Nehemiah 2:9-10 – Opposition to be expected in God’s work

Nehemiah now came to the governor of the provinces beyond the River, equipped with the letter he requested from Artaxerxes. Confidently, he must have presented the letters to the governors. Nehemiah 2:9 tells us that he did not travel alone. King Artaxerxes sent with him officers of the army and horsemen to travel with him. How many of them we are not told but the presence of the officers and horsemen must have brought him much security. So Nehemiah not only had the best protection of God, but he also had the king’s backing.  

Verse 10 hinted that the work of God Nehemiah was about to do would not be smooth sailing. Opposition to what he would soon be doing was surfacing. They were seen in the person of Sanballat, the Horonite, and Tobiah, an Ammonite. What made it more difficult was that these were officials of the government. When they heard that Nehemiah was seeking the welfare of the children of Israel, they were displeased. Verse 11 said that they were not just irritated but “very displeased.” This is by way of saying that he would be facing opposition. People are usually threatened when we mean business in advancing God’s agenda.   

 

From these two verses, we learn that it is foolhardy for us to think that we will not face opposition in our service to God. Everyone who takes the work of God seriously will have to face people who would come against it. The logic is simple, the values of God are very opposite to man’s values. The world wants us to be conformed to its values, but God wants us to be transformed by His values. When we set our heart to please God we will have to adopt a different attitude in order not to be influenced by the world.  Be prepared to face opposition when we make up our minds to take God and His work seriously. It is a fact that God will not remove the opposition from us. Why? Because they are what will keep us relying on Him. Expect opposition in walking with and serving God. But when we face them courageously, we will be strengthened in our resolve to live to please Him.