Nehemiah: Perseverance Required
Nehemiah 3–4
February 16, 2025
Jay Haugh
Nehemiah inspires and delegates.
These individuals restore the wall around their property.
When problems ensue, passion and perseverance will be needed.
The lazy man does not roast his prey, but the precious possession of a man is diligence. —Proverbs 12:27 NASB
The biggest enemy of perseverance is discouragement.
The first attack of discouragement is mockery.
Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” —Nehemiah 4:1-2 ESV
The second attack of discouragement is to demoralize.
Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” —Nehemiah 4:3 ESV
Nehemiah prays during times of discouragement.
Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. —Nehemiah 4:4-5 ESV
So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. —Nehemiah 4:6 ESV
Opposition intensifies from ministry success.
But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. —Nehemiah 4:7 ESV
Enemies and mockers surround them.
Discouragement moves from mockery to intimidation.
And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. —Nehemiah 4:8-9 ESV
He prays and prepares a plan.
In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.” —Nehemiah 4:10-12 ESV
Nehemiah is decisive in opposition.
So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” —Nehemiah 4:13-14 ESV
When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. —Nehemiah 4:15 ESV
“In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” —Nehemiah 4:20 ESV
From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. —Nehemiah 4:16-19 ESV
Nehemiah leads by example.
So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand. —Nehemiah 4:21-23 ESV
Big Idea:
Continue to persevere in the work of God despite discouragement and opposition.
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Memory Verse: Nehemiah 9:10 NIV
You sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day.
The goal of these questions is to foster meaningful discussion and to encourage participants to reflect on God’s Word to lead to heart transformation. Feel free to modify or expand upon these questions based on the dynamics and needs of your Small Group.
Read Nehemiah 3
(1) Some of the workers rebuilding the wall were priests, merchants, goldsmiths, and even perfumists. Where else in Scripture have you seen God use unlikely people to accomplish His will? When has God used you (or others you know) in ways you did not expect?
(2) The only people in this chapter mentioned as not joining in the work are the nobles of Tekoa. What are some reasons people today might resist joining in the work of God? How can we encourage one another to step into what God is doing?
(3) Many families and individuals took responsibility for rebuilding the wall near their own homes. How does this principle of working “close to home” apply to how we serve God today? Where might God be calling you to build or restore something within your own sphere of influence?
(4) The phrase “next to him” or “next to them” is consistently repeated, emphasizing the unity of the workers. What does this teach us about serving together in community? How have you experienced the strength or encouragement that comes from serving alongside others? In what ways has God gifted you to serve others and how might He be calling you to begin serving in our church or community?
Read Nehemiah 4
(5) The ridicule of Sanballat contained some truth. The people were unskilled, the work was slow and the material was not good. But they left out the most important truth: God was with them. Why is it so easy to focus on our weaknesses instead of God’s strength? How can we shift our perspective when we feel inadequate? How did Nehemiah do this?
(6) Instead of responding to his enemies directly, Nehemiah turns to prayer (vv 4, 9). What does his response teach us about handling opposition? How does prayer help us refocus when we feel discouraged?
(7) Because Nehemiah and the workers had legal protection from the king, Sanballat and Tobiah had no real power to stop the work. They could only discourage the people to quit (v 7). How have you seen discouragement stop people from pursuing what God has called them to do? How do you typically respond in the face of criticism or doubt? What strategies can we use to fight back against discouragement?
(8) It was not safe for people to be isolated so Nehemiah implemented a strategy where a trumpet would sound if an attack came and the people would rally together (vv 19-20). How does this reflect the importance of Christian community? Who are the people in your life today who help you stand strong in faith? How can you be that person for someone else?