pat loughery

One of the most intriguing themes in the book of Nehemiah is the ongoing campaign of criticism that is waged against Nehemiah and his leaders. It’s interesting to see the volleys of criticism and response throughout the work project. I think there’s much to learn from this theme in this book.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but in any new work, there’s bound to be criticism. Some of it is healthy and helpful; some of it isn’t. Some of the criticism comes against new work simply because it’s new and different; some of it comes as the result of fear or poor assumptions. As a church planter, I see and experience (and imagine) criticism. As one who identifies with much of the emerging church, I also see and experience (and imagine) criticism, and that criticism is certainly heating up these days.

All Scripture cut-n-pastes are from the NIV translation.

Stage 1: The enemies are disturbed
Nehemiah 2:10:

When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.

Response: None noted

Stage 2: Mock and Ridicule
Nehemiah 2:19:

But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”

Response: Redirecting question, answering with faith in God’s project
Neh 2:20:

I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

Stage 3: Nehemiah 4:1-3: Angry and Incensed, Ridicule

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wlal of stones!

Response: Prayer, Increased Activity

Neh 4:4-6
Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.
So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

Stage 4: Enemies are very angry; plot to join together and fight, stir up trouble
Neh 4:7-8

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.

Response: Prayer and defensive action
Neh 4:9

But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.

Stage 5: Enemies scheme to harm, seek to distract
Nehemiah 6:1-4

When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.”
But they were scheming to harm me;

Response: Adherence to vision, refusal to be distracted
Neh 6:3-4

so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”

Stage 6: Distraction, Persistence
Neh 6:4a

Four times they sent me the same message,

Response: Consistency
Neh 6:4b

and each time I gave them the same answer.

Stage 7: Untrue accusations, deception with intent to harm
Neh 6:5

Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written:
“It is reported among the nations—and Geshem£ says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together.”

Response: Simple denial, recognizing the spirit of the accusation, prayer for strength
Neh 6:8-9

I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”
They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”
But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

Stage 8: Deception and temptation to compromise ethics; false prophecy from within the camp
Neh 6:10-14

One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.”

Response: Discernment, Sticking to ethics, refusal to be deceived, prayer for vindication
Neh 6:11-14

But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!” I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.
Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.

Stage 9: Loss of confidence
Neh 6:16

When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

Response: None noted

Stage 10: Ongoing campaign of backdoor communication, intimidation and coercion via compromised leaders
Neh 6:17-18

Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

Response: None noted (keeps communicating?)

What do you see in these volleys?