February 18, 2007

Nehemiah
Opposition to Building the Wall

Steve Lane

A. Review/Introduction - "We're in"

Themes - Leadership, Sovereignty of God, Word, prayer, vision, risk, opposition...

722 BC : Israel defeated and deported by the Assyrians

605 BC - 586 BC : Babylonians defeated Judah and deported the people in three stages.

Zerubbabel 538 BC, Ezra in 458 BC and Nehemiah in 445 BC

Jeremiah, Lamentations, Daniel, Esther, Zechariah, Haggai, Ezra, 1st and 2nd Chronicles, Malachi

Does the condition of the wall concern you? The body, the world, friends and family

Chapter three? A list of names - builders of the wall

What will be written about you?

Acts 2: 42
Matthew 28
The driving force in their life was God's purpose

B. Expecting Opposition

Chapter 4
Prepared so as to not lose heart and...

You can still serve and be used even within the midst of opposition
Make sure we don't unwittingly oppose God's work

Ephesians 6: 11
Armor is intended for soldiers - those sacrificing and laying down their life

2 Corinthians 4: 1, 2, 7 - 10
John 15: 20
2 Timothy 3: 12

All opposition does not always come in the form of people

Galatians 6: 7 - 9
Reap a harvest if we don not give up

C. Opposition to the Building of the Wall

Ezra 4: 1 - 3

Attack: Syncretism - "let us help you" - mixing falsehood with truth

We don't get the world to clean up their act so they can join us

Ezra 4: 4
Notice the response of these nice people
Response: No, we will do God's work in God's way

Nehemiah 2: 10
Attack: Resistant attitude
Didn't care about God's people
Response: Ignored them

Nehemiah 2: 19 - 20
Attack: Ridicule and mocking
False accusation
Even the misguided should usually be able to see when God is doing something
Response: Humble confidence in God

Nehemiah 4: 1 - 3
Attack: Ridicule, discouragement, intimidation
Very angry now - you don't have what it takes - you don't have much to work with
Response: He immediately went to prayer. Then, he went back to work (verse 6)

Conclusion

This information could be misused... This may be a reminder that you are called