Fri.’s Devo - The Opposition

Read: Nehemiah 3:15-5:13; 1 Corinthians 7:25-40; Psalm 32:1-11; Proverbs 21:5-7 When reading the different people who repaired the wall I was impressed that yesterday we read where the high priest, Eliashib repaired the wall from the Sheep Gate to the Tower of the Hundred. Today we read that someone else repaired the wall around Eliashib’s house. I think it is a tribute to the high priest that he did not care for his own house first but the part of the wall that he deemed the most important to his country. He was a true leader and man of God. Most of the others repaired the wall around their own houses which was what they were told to do. The last person repairer the wall to the Sheep Gate, where the high priest had began. Sanballat was afraid of what would happen if they built the wall and sent the army of Samaria to mock them. Sanballat must have known prophesy about Israel because of the questions he asked. He asked if they would sacrifice again. He asked if the end would come in a day, and he asked if they would revive the stone out of the rubbish. All of these questions came from prophesies the prophets had given about Jerusalem. Sanballat had done his research. Nehemiah prayed that his words would fall back on him. The wall was completed to half its height around the entire city because the people had a mind to work. Sanballat and his men wanted to come and attack Jerusalem and put it in confusion but the people of Judah prayed and guarded the city day and night. After a while, the people of Judah began to despair that the work was too taxing and they needed help. It didn’t help that their enemies were threatening them with attacks. Nehemiah posted guards on the low places in the wall. Half of them worked while the other half stood guard. All the builders built with a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stood to sound the alarm if needed.They were to rush to the sound of the trumpet when they heard it and help there. In Corinthians, Paul was dealing with men and women who were becoming new Christians. One of the couple would become a believer and the other would not. It was causing so much trouble that Paul referred to it as a distress or a crisis. So Paul was trying to bring peace. He told them not to marry for a while until things calmed down a bit. If they were engaged and couldn’t wait, then they should be married. Paul’s main goal was to get them grounded in their faith before making any important decisions especially marrage. Lord, may you be established in us before we make any rash decisions. May our heart be first to serve you and further your kingdom.