Come Let us Meet Together - Nehemiah 6:2

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “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, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)”, and in chapter six and verse two of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared how“Sanballat and Geshem” said to him, “Come, let us meet together”, where we read,

That 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. 

The verse reads, “That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” Nehemiah began with the words, “that Sanballat” whose name means “strength and was a Moabite of Horonaim and the opponent of Nehemiah and the returned exiles in their goal of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem”“and Geshem” whose name means “rain and was an Arabian foe of Nehemiah” “sent unto me” or “dispatched and declared to me, Nehemiah, a message”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “come, let us meet together” or “allow and permit us, Nehemiah, Sanballat and Geshem to assemble by appointment” “in some one of the villages” which means “within a certain or particular place for living as covered in by walls” “in the plain of Ono” or “within the wide level valley belonging to Ono whose name means vigorous and was a city in Benjamin”. Nehemiah shared how “Sanballat and Geshem” invited him to gather at an appointed time within a particular walled dwelling place located in “Ono” of Benjamin. 

The verse continues, “But they thought to do me mischief.” Nehemiah added the words, “but they thought” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover they, Sanballat and Geshem, reckoned, were mindful of and considered” “to do me mischief” which means “to perform and produce unto me, Nehemiah, bad, evil, disagreeableness and malignancy”. Nehemiah knew “Sanballat and Geshem” considered doing evil and bad unto him. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah how “Sanballat and Geshem” sent a message to him to allow themselves to assemble with one another, however, Nehemiah knew they meant to do him wrong. God knew we would have adversaries in this world even as Jesus said, (See John 16:33) and He assured us He had “overcome the world”. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when He rose from the dead three days later, He made the way to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and assured that when opposition is desires ill-will, He will give us the wisdom to know He is with us. 

Next time Nehemiah says, “I sent messengers unto them”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".