DEVOTIONAL “Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall… Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” Nehemiah 6:1-3. Rev. Luis M. Ortiz
A GREAT WORK In the times of the reconstruction of the city
walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah’s leadership, the people had to face big obstacles and open opposition that threatened the progress of the work. The first obstacle was Sanballat’s open opposition to Nehemiah’s presence in Jerusalem to rebuild the walls (Nehemiah 4:1). He also accused Nehemiah of rebellion later on. After the beginning of the reconstruction, Sanballat and Tobiah mocked and ridiculed the work stating that if a fox went up, the stone wall would collapse (Nehemiah 4:2-3). When the work was half finished, Sanballat, Tobiah and others conspired together to fight Jerusalem (Nehemiah 4:6-8). Nehemiah, who always faced hardship with prayer, said, “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them” (Nehemiah 4:9). After the reconstruction was finished, Sanballat, in sheep’s clothing, sent a message to Nehemiah: “Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono,” but they actually thought to do him mischief (Nehemiah 6:2). Nehemiah answered, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3). Five times Sanballat sent the same words, and five times he was rejected by Nehemiah. Sanballat even hired a false prophet to convince Nehemiah to hide because his life was in danger. Nehemiah did not let him intimidate him and replied, “Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in” (Nehemiah 6:11). MISSIONARY MOVEMENT 44 WORLDWIDE Americas • Europe • Oceania • Africa • Asia
In the end, the reconstruction of the walls were completed against all odds: “And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God” (Nehemiah 6:16). Dear brothers, there is a clear similarity between this part of Israel’s history and the history of the humble efforts of the Worldwide Missionary Movement (WMM). We have been hit by rejection, opposition, persecution, accusations, mockery, ridicule, disdain, conspiracies, betrayal, hypocrisy, threats and false prophecies. However, through prayer and dependence on God, we have been supported and guided to fight back. We keep moving forward knowing that God has entrusted us a great work in the world.
