Sabbath, May 17, 2008
Nehemiah 6:15-19
So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid. (ESV)
by Linda Harris
Because the people persisted, they completed the wall in only fifty-two days, and God’s name became revered in many surrounding nations. However, some officials were exposed as having helped the enemy. Their tactics continued even after the wall was finished. Because of their familial connection with Tobias, they allowed him to influence their thinking.
Warren Wiersbe writes, “But before we criticize these Jewish nobles, let’s examine our own lives...Do we ever permit human relationships to influence our decisions so much that we deliberately disobey the Word of God? More than one professed Christian leave a church fellowship because of something that was done to a relative in the church.” Have you allowed your thinking to be influenced by a family member or friend, even when you suspected it might not be true? How have you handled it? What can you do to uphold the truth?
Copyright Information
Daily Bible Meditations are taken from The Helping Hand,a Sabbath School student quarterly for youth and adults. Copyright © 2008, Seventh Day Baptist Board of Christian Education, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked "ESV" are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service .
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