Nehemiah 4:9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them
If you have ever thought about visiting China, one of the things that is probably worth seeing is the Great Wall of China. Ironically, that wall would not keep out any legitimate enemy today, so the best of military might for one generation might be totally useless in the next. However, walls are important. If you have ever driven through El Paso, Texas, you can see two different countries side by side. From the American side you can see Mexico just on the other side of the river and any barriers than might be there.
Walls can cause conflict and walls can provide some protection. In Bible times, a city without a wall was not worthy of the name. It may have been an outpost, but it was not a city because if a city could not maintain sovereignty, it was no longer a city.
When you get to Nehemiah 4, Israel was no longer sovereign, but God still was and God still is. As Nehemiah and others prepared to rebuild the wall, there were three parties that were notably part of the story. Any worthy work involves three parties. I don’t mean birthday or graduation parties. I mean three different entities or people.
The first party is the builders. Nehemiah 3:1 says, “Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren.” It goes on to talk about all those who did the work of rebuilding the wall, those who built near the Sheep Gate, the Valley Gate, the Fountain Gate, and so on. There were a broad array of people, goldsmiths, apothecaries, and rulers, daughters, Levites, and priests all working together on the wall as a common cause. They had a uniting ethic that brought them together. They had various gifts, were various ages, and both genders, but they were working together. Their main goal was the same, to build the wall.
Any worthy work involves people who do their part. It is so easy when you are involved in something that is worthy, bigger than yourself, to get so drawn into the brick ahead of you that you forget you are part of something broader. It can be easy to think, “Well, my day is easy so everything is ok,” or “Things are going rough with me so it really doesn’t matter about anything else.” The truth is that there is a big picture.
Interestingly enough the Bible talks about several people who built over against their house. In other words, they were the building that part of the wall that also furnished part of the wall of their own house. You can imagine how intent they would have been in doing their job well because they were personally invested in it. Any worthy work involves a variety of people who are personally invested and realize that the success of their small part is important for the success of the big picture. No part is small in God’s work and no part is so big that you are self-important. So, you have the builders.
Then, you have the enemy. Believe me, any worthy work is going to have those who oppose it. Nehemiah 4:1 says, “But it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.” The enemies said, “What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish that are burned?” Now, were they going to complete this task in one day? No! But were they going to complete this task? Yes! Sometimes the opposition has an exaggerated negative. So, if they couldn’t build it in a day, then they couldn’t build it. That is not true. They mocked, “Even a small animal could come knock over this wall.” So, this enemy is making exaggerated negatives and mocking. There will always be friction if you are trying to do what matters and what is right.
The third and most important party is God Himself. When these people mocked, Nehemiah and those who did the work said to God, “Hear, O our God; for we are despised.” They were saying, “Hear what they are saying. We are your servants. These are your people, city, and wall. We don’t own it. You own it.” What a wonderful relief it is to give your successes and your needs to God Almighty. If God owns you, God can own our problems. That is what they did. They both prayed and watched.
Verse 9 says “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch.” It is easy to say, “Well, this is all on me. I have to make this happen.” That is an extreme. Or we might say, “God will take care of it. I’m not going to do anything and sit on my hands.” It is not one or the other; it is both praying and setting a watch. Sometimes that is hard to know when our part ends and God’s part begins. Well, God should be involved in everything we do. So, we do our duty, what we know to be right, and trust God for what He alone can do. If I do what I should, God will do what I can’t. God is not going to do what I should do and I can’t do what God can do. There is a perfect combination there.
Then you have both battling and building. Verse 17 says, “They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held a weapon.” They were battling and building. They weren’t trying to pick a fight, but to build something that was worthy.
Any worthy work involves three parties: the builders, the enemy, and God. If you will put your focus on God and follow and obey Him, you will find your part and have your victory.