Nehemiah 6:15 - Meaning and Application

Nehemiah is finishing the wall of Jerusalem here, and even then his enemies still trouble him.

Tobiah and the other enemies of the Jews had to watch the wall rise despite all their efforts to stop it. The wall was started and finished in fifty-two days, and we have reason to believe they still rested on the sabbaths, the weekly day of rest set apart for God (Nehemiah 6:15). Many people worked on it, and there was room for all of them. They worked gladly and stayed focused because they cared about the task. The threats of their enemies, meant to weaken them, likely pushed them to work even harder, so they could finish before the enemy could interfere. In this way, good came out of what looked like danger. See how much can be done in a short time when people get to work in earnest and keep at it.

When the enemies heard that the wall was finished before they even thought it was well started, and when they expected to stop it, they were greatly discouraged and ashamed in their own eyes (Nehemiah 6:16). First, they were embarrassed by their own confidence that they would make the work stop. They had been sure of success, and the failure cut them down. Second, they were jealous of the Jews’ success and unhappy to see Jerusalem protected, while, perhaps, the kings of Persia had not allowed them to fortify the cities of Samaria. When Cain envied his brother, his face fell (Genesis 4:5). Third, they gave up hope of harming the Jews as they had planned, of bringing them low and making them easy prey. And they had good reason to give up, because they could see from this remarkable success that the work was from God.

Even these heathens had enough sense to notice a special providence, God’s direct care and rule over events, in the church’s affairs when things went well in a striking way. They said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them” (Psalm 126:2). God fights for Israel and works with them. They also believed that God’s work would reach its full end. When they saw that it was God’s work, they expected it would keep moving forward and prosper. And they rightly concluded that, if it was from God, there was no point in opposing it. It would certainly win.

Nehemiah still had pain and trouble, though, because some of his own people were secretly working with Tobiah and serving his interests. That must have grieved and discouraged him deeply. Even some of the nobles of Judah had so little honor and concern for their country that they kept up a correspondence with Tobiah by letter (Nehemiah 6:17). They wrote to him with the ease and closeness of friends, and they welcomed his letters in return. Could nobles do something so low? Could nobles of Judah do something so wicked? Great people are not always wise, and they are not always honest.

Many in Judah were in a close but hidden agreement with him, working to promote his side, even though it could only ruin their own. They had sworn loyalty to him, not as to a prince, but as to a friend and ally, because both he and his son had married daughters of Israel (Nehemiah 6:18). See how dangerous it is to marry outside the covenant people of God. One heathen person may be drawn in that way, but ten Jews may be led astray. Once they became related to Tobiah, they soon became sworn to him. A sinful affection often leads to a sinful alliance.

They were bold enough to try to win Nehemiah himself over to friendship with Tobiah. They spoke well of Tobiah before Nehemiah and presented him as a sensible man, a worthy acquaintance, and an honest man whom Nehemiah could trust. We are indeed told not to speak evil of anyone, but that does not mean we should speak well of wicked people. Those who forsake God’s law praise the wicked (Proverbs 28:4).

They were also false enough to pass Nehemiah’s words on to Tobiah, no doubt twisting and misrepresenting them. This gave Tobiah material for letters meant to frighten Nehemiah, pull him away from his work, and discourage him. So all their thoughts were against him for harm, yet God thought about him for good.