In Chapter 3:1-32, we see the people at work. We have a directory list of names and all kinds of gates mentioned. What a sight to see that everyone was working! The repair work was divided up by the 10 various gates - each assigned to certain leaders. Sheep gate (3:1-2), fish gate 3-5, old city gate 6-12, valley gate 3:13 and dung gate 3:14.

Division of Labour: Construction of Northern and Western Walls (1-14)

He put the right people in the right places to work. The text lists specific men  as builders of specific gates. He placed them in station according to their talents and made them build the portion of the wall in front of their homes. What a self motivation for the builders!     

              Division of Labour: Construction of Eastern Walls (15-32)      

This includes:  Fountain gate 3:15-25, Watergate 25-27, Horse gate 3:28,  East gate 3:29-30 and inspection  gate 3:31-32.^[1] 

Nehemiah sectionised  the rebuilding among work parties all acting simultaneously. Each was responsible for his section. Even women helped to rebuild the walls (3:12). Women have a role in the ministry of God.

What a beautiful picture of teamwork. Each one had a specific task to do – each did what he was supposed to do.^[2] The only exception were the nobles - " Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors" (3:5). Sopunds familiar?  

Have you heard of the Pareto Principle — 20/80 rule?^[3]  A good analogy is the football match. Eleven footballers working hard in the field while the rest of the 50,000 spectators are in need of exercise!  It is hard to get one hundred percent people working. ^[4]  In other words, we will always have workers and shirkers.

Nehemiah Principles of Good Organization

• Motivation without organization leads to frustration.
• The strongest organizations are the simplest.
• Leaders love everybody but move with the movers.
• Good organizations establish clear lines of authority.
• People do what you inspect, not what you expect.
• Leaders provide a supportive climate of trusty and teamwork.
• Successful organizations recognize and reward effort. ^[5]

Opposition from the Outside (4:1-12)

As they began the rebuilding project the people faced ridicule. Sanballat, who was motivated by fury and jealousy tried to ridicule and discourage them. He made them doubt their abilities to finish the work and also created disunity among them by using negative and disparaging words.  Later, Tobiah the Ammonite joined in to add fuel to the fire.

 [Sanballat] flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” (4:1-3).

Their ridicule consists of several questions:

• What are these feeble Jews doing?
• Will they restore things?
• Will they sacrifice?
• Will they finish it in a day?
• Will they be able to make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones?
• That stone wall they are building-any fox going up on it would break it down!"

 Are these were discouraging remarks, were they not? They could have de-motivated anyone under normal circumstances. How did Nehemiah respond? 

Response of Nehemiah (4-5)                

Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders (4:4-5).  

Conspiracy to Attack (7-8)

When that those insults could not discourage the people from stopping their work,   Sanballat and Tobiah joined by some others (Arabs and  Ammonites and Ashdodites), were raged with fury. This time they went one step further by plotting to raise arms against Nehemiah and the builders and to cause confusion. Not only did they claim that the builders would be killed, they would also  not know how it happened.

But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion ...Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” (4:7-8; 11).

One of the pitfalls of a leader is his or her unmanageable anger and using "righteous anger " as the license to make disparaging remarks about other fellow leaders' worth or work.  We need to be aware of this.

Fig 5^[6]

Response of Nehemiah (9)

When his enemies issued threat, Nehemiah maintained spiritual and practical equilibrium. and responded courageously. First he prayed then he planned. 

Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God...But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves (4: 4,9). Nehemiah not only prayed to God but he also did something by setting up guards to protect the walls for 24 hours.

The first response and defence of a leader should always be prayer. Prayer should be the first resort and not last resource! Leave vengeance to God (cf. "Vengeance is mine" in  2 Cor 10: 3-4; 2 Kings 19:14-15). 

A successful leader is someone is not "so heavenly minded to be of no earthly use" (e.g. the monks; cf. Col 4:2). This is reinforced by a well known statement made by Oliver Cromwell, "Trust God , keep your powder dry!"

       Discouragement for Within (10)

Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves” (4:10). The first internal crisis had to do with "too much to do but too little people to help".  In other words, there was a lack of resources as well as the people were burnt out. 

Conspiracy to Kill from Without (11-12)

Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, "Before they know what's happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work." The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, "They will come from all directions and attack us!" (11-12)

Nehemiah's Response (13-23)

• He placed armed guards in the exposed areas and protected the families. "So I   placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I   stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears,   and bows" (13).

Words of Encouragement

• Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” (4:14).
• God will fight for us (4:20). Nehemiah drew upon Israel's ancient holy war tradition (cf. Exod 14:14; Deut 1:30; 20:4; Josh 14:10:14; 23:10). He assured them of victory because of God.  

Division of Labour (Working and Guarding)

After Nehemiah's words of encouragement, we are told, “We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard" (4:21).

In times of crisis a great leader will seek to encourage the people not to be afraid. Fear is always debilitating and lowers morale.

We see faith and works in action (spiritual and practical). They are like a hand and a glove. What a timeless lesson.

In the end, the workers were not attacked nor did they have to fight.  Was it the result of prayer? 

Why did Sanballat oppose Nehemiah's rebuilding of the city walls since it was a good thing?

According to Cyril Barber, "One of the main highways linking the Tigris Euphrates river valley to the north with Egypt in the south and Philistia to the west passes through Jerusalem.  With Jerusalem once more a well-protected city, its very location attract trade; and gone be Samaria's economic supremacy in "the land beyond the river".^[7]    

Just when you think the crisis that came from the external is over, lo and behold another crisis pops up. This time it comes from the internal. 

Internal Strife (5:1-19)

The people faced economic problems because of four reasons:

• Judah was cut off commercially from the neighboring peoples. 
• The effort to rebuild the city walls resulted in a decrease of grain production, since the farmers were staying in Jerusalem (see 4:22). 
• Climactic factors contributed to the famine (5:3).

The previous administrators had placed heavy burdens on the people (Nehemiah 5:15). As a result, some had no money to buy grain (5:2), some had to mortgage their property to buy it (5:3) and some had to borrow money to pay taxes  to the Persian king (5:4). The lending of money was at excessive interest rates and created an intolerable situation. Those who were unable to pay their loans, their children had to be sold to slavery (5:5). ^[8]