Neh 4:7 | KingComments | STEP | The feelings of the enemy keep pace with those of the people, but in the opposite direction. The more desire the people have to work, the more desire the enemy has to disturb the work. In it is Sanballat. In Tobiah has joined him. Now whole groups join them ( ). The enemy forms a strong coalition that can attack Jerusalem from all sides. This will happen in the future, and on a much larger scale ( ; ). Not only is the number of enemies increasing, but also the anger that animates them. The anger of has swelled here to “very anger”. The determination of the people of God increases the opposition. The enemy groups itself together. They cannot watch with sorrow that the work of God continues. They cannot bear to be shut out more and more. If the wall rises steadily and the breaches are closed, they will no longer have access to the city of God. That thought is unacceptable to them. If the mockery and ridicule expressed do not have the desired effect, the enemy begins to threaten with violence. In a ‘unity makes power’ feeling they make a conspiracy. While they are otherwise often in conflict with each other, they now close ranks in their hatred of God’s work. Their plan is to launch a frontal attack on Jerusalem with the aim of creating confusion there. The creation of confusion is a method which Satan has often used in the church with success. Just look at the church in Corinth. All kinds of groups had arisen there, although there is only one church. In the first chapter of the first letter to that church you hear them call out to each other. One called out “I am of Paul”, while another called “I am of Apollos” ( ). Because of the division or confusion in the church in Corinth the unity was lost. The enemy had won his battle. Where he succeeds in opposing the believers against each other, he breaks the power of the testimony. At the same time he gains access to cause even more mischief: where “jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” ( ). The church in Corinth is an example of this. The enemy did not only win his battle at that time. We hear that sound today as well. One calls out ‘I am of Luther’ and another one calls out ‘I am of Darby’. The enemy has succeeded in sowing discord and confusion in the church. The origin of all those different groups, each with their own characteristics, with which they separate themselves from others, all with their favorite teachings or teachers, has never been God’s intention. Because of the confusion, the enemy has succeeded in bringing all kinds of erroneous teachings into the church. This further diminishes the strength of the testimony that the church should give in the world. “For God is not [a God] of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” ( ). God gives peace when the church keeps its ranks closed and does not allow the enemy to go his way. When there is a desire to be assertive, when people want to hear themselves, when responsibilities are wrongly fulfilled, when what God says in His Word is not heeded, confusion arises and peace is gone. God is the God of peace for all local churches. That peace is our part if we submit to His will which He has revealed in His Word.

‏ Nehemiah 4:7

The Enemies Conspire

The feelings of the enemy keep pace with those of the people, but in the opposite direction. The more desire the people have to work, the more desire the enemy has to disturb the work. In Neh 4:1 it is Sanballat. In Neh 4:3 Tobiah has joined him. Now whole groups join them (Neh 4:7). The enemy forms a strong coalition that can attack Jerusalem from all sides. This will happen in the future, and on a much larger scale (Zec 14:2; Lk 21:24).

Not only is the number of enemies increasing, but also the anger that animates them. The anger of Neh 4:2 has swelled here to “very anger”. The determination of the people of God increases the opposition. The enemy groups itself together. They cannot watch with sorrow that the work of God continues. They cannot bear to be shut out more and more.

If the wall rises steadily and the breaches are closed, they will no longer have access to the city of God. That thought is unacceptable to them. If the mockery and ridicule expressed do not have the desired effect, the enemy begins to threaten with violence. In a ‘unity makes power’ feeling they make a conspiracy. While they are otherwise often in conflict with each other, they now close ranks in their hatred of God’s work. Their plan is to launch a frontal attack on Jerusalem with the aim of creating confusion there.

The creation of confusion is a method which Satan has often used in the church with success. Just look at the church in Corinth. All kinds of groups had arisen there, although there is only one church. In the first chapter of the first letter to that church you hear them call out to each other. One called out “I am of Paul”, while another called “I am of Apollos” (1Cor 1:12). Because of the division or confusion in the church in Corinth the unity was lost. The enemy had won his battle.

Where he succeeds in opposing the believers against each other, he breaks the power of the testimony. At the same time he gains access to cause even more mischief: where “jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (Jam 3:16). The church in Corinth is an example of this.

The enemy did not only win his battle at that time. We hear that sound today as well. One calls out ‘I am of Luther’ and another one calls out ‘I am of Darby’. The enemy has succeeded in sowing discord and confusion in the church. The origin of all those different groups, each with their own characteristics, with which they separate themselves from others, all with their favorite teachings or teachers, has never been God’s intention. Because of the confusion, the enemy has succeeded in bringing all kinds of erroneous teachings into the church. This further diminishes the strength of the testimony that the church should give in the world.

“For God is not [a God] of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1Cor 14:33). God gives peace when the church keeps its ranks closed and does not allow the enemy to go his way. When there is a desire to be assertive, when people want to hear themselves, when responsibilities are wrongly fulfilled, when what God says in His Word is not heeded, confusion arises and peace is gone. God is the God of peace for all local churches. That peace is our part if we submit to His will which He has revealed in His Word.