When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city, the workers were mocked and threatened by their enemies (Nehemiah 4:1-3, 7-8). Nehemiah and the Jews needed to address these threats without neglecting their rebuilding project. So a solution was found.
“From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall from one another. At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.’
“So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. At that time I also said to the people, ‘Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.’ So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water” (Nehemiah 4:16-23).
There are several lessons for us to learn from Nehemiah’s plan. Today we are part of a spiritual kingdom (John 18:36) engaged in a spiritual war (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). But although the nature of the conflict is different from the one which Nehemiah and his countrymen faced, the following points will apply to us and our spiritual battles just as they did with the Jews and their physical battles.
A Constant Threat
Sanballat and his allies “conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it” (Nehemiah 4:8). Enemies are always looking for an unprepared and unguarded opponent. They remain ready to strike when the opportune time comes. The devil works the same way. Peter said he “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The threat of attack is always present.
Remain in Constant Readiness
Because of the constant threat from Sanballat, the Jews needed to remain in a state of constant readiness. They had guards stationed around the clock (Nehemiah 4:16, 21-22). The builders were constantly armed (Nehemiah 4:17-18). Even Nehemiah, his brothers, his servants, and the men of the guard remained dressed and armed at all times so they would be ready to fight whenever the time came to do so (Nehemiah 4:23). We must also be in a state of constant readiness against the attacks of Satan and his ministers. We must be on the alert (1 Peter 5:8; 1 Corinthians 16:13), ready to wield the “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). We should have our Bibles and be ready, willing, and able to use them.
Be Ready to Fight
While the wall was being built, half of the people stood guard while the other half worked (Nehemiah 4:16). Being alert to the threats was not so they could run and hide when trouble came, but so they could defend their city and defeat their attackers. In our spiritual battles, we are not to turn around and run, but we must stand up and fight. Paul wrote, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5). He told Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12), not flee, appease, compromise, or surrender.
Work Must Continue
Rebuilding the wall was “great and extensive” (Nehemiah 4:19), but defending the city and themselves was also necessary. If they ignored the threats and focused only on rebuilding, they would have been defeated. If they devoted their complete attention to the threats against them, the city would have never been rebuilt. While we are engaged in a spiritual war, we must also remember the need to build up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12, 16). “Destroying speculations” must be done (2 Corinthians 10:5). Building up our brethren through the word of God must be done as well (Acts 20:32). We cannot neglect one or the other.
Help One Another
Nehemiah and the Jews faced a logistical challenge in defending the city. As they worked, they would be spread out, possibly causing some to be vulnerable. So one stood ready with a trumpet in order to call all of the brethren to the place of need when a threat arrived (Nehemiah 4:18-20). There was a concern and love for the brethren there, just as we must have today (Hebrews 13:1). We must understand that a threat against one or some of us is a threat against all. Paul wrote this about the body of Christ: “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). In his second letter to Corinth, he wrote, “Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?” (2 Corinthians 11:29). We must help one another while we work and fight in the Lord’s cause.
God Will Fight for Us
Nehemiah was confident that if an attack came, God would be on their side (Nehemiah 4:20). This did not mean that the preparations were unnecessary. The people did what they were capable of doing and then placed their trust in the Lord. We know that in the end the Lord will be victorious in our spiritual war (Revelation 17:14). Paul wrote, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31). The Hebrew writer quoted the psalmist: “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6). We will be victorious if we remain on the Lord’s side. Let us continue to work and fight for Him.
