prophets and kings-第112章

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When　the　enemies　of　Israel　heard　what　the　Jews　were　hoping　to　accomplish；　they　laughed　them　to　scorn；　saying；　〃What　is　this　thing　that　ye　do？　will　ye　rebel　against　the　king？〃　But　Nehemiah　answered；　〃The　God　of　heaven；　He　will　prosper　us；　therefore　we　His　servants　will　arise　and　build：　but　ye　have　no　portion；　nor　right；　nor　memorial；　in　Jerusalem。〃

Among　the　first　to　catch　Nehemiah's　spirit　of　zeal　and　earnestness　were　the　priests。　Because　of　their　influential　position；　these　men　could　do　much　to　advance　or　hinder　the　work；　and　their　ready　co…operation；　at　the　very　outset；　contributed　not　a　little　to　its　success。　The　majority　of　the

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princes　and　rulers　of　Israel　came　up　nobly　to　their　duty；　and　these　faithful　men　have　honorable　mention　in　the　book　of　God。　There　were　a　few；　the　Tekoite　nobles；　who　〃put　not　their　necks　to　the　work　of　their　Lord。〃　The　memory　of　these　slothful　servants　is　branded　with　shame　and　has　been　handed　down　as　a　warning　to　all　future　generations。

In　every　religious　movement　there　are　some　who；　while　they　cannot　deny　that　the　cause　is　God's；　still　hold　themselves　aloof；　refusing　to　make　any　effort　to　help。　It　were　well　for　such　ones　to　remember　the　record　kept　on　highthat　book　in　which　there　are　no　omissions；　no　mistakes；　and　out　of　which　they　will　be　judged。　There　every　neglected　opportunity　to　do　service　for　God　is　recorded；　and　there；　too；　every　deed　of　faith　and　love　is　held　in　everlasting　remembrance。

Against　the　inspiring　influence　of　Nehemiah's　presence　the　example　of　the　Tekoite　nobles　had　little　weight。　The　people　in　general　were　animated　by　patriotism　and　zeal。　Men　of　ability　and　influence　organized　the　various　classes　of　citizens　into　companies；　each　leader　making　himself　responsible　for　the　erection　of　a　certain　part　of　the　wall。　And　of　some　it　is　written　that　they　builded　〃everyone　over　against　his　house。〃

Nor　did　Nehemiah's　energy　abate；　now　that　the　work　was　actually　begun。　With　tireless　vigilance　he　superintended　the　building；　directing　the　workmen；　noting　the　hindrances；　and　providing　for　emergencies。　Along　the　whole　extent　of　that　three　miles　of　wall　his　influence　was　constantly　felt。　With　timely　words　he　encouraged　the　fearful；　aroused　the　laggard；　and　approved　the　diligent。　And　ever　he　watched

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the　movements　of　their　enemies；　who　from　time　to　time　collected　at　a　distance　and　engaged　in　conversation；　as　if　plotting　mischief；　and　then；　drawing　nearer　the　workmen；　attempted　to　divert　their　attention。

In　his　many　activities　Nehemiah　did　not　forget　the　source　of　his　strength。　His　heart　was　constantly　uplifted　to　God；　the　great　Overseer　of　all。　〃The　God　of　heaven；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃He　will　prosper　us；〃　and　the　words；　echoed　and　re…echoed；　thrilled　the　hearts　of　all　the　workers　on　the　wall。

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But　the　restoration　of　the　defenses　of　Jerusalem　did　not　go　forward　unhindered。　Satan　was　working　to　stir　up　opposition　and　bring　discouragement。　Sanballat；　Tobiah；　and　Geshem；　his　principal　agents　in　this　movement；　now　set　themselves　to　hinder　the　work　of　rebuilding。　They　endeavored　to　cause　division　among　the　workmen。　They　ridiculed　the　efforts　of　the　builders；　declaring　the　enterprise　an　impossibility　and　predicting　failure。

〃What　do　these　feeble　Jews？〃　exclaimed　Sanballat　mockingly；　〃will　they　fortify　themselves？　。　。　。　will　they　revive　the　stones　out　of　the　heaps　of　the　rubbish　which　are　burned？〃

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Tobiah；　still　more　contemptuous；　added；　〃Even　that　which　they　build；　if　a　fox　go　up；　he　shall　even　break　down　their　stone　wall。〃

The　builders　were　soon　beset　by　more　active　opposition。　They　were　compelled　to　guard　continually　against　the　plots　of　their　adversaries；　who；　professing　friendliness；　sought　in　various　ways　to　cause　confusion　and　perplexity；　and　to　arouse　distrust。　They　endeavored　to　destroy　the　courage　of　the　Jews；　they　formed　conspiracies　to　draw　Nehemiah　into　their　toils；　and　falsehearted　Jews　were　found　ready　to　aid　the　treacherous　undertaking。　The　report　was　spread　that　Nehemiah　was　plotting　against　the　Persian　monarch；　intending　to　exalt　himself　as　a　king　over　Israel；　and　that　all　who　aided　him　were　traitors。

But　Nehemiah　continued　to　look　to　God　for　guidance　and　support；　and　〃the　people　had　a　mind　to　work。〃　The　enterprise　went　forward　until　the　gaps　were　filled　and　the　entire　wall　built　up　to　half　its　intended　height。

As　the　enemies　of　Israel　saw　how　unavailing　were　their　efforts；　they　were　filled　with　rage。　Hitherto　they　had　not　dared　employ　violent　measures；　for　they　knew　that　Nehemiah　and　his　companions　were　acting　under　the　king's　commission；　and　they　feared　that　active　opposition　against　him　might　bring　upon　them　the　monarch's　displeasure。　But　now　in　their　anger　they　themselves　became　guilty　of　the　crime　of　which　they　had　accused　Nehemiah。　Assembling　for　counsel；　they　〃conspired　all　of　them　together　to　come　and　to　fight　against　Jerusalem。〃

At　the　same　time　that　the　Samaritans　were　plotting　against　Nehemiah　and　his　work；　some　of　the　leading　men

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among　the　Jews；　becoming　disaffected；　sought　to　discourage　him　by　exaggerating　the　difficulties　attending　the　enterprise。　〃The　strength　of　the　bearers　of　burdens　is　decayed；〃　they　said；　〃and　there　is　much　rubbish；　so　that　we　are　not　able　to　build　the　wall。〃

Discouragement　came　from　still　another　source。　〃The　Jews　which　dwelt　by；〃　those　who　were　taking　no　part　in　the　work；　gathered　up　the　statements　and　reports　of　their　enemies　and　used　these　to　weaken　courage　and　create　disaffection。

But　taunts　and　ridicule；　opposition　and　threats；　seemed　only　to　inspire　Nehemiah　with　firmer　determination　and　to　arouse　him　to　greater　watchfulness。　He　recognized　the　dangers　that　must　be　met　in　this　warfare　with　their　enemies；　but　his　courage　was　undaunted。　〃We　made　our　prayer　unto　our　God；〃　he　declares；　〃and　set　a　watch　against　them　day　and　night。〃　〃Therefore　set　I　in　the　lower　places　behind　the　wall；　and　on　the　higher　places；　I　even　set　the　people　after　their　families　with　their　swords；　their　spears；　and　their　bows。　And　I　looked；　and　rose　up；　and　said　unto　the　nobles；　and　to　the　rulers；　and　to　the　rest　of　the　people；　Be　not　ye　afraid　of　them：　remember　the　Lord；　which　is　great　and　terrible；　and　fight　for　your　brethren；　your　sons；　and　your　daughters；　your　wives；　and　your　houses。

〃And　it　came　to　pass；　when　our　enemies　heard　that　it　was　known　unto　us；　and　God　had　brought　their　counsel　to　nought；　that　we　returned　all　of　us　to　the　wall；　everyone　unto　his　work。　And　it　came　to　pass　from　that　time　forth；　that　the　half　of　my　servants　wrought　in　the　work；　and　the　other　half　of　them　held　both　the　spears；　the　shields；　and

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the　bows；　and　the　habergeons。　。　。　。　They　which　builded　on　the　wall；　and　they　that　bare　burdens；　with　those　that　laded；　everyone　with　one　of　his　hands　wrought　in　the　work；　and　with　the　other　hand　held　a　weapon。　For　the　builders；　everyone　had　his　sword　girded　by　his　side；　and　so　builded。〃

Beside　Nehemiah　stood　a　trumpeter；　and　on　different　parts　of　the　wall　were　stationed　priests　bearing　the　sacred　trumpets。　The　people　were　scattered　in　their　labors；　but　on　the　approach　of　danger　at　any　point　a　signal　was　given　for　them　to　repair　thither　without　delay。　〃So　we　labored　in　the　work；〃　Nehemiah　says；　〃and　half　of　them　held　the　spears　from　the　rising　of　the　morning　till　the　stars　appeared。〃

Those　who　had　been　living　in　towns　and　villages　outside　Jerusalem　were　now　required　to　lodge　within　the　walls；　both　to　guard　the　work　and　to　be　ready　for　duty　in　the　morning。　This　would　prevent　unnecessary　delay；　and　would　cut　off　the　opportunity　which　the　enemy　would　otherwise　improve；　of　attacking　the　workmen　as　they　went　to　and　from　their　homes。　Nehemiah　and　his　companions　did　not　shrink　from　hardship　or　trying　service。　Neither　by　day　nor　night；　not　even　during　the　short　time　given　to　sleep；　did　they　put　off　their　clothing　or　lay　aside　their　armor。

The　opposition　and　discouragement　that　the　builders　in　Nehemiah's　day　met　from　open　enemies　and　pretended　friends　is　typical　of　the