Nehemiah's Godly Character

Nehemiah is a person I highly respect and admire in the Bible because he feared God, was bold to take action for the glory of God and His people, and he was diligent to seek God--even in emotionally charged situations.  One such situation occurred when Nehemiah was appraised of how Jews were indebted and enslaved to one another in their fight for survival and had no means of paying interested charged them.  It was one thing to be enslaved or oppressed by enemies, but by their own people?  Nehemiah couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Nehemiah was incensed when he heard of the oppression taking place in Israel in Nehemiah 5:6-7:  "And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. ⁷ After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, "Each of you is exacting usury from his brother." So I called a great assembly against them."  Rather than reacting and flying into a rage, Nehemiah's anger led him to think seriously of the correct course of action.  After careful consideration, he rebuked the nobles and rulers--a difficult thing to do when they were brethren he respected and cared for.

Rarely was Nehemiah guilty of making rash or impulsive responses--even when he was angry or upset.  This was Nehemiah's approach when he first heard the people of Jerusalem were suffering, afflicted and the gates were burned with fire.  Nehemiah 1:4 reads, "So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven."  Nehemiah was so moved he mourned for days, and he fasted and prayed to God about the situation.  Though his position in a king's court allowed him access to a ruler with great power and authority, he brought his concerns before the most high God of Israel by confiding in Him alone.

When King Artaxerxes noticed Nehemiah was sad and asked him what was troubling him, Nehemiah explained the sad condition of Jerusalem and the suffering of his people.  Nehemiah 2:4 reads, "Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven."  Seeking the LORD and waiting on God's guidance was Nehemiah's inclination, even as God designed our bodies with natural reflexes.  Nehemiah did not take days to give his answer in this case, but he was circumspect to seek the LORD in prayer.  Our mistake can be to give serious thought to a problem but neglect prayer; we can spend time praying yet decide what is a good course of action without receiving clear guidance from God.

Nehemiah provides an example of one who took time to give serious thought to what angered him, who fasted and prayed when he was mournful, and made His request before the LORD God before seeking help from a king.  He was a man who responded in a godly manner rather than reacting according to strong emotions.  Nehemiah feared God, and this led to a cultivation of character made possible by the Holy Spirit in those who wait on the LORD to this day.

New Man Strong

I used to watch boxing in my younger days, and I always enjoyed predicting who would win.  Both fighters talked a big pre-match game, but one of them would end up being the loser--sometimes in mere seconds.  What I observed is the fighter who appeared more heavily muscled often tired more quickly than the other.  This led me to conclude there can be a fighter who works out in the gym to look cut and fit, while others grow lean and strong by training and boxing.  More often than not, the fighter with better endurance was able to focus their strength with sound technique after the more ripped fighter was winded with fatigue.

Today as I chipped away at an old stump, it dawned on me that working is the best exercise because it produces multiple benefits.  There are many people who "work out" today for personal health, yet there is not necessarily any "work" accomplished.  People sweat by running on a treadmill or climbing a stair-stepper but do not go anywhere; they lift weights yet do not move anything from here to there.  The weights are set back on the rack, and the benefit of this kind of workout is a temporary strain of the body that builds muscle or burns fat--but the benefits are limited to a body that is perishing.  It is fine to exercise our bodies to improve and maintain physical health, yet how much better to remove a stump, dig a trench or build a wall at the same time!

When I worked in a trade, there were older fellows I called "old man strong."  While young men spent hours a week in the gym working towards shredded abs or bigger biceps, men in the trade worked on the tools for their living and survival.  These old men could wrangle wooden 12-foot ladders like a stepstool because they learned to control the weight and had mastery of balance and leverage by long experience.  Many a strapping young man was humbled by an inability to work with the endurance, speed, dexterity and strength of old timers who were strong by building physical strength through doing real work--not with the aid of a pool, treadmill, bike or a gym membership.  I believe there is are spiritual parallels in these observations.

Even as some people work out to improve their physique for themselves and others can see, spiritual disciplines like reading the Bible or going to church can be for show.  Paul said he did not run the race God set before him aimlessly, nor was he like a boxer who only punched the air.  He compared his discipline in labouring to do God's will as a runner sprints towards the finish line and a boxer who spent hours on the speed bag, heavy bag, and absorbed blows to strengthen his body to win (1 Cor. 9:24-27).  If we will be fruitful for Christ's sake, we must abide in the Vine (who is Jesus) and seek to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Better than being spiritual body-builders who flex to impress judges or fellow contestants, we ought to plough up the fallow ground of our hearts, remove the stumps of unbelief and clear the ground of sin that springs up like thornbushes with repentance.

Having been born again by Jesus, we are to become "new man strong" by working out our own salvation as new creations by reliance on our LORD as Paul wrote in Philippians 2:12-16:  "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. ¹⁴ Do all things without complaining and disputing, ¹⁵ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶ holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain."  Knowing we are God's workmanship, we are to do all things without complaining and disputing and hold fast the word of life.  As we discipline ourselves to practice such things as we follow Christ's example, our labour in doing God's will shall not be in vain.

The Christian's Work

Our local shopping centre recently had a visit from a local member of parliament, and volunteers were out early putting up signs to advertise the one-hour event.  I even had someone come to the door with her flier that touted what the local MP was doing to "fight" for better mobile phone coverage in our suburb.  The repetition of militant phrases of "fighting" for residents and promises to "keep fighting" if elected again struck me as rather odd as a representative of a party that boasts the majority government at a local and federal level.  I would much prefer the Labour party (or any party for that matter!) to faithfully work for the good of the citizens and residents rather than fighting.

God's people have the assurance of Scripture the battle is the LORD's, and I trust Him to help us more than an arm of flesh, political party or politician (2 Chron. 32:8).  Secular government generally operates without acknowledgement of God, His wisdom or ways, and ironically atheistic government positions itself to be a godlike entity people are encouraged to trust to act in their best interests, to provide for their needs, to protect and "fight" against injustice.  Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD, those who look to God for their provision of daily bread, shelter, help and peace--in the life that now is, and in the life God provides for eternity.

When Jesus was criticised for doing what some considered "work" under the Mosaic Law, He corrected their understanding in John 5:17:  "...My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."  God has always been at work to accomplished His plans and purposes concerning all created things and humankind, and Jesus worked as well.  This statement angered the Jewish rulers because they rightly viewed it as Jesus making a claim of equality with God, since He called God His Father.  Jesus taught those who are of His kingdom ought to put their hand to the plough without looking back, for we are called to be God's workmen who need not be ashamed (Luke 9:62; 2 Timothy 2:15).  Doing good works is a purpose of our salvation as it is written in Ephesians 2:10:  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

While soldiers engaged in warfare provide good illustrations and insights concerning our walk of faith in Jesus, I find the workman concept to be even more useful and practical.  The example Jesus provided in person as He walked and taught in Israel was not taking vengeance on enemies or "fighting" anyone but that of a faithful friend, a farmer, beast of burden, a labourer in the field who worked while it remained day.  If we only exert our efforts in fighting we may never edify or build each other up in faith in God.  Since the battle is the LORD's and Jesus has claimed the victory, we do well to set our minds to work to trust, obey and follow Jesus as the people in Nehemiah's day banded together to build the wall (Nehemiah 4:6).  We do well to walk in the footsteps of Jesus who said in John 9:4, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work."

Living By Faith

We enjoyed a blessed Bible study last night in the book of Matthew at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  In the midst of the study we came upon words of Jesus that are among His more obscure statements, yet they are instructive and reveal how God's ways are higher than the ways of man.  After responding to disciples of John the Baptist who had been imprisoned, Jesus revealed him to be the greatest prophet ever--yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  Jesus would usher in a new covenant in His own blood to redeem people from the curse of sin and impute righteousness by faith in Him never revealed to prophets of old.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:12-13, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John."  The point was well-made in the study that violence is not always bad in itself, for strength, eagerness and vehemence can be directed in doing good.  Yet there is no question violence can be destructive, as violent waves have power to break ships apart and sink them.  The prophets, including John the Baptist, were subjected to violence by evil men who falsely accused them, threw them into prison and killed them.  The kingdom of heaven endured the violence of satanic opposition, yet he was unable to prevent God establishing His kingdom in the hearts of redeemed people by the Gospel.

I read the phrase "The violent take it by force" as a general statement in regards to how the violent take kingdoms (or whatever they want) by force.  Kings are overthrown by armies or murdered by assassins so a new regime can rise.  God's kingdom, unlike kingdoms of this world, cannot be overthrown or taken.  God does not stoop to the violent tactics of wicked men who live by the motto, "Might makes right."  Instead, God chose to draw people to His everlasting kingdom with goodness and gentleness.  All the prophets and the law prophesied until John concerning God's truth, and John the Baptist was called by God to herald the coming of the long-awaited Messiah.  Rather than employing violent force, Jesus revealed God's kingdom is established on the basis of God's love for lost sinners.  Imprisoning John and murdering Jesus did nothing to overthrow God's kingdom or bolster the powers of darkness, for there is no force able to overcome the almighty God.

Jeremiah 31:3 says, "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."  God will not force anyone to come to Him or become citizens of His kingdom, yet God has demonstrated His love powerfully by Jesus laying down His life for sinners.  How forceful our love should be in light of God's love for us!  Our passion for the truth of the Gospel ought to be declared by our deeds as well as words.  The NLT renders verse 12, "And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it."  The advance of God's kingdom is unstoppable because God drives it forward, and God's people are His chosen instruments to speak the truth in love, to pray for our enemies and preach the Gospel.  Throughout history God's people have faced violent opposition, yet by faith in Jesus He makes us to stand and endure unscathed--refined as gold.  As citizens of God's kingdom, rather than taking by force we live by faith in Jesus.