By: Robert Serreyn
Question? Please give a practical application to Nehemiah 4:1-10?
Nehemiah 4:1-10 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. (2) And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and 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 which are burned? (3) Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. (4) Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: (5) And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. (6) So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. (7) But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, (8) And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. (9) Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. (10) And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
Answer:
Nehemiah the Cupbearer to King Artaxerxes had recieved permission to return to the city of Jerusalem with a company of workers to REBULD the wall that had been destroyed 70 or so years before.
The wall had layed in ruins and the temple in ashes, So in answer to prayer Nehemiah was allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild it.
The Application is…
Nehemiah KNEW that Jerusalem and its wall could be REBUILT if they were faithful to the Will of the Lord in doing so.
But like SO MANY christians THEY ALLOW the Sanballat’s and Tobiah’s of life to get them to doubt and LOSE FOCUS of the Lord’s Will and say as Nehemiah’s worker did in V10 “There is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.”
Scripture States…
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
In essence EVERY CHRISTIAN is a builder (for the Lord) but BECAUSE OF SIN all of humanity HAS BECOME in “Utter Ruin”.
As the Bible says…
Romans 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
We the Christian has THE REMEDY for the Lost THROUGH THE GOSPEL.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
But how ineffective our witnessing becomes BECAUSE OF all the rubbish in our lives.
The rubbish in the likes of…
– Siful Pleasures
– Questionable Habits or Acquaintances.
– Lack of Bible Study or Prayer
– Laziness, ETC…
As scripture states we are to…
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
IN CONCLUSION:
IN ORDER to serve effectively for the Lord WE NEED to clear away ALL that puts a stumbling block in our lives but also in the eyes of those we are trying to reach with the Gospel.
We are the Lord’s ambassador’s (represenative) and what we Say, Act, and Who we Associate with all REFLECTS BACK unto the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH