prophets and kings-第92部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ers　were　persistent。　Four　times　they　sent　a　message　of　similar　import；　and　each　time　they　received　the　same　answer。

Finding　this　scheme　unsuccessful；　they　resorted　to　a　more　daring　stratagem。　Sanballat　sent　Nehemiah　a　messenger　bearing　an　open　letter　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。　。　。　。　And　thou　hast　also　appointed　prophets　to　preach　of　thee　at　Jerusalem；　saying；　There　is　a　king　in　Judah：　and　now　shall　it　be　reported　to　the　king　according　to　these　words。　Come　now　therefore；　and　let　us　take　counsel　together。〃

Had　the　reports　mentioned　been　actually　circulated；　there　would　have　been　cause　for　apprehension；　for　they　would　soon　have　been　carried　to　the　king；　whom　a　slight　suspicion　might　provoke　to　the　severest　measures。　But　Nehemiah　was　convinced　that　the　letter　was　wholly　false；　written　to　arouse　his　fears　and　draw　him　into　a　snare。　This　conclusion　was　strengthened　by　the　fact　that　the　letter　was　sent　open；　evidently　that　the　people　might　read　the　contents；　and　become　alarmed　and　intimidated。

He　promptly　returned　the　answer。　〃There　are　no　such　things　done　as　thou　sayest；　but　thou　feignest　them　out　of　thine　own　heart。〃　Nehemiah　was　not　ignorant　of　Satan's　devices。　He　knew　that　these　attempts　were　made　in　order　to　weaken　the　hands　of　the　builders　and　thus　frustrate　their　efforts。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　655


Again　and　again　had　Satan　been　defeated；　and　now；　with　deeper　malice　and　cunning；　he　laid　a　still　more　subtle　and　dangerous　snare　for　the　servant　of　God。　Sanballat　and　his　companions　hired　men　who　professed　to　be　the　friends　of　Nehemiah；　to　give　him　evil　counsel　as　the　word　of　the　Lord。　The　chief　one　engaged　in　this　iniquitous　work　was　Shemaiah；　a　man　previously　held　in　good　repute　by　Nehemiah。　This　man　shut　himself　up　in　a　chamber　near　the　sanctuary　as　if　fearing　that　his　life　was　in　danger。　The　temple　was　at　this　time　protected　by　walls　and　gates；　but　the　gates　of　the　city　were　not　yet　set　up。　Professing　great　concern　for　Nehemiah's　safety；　Shemaiah　advised　him　to　seek　shelter　in　the　temple。　〃Let　us　meet　together　in　the　house　of　God；　within　the　temple；〃　he　proposed；　〃and　let　us　shut　the　doors　of　the　temple：　for　they　will　come　to　slay　thee；　yea；　in　the　night　will　they　come　to　slay　thee。〃

Had　Nehemiah　followed　this　treacherous　counsel；　he　would　have　sacrificed　his　faith　in　God；　and　in　the　eyes　of　the　people　he　would　have　appeared　cowardly　and　contemptible。　In　view　of　the　important　work　that　he　had　undertaken；　and　the　confidence　that　he　professed　to　have　in　the　power　of　God；　it　would　have　been　altogether　inconsistent　for　him　to　hide　as　if　in　fear。　The　alarm　would　have　spread　among　the　people；　each　would　have　sought　his　own　safety；　and　the　city　would　have　been　left　unprotected；　to　fall　a　prey　to　its　enemies。　That　one　unwise　move　on　the　part　of　Nehemiah　would　have　been　a　virtual　surrender　of　all　that　had　been　gained。

Nehemiah　was　not　long　in　penetrating　the　true　character　and　object　of　his　counselor。　〃I　perceived　that　God　had

656

not　sent　him；〃　he　says；　〃but　that　he　pronounced　this　prophecy　against　me：　for　Tobiah　and　Sanballat　had　hired　him。　Therefore　was　he　hired；　that　I　should　be　afraid；　and　do　so；　and　sin；　and　that　they　might　have　matter　for　an　evil　report；　that　they　might　reproach　me。〃

The　infamous　counsel　given　by　Shemaiah　was　seconded　by　more　than　one　man　of　high　reputation；　who；　while　professing　to　be　Nehemiah's　friends；　were　secretly　in　league　with　his　enemies。　But　it　was　to　no　avail　that　they　laid　their　snare。　Nehemiah's　fearless　answer　was：　〃Should　such　a　man　as　I　flee？　and　who　is　there；　that；　being　as　I　am；　would　go　into　the　temple　to　save　his　life？　I　will　not　go　in。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　657


Notwithstanding　the　plots　of　enemies；　open　and　secret；　the　work　of　building　went　steadily　forward；　and　in　less　than　two　months　from　the　time　of　Nehemiah's　arrival　in　Jerusalem　the　city　was　girded　with　its　defenses　and　the　builders　could　walk　upon　the　walls　and　look　down　upon　their　defeated　and　astonished　foes。　〃When　all　our　enemies　heard　thereof；　and　all　the　heathen　that　were　about　us　saw　these　things；〃　Nehemiah　writes；　〃they　were　much　cast　down　in　their　own　eyes：　for　they　perceived　that　this　work　was　wrought　of　our　God。〃

Yet　even　this　evidence　of　the　Lord's　controlling　hand　was　not　sufficient　to　restrain　discontent；　rebellion；　and　treachery　among　the　Israelites。　〃The　nobles　of　Judah　sent　many　letters　unto　Tobiah；　and　the　letters　of　Tobiah　came　unto　them。　For　there　were　many　in　Judah　sworn　unto　him；　because　he　was　the　son…in…law　of　Shechaniah。〃　Here　are　seen　the　evil　results　of　intermarriage　with　idolaters。　A　family　of　Judah　had　become　connected　with　the　enemies　of　God；　and　the　relation　had　proved　a　snare。　Many　others　had　done　the　same。　These；　like　the　mixed　multitude　that　came　up　with　Israel　from　Egypt；　were　a　source　of　constant　trouble。　They　were　not　wholehearted　in　His　service；　and　when　God's　work　demanded　a　sacrifice；　they　were　ready　to　violate　their　solemn　oath　of　co…operation　and　support。

Some　who　had　been　foremost　in　plotting　mischief　against　the　Jews；　now　professed　a　desire　to　be　on　friendly　terms　with　them。　The　nobles　of　Judah　who　had　become　entangled　in　idolatrous　marriages；　and　who　had　held　traitorous　correspondence　with　Tobiah　and　taken　oath　to　serve　him；　now

658

represented　him　as　a　man　of　ability　and　foresight；　an　alliance　with　whom　would　be　greatly　to　the　advantage　of　the　Jews。　At　the　same　time　they　betrayed　to　him　Nehemiah's　plans　and　movements。　Thus　the　work　of　God's　people　was　laid　open　to　the　attacks　of　their　enemies；　and　opportunity　was　given　to　misconstrue　Nehemiah's　words　and　acts；　and　to　hinder　his　work。

When　the　poor　and　oppressed　had　appealed　to　Nehemiah　for　redress　of　their　wrongs；　he　had　stood　boldly　in　their　defense　and　had　caused　the　wrongdoers　to　remove　the　reproach　that　rested　on　them。　But　the　authority　that　he　had　exercised　in　behalf　of　his　downtrodden　countrymen　he　did　not　now　exercise　in　his　own　behalf。　His　efforts　had　been　met　by　some　with　ingratitude　and　treachery；　but　he　did　not　use　his　power　to　bring　the　traitors　to　punishment。　Calmly　and　unselfishly　he　went　forward　in　his　service　for　the　people；　never　slackening　his　efforts　or　allowing　his　interest　to　grow　less。

Satan's　assaults　have　ever　been　directed　against　those　who　have　sought　to　advance　the　work　and　cause　of　God　Though　often　baffled；　he　as　often　renews　his　attacks　with　fresh　vigor；　using　means　hitherto　untried。　But　it　is　his　secret　working　through　those　who　avow　themselves　the　friends　of　God's　work；　that　is　most　to　be　feared。　Open　opposition　may　be　fierce　and　cruel；　but　it　is　fraught　with　far　less　peril　to　God's　cause　than　is　the　secret　enmity　of　those　who；　while　professing　to　serve　God；　are　at　hear　the　servants　of　Satan。　These　have　it　in　their　power　to　place　every　advantage　in　the　hands　of　those　who　will　use　their　knowledge　to　hinder　the　work　of　God　and　injure　His　servants。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　659


Every　device　that　the　prince　of　darkness　can　suggest　will　be　employed　to　induce　God's　servants　to　form　a　confederacy　with　the　agents　of　Satan。　Repeated　solicitations　will　come　to　call　them　from　duty；　but；　like　Nehemiah；　they　should　steadfastly　reply；　〃I　am　doing　a　great　work；　so　that　I　cannot　come　down。〃　God's　workers　may　safely　keep　on　with　their　work；　letting　their　efforts　refute　the　falsehoods　that　malice　may　coin　for　their　injury。　Like　the　builders　on　the　walls　of　Jerusalem　they　must　refuse　to　be　diverted　from　their　work　by　threats　or　mockery　or　falsehood。　Not　for　one　moment　are　they　to　relax　their　watchfulness　or　vigilance；　for　enemies　are　continually　on　their　track。　Ever　they　must　make　their　prayer　to　God　〃and　set　a　watch　against　them　day　and　night。〃　Nehemiah　4：9。

As　the　time　of　the　end　draws　near；　Satan's　temptations　will　be　brought　to　bear　with　greater　power　upon　God's　workers。　He　will　employ　human　agents　to　mock　and　revile　those　who　〃build　the　wall。〃　But　should　the　builders　come　down　to　meet　the　attacks　of　their　foes；　this　would　but　retard　the　work。　They　should　endeavor　to　defeat　the　purposes　of　their　adversaries；　but　they　should　not　allow　anything　to　call　them　from　their　work。　Truth　is　stronger　than　error；　and　right　will　prevail　over　wrong。

Neither　should　they　allow　their　enemies　to　gain　their　friendship　and　sympathy；　and　thus　lure　them　from　their　post　of　duty。　He　who　by　any　unguarded　act　exposes　the　cause　of　God　to　reproach；　or　weakens　the　hands　of　his　fellow　workers；　brings　upon　his　own　character　a　stain　not　easily　removed；　and　places　a　serious　obstacle　in　the　way　of　his　future　usefulness。

660


〃They　that　forsake　the　law　praise　the　wicked。〃　Proverbs　28：4。　When　those　who　are　uniting　with　the　world；　yet　claiming　great　purity；　plead　for　union　with　those　who　have　ever　been　the　opposers　of　the　cause　of　truth；　we　should　fear　and　shun　them　as　decidedly　as　did　Nehemiah。　Such　counsel　is　prompted　by　the　enemy　of　all　good。　It　is　the　speech　of　timeservers；　and　should　be　resisted　as　resolutely　today　as　then。　Whatever　influence　would　tend　to　unsettle　the　faith　of　God's　people　in　His　guiding　power；　should　be　steadfastly　withstood。

In　Nehemiah's　firm　devotion　to　the　work　of　God；　and　his　equally　firm　reliance　on　God；　lay　the　reason　of　the　failure　of　his　enemies　to　draw　him　into　their　power。　The　soul　that　in　indolent　falls　an　easy　prey　to　temptation；　but　in　the　life　that　has　a　noble　aim；　an　absorbing　purpose；　evil　finds　little　foothold。　The　faith　of　him　who　is　constantly　advancing　does　not　weaken；　for　above；　beneath；　beyond；　he　recognizes　Infinite　Love；　working　out　all　things　to　accomplish　His　good　purpose。　God's　true　servants　work　with　a　determination　that　will　not　fail　because　the　throne　of　grace　is　their　constant　dependence。

God　has　provided　divine　assistance　for　all　the　emergencies　to　which　our　human　resources　are　unequal。　He　gives　the　Holy　Spirit　to　help　in　every　strait；　to　strengthen　our　hope　and　assurance；　to　illuminate　our　minds　and　purify　our　hearts。　He　provides　opportunities　and　opens