Page 58 - Principles of Leadership - Nehemiah

he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, so that they could discredit me. 14 My God, remember Tobiah
and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who
wanted to intimidate me.

Nehemiah went to the house of Shemaiah, who was restricted [to his house]. From this passage, we are not
told exactly why Shemaiah was restricted [to his house]. Most assume that he was restricted to his house
because of some illness. Scriptures seem to imply that Shemaiah was a friend of Nehemiah, and he went to visit
his friend, who was sick. But little to Nehemiah's knowledge, Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. Shemaiah
said let us meet at the house of God, inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because
they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you tonight! Evidently, God once again gave Nehemiah
spiritual discernment to realize that the advice that Shemaiah was giving him was not from God. Nehemiah
realized that this act would put him in direct violation of Numbers 18:7. Laymen were not allowed into the
inner portions of the Temple. Therefore, Nehemiah realized that God had not sent him because he asked
Nehemiah to do.

4. A plot to undermine him (6:15-19)
15 The wall was completed in 52 days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Ellul. 16 When all our enemies
heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that this
task had been accomplished by our God. 17 During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to
Tobiah, and Tobiah’s [letters] came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a
son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of
Berechiah. 19 These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah’s good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him.
And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

Listen to those sweet words, once again the wall was completed in 52 days. Why was it that Nehemiah was
able to accomplish something in 52 days that was not accomplished in over 100 years? He was able to do this
because he was committed to a great cause. He kept the main thing the main thing! And the main thing was a
commitment to the kingdom of God, for the glory of God. Notice the perception of the people when the work
was completed; they realized that our God had accomplished this task. Remember that God always calls us. He
always calls us to God-sized assignments, and when these assignments are accomplished, there can only be one
response: our God has accomplished this task.

How then does leadership make spiritual application of the ancient text to today's culture? As never before, we
need a great commitment to the great commandment (John 13:34 – 35) and the great commission (Matthew
28:19 – 20), which will build a great church. Therefore, leadership must keep the main thing the main thing. If
leaders fail to do this, goodwill will become the enemy of the great. For example, one of the purposes of the
church is fellowship. Fellowship does not push us out of our comfort zone as evangelism does. Therefore, if
leaders are not careful, they will structure their programs around what is comfortable and allow good things,
such as fellowship, to push out another purpose of the church, which is evangelism. But to keep this great
commitment to the main thing, leaders will need great discernment, as Nehemiah demonstrated. He had this
great discernment because he had a great commitment to prayer. (James 1:5) Great discernment will not allow
fear to cloud our judgment. Someone once said that fear is defined as false evidence appearing real. 2 Timothy
1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. (HCSB)

Let’s Practice…

1 – 4. What four plots were discussed in chapter 6 of Nehemiah?

56