Chapter 4
The first three verses are the criticisms of Sanballat and Tobiah. Tobiah says a fox could break down these new walls. Nehemiah prays for bad things to happen to them. He prays that God will not overlook their taunts. I've seen this kind of prayer before. It has always "scared me" to pray for the harm of others.
2021 - Here is verse 4:
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. [Neh 4:4-5 ESV]. Nehemiah is praying for God to be God where the opposition is concerned. Nehemiah does not take it upon himself to retaliate against these insults and demeaning of the Jews. But he certainly asks God to take care of it. He asks that God NOT forgive them for what they're doing, to chastise/punish them for belittling the power of the God of Israel. And they are influencing others to also belittle God. Nehemiah thinks now would be a good time for God to correct them, and he prays for God to do so. On those days when it seems like the whole country is spinning out of control, the days when it seems like the bad guys, the godless, the irreverent are winning on every side, we can pray this prayer of Nehemiah's, and ask God to hold back his forgiveness and mercy toward His enemies, and show his displeasure with the actions of those who disdain Him.
Possible FB post.
vs 6 says they completed the wall to half its original height, all working together.
This provokes Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, and other neighbors to join together and threaten to attack Jerusalem. They are apparently near enough to inhibit the work, and to frighten those working on the wall. Nehemiah sets up guards. Jews from nearby come and help with the defense of the city. Nehemiah urges the builders to continue their work.
2021 - This verse:
9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. [Neh 4:9 ESV] A good principle to remember when we are fearful of events. Pray for safety, pray for God's protection, and then lock the doors and leave a light on. Pretty sure these guarding the walls would have had weapons too. Sometimes God says "Stand back and watch how I take care of you", sometimes he says "Pray, and set a guard on the wall".
Possible FB post together with the one where God had the opposing armies kill each other. In both cases, prayer came first, then mobilization.
Half of those present worked on the wall, the other half stood guard over them. They stayed dressed 24/7 in case they had to fight, night or day. The workers worked with swords on. It must have been a truly tense time.
2021 -
14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." ... 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." [Neh 4:14, 19-20 ESV] Nehemiah is talking about tactics here. The strategy was to keep half his men available to fight immediately, and the other half armed at all times. But tactically, he recognized that he could be attacked from anywhere, and devises a "rallying cry" to quickly concentrate the defense against any point of attack. He prayed for God's help, but he also does his part. Like the priest on Poseidon Adventure. And look at how his instructions end! Rally to the trumpet, and God will fight for us. His prayer for God's help, and his dependence on God for help, are intertwined and inseparable from his own preparations. This isn't an either/or situation. The strategy is about prayer and preparation. The outcome is up to God.
Possible FB post, 3 of 3?