has got protection in doing that work, expect to find protection when deserting it? Ought a man, on whose unflinching fidelity the lives. of the people and the safety of these walls and the honour of God all depend, to leave them exposed to eager enemies for such a consideration as that of saving his own life? God cannot have sent such a message: 'I will not go in.' There is something of much greater value than my life. And what if I do fall when the last gate has been secured? That will be God's doing, and I shall then meet death, as alone I would meet it, in the way of duty. I am immortal till my work is done. 'And lo, I perceived that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me; for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.' How did be perceive this so quickly and with so much certainty? By falling back on first principles, the character of God and the nature of right and wrong. How was he so ready thus to go to first principles and to discern their application with clearness? Because he was living near to God in praying and working. Therefore was he hired that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report that they might reproach me.' That I should sin! There could be no hesitation in setting aside any suggestion, however plausible and presented with however much authority, which led to that issue. The base foe seems to have contrived that it should reach the governor from various quarters, among others from the lips of a woman: no matter, God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man' (James i. 13); and because this man was accustomed to exercise a holy jealousy against sin as the greatest possible evil, he was able now to break the snare. He had 'the secret of the Lord with him' because he feared Him;' and was already in the sanctuary of a better temple than that on Moriah: For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me: He shall set me up upon a rock' (Ps. XXV. 14; xxvii. 5). The governor took a noble revenge on the false prophets. He might have 'set a great assembly against them,' and condemned them to death as traitors; but that was not Nehemiah's way. When men broke civil laws or neglected religious duties he rebuked them and used force; but sin as such cannot be corrected by force. The public influence of Shemaiah and Noadiah was sufficiently blasted. by his exposure; any further measures it was not for him to take. Revenge was not trusted to his hands; and the mischief was so complicated and deeply-rooted that he would do more harm than good in trying to remove it. 'My God, think Thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets that would have put me in fear.' Surely they cannot be angry with Nehemiah for this, seeing he prays for them precisely what he had prayed for himself! (v. 19.) A man need not wince at God thinking on him unless his deeds are evil (John iii. 1921); and even then God alone can so think on the sinner as to deal with him in righteousness and mercy. Let it be seen,-this is what Nehemiah wished that there is a King in Judah who is able so to punish sin as to purify and save His people. Here the first part of the book ends. The next verse records the completion of the whole wall; and the remainder has to do with another reforming work which did not concern timber and stones and mortar. Before he could proceed to the dedication of the wallof which we do not read until the twelfth chapter he must set himself to fill the city of God with Israelites indeed. That work gave exercise to all his heroism and grace. |