This sermon was preached by the Rev. D. M. Macleod, Stornoway, Retiring Moderator, at the opening of Synod in Glasgow on 17th May, 1966.
In the first chapter of this book we notice that Nehemiah says, ‘Hanani, one of my brethren came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.’ (i, 2, 3.) And we find the effect these words had on him: “I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, and said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love Him and observe His commandments . . . let now Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear Thy name: and prosper, I pray Thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man” (i, 4, 5, 11) Nehemiah was, of course, cup-bearer to “this man”—the king of Persia, and moreover, from what we have quoted, we see that Nehemiah was also a God-fearing man, who sought the good of Jerusalem.
In thinking more particularly of the text before us, we shall discuss as enabled:
1. The work alluded to
2. The efforts made to stop that work
3. Nehemiah’s exercise in the circumstances.
1. The work alluded to
We learn from the narrative that work referred to is that of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The walls of Jerusalem had been broken down, the temple burnt, and the goodly vessels removed by Nebuchadnezzar because the Lord’s anger had been kindled against his people on account of their great wickedness. Now, the temple had been rebuilt, but the walls were still in ruins, and Nehemiah was greatly afflicted on account of the conditions prevailing in Jerusalem. He prayed to God concerning the matter, and we notice that he was greatly humbled in the presence of the Lord, which we believe was a preparation for the work in which he was to engage. He confessed, not only the sins of his nation, but also, his own personal responsibility in the matter. He was prepared to accept his own guilt in that conditions were as they were in Jerusalem, and as we stated, we feel that he was thus being prepared by the Lord for the work to which he was clearly being called. The work was most honourable and he greatly desired to see the prosperity of Jerusalem, but nevertheless he did not take this honour to himself—he was called by the Lord to it.
Why was he so concerned, so afflicted on account of the state of Jerusalem? Because he knew something of the value of the Truth of God and of the revelation that God had given of Himself. This was of unspeakable value to Nehemiah. He had come to know the mercy of God and the sweetness of communion with the Lord. He was a man of prayer and a man who believed the Word of God. We find him pleading the promises and thus, while accepting that the Lord was just and holy in visiting Jerusalem and all Judah for their sins—the broken-down condition of the walls was, as we find him saying, a reproach—yet he believed also that the Lord had good things in store for Jerusalem. Although others might be quite unconcerned about the state of Jerusalem, Nehemiah desired to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, to take away the reproach. He fully believed that in undertaking this work, he was undertaking a work for the Lord, and a work to which he was called by the Lord. It was the will of the Lord that the walls of Jerusalem should be rebuilt in order to defend Zion—to defend the temple of the Lord and the ordinances of God’s own appointment—to defend that which pertained to the glory of God in the world. The Lord Himself dwelt there: “For the Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation.” (Psalm cxxxii, 13). Here He revealed His goodness and His truth and His saving power, here He showed forth His love and His kindness; here the beauty of the Lord could be seen, here poor sinners would understand the love and kindness of the Lord, as we find the believing Jews remembering His loving-kindness in the temple. Surely then those things that pertained, in a very particular manner, to God’s glory in the world were worth defending and preserving, not only for present good but also for the good of generations yet unborn. It had pleased the Lord to return to Zion, according to His promise—the temple had been re-built—it was the city of the Great King, Zion, God’s own holy hill, vested with peculiar glory, and there God was to be worshipped according to His own appointment, and surely Nehemiah was engaged in a great and good work in seeking to defend the place where God desired to dwell. Similarly, the Church of God to-day is called upon not only to declare the whole counsel of God to a lost world but also to defend the truth of God against all opposition. The Apostle Paul speaks of being set for the defence of the Gospel and thus the Church of God at the present time, as in every age, must assert, maintain and defend the whole counsel of God. She is not to propound her own theories nor do what she thinks fit but rather she is to make known the Truth of God. This grace was given to the Apostle Paul—to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ—and our duty as a Church, at home and abroad, is to show forth the praises of the Redeemer, to declare that His Name is glorious, to make known that He is “alive and alive for evermore”, that He obtained eternal redemption for His people, and that He is at the right hand of God, exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel and the remission of their sins. All the doctrines of grace are to be proclaimed so that God may be glorified thereby and so that, in accordance with His eternal purpose, poor sinners may be born again, brought into saving union with the Lord and prepared in this world by the Word and Spirit of God, for eternal glory. What words can express the wonder of this!
In the case of Nehemiah, we believe that he was greatly humbled in the presence of the Lord because the Lord had been pleased, in His infinite love and compassion, to reveal Himself and because the Lord had called upon him to engage in this work. This evening, we are assembled to worship the Lord, to make known that His Name is great and to declare His Word. We ought to acknowledge and we are to acknowledge to the glory of God, that it pleased God in the exercise of His sovereign love and mercy to reveal Himself to poor sinners in this world, instead of passing them by and leaving them to perish in their sins, as He did with the angels that kept not their first estate. “O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever.” (Romans xi, 33-36). Such a work will be engaged in by the servants of the Lord, willingly and lovingly, with zeal and devotion because the Lord Himself has given them a heart for the work, as He gave to Nehemiah at this time: “what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah ii, 12). The Lord had given Nehemiah His Word, and required of him the performing of a great work for the good of His own cause, the furthering of His kingdom and glory in the world, and preservation of truth. Whatever opinions others might have regarding the work, Nehemiah well knew that it was in accordance with the good pleasure and sovereign will of God, and therefore it was to him a great work, a work in which he was honoured to be engaged. However small and unimportant worldly men would consider such a work, to Nehemiah it was a great work. He would not say, “Let others engage in it; I prefer not to have to bear the burden and heat of the day; I prefer ease.” On the contrary we may well believe from the narrative that his mind would be exercised in this way: “I am being called by the Lord to engage in this work in His name, and in His fear, and by His grace, and I am to serve the Lord, being not weary, as one who loves the Lord and who seeks the prosperity of Zion, and as one who would desire to hand down intact to coming generations the Word of God and the ordinances of His own appointment.
With regard to ourselves, who can estimate the honour which God confers upon sinners, in calling them by His grace, and equipping them to assert, maintain and defend the Word of God. If the grace of God is in living exercise in your soul here this evening, you are concerned on account of the solemn conditions prevailing in our own day. Is it not a matter of great concern to you that the cause of Christ is so low in the land, and that there are so few who are genuinely interested in preserving truth and righteousness? Are we willing to engage in the defence of the Gospel of Christ? We know that in former times there were those who were prepared to die and many did die, in defence of the crown rights of Christ. They were not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ but could say with Paul, “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.” (Galatians vi, 14). Is it not a cause of anxiety to you, that there are so few who are really concerned about the preservation of the Word of God, so few who care for the glory of God the Father in His electing love and in His giving His only begotten Son a ransom for many, for the glory of God the Son as the Mediator, the glorified Head of the Church, who ever liveth to make intercession for His people, and for the glory of God the Holy Spirit as the author of the new birth and as He who sanctifies the elect? How few there are who know in their own souls’ experience what it is to have communion with God, what it is to drink out of the wells of salvation, and to have their souls satisfied through union and communion with the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. How few have the fear of God implanted in their souls! No wonder that there are such tokens and signs of the righteous judgment of the Lord upon our land and upon our generation. Does it not behove us to cry with the prophet: “To these long desolations thy feet lift, do not tarry; For all the ills thy foes have done within thy sanctuary.” (Metrical Psalm lxxiv, 3).
Nehemiah and his friends had their work to do and it is the duty of all who love the Lord and who have tasted that the Lord is gracious to serve the Lord in their own station and in the sphere in which they are placed in providence. In the desire to rebuild the walls, there was evidenced a desire to maintain order so that, according to the Word of God, the friends of Jerusalem could “Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces.” (Psalm xlvi, 12 13). They would tell posterity that this God is our God for ever and ever, that the God who made choice of Zion dwells there, and manifests His glory there. What although all the cities in the world would be in ruins, and their walls broken down, if Jerusalem were preserved! Its preservation would mean that streams of the river of life, streams from the City of God, would yet flow out for the benefit of the nations. The Lord would yet shine forth gloriously and poor sinners would be saved. (Psalm lxxx).
2. The efforts made to stop that work
We must now go on to consider the efforts that were made to stop the work. The work of Nehemiah and his friends became the object of ridicule: “It came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews . . . and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish which are burned?” (Nehemiah iv, 1 2). It was even said to them that if a fox would go up on their wall, the wall would fall down. Their work was despised by the enemies of God’s glory—it was worthless. They laughed it to scorn. How poor and weak Nehemiah and his companions appeared! Indeed if they could build a proper wall then they might expect it to serve the end they had in view, but this poor, despicable effort would never be of any value. The spirit of the world is the same still, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness: but unto us which are saved it is the power of God . . . hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Corinthians i, 18, 20). What do the worldly-wise know of the power that is in the Gospel in the hand of the Holy Spirit? What, for example, did the Philippian jailor know of this power prior to his conversion? How weak Paul and Silas would have appeared to him, with their feet fast in the stocks, but yet what great treasure was in these “earthen vessels.” When the Holy Spirit is pleased to do a work among men, what a glorious work He does perform through the weak instrumentality of men. How weak to worldly eyes the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, would have seemed. Not only so but He must flee to Egypt. Is this the everlasting God, is this the mighty God of Jacob, is this the Wonderful, Counsellor, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace? Is this the great God and our Saviour? But let God be true and every man a liar. The glory and infinite condescension of Christ will last through ages all, even to Eternity. The efficacy of the blood shed for the remission of sin will continue; the songs of the redeemed will resound for evermore. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.”
You are here, who are oftentimes tempted because sinners fail to value the Word of God, which you are preaching to them, in season and out of season. But your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord! You are handling the things that pertain to the glory of God and you have been honoured by the Lord in that you have been called to engage in this work for Him. The fruits of the labour shall remain to Eternity, to the praise of God’s glorious grace.
Nehemiah’s enemies were prepared to use not only ridicule against him, but also deceit and violence. They proposed to confer with him: “Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” Being unsuccessful in arranging such a meeting, they approached him a further four times in the same vein, and a fifth time they sent an open letter to him, which said: “It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words. Come now therefore and let us take counsel together.” (Nehemiah vi, 6). Here was strategy in a very subtle form! One would be almost ready to say that they were extending the hand of friendship to Nehemiah, and unless Nehemiah would grasp the hand that was extended, then he would show himself unworthy of the service in which he professed to be engaged. How unchristian to suspect the motives of others! Surely Nehemiah would have to acknowledge that they were just as desirous of the welfare of their fellows as he was! Why should he remain aloof when they were so friendly disposed towards him: “Let us meet together.” Brethren, have you not met with similar temptations? How ready Satan is to insinuate that they are merely showing carnal zeal in your defence of the Gospel. How churlish it is on your part not to welcome overtures extended to you by other denominations. Your contention for the faith will be represented as a spirit of sanctimoniousness, a spirit which says, “We are holier than thou.”
3. Nehemiah’s exercise in the circumstances.
Nehemiah was attacked with the aim of causing the work to cease. They tried to intimidate him. He was charged with rebellion. But Nehemiah knew full well that he was constrained by the love of God to engage in this work, and that what he had in view was the advancement of the Lord’s cause, and he says plainly to them, “There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.” (chapter vi, 8). We too are to be on our guard against the insinuations of Satan and an ungodly world. How wise the world appears, and how eager to dictate to the Church of Christ! Here, however, we find Nehemiah, by the grace of God being sober and vigilant, and watching unto prayer. What a wonderful measure of grace was bestowed upon him, what gracious discernment he possessed! All efforts to cause the work to cease were unsuccessful because he trusted in the Lord. His eyes were towards the Lord as ours must be also. We do not know where the next attack will come from. Some proposition may appear very plausible; you may feel that perhaps there is something in it after all, and before you know where you are, you will find your mind being carried away. Surely there is need of following Christ in obedience to the command: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians xv, 58). We know but little of the power of the Evil One, and of the power of sin in our own souls. Satan goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, and he also goes about as “an angel of light.” He desires the cessation of the work of the Lord. We are called upon to be sober and vigilant, to watch unto prayer and to seek to put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand.
Nehemiah cried to the Lord to strengthen his hands: “Now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.” The Lord had encouraged him, the Lord had been with him, the Lord had blessed him, hitherto. He could say in all sincerity: “The Lord has been mindful of us; He has helped us hitherto; He hath kept us by His power. In season and out of season, I have been kept, but I have need of strength and grace to continue in the work of the Lord. In his felt weakness he appeals to heaven, he cries to the Lord in prayer. “The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion.” (Psalm xx, 1, 2). His prayer is not for personal glory and advantage, but for the furtherance of the work of the Lord—”Strengthen my hands to work for the Lord”—as one deeply conscious of his need of the Lord and of the Spirit of grace. Oftentimes the servants of Christ feel weak and very much cast down. In like circumstances, Elijah asked the Lord to take him away but the Lord blessed him and he was enabled to carry on. We, as a branch of Christ’s Church on earth, are called to similar duties. The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland has been attacked in the past, and is still being attacked, but our duty is clear. We are to seek grace to serve Christ, to remain faithful to Him and to seek that in all things He would have the pre-eminence, and we are to seek that sinners everywhere would hear the glad tidings of great joy to their everlasting good.
We are here but for a short time; soon the place that knows us now, will know us no more for ever, and although the day is dark and gloomy, Christ is at the right hand of God and He has said and says still: “All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth.” As Nehemiah prayed here, “O God, strengthen mine hands,” so the true Church of God desires to be strengthened inwardly and to be assured of the presence of the Lord. She desires to be guided by the Word and Spirit of God and kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.”
May the Lord bless His Word to us.