Nehemiah 6:5-8
Throughout the entire time of rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah has faced a lot of opposition. When previous attempts failed, some of his enemies tried deception and intimidation. This was an attempt to discredit Nehemiah’s leadership and destroy his reputation.
We see in these verses that an open letter was received. This might be a small detail that would get overlooked, but one that is very important. Letters were normally sealed for privacy. An open letter would have been a purposeful decision to spread rumors publicly. Think of this as an ancient smear campaign. In this letter, we see false accusations against Nehemiah. They said that he was rebelling against the king and plotting to make himself king in Judah. These lies were aimed to alarm the authorities and turn the public against Nehemiah, which would create fear among the people. Nehemiah’s response is direct and tactful. He doesn’t overreact but calls out the false accusations and lies made, saying that they have no truth in them.
As Christians, we will face much opposition in our lives as well. We should look to Nehemiah as an example to learn from. Even Jesus guaranteed that we would be hated because the world first hated Him. As we face spiritual warfare, it is important to remind ourselves that God is in control and that we can fully trust Him. People may try to spread lies about us when they can’t stop us. It may be hard to go through this, but know that you have a God who loves you and sees the truth in it all, even when no one else does. May everything we do be with our eyes fixed on Him. Let us not get dragged into the fights and lies that the opposition may bring. Keep your eyes fixed on the mission instead. Speak truth without fear and trust in God through everything! Worship God alone and share His truth and love with the world!
Throughout the entire time of rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah has faced a lot of opposition. When previous attempts failed, some of his enemies tried deception and intimidation. This was an attempt to discredit Nehemiah’s leadership and destroy his reputation.
We see in these verses that an open letter was received. This might be a small detail that would get overlooked, but one that is very important. Letters were normally sealed for privacy. An open letter would have been a purposeful decision to spread rumors publicly. Think of this as an ancient smear campaign. In this letter, we see false accusations against Nehemiah. They said that he was rebelling against the king and plotting to make himself king in Judah. These lies were aimed to alarm the authorities and turn the public against Nehemiah, which would create fear among the people. Nehemiah’s response is direct and tactful. He doesn’t overreact but calls out the false accusations and lies made, saying that they have no truth in them.
As Christians, we will face much opposition in our lives as well. We should look to Nehemiah as an example to learn from. Even Jesus guaranteed that we would be hated because the world first hated Him. As we face spiritual warfare, it is important to remind ourselves that God is in control and that we can fully trust Him. People may try to spread lies about us when they can’t stop us. It may be hard to go through this, but know that you have a God who loves you and sees the truth in it all, even when no one else does. May everything we do be with our eyes fixed on Him. Let us not get dragged into the fights and lies that the opposition may bring. Keep your eyes fixed on the mission instead. Speak truth without fear and trust in God through everything! Worship God alone and share His truth and love with the world!
Posted in Devotional