Victory in the Ring of Life

When it comes to sports, I have made my peace with the fact that I am better suited as a spectator than as a player. This couldn’t apply more to the sport of boxing.  Boxing has never been something that I have ever really had much interest in, perhaps because it is so far outside my wheelhouse or because I’ve never taken the time to learn the rules/regulations involved. However, my ignorance in boxing is not so great that I don’t often fell as though I’m in a boxing match of sorts.  On many occasions I feel as though I’m paired up with a formidable adversary of this world and exchanging blows, dancing around a ring, and growing exhausted in the course of the fight. Whether it is an actual personality with a discouraging jab, a habit that dizzies me with a mean haymaker, or a social/economic/spiritual pressure that keeps me moving about with my gloves raised, more often than not there is an existential struggle at work in my life as I seek to perform God’s will. But maybe that’s just me J.

A Similar phenomenon was experienced by Nehemiah and his team as they sought to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, thereby reestablishing God’s people on the world’s stage. In the midst of their struggle, they square off against a formidable opponent that takes them through three rounds of an unforgettable match. Today, we are going to be spectators of this match in Nehemiah 4:7-23 and ultimately learn how we are to face opposition in our world today.

ROUND #1-Disturbance is Met with Prayer-4:7-8

As we reenter the saga surrounding Jerusalem at the time of Nehemiah, we notice one thing immediately—the unruly homeowners association of rural Persia has grown from two members at the beginning of this book to five, “Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it…” (4:7-8). Joining Sanballat and the Samaritans from the north, Tobiah and the Ammonites from the east (cf. 2:19) and the Arabs from the south, were men from Ashdod, a Philistine city, from the west.  To make matters worse, not only is the association of enemies growing, but they are conspiring “together to come to fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it….” most likely from all sides.

Ring the bell for round one. In one corner we have a conspiring quorum of influential neighbors standing united against the fledgling new comer on the other side of the ring-Nehemiah and the recently evicted Jews. If this was laid out like a boxing match, no one would put his or her money on the Jews. In fact, this fight would not be allowed under regulation standards for, these two by all appearances are not even in the same weight class.  Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites are a collective group of established cities, each with their own fortifications and advanced forces. The Jews do not even have a wall built yet to protect themselves. Nehemiah’s enemies are legion, while the Jews are one. How could they possible stand up to so great a fight?

The answer is provided in verse 9, “but we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night…” (4:9). The corporate strategy of Judah’s enemies was met by a far more powerful corporate response. Again the people (we) prayed for help, and then added action to their prayers by posting a guard round the clock to meet this threat.  For the Jews, this is certainly not a fair fight. However, the underdog in their minds is on the other side of the ring-the home-owner’s association of rural Persia. What makes the fight so one-sided? God is in their corner with them, giving them every reason to set up a constant guard and anticipate victory.

So far so good. The Jews have not yet been knocked out of the match and have stood up to an intimidating opponent. But this is just the first round of three.

ROUND #2-Discouragement is Met with Action-4:10-15

As round two begins, it is obvious that the resolve of the Jews is wearing thin. Though conspiracy was met with prayer in round one, this relatively manic group soon feels the weight of discouragement, “Thus in Judah it was said, ‘The strength of the burden bearers is failing, yet there is much rubbish; and we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall’…” (4:10). Getting started on a project is one thing. In the beginning, people are hopeful, eager, resilient, and optimistic. However, when pressure sets in from all sides and the time marches on, people are prone to get discouraged, strength begins to fail, problems that once seemed small become mountains, and the feeling of defeat rears its head.

One might better understand why the Jews under Nehemiah were brought to this point when they listen to the threats they heard from the other side of the ring, “Our enemies said, ‘They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work’…” (4:11). Mirroring the work of Satan Himself who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy the work of God, the up-to-no-good homeowners association of rural Persia made it their business to destroy Nehemiah’s business of doing God’s will. Unlike the relatively empty threats that neighbors might throw around in our neighborhoods, these power players in the region actually had the means and the collective go-ahead to follow through on these plans.

Though in times past, like in round 1, threats like this were more easily thwarted, the Jews do themselves no favors in round two by repeating the threat over and over again, each time allowing the blow of discouragement to strike the heart of the people rebuilding their wall, “When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, ‘They will come up against us from every place where you may turn’…” (4:12). Like repeated blows dealt to a struggling boxer, the Jews found themselves in the corner of the ring at this point with their gloves raised, doing their best to absorb these repeated jabs.

However, rather than remain in the corner, only to suffer the inevitable knock-out punch that would soon come, Nehemiah and his team respond with action, “Then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows” (4:13). This must have been a difficult decision for Nehemiah. To place whole families together—including women and children—put tremendous pressure on fathers particularly. In case of outright attack, they would have no choice but to stay and fight for and with their family members. But Nehemiah knew it was the only decision he could make if they were to survive and succeed in rebuilding the walls (BKC).  

The fight was becoming more and more personal. This was not a military exercise they would read about in the paper after-the-fact; this was a struggle each of them would face on an existential level. This was not going to be something that they would see playing out on the news every night; this would be playing out in their own backyard. This was not something that they could just pray about; they would also be required to do something.  

Coming face-to-face with what was required of them to defeat their enemy no doubt initially added fodder to the discouragement they already felt. However, Nehemiah circumvents this growing sentiment of despair with an inspiring pep-talk, “When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: ‘Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses’…” (4:14). Like a coach yelling at his fighter in the ring, Nehemiah reminds the people that this fight belongs to them for “the Lord…is great and awesome.” In light of their inevitable victory, he encourages his people to “fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses’…” This was personal!  

This course of action in the face of discouragement was successful. Round two does not end with the Jews pinned in a corner receiving repetitive right hooks. Instead, the Jews have successfully maneuvered back into the center of the ring by means of organized action with the encouraging words of their coach ringing in their ears. Nehemiah reveals in verse 15, “When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work” (4:15). However, the fight is not over. With the plans of the enemy frustrated and the people’s resolve reinvigorated, the drama of Nehemiah 4 takes the reader to a third round in which delay is met with faithfulness.

ROUND #3- Delay is Met with Faithfulness-4:16-23

 “…From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding the weapon. As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me…” (4:16-18). As the construction prolonged, so did the people’s faithfulness to both prepare and defend the new wall that God had commissioned.  From what is revealed in verses 16-18, it is clear that most everyone is required to pull double-duty. Now builders had to carry supplies in one hand and a weapon in the other! Out of necessity and for the sake of completing God’s will, these Jews were willing to do whatever was necessary to prepare for success in their endeavor.

In addition to their commitment to preparation, the Jews were also faithful in their conviction, “…I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us’…” (4:19-20). Throughout the remainder of the project, the workers under Nehemiah lived under the firm conviction that if and when an enemy made an advance, God would fight on their behalf. Though the up-to-no-good homeowners association of rural Persia had several members that could tap in and fight for each other in a tag-team situation, Nehemiah and the Jewish people required only one fighter in their corner to tap in when the fighting got tough, the one true God!

The faithfulness of the people both in their preparedness and conviction allowed them to carry “on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared” (4:21). Nehemiah reveals that “At that time I also said to the people, ‘Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.’ So neither I, my brother, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water…” (4:22-23).

With everyone pulling their weight, the work was allowed to continue well into round three of the struggle that was the rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. The leadership, family, servants, guards, everyone contributed meaningfully to the enterprise.

So What?

Though we will continue this saga in the coming weeks, this match for the time being is finished. Neither the disturbance of conspiracy, nor mounting discouragement, nor construction delays were capable of overwhelming the Jewish people as each of these blows was met with prayer, action, and faithfulness. Although we’ve taken to observing this fight from the outside looking in, make no mistake that God’s people are in a very real existential struggle today as we build the kingdom of God. Enemies of God in this world are bearing down on us from all sides, socially, economically, spiritually, relationally, etc. and the threats are legion as they advance from without, around, and even from within. There are those that conspire against the church and its influence in this world and in response we must, like Nehemiah and the Jews demonstrate in the midst of their fight, be people of prayer.  S.D. Gordon says, "The greatest thing anyone can do for God or man is pray" and that “prayer strikes the winning blow” against the enemy standing in the corner opposite to us. Your usefulness in the ring of life is in direct proportion to what you and I do on our knees.

When the pressures of this world land blows on you/me/this church leading to discouragement, we must not be caught in a corner, believing our situation to be helpless. Instead, like Nehemiah, we must take action, fight for what is precious to us, and ultimately acknowledge the omnipotence of God that wins on our behalf. What/who has you cornered right now in the ring of life?  Don’t just stand there and take it. Act and call upon the Lord to fight for you!

Perhaps you have been at this business of building the kingdom of God in an ever-darkening world for some time now and you have grown war-weary, exhausted by the rounds that you have already fought. Don’t lose heart. Instead, be faithful to prepare yourself for anything and everything that God may use you for. Stand firm in the conviction that God is still fighting for you/me/this church. Never quit doing the good work that God has called of you to accomplish. Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

We have a match to win against the heavyweight champions of this world. The good news is our champion is far greater and the victory is ours!