10th.: Keep Turning to God
With permission from the king,
Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem.
Nehemiah first assessed the condition of the walls around Jerusalem,
He then rallied the Jews to rebuild those walls.
The enemies of the Jews did not like this.
They mocked Nehemiah and his efforts.
Nehemiah turned again to God,
“Hear, O our God, we are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own heads.
… cover not their iniquity, … they have provoked to anger before the builders." (Neh. 4:4-5).
When the mocking failed, the enemies then plotted a physical attack against the Jews (Neh. 4:7-8).
Again, Nehemiah went to prayer (Neh. 4:9a),
“Nevertheless, we made our prayer to God." (Neh. 4:9a)
Nehemiah's preparations discouraged the enemies.
And Nehemiah gave due credit to God,
“… and God had brought their counsel to nought.” (Neh. 4:15b)
Since a frontal assault did not work, the enemies then tried to get Nehemiah to fall into a trap.
Nehemiah again went to prayer,
“Now therefore [O God] strengthen my hands.” (Neh. 6:9).
Since the trap did not work, then enemies tried to get Nehemiah to do something rash, (Neh. 6:10-13).
Nehemiah again went to prayer,
“My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their words ….” (Neh. 6:14).
Go to prayer, when the enemy arises.
“No weapon formed against thee shall prosper” (Isa. 54:17a)