How Nehemiah Responded to Persecution

For the last few months every Friday we've been highlighting posts that you who are apart of our persecution blog team have written.  This week I'd like to ask you to write a post about a person in the bible who was persecuted, and how they overcame the persecution and what you learned about how to deal with persecution.

As an example, I wanted to share with you what I learned from Nehemiah.  Nehemiah is one of my favorite books and personalities in scripture because he heard from God, pursued what God laid on his heart and then was harassed and persecuted for it by a guy named Sanballat and a few friends.

If you open your bible to Nehemiah you will seen in Nehemiah 2 where Nehemiah is called to go and inspect the walls in Jerusalem.  He does this for 3 days, doesn't tell anyone and then after he inspects the walls decides to follow through on what God has put in his mind to do.

As a result of this when Sanballat a Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab hear about this they mocked Nehemiah, despised Nehemiah and eventually seek to set up and kill Nehemiah and those who join him to work on the walls of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah's First Response to Persecution
In Nehemiah chapter 2 we read Nehemiah's initial response to Sanballat and his persecution.   Nehemiah rightly says in verse 20, "So I answered them and said to them, 'The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem'".

So we see the faith of Nehemiah - he respectfully responds to his critics and at the same time praises God because he knows he will have success.

If you go to Nehemiah chapter 4 you will read the account of how Nehemiah dealt with this persecution.  For simplicity sake, I'll number them below.

1.  Sanballat relentlessly attacks and mocks Nehemiah for his work.  - So Nehemiah Prays.  In verses 4-5 we see Nehemiah responding to that attack with a prayer to God.  Nehemiah asks God to return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.  He also asks God not to forgive them of their sins because they have "demoralized" or also translated "offended" the builders.

What I like about this prayer is that it is very real, full of emotion and not a fluffy prayer that says nothing.  Nehemiah is honest and pours out his heart to God.  A lesson for us to follow daily.

2.  Sanballat and his friends get even angrier at Nehemiah because Nehemiah continues his work.  As a result, Nehemiah tells us that he continued to pray and takes action by  setting  up guards both day and night for protection from Sanballat and those who would want to destroy the work of God. (verse 9)

I love this example because it's a reminder that prayer is great, but we also need to follow through with action.  Nehemiah did this and he did it wisely.

3.  Sanballat and his buddies step up the persecution and try to trick and trap Nehemiah so they can kill him.  And Nehemiah sees how his fellow workers are afraid and so he decides to encourage the troops  with one of my favorite verses in all of Scripture, he says, "Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses." (4:14)

This is awesome isn't it!

Then near the end of the book, around chapter 6, Nehemiah responds to his persecutors who are lying to him about what they say God is up to.  Just like before,  Nehemiah responds to them and speaks the truth.  He says, in Nehemiah 6:8, "...such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind."

Again, Nehemiah speaks the truth, and continues to work.  He encourages his help, teaches them to work with a weapon in one hand and a tool in the other, and eventually finishes the work God has called him to.

Nehemiah never lost sight of his mission or his God even though he had constant mocking, threats and harassment from those who were persecuting him.  I think he's a great example for us to follow, especially if you know God has called you to something, and you have people telling you that you're doing it all wrong.  Trust God and be encouraged by our father's example in Nehemiah.