In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “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. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand”, and in chapter six and verse six of Nehemiah, Nehemiah told what, “was written” in the letter, where we read,
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.
The verse reads, “Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu said it, that you and the Jews think to rebel:” Nehemiah began with the words, “wherein was written” or “within the letter was inscribed and engraved”, “it is reported among the heathen” which means “the following exists as in the midst and middle of the foreign, pagan and non-Hebrew people”, “and Gashmu said it” or “and Geshem, whose name means rain and was an Arabiah for of Nehemiah, uttered, declared and proclaim the following words”, “that you and the Jews” which means “that you, Nehemiah, and the Jehudaites or Judaites who were descendants of Judah” “think to rebel” or “have a mind, cunningly work and plan to revolt, be rebellious and disobedient”. Nehemiah shared how the letter sent with the servant of Sanballat contained an accusation that Nehemiah and the people of Judah were considering revolting and being disobedient.
The verse continues, “for which cause you build the wall, that you may be their king, according to these words.” Nehemiah added the words, “for which cause” or “because, since and on account ” “you build the wall” which means “you rebuild, reconstruct and raise up the barrier wall”, “that you may be their king” or “so you, Nehemiah, might exist as their royal ruler and leader”, “according to these words” which means “in keeping to the utterances, declarations and proclamations within the letter”. Nehemiah shared how the words in the letter accused him of rebuilding the barrier wall because he wanted to be the royal ruler of the people of Judah.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah how the letter carried by servant of Sanballat accused him of rebuilding the barrier wall which surrounded Jerusalem because he wanted to be the royal ruler over the people of Judah. This was a lie, and when the enemy could not take advantage of Nehemiah in a natural way, he resorted to untruths. God wants us to know the ploys of our foes, and because He knew lies, deception and sin was in the world, He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we submit our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us an awareness of our enemy's, (Satan's), deceptive ways to bring deception into our lives.
Next time Nehemiah says, “you have also appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem”, 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".
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