22.151 | Are Our Motives Right? | Nehemiah 6:6-9 | God’s Word for Today with Pastor Nazario Sinon

God’s Word For Today

Neh 6:6-9 ESV

5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

ARE OUR MOTIVES RIGHT?

Sanballat and company won’t give up in their pursuit to discredit and destroy Nehemiah. In his fifth attempt, he sent a messenger to read before Nehemiah a fabricated letter of accusation. The letter reads, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.”

It was a slanderous letter twisting the motive of Nehemiah and the Jews. Should the king believe the lie that they’re building the wall to rebel against him? And, should the king believe that Nehemiah has the ambition to become the king of Judah? These possibilities could produce haunting thoughts and created fear. And, the work will cease.

The prophet Jeremiah has had the same experience. In Jer 20:10 we read, “For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him” Luke recorded about Jesus wrongly accused too, saying, “And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.”[Luke 23:2]

However, in all these, Nehemiah did not budge in. As Solomon says, “…the righteous are bold as a lion.”[Prov 28:1b] Nehemiah has discernment. Likewise, we must be watchful “lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”[2 Cor 2:11] Truth always dispel error as light to darkness.

He went to the Lord for strength and who is also the avenger for their wrong doings. As the psalmist expressed, “They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.”[Psa 38:12] Certainly, God allows slander to check our motives. In summary, according to Rom 8:28 it’s a win-win in both ways although its offensive – to correct our motives if the accusation is true and to thank God to keep our right motives in check it is false.

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