How do you know what you fear?
Consider: What is it that controls you? We fear what holds some sort of power or sway over us. What we fear is what controls us.
Who might a man like Nehemiah fear? The king? Last study, we saw Nehemiah respond to the circumstances out of the fear of God. In this passage, we consider the fear of man. It is a myth that we are autonomous individuals. The most self-confident are under the influence of someone/something in all that they do. The question for us is: can you recognise if you are driven by the fear of man or the fear of God? Can you recognise the dangers of the fear of man? Do you know how to deal with it?
The fear of man lays a snare (Neh 6:10-19)
Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home seems to be bringing across a warning to Nehemiah but there is more to it (Neh 6:10). He tried to get Nehemiah to enter the temple and close the doors and take shelter in it. This will cease the work from being done, but Nehemiah points out that this is sin (Neh 6:13). Why is this so? Nehemiah is not a priest and by entering the inner part of the temple where the doors can be closed, this is against the regulations.
Only the priests from the household of Levi can enter the temple (Num 3:10, 18:22). The priests do not enter to hide from the element or to rest, but enter to bear the sins of the people before a holy God. Thus, Sanballat and Tobiah are trying to get Nehemiah to enter a place that he cannot enter, and in so doing, bring a bad name to himself. They tried to set a trap for him within the city, after they failed to attract him out. They also tried to raise the stakes for what is at stake now is not his project, but his life. At the same time, they tried to get him to do what God’s word did not permit.
Nehemiah is clear about what they are trying to do. Now, a credible threat had come against him by people who are intent on doing him harm. What is it like to have your life brought into question and still choose to obey God’s word?
Or, what sort of life would Nehemiah would have had to life to agree to their request? It must have been a life where certain things are greater to him than God’s word, than obeying God. He must have been a person who chose guarding his life by his own ways instead of choosing God’s ways and His terms. It is one who has made a thousand small steps in favour of the self, instead of faithful submission to God and His word.
It is a wonderful thing if you are so set on giving parts of your life to God. Keep submitting those things to God — work, relationships, studies. But if there is even one aspect of your life that you have fenced off and held back from God. there will come a day when that very thing will threaten and overwhelm you and lead you away from the Lord.
There are certain things that are more important. In Matthew 10:28, we are told that it is easy to fear those that harm the body. But it is important for us to recognise who can harm both body and soul and live life in reference to Him.
Friends, this can also creep into how we relate to God. What the enemies are saying here is that they are going to use the holiness of God for their gain. God is just a way to entrap Nehemiah. This was what Shemaiah and the prophetess Noadiah and other prophets did (Neh 6:14). How do you relate to God? How do you use God’s word in relation to each other? God has strong words for those who would use His name and His word for His own perverse ends
In Ezekiel 13:17-19, we see how God is resolutely set against those who will use His name for their own wicked ends. The fear of man is always in opposition to the fear of God. It will do us well to ask serious questions of our heart. Do we love all of God’s word or only those that we like? Are we quick to use God’s word to puff ourselves up or for our own gain? Are we quick to exaggerate differences just to make ourselves look good? Are we quick to display ourselves as masters of God’s word instead of being mastered by it?
Those who seek to ensnare others also find themselves enshared.
The nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah and his letters came to them (Neh 6:17). Many in Judah were also bound by oath to Tobiah, for he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, who was involved in the building of the wall of the east gate (Neh 3:20). His son, Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam who was also involved in the building of the wall (c.f. Neh 3:4).
These nobles also spoke of Tobiah’s good deeds in Nehemiah’s presence, and reported Nehemiah’s words to him (Neh 6:19a). Tobiah also sent letters to Nehemiah to make him afraid (Neh 6:19b). The fear of man can be so subtle, showing up in the alliances we try to form. It shows up in the control that we try to engineer or how we try to improve our own standing.
Do we try to control our circumstances? Do we try to strike up alliances with people that we think will benefit us? There’s something in our heart that is attracted to power and the question we have to grapple with is: how much of ourselves have we given over to the world’s power? It will be helpful for us to speak with someone that knows us and ask if they see the fear of man taking over our life.
(B) The one who trusts in the LORD is safe (Neh 6:16)
Nehemiah is clear of who he is (“Should such a man as I run away?”) — one on a mission, with the resources of the king to complete his task. He is also clear that he is unworthy to stand before God (“And what man such as I could go into the temple and live?”). Nehemiah confesses his worth and unworthiness.
Sometimes we think that to get over the fear of man, we are to just dismiss all that man says. But notice that Nehemiah knows what he has before man and is also clear of who he is before God.
Notice how he articulates his prayer to God. He recognises that it is against God and God alone that they have sinned.
We will always walk around with the fear of man in our hearts on this side of the earth. But the fear of God operates by having us have a larger view of God. Recognise the worth of the world but also the all-surpassing worth of God.
Nehemiah turns to God in prayer (Neh 6:14). The sheer act of praying teaches our heart to fear Him and places us in right relationship with Him. Ask God today, to help you to see Him for who He is and how lost you are in this world without Him. Ask Him to help you fear Him rightly.
The wall was finished in 52 days (Neh 6:15). When the enemies of Israel heard of it, all the nations were afraid and fell greatly for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God (Neh 6:16).
Read Psalm 46. God brings about judgement (Ps 46:8) but also peace (Ps 46:9). He does so with finality. This is the God who will put an end to all conflict, fighting and raging of the world. He has shown this in a marvellous way in that one moment in time when judgement brought about peace. He poured out great judgement on Jesus Christ, so that we might live and might know His people in Christ. He will return one day and we will see His word fully and finally fulfilled. All who recognise Him for who He is will delight in this peace that He brings. The nations will also see and be glad.
Today, we can go to church every Sunday with the confidence that the gates of hell tremble when His people gather. He will be exalted against the nations. He has designed for the rulers of this age to know and see His glory. Against His church, the gates of hell will not prevail.
Take heart. Look to Christ. May we love Him, trust Him and as we do so, our hearts will be free from the fear of man.