No Such Things - Nehemiah 6:8

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand. Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu said it, that you and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause you build the wall, that you may be their king, according to these words. And you have also appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together”, and in chapter six and verse eight of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared how he told Sanballat, “there are no such things done as you say”, where we read,

Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as you say, 

but you feign them out of your own heart.

The verse reads, “Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as you say, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “then I sent unto him” or “at that time I, Nehemiah, extended, stretched forth and directed to him, Sanballat”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “there are no such things done” or “there does not exist any productions or actions” “as you say” which means “similar and in likeness to what you, Sanballat, utter, declare and proclaim”. Nehemiah shared how he dispatched a message to “Sanballat” that said there did not exist any actions performed similar to what he was declaring. 

The verse continues, “... but you feign them out of your own heart.” Nehemiah added the words, “but you feign them” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover you, Sanballat, contrive, invent and devised the speeches and utterances” “out of your own heart” which means “separate and apart from your, Sanballat's, own personal inner man, understanding, mind and will”. Nehemiah told “Sanballat” that he made up and contrived the accusations from his own mind.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Nehemiah responded to “Sanballat's” letter by telling him there were not any actions performed according to his words, and that he contrived them all in his mind. “Sanballat” was desperate to convince Nehemiah to meet with him because he desired to cause him harm. Nehemiah was wise to his pernicious ways, and in the same manner God will give us wisdom against our hating foe, Satan, when he attempts to destroy us. God loves us, and He proved His love toward us when He sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and to be resurrected three days later. When we yield our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and make us wise to our enemies' actions and words which are meant to cause our demise. 

Next time Nehemiah says, “they all made us afraid”, 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".