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Jerusalem being repaired, they did everything in th eir power to discourage th e undertaking, bu t Nehemiah had a source of help always n ear and made his appeal to God, th e never failing source of help in every tim e of need (Psa. 5 0 :15 ). “ C a l l u p o n m e in th e d a y o f tro w i l l de liver thee, a n d th ou s h a lt m e . ” (Phil. 4:19) “ B u t m y G o d sh a ll sup pl y a l l n eed a cc ord in g t o his riches in g C h r i s t J e su s. ” Nehemiah did something else besides pray. He prepared for an attack and set a watch against them . “W atch and pray” is a good slogan for every age and for every believer (1 P et. 5 :8 ). Nehem iah and his band not only had enemies from w ithout, bu t enemies from w ithin. (4 :1 0 ). “ A n d J u d a h sai d, T h e st r e ng th b e a r e r s o f b u r d e n s i s d ec a ye d a is m u c h r u b b i s h ; so t h a t w e ar e t o b u i l d th e w a ll . ” They reasoned th a t when th ey were taken off to act as guards, they would not be able to handle the rubbish of th e broken walls. They believed th a t th e adversaries would be able to sneak in and slay them ; bu t Nehemiah was on hand w ith a b attle cry, “ Be not ye afraid of them ! Remember th e Lord.” P ear hath torm ent. F aith h ath tri umph. A few faithless, prayerless worldly church members can often spoil a work of God and spread th e spirit of doubt which so cjishonors God. Nehemiah used very practical m eth ods for service. He knew th a t foes w ithout were helpless, if fears w ithin were banished. (Rom. 8 :3 1 ). “W hat sh a ll w e then s a y t o th in gs ? I f G o d b e for us, who a g a in s t u s? ” Nehem iah was God’s choice for a leader,— a man who laid aside a pleas a n t and profitable position in a k ing ’s palace to work am idst th e b attered walls and rubbish; to to il am id st th e ruins w ith undaunted faith ; to cheer and encourage th e w orkers w ith the words of a w arrio t.
our own land. They call It a “ crime wave.” No, it is not th a t. It is some thing deeper, something th a t lies a t th e h ea rt of our national life. I t is a tim e to m ourn; to be deeply sorrowful. Our land, which owes its being and its prosperity to th e Bible, is being robbed of its power, it is being shorn of its strength, by reason of the false teaching about th e Bible. It is no longer honored as God’s Word in the schools. Even little children are being ta u g h t th a t the Bible does not mean what it says. If th e foundations are destroyed, w hat will happen to th e stru ctu re? No story of crime should move us as does th e story of th e rejection of God’s Booh in th e high places and in th e low places, which cannot fail to leave the land w ithout God and w ithout hope. If there could be a g rea t widespread call to th e Bible-believing, Bible-loving people of our country to a season of fasting and prayer, it would be worth more to our land th a n all ‘else. God honored Nehem iah’s faith and answered his prayer by touching the h ea rt of th e king. He gave Nehemiah perm ission to go to th e assistance of his b reth ren in Jerusalem and gave him le tte rs to th e governor, together w ith captains and horsemen for his protection. (2 ) NEHEMIAH, th e CITY-BUILD ER— th e Manifestation of His Manliness. When Nehemiali reached Jerusalem he found things worse th a n he had sup posed, bu t he was not discouraged for he was sustained by his faith in God and in his mission. He called together th e chief men of th e Jews and laid his plans before them . W ith one ac cord they said, “L et us arise an d ’build.” Jerusalem had been in ruins for over a hundred years and had been th e prey of surrounding nations. When San- ballat and his friends saw the walls of
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