Nehemiah 4:1-8 – Perseverance, unity and trust

Nehemiah 4:1-8 describes the initial mockery Nehemiah, and the Jews had to endure and overcome in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. It started with Sanballat. When he heard that the wall was being built, he became furious. In front of his brethren and the army of Samaria, he mocked and ridiculed the Jews. He was heard saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? By making great sacrifices, can they revive the stones out of the heaps of burned rubbish and rebuild the walls in one day?”

However, Sanballat was not alone in the mockery. Verse 3 said that Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing nearby, also sarcastically added, saying “even a fox walking on the wall would break down the wall being built by the Jews”

Upon hearing Sanballat and Tobiah’s mocking remarks, Nehemiah did the right thing. He turned and prayed, seeking God’s intervention. His prayer was not just a plea for justice, but also a source of comfort and reassurance. He asked God to turn their reproach back upon the opponents and to make them plunder in a foreign land. He also prayed that God would not forgive their sin, as they insulted God before the builders.

United by a common goal and driven by sheer determination, the people worked tirelessly, and the construction progressed rapidly. Soon, the wall stood at half its intended height. This significant progress was noticed. The inhabitants of the neighboring provinces of Judah, led by Sanballat and Tobiah, were filled with rage after learning about the progress of Jerusalem’s fortified walls. In response, they conspired to launch a coordinated physical assault on Jerusalem, hoping to disrupt the progress.

These verses teach us the need to persevere in adversity to progress in our journey with God. Just as we rejoiced in all God-given blessed moments, we must endure and persevere through the hardship of challenging times.  If we need persevering wisdom, prayer is our best tool. God is always available. Secondly, we need to unite in the face of opposition. We can achieve our goal better when we unite. Unity is not just a strategy but a source of empowerment and connection. It always helps to garner determination and collaboration. Be resilient and united to progress with God.