in him getting four invitations to come to the meeting but he refused all four times.  I am sure that the enemies probably kept offering Nehemiah some type of reward if he came and met with them.

Ne 6:5

Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;

Then Sanballat had dispatched his servant to Nehemiah with an open letter which may have been written upon papyrus since it was already in use by the ancient Egyptians.  So this is now the fifth time that they had urged Nehemiah to meet with them.  It was written by Sanballat making it look like he wanted to meet with him in the spirit of friendship but Nehemiah knew that any correspondence received from them would only be a trap.  When letters were sent in an official capacity, they were normally transported in some type of holder or purse.  Here the letter was open and it meant a sign of disrespect which Nehemiah knew instantly because being in the court of the king, he would have seen this practice many times.

Ne 6:6

Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

Here we have an example of “Ancient Fake News.”  This was a serious accusation which was being reported in the surrounding Gentile nations.  No doubt they had tried to stop the building of the wall by means of spreading false accusations against Nehemiah to neighboring countries.  This was brought by Geshem the Arabian who falsely claimed that the Jews in Jerusalem were going to rebel against the king and make Nehemiah the King of Jerusalem.  This was a serious situation in ancient days when a king’s throne was threatened, in fact, many of them had their own family members killed to protect them from rebellion.  Pontius Pilate became frightened when the Jews accused him of not being a friend of Caesar.  To threaten a king’s throne meant the death penalty, especially that of a pagan king.

Ne 6:7

And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

Then they accused Nehemiah of appointing prophets who would herald the news that he was to be appointed king in Jerusalem and that is why they are there to build the wall. Now not only are those words condemning but now they plainly told him that these words which they are speaking will be reported to the king of Persia but maybe it doesn’t have to be reported if he would be willing to meet with them and discuss the situation.  If it was reported to the king, then it would mean the death of Nehemiah and he knew it.

Ne 6:8

Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

Then Nehemiah responds to their false accusations that they were made up as lies to discredit him.  There was never any intention to rebel against the king and set himself up as a monarch in Jerusalem.   In reality, Nehemiah was calling them a bunch of liars.

Ne 6:9

For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

Nehemiah did not take their threats lightly because if those words got to the king, then he would be recalled to give an account of what was happening and to defend his actions.  Their desire was that their threatening would lead to the eventual dissolution of the work and things could go back to normal.  Nehemiah then prays and asks God to strengthen his hands which would be a plea to strengthen his resolve in the face of these evil men who desire to see the work stopped.  This shows us that when faced with a serious situation, a Christian does not need to have a prayer ten pages long with a hundred of “thee” and “thou” but a short simple, sincere prayer from the heart is what the Lord looks for.

Ne 6:10

Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.