52-day WONDER

 

Nehemiah 6:3

King James Version

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?

How does work get done?

Focus.

Plain and simple focus.

You focus on what GOD wants you to do.

You go about it diligently, and it gets done.

You will get all the help from the LORD.

Despite threats from enemies, Nehemiah got the walls done.

And in record time.

Here's more to the story concerning his enemies, who waited in ambush:

Nehemiah 6:1-3

King James Version

6 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;)

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.

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?

Nehemiah 6:4

King James Version

4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; 

and I answered them after the same manner.

Nehemiah 6:5-7

King James Version

5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me 

in like manner the fifth time 

with an open letter in his hand;

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.

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.

Nehemiah 6:8

King James Version

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.

Nehemiah 6:9

King James Version

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 6:10-11

King James Version

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.

11 And I said, 

Should such a man as I flee? 

and who is there, that, being as I am, 

would go into the temple to save his life? 

I will not go in.

Nehemiah 6:12-14

King James Version

12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; 

but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: 

for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, 

and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter 

for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat 

according to these their works, 

and on the prophetess Noadiah, 

and the rest of the prophets, 

that would have put me in fear.

Nehemiah 6:15

King James Version

15 So the wall was finished 

in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, 

in fifty and two days.

Nehemiah 6:16

King James Version

16 And it came to pass, 

that when all our enemies heard thereof, 

and all the heathen that were about us 

saw these things, 

they were much cast down in their own eyes: 

for they perceived that this work 

was wrought of our God.

Who is faithful, like Nehemiah?

Who is sturdy, like Nehemiah?

Who is brave, like Nehemiah?

Few, and far between.

Truly a rare breed.

What did he do next?

That is, after the walls and gates were done?

Find out on the next post.

Image: Clipart Library