Neh 4:14 | KingComments | STEP | Nehemiah sees it all clearly. He comes into action. Full of courage and determined, he rises up and speaks to the people. The nobles and the officials, the middle management so to speak, are mentioned separately. They must certainly take his message to heart, for they in turn must encourage the people. But the rest of the people are also among his listeners. Nehemiah holds his umpteenth ‘pep talk’. He sees that the enemy’s message has done its work through his representatives among the people. The people threaten to stop building. But he encourages them to continue (cf. ), convinced that God is with him ( ). In opposition to the enemy, he presents “the Lord who is great and awesome” (cf. ). Compared to Him, the enemy disappears into nothingness! They do not have to fear that enemy. “The fear of man [m]brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted” ( ). He calls them to turn their minds to the LORD (cf. ). They must think of Him, Who He is and what He has done. If we think about what we all owe to Him, we will be filled with confidence that He will continue in making it well. We will confidently place the consequences of the work in His hands. It is also a task for us to consciously focus our thinking on Him to Whom all powers are subject. The enemy wants us to think of him and be impressed by who he is. The Lord wants us to think of Him and be impressed by Who He is. It is our responsibility to focus on whom we think ( ; ). Seeing the Lord Jesus gives us strength to fight for what is dear to us. After grouping them together into their families, Nehemiah now appeals to the family feeling. He emphasizes its value to bring them to full commitment in the battle. They must fight for 1. all their brothers, 2. their children, to give them their future, 3. their wives whom they have received as help, and with whom they are one, to enjoy the land of God with them, 4. their homes, their home area. Let us remember that our struggle is 1. for all God’s children, 2. for all those who are entrusted to our care and who will soon have to continue God’s testimony on earth, 3. for all who have a caring task in the church of God, 4. for their living environment, the atmosphere in which their family is formed. If we want a passable way for our (natural or spiritual) children, we have to go this way ahead of them. If we leave that way because it takes too much effort, our children will not learn to go that way.

‏ Nehemiah 4:14

Nehemiah Encourages the People

Nehemiah sees it all clearly. He comes into action. Full of courage and determined, he rises up and speaks to the people. The nobles and the officials, the middle management so to speak, are mentioned separately. They must certainly take his message to heart, for they in turn must encourage the people. But the rest of the people are also among his listeners.

Nehemiah holds his umpteenth ‘pep talk’. He sees that the enemy’s message has done its work through his representatives among the people. The people threaten to stop building. But he encourages them to continue (cf. Heb 12:12), convinced that God is with him (Neh 2:20). In opposition to the enemy, he presents “the Lord who is great and awesome” (cf. Neh 1:5). Compared to Him, the enemy disappears into nothingness! They do not have to fear that enemy. “The fear of man [m]brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted” (Pro 29:25).

He calls them to turn their minds to the LORD (cf. 2Tim 2:8). They must think of Him, Who He is and what He has done. If we think about what we all owe to Him, we will be filled with confidence that He will continue in making it well. We will confidently place the consequences of the work in His hands.

It is also a task for us to consciously focus our thinking on Him to Whom all powers are subject. The enemy wants us to think of him and be impressed by who he is. The Lord wants us to think of Him and be impressed by Who He is. It is our responsibility to focus on whom we think (Col 3:2; Phil 4:8). Seeing the Lord Jesus gives us strength to fight for what is dear to us.

After grouping them together into their families, Nehemiah now appeals to the family feeling. He emphasizes its value to bring them to full commitment in the battle. They must fight for

1. all their brothers,

2. their children, to give them their future,

3. their wives whom they have received as help, and with whom they are one, to enjoy the land of God with them,

4. their homes, their home area.

Let us remember that our struggle is

1. for all God’s children,

2. for all those who are entrusted to our care and who will soon have to continue God’s testimony on earth,

3. for all who have a caring task in the church of God,

4. for their living environment, the atmosphere in which their family is formed.

If we want a passable way for our (natural or spiritual) children, we have to go this way ahead of them. If we leave that way because it takes too much effort, our children will not learn to go that way.