Nehemiah 6:10-14 - Be courageous and discerning

Nehemiah 6:10-14 illustrates the deception of Sanballat and Tobiah. They hired Shemaiah, a false prophet, to try and trick Nehemiah into thinking that his enemies were planning to kill him at night and to seek refuge in the temple's inner sanctuary.

Being a godly man, Nehemiah detected that Shamaiah was a false prophet hired by Sanballat and Tobiah to advise him to act cowardly. This gutless act would have tarnished Nehemiah's reputation and brought disgrace upon him.

Despite their efforts to ruin his reputation, Nehemiah remained unwavering in his faith, and their scheme came to naught. Wisely, verse 14 says Nehemiah sought God again, asking Him to remember Tobiah and Sanballat for their wicked plots. He also asked God to remember the prophetess Noadiah and all the other prophets who had tried to intimidate him. Here, Nehemiah acted inspiringly amid the challenges he encountered.

Despite the efforts of spies and traitors planted in Jerusalem by their enemies, Nehemiah was able to lead the completion of the wall. After 52 days of tireless work, the wall was finished on the 25th day of the 6th month. When their enemies and the surrounding people learned of the completed walls, they lost confidence, realizing that this accomplishment was with God's help and not merely the work of humans.

At this time, Nehemiah was saddened because many of the nobles of Judah were in alliance with Tobiah through marriage. The Jewish nobles exchanged many letters with Tobiah. Verse 19 says that they praised Tobiah in Nehemiah's presence and reported Nehemiah's deeds to Tobiah. This led Tobiah to send an intimidating letter to Nehemiah.

The key lesson from Nehemiah 6:10-14 is the importance of discernment and remaining steadfast in one's faith in the face of deception and opposition. Despite having to face deceit and intimidation, one should stay true to one’s beliefs, seek God's guidance, and display unwavering strength and determination. Learn the value of discerning the true motives of others, maintaining faith amid adversity, and seeking divine guidance in overcoming challenges.