Nehemiah Chapter 2

Nehemiah’s Commission
A. Nehemiah the cupbearer

1. Nehemiah stands before the king
Nehemiah 2:1–2

“And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid.”

This moment marks the transition from prayer to commission. What Nehemiah had carried silently for four months before God now begins to surface publicly before the king. The unseen work of prayer is about to give way to visible obedience.

a. “I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king”
Nehemiah’s role as cupbearer is critical to understanding the gravity of this scene. The cupbearer was not a ceremonial servant, but a trusted protector of the king’s life. He tasted the wine and food before the king to ensure it was not poisoned, making him, in effect, a personal bodyguard.

i. The cupbearer was a high official within the royal household. His daily access to the king gave him unusual proximity and influence. Trust was essential, because betrayal from a cupbearer would make assassination effortless.

ii. Because of this, the cupbearer had to be a man of proven loyalty, discretion, and character. Nehemiah’s presence in this role reveals years of faithfulness long before God revealed His larger purpose.

iii. The cupbearer was also responsible for selecting and overseeing much of the king’s food and drink. This placed Nehemiah in continual interaction with the king and the royal court.

iv. Over time, such proximity naturally led to advisory influence. Kings often sought counsel from men they trusted implicitly. God had placed Nehemiah in precisely the right position, long before Nehemiah understood why.

b. “In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king”
The Spirit deliberately records the date, emphasizing that God works according to His timetable, not man’s urgency.

i. From the month of Chisleu in Nehemiah 1:1 to the month of Nisan here in Nehemiah 2:1, four months have passed. This confirms that Nehemiah did not act impulsively. He prayed, fasted, and waited patiently before the Lord. During those months, his prayer was likely along the lines of, “LORD, either remove this burden from me, or make me the man You intend to use to answer it.”

ii. This date is also prophetically significant. According to Daniel 9:25, the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem marks the beginning of a specific prophetic timeline leading to the presentation of Messiah the Prince. From this decree in 445 BC, exactly 173,880 days later, Jesus Christ would enter Jerusalem in what is commonly called the Triumphal Entry. God is precise in His dealings with history, prophecy, and fulfillment.

c. “Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence”
Nehemiah carefully notes that this was unprecedented behavior for him. In ancient royal courts, appearing sad before the king was dangerous. Kings were thought to embody joy, favor, and blessing. To appear sorrowful in their presence could be interpreted as disrespect, dissatisfaction, or even rebellion.

i. When the king observed Nehemiah’s sadness and said, “This is nothing else but sorrow of heart,” Nehemiah knew the situation was serious. The king discerned that this was not illness but inner grief. At that moment, Nehemiah likely wondered whether judgment would immediately follow.

ii. Nehemiah’s fear was also rooted in the significance of what was about to happen. The question opened the door for Nehemiah to speak about Jerusalem, but it also carried enormous risk. His position, future, and possibly his life were at stake.

iii. It is important to note what Nehemiah had not done during the previous four months. He had not dropped hints, manipulated conversations, or attempted to steer the king’s emotions. He waited for God to open the door. When the time came, the king noticed without prompting. This highlights a critical spiritual principle, God alone changes hearts. Human manipulation produces fragile results, but God’s timing produces lasting outcomes.

Nehemiah now stands at the intersection of fear and faith. Prayer has prepared him, providence has positioned him, and God has opened the moment. What follows will reveal whether Nehemiah will step fully into the calling for which God has been shaping him.

2. Nehemiah’s response
Nehemiah 2:3

“And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever, why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?”

Nehemiah now speaks, and when he does, his words reveal wisdom shaped by prayer, courage anchored in humility, and restraint governed by discernment. This response shows how a godly man speaks truthfully, respectfully, and strategically when the moment God has prepared finally arrives.

a. “Let the king live for ever”
This greeting was customary and sincere. Nehemiah had likely spoken these words many times in his service as cupbearer. Because the cupbearer tasted the king’s food and wine before the king did, it was natural for him to express a desire for the king’s long life. This opening was respectful, loyal, and appropriate, affirming Nehemiah’s continued allegiance before addressing his burden.

b. “The city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire”
Nehemiah explains the cause of his sorrow plainly and with dignity. Jerusalem is described as a ruined and disgraced city, its walls broken and its gates burned. By referencing the burial place of his fathers, Nehemiah appeals to something universally understood, the honor owed to ancestors and the disgrace of seeing their resting place neglected and destroyed.

i. The king did not need to be convinced that this situation was shameful. Any ruler would understand the significance of a city lying in ruins and the dishonor it represented to a people. Nehemiah wisely framed the problem in a way that invited sympathy rather than suspicion.

ii. Nehemiah’s tact is especially evident in what he did not say. He never mentioned the name Jerusalem at this point. The Persian court would naturally associate Jerusalem with rebellion and unrest, as the city had previously resisted imperial authority. By describing the condition of the city without naming it, Nehemiah gained the king’s compassion before introducing any political sensitivity. This was wisdom shaped by prayer, not manipulation.

c. “Why should not my countenance be sad”
Nehemiah’s response was honest as well as wise. He did not minimize his grief or dismiss the king’s observation. Many people, when asked about visible sorrow, instinctively reply that nothing is wrong, even when something clearly is. Nehemiah spoke truthfully without exaggeration or complaint.

i. This highlights a tension many believers experience. No one wants to burden others with unnecessary detail or become known as a complainer, especially when the question may be asked out of courtesy. Yet there is value in honest communication when the situation warrants it, particularly when it invites prayer or wise counsel.

ii. One practical approach is to share personal burdens with those who are known, trusted, and spiritually mature. When that level of trust does not exist, it is still appropriate to ask others to pray in general terms. God does not need every detail explained in order to act, because He already knows all things.

iii. At the same time, two dangers must be avoided. First, we must not seek advice from multiple people simply to find the answer we want. Second, we must never describe a problem in a way that assigns blame to others who are not present. Nehemiah did not accuse the people of Jerusalem of laziness, incompetence, or failure. He described the condition without indicting anyone. When we speak in ways that assign blame without representation, Scripture identifies that behavior as gossip.

iv. Those who are approached by others for prayer or counsel must also exercise restraint. It is not necessary to know every detail in order to pray effectively or to offer godly encouragement. Curiosity about details can sometimes serve the listener more than the one seeking help. Nehemiah’s example shows that problems can be presented truthfully, respectfully, and without unnecessary exposure.

Nehemiah’s response demonstrates mature communication under pressure. He spoke with respect, honesty, wisdom, and restraint, allowing God to continue opening the door rather than forcing the outcome.

3. Nehemiah’s request
Nehemiah 2:4–8

“Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it. And the king said unto me, the queen also sitting by him, For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a time. Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah; And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.”

This passage records one of the most remarkable moments in the book of Nehemiah, when months of prayer meet divine timing, and a prepared servant steps forward in faith with clarity, courage, and wisdom.

a. “For what dost thou make request?”
Nehemiah immediately recognized that God had granted him favor. The king’s response was not anger, suspicion, or dismissal, but an open invitation. The question itself shows that the four months of prayer had already been answered. God had softened the king’s heart before Nehemiah ever spoke.

Nehemiah understood that this was a God given moment. The door had opened, and it would not remain open indefinitely.

b. “So I prayed to the God of heaven”
Even after months of sustained prayer, Nehemiah prayed again. This was not a long or formal prayer, but a brief, silent appeal for wisdom and courage. It was the kind of prayer that says, “Help me now, LORD.” Nehemiah knew the magnitude of the opportunity and the danger of mishandling it.

i. This teaches that effective prayer is not measured by length. Long seasons of prayer prepare the heart, but short prayers are often necessary in moments of decision. God hears both.

c. “That thou wouldest send me unto Judah… that I may build it”
Nehemiah’s request was respectful, direct, and faith filled. He did not ask for permission merely to visit, observe, or report back. He asked to be sent by the king, making the king an official partner in the work. Nehemiah was not running away from responsibility, he was stepping into it with authority.

i. His vision is clear and bold. He intended to rebuild the city. This was not a vague concern, but a defined mission. Nehemiah did not go to critique others or to investigate failure. He went to accomplish the work God had placed on his heart.

ii. Again, Nehemiah demonstrates wisdom by referring to Jerusalem without naming it directly. He spoke of it as the city of his fathers’ sepulchres. This was not deception, but discernment. Jerusalem was no longer a rebellious city, but Nehemiah did not unnecessarily raise old political suspicions.

d. “It pleased the king to send me”
The king responded favorably and willingly. Nehemiah’s humility, patience, prayer, and faith were rewarded. God had aligned the king’s heart with His purposes, and the king became an eager supporter of the mission.

e. “I set him a time”
Nehemiah revealed himself to be a disciplined and capable leader. He had already thought through the mission in detail. His months of prayer were not passive. They were spent listening, planning, and preparing.

i. Nehemiah knew how long the task would take. He knew he would need official letters of safe passage. He knew he would need materials, specifically timber. He knew what structures required rebuilding, the gates, the wall, and a residence. Remarkably, Nehemiah knew these things before ever seeing the condition of Jerusalem firsthand. God had given him insight during prayer.

ii. God works through planning because God Himself is a planner. Psalm 33:11 declares,

“The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.”

From eternity past, God has worked according to a plan, including the plan of redemption itself.

iii. Faith does not replace planning. Scripture affirms this principle in Proverbs 21:5,

“The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.”

God may override human plans, but He never condemns careful, faithful preparation. Rejecting planning is not spirituality, it is presumption.

f. “That he may give me timber”
Nehemiah was also bold. Once the king demonstrated willingness, Nehemiah asked fully and specifically. He requested official authority through letters and financial support through royal timber.

i. Nehemiah did not exploit the king. Instead, he honored him by inviting him to participate in a righteous and meaningful work. He recognized that God had placed resources under the king’s authority and that the king desired to be generous. Nehemiah simply gave him a clear way to act on that willingness.

g. “According to the good hand of my God upon me”
Nehemiah closes this section by giving God full credit. Though a pagan king issued the orders, Nehemiah knew the true source of provision. God is not limited by human belief systems or political boundaries. He can move through unlikely instruments to accomplish His purposes.

This moment stands as a testimony to prayerful dependence, Spirit led planning, courageous faith, and God’s sovereign ability to open doors no man can shut.

B. Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem

1. Arrival and opposition
Nehemiah 2:9–10

“Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.”

This passage marks the movement from authorization to execution. Nehemiah does not remain in Persia admiring answered prayer. He acts decisively and visibly, and opposition immediately follows.

a. “Then I came”
This simple phrase reflects decisive obedience. Nehemiah actually went. He traveled roughly eight hundred miles from Persia to Jerusalem in order to accomplish the work God had placed on his heart.

i. Many people experience the same early stages Nehemiah did. They feel concern, they pray, they gain clarity, they develop vision, and they even make plans. Yet they never move beyond preparation into action. Nehemiah did not allow fear, inconvenience, or distance to keep him from obedience.

ii. It is often easier to talk about ministry than to do ministry. Believers may pray, plan, discuss, and theorize endlessly, but the work of God advances only when His people actually step forward and act. God is in the doing of the work, not merely the discussion of it.

iii. Spiritual opposition rarely objects to prayer meetings, planning sessions, or vision casting. But when God’s people begin to act, to move, and to build, the enemy takes notice.

b. “Beyond the river”
This refers to the region west of the Euphrates River, a major administrative boundary in the Persian Empire. Once Nehemiah crossed the river, he entered the jurisdiction that included Judea and Jerusalem. There he formally presented himself to the Persian governors who ruled under Artaxerxes’ authority.

c. “And gave them the king’s letters”
Nehemiah arrived prepared and authorized. He did not come as a rogue reformer or an unauthorized agitator. He came with official documentation from the king himself.

He also arrived with a military escort, captains of the army and horsemen, and with access to royal resources. This demonstrates that Artaxerxes had fully embraced Nehemiah’s request and had become a genuine partner in the work.

d. “Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite”
Here the primary opposition to Nehemiah’s work is introduced. These men were regional power brokers who benefited from Jerusalem’s weakness and instability.

i. They had no objection to worship continuing in a weakened city. As long as Jerusalem remained vulnerable, divided, and insecure, they were content. Strong walls would mean a strong people, and a strong people threatened their influence.

ii. Notice when opposition arises. It does not appear during Nehemiah’s burden, his prayers, his vision, or his planning. It appears when action begins. Progress provokes resistance.

iii. Some believers hesitate to move forward in obedience because they fear opposition. They imagine that remaining spiritually stagnant will bring peace. This is deception. Trials will come regardless. But obedience equips us to face opposition with God’s strength rather than our own weakness.

2. Nehemiah makes a secret tour of Jerusalem and her walls
Nehemiah 2:11–16

“So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me, neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem, neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king’s pool, but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned. And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did, neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.”

a. “So I came to Jerusalem… and was there three days”
Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem and deliberately waited. Though he had authority, resources, and urgency, he did not rush.

i. When Nehemiah entered the city with a military escort and royal supplies, people noticed him. Yet he said nothing about his mission. Wise leadership includes sensitivity to timing. God not only directs what to do, but when to do it.

ii. Nehemiah arrived full of prayer, vision, faith, and preparation, yet paused for three days. Stillness preceded strategy.

iii. “Neither told I any man”
Nehemiah guarded what God had placed in his heart. There is wisdom in not announcing plans prematurely. Some things belong first to God and the servant alone.

iv. Godly counsel is valuable, but careless disclosure can dilute resolve or invite discouragement. There is a place for quiet obedience before public action.

b. “I went out by night by the gate of the valley”
Nehemiah conducted his inspection secretly and at night. He traveled counterclockwise around the southern portion of the city, examining the walls carefully.

c. “And viewed the walls of Jerusalem”
Nehemiah was not sightseeing. The word “viewed” carries the sense of close inspection, even probing. It is a term used in medicine for examining the depth of a wound.

i. For the first time, Nehemiah saw with his own eyes what had been reported to him. The rubble, the burned gates, and the collapsed defenses confirmed the gravity of the situation. This was not an abstract problem, but a devastating reality affecting real people.

ii. There is no doubt Nehemiah was deeply moved. He now understood the fear, poverty, and insecurity the people lived with daily.

d. The broken walls and burned gates
Nehemiah recognized that meaningful restoration required honest assessment.

i. He could have focused on what was positive. The exile was over. The temple was rebuilt. Worship had resumed. Progress had been made. But Nehemiah looked squarely at what was still wrong.

ii. Some people only see what is wrong and become critics. Others only see what is good and become complacent. Nehemiah demonstrates the balance. He examined what was broken because he intended to repair it.

iii. Honest diagnosis is essential before genuine restoration. Refusing to acknowledge reality prevents meaningful change.

iv. This principle applies broadly. Broken walls appear in personal lives, families, churches, and communities. Fear, insecurity, habitual sin, isolation, and spiritual weakness all reflect breaches in the walls.

v. Proverbs 25:28 says,
“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

Many lives resemble Jerusalem at this stage, exposed and vulnerable. God does not heal what we refuse to acknowledge.

e. Counting the cost
Nehemiah’s inspection allowed him to understand the magnitude of the task. Vision alone was not enough. Before building, he needed to know what the work would require in time, labor, resources, and leadership.

Nehemiah’s example teaches that faithful service requires honest evaluation, careful preparation, and courage to face reality. Only then can true rebuilding begin.

3. Nehemiah meets with the leaders of Jerusalem
Nehemiah 2:17–18

“Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire, come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me, as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.”

This passage records the decisive moment when Nehemiah moves from private inspection to public leadership. The vision God placed in his heart is now shared, and the response of the leaders will determine whether the work advances or dies at the proposal stage.

a. “Ye see the distress that we are in”
The leaders and citizens of Jerusalem were not ignorant of the problem. They lived daily with broken walls, burned gates, fear, vulnerability, and reproach. Yet over time they had come to accept this condition as permanent. What once felt intolerable had slowly become normal. A problem one hundred years old had begun to feel unsolvable, so it was endured rather than confronted.

b. “Then said I unto them”
This meeting carried enormous weight. Nehemiah could not rebuild the walls alone. If the leaders rejected the vision, the work would fail before it began. Nehemiah’s approach shows that leadership requires both courage and wisdom when engaging those whose support is essential.

i. No doubt Nehemiah had prayed deeply over this moment. He likely asked the LORD to prepare their hearts, to give him the right words, and to help them see that he came not to condemn or criticize, but to serve and restore. Godly leadership depends as much on God’s preparation of others as on the leader’s preparation himself.

c. “The distress that we are in”
Nehemiah’s wisdom is evident in how he frames the problem.

First, he calls attention to the obvious. “You see” forces the leaders to acknowledge reality. Often the most difficult thing is not identifying a problem, but admitting it.

Second, Nehemiah identifies himself with them. He does not say “the distress you are in” but “the distress that we are in.” Though he had not lived among them, he owned the problem as his own. He refused to blame or shame the leaders for past failure. Unity begins when leaders refuse to play the blame game.

Third, Nehemiah calls for partnership. “Come, and let us build” makes it clear he is not there to replace them, control them, or shame them, but to labor alongside them. If God could move the heart of a pagan king to participate in this work, He could certainly move the hearts of His covenant people.

Fourth, Nehemiah points to the purpose. “That we be no more a reproach.” This was not merely about construction. It was about removing shame, fear, insecurity, and disgrace from God’s people. The physical work had spiritual consequences. When David saw Goliath bringing reproach upon Israel, he said in 1 Samuel 17:29, “Is there not a cause?” Nehemiah appeals to the same principle. There was a cause worth laboring for.

Fifth, Nehemiah encourages them in the LORD. “I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.” He made it clear this was God’s work, not a personal agenda. People rightly hesitate when a vision serves a man’s ego. They gladly participate when they see God’s hand upon it.

Sixth, Nehemiah gave them confidence by sharing what God had already done. “And also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me.” The support of the Persian king showed unmistakably that God was already at work. When people see God’s fingerprints on a work, they want to join it. When they see only human ambition, they hesitate wisely.

d. “The hand of my God which was good upon me”
Nehemiah did not beg, bargain, or manipulate. He treated the calling as sacred. He invited participation without lowering the vision or resorting to external motivation.

i. Nehemiah did not offer rewards, incentives, or emotional pressure. He did not rely on guilt, fear, or flattery. Those methods may work briefly, but they do not produce lasting obedience. Nehemiah trusted the LORD to stir genuine inward motivation in the hearts of the leaders. God’s work must be driven by conviction, not coercion.

e. “Let us rise up and build”
This response was nothing short of miraculous. The leaders could have responded in many other ways.

They could have denied the need, arguing they had lived without walls for a century and already had a temple. But God’s people are not called merely to survive. God had more for them.

They could have declined due to the cost and effort involved, wishing Nehemiah well but refusing to participate. But they were willing to pay the price for something truly of God.

They could have feared opposition, recalling past failures when enemies stopped the work. But this time, faith overcame fear.

Their unified response shows that God Himself had prepared their hearts.

f. “So they strengthened their hands for this good work”
This final phrase reveals that God’s hand was at work in a powerful way. The leaders did not merely agree verbally. They committed themselves fully. Hands strengthened means resolve, determination, and readiness to labor.

i. Nehemiah’s leadership is proven by this response. Leadership is influence, and the people were genuinely influenced. God honored Nehemiah’s prayer, humility, vision, courage, and wisdom by moving the hearts of those who would carry out the work.

This moment marks the true beginning of the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. Prayer has become action, vision has become shared purpose, and God’s people are united to rise up and build.

4. The opposition rises in response to the work of God
Nehemiah 2:19

“But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?”

As soon as the work of God moves from vision to visible action, opposition intensifies. This is not unexpected, it is predictable. Whenever God’s people rise up to obey Him, resistance follows.

a. “But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite… and Geshem the Arabian heard it”
Things had been going remarkably well. Prayer had been answered, the king had supported the mission, the leaders of Jerusalem had united, and the people were ready to build. At precisely this point, opposition resurfaces, now more organized and more aggressive.

i. Spiritual opposition is a reality that many believers underestimate. When it is not anticipated, it can derail God’s work through discouragement, fear, or confusion.

ii. Jesus Christ Himself, the Second Person of the Trinity, entered human history and faced spiritual opposition directly. He knows what it is to be attacked, misunderstood, mocked, and resisted. Because of this, He is fully able to lead His people through spiritual warfare and into victory.

b. Sanballat… Tobiah… Geshem
Sanballat and Tobiah were already introduced in Nehemiah 2:10, where they were deeply disturbed by Nehemiah’s concern for Israel’s welfare. Now Geshem the Arabian joins them, forming a broader coalition of opposition.

i. Tobiah had a Jewish name and strong religious connections. Later Scripture shows that he was associated with the high priest’s family and received assistance from priests themselves, as recorded in Nehemiah 13:4. His name, Tobiah, means “Yahweh is good,” which makes his opposition to God’s work especially tragic.

ii. Sanballat was connected by marriage to priestly families as well, as seen in Nehemiah 13:28, and historical records identify him as the governor of Samaria. These were not outsiders unfamiliar with Jewish life, but men deeply embedded within the social and religious structures.

iii. This makes the opposition more painful. These men were fellow Jews, not pagan enemies alone. Opposition from unbelievers is difficult, but opposition from those who claim to be God’s people carries the added sting of betrayal.

iv. Scripture reminds us that our ultimate enemies are not flesh and blood. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Yet spiritual opposition often operates through people, sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly, as seen when Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:23, “Get thee behind me, Satan.”

c. “They laughed us to scorn, and despised us”
Mockery becomes their primary weapon. They attempt to shame Nehemiah and the people, to make them feel foolish, unrealistic, and naive.

i. Scorn can attack inwardly, planting thoughts like, “Who do you think you are?” or “This is ridiculous.” It can also come outwardly through ridicule, sarcasm, or dismissive humor.

ii. Many believers are turned away from obedience not by threats or violence, but by fear of being mocked. Men who are brave under pressure have often folded because they did not want to be laughed at. God eventually tests every believer at this point, whether they value God’s approval more than man’s opinion.

iii. This also challenges how we use humor ourselves. Even well-meaning Christians can become tools of the enemy when sarcasm or ridicule is directed at God’s work. Laughter can either strengthen faith or undermine it.

d. “Will ye rebel against the king?”
This accusation reveals a deeply flawed worldview.

i. First, it shows ignorance. They spoke without knowledge. The king had already approved the project, provided letters, resources, and military protection. Many times, opposition speaks confidently while knowing nothing of the facts.

ii. Second, it reveals their low view of God’s authority. They assumed the Persian king was the highest authority that mattered. They did not consider the authority of the God of heaven. Even if the king had opposed the work, it would not have overridden God’s command. One standing with God is always in the majority. The question could just as easily have been reversed, “Will you rebel against the King of kings?”

5. Nehemiah’s answer to his opponents
Nehemiah 2:20

“Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us, therefore we his servants will arise and build, but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah’s response is decisive, calm, and uncompromising. He neither argues nor retreats.

a. “Then answered I them”
Nehemiah does not ignore the opposition entirely, but he does not allow it to control the conversation. He responds without defensiveness, fear, or apology.

i. Nehemiah had already settled the issue of whom he would please. If forced to choose between man’s approval and God’s calling, the decision was clear. Mockery did not move him.

b. “And said unto them”
Nehemiah does not attempt to prove himself through documentation or debate. He does not pull out the king’s letters or explain Persian politics. He understood that hearts determined to resist will not be convinced by evidence.

c. “The God of heaven, he will prosper us”
Nehemiah places his confidence squarely in God. He declares that success does not depend on political approval or human support, but on the sovereign hand of the God of heaven.

i. Nehemiah does not pause the work to manage the opposition. He refuses to let distraction become derailment. If enemies can stop God’s people by demanding attention, they have already won.

ii. There is holy boldness in his declaration. He essentially says, “God is with us. He is not with you. This work will succeed.” Confidence rooted in God’s promises is not arrogance, it is faith.

d. “Therefore we his servants will arise and build”
Nehemiah reaffirms both identity and mission.

i. Identity comes first. They are servants of God, not servants of fear, opinion, or political pressure.

ii. Mission follows. They will arise and build. There is no hesitation, no reevaluation, no retreat. The decision made in Nehemiah 2:18 stands firm.

iii. Spiritual opposition always seeks to make believers forget who they are and what they are called to do. Victory requires remembering both, and sometimes proclaiming them out loud.

e. “But ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem”
Nehemiah speaks truth plainly. Though these men may have had heritage claims, political influence, or religious credentials, their opposition revealed that they did not belong to what God was doing.

i. Nehemiah discerned quickly what many fail to see. Not everyone who claims connection to God’s people truly desires God’s work. Opposition reveals allegiance.

ii. This principle applies spiritually as well. Believers can say to their spiritual enemies, “You have no portion, no right, and no memorial in me. I belong to Jesus Christ. You do not belong here.”

iii. The opposition did not disappear. These men continued to resist throughout the building process. But they did not stop the work. God’s purposes prevailed, and the enemies were proven wrong.

Nehemiah ends the chapter standing firm, focused, and fearless. The work of God moves forward, not because there is no opposition, but because God is greater than all opposition.