CRITICIZING GOD'S LEADERS - SANBALLAT & TOBIAH (1)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
0. Introduction
a) It is dangerous to criticize God's leaders. Consider the consequences for men and women who do such a thing in the Bible.
b) Here is one of them.
1. Person
a) Sanballat and Tobiah.
2. Situation
a) Spread rumors and lies to stop the building of Jerusalem's walls.
3. Result
a) Frightened and humiliated.
4. Reference text: Nehemiah 4:1-9
i) 1But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?” 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! 5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders. 6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, 8 and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night. (Nehemiah 4:1-9 NKJV)
5. What is the text all about?
a) Sanballat was governor of Samaria, the region just north of Judea where Jerusalem was located. Sanballat may have hoped to become governor of Judea as well, but Nehemiah's arrival spoiled his plans. Sanballat tried to scare Nehemiah away or at least discourage him by scorn, threat, and bluffs.
b) Almost 300 years before Nehemiah's time, the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered, and most of its people were carried away captive. Sargon of Assyria repopulated Israel with captives from other lands. These captives eventually intermarried with the few Israelites who remained in the land to form a mixed race of people who became known as Samaritans. The Jews who returned to Jerusalem and the southern region of Judea during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah would have nothing to do with Samaritans whom they considered to be racially impure. Relations between both groups grew progressively worse - 400 years later, the Jews and Samaritans hated each other.
The End ...
0. Introductiona) It is dangerous to criticize God's leaders. Consider the consequences for men and women who do such a thing in the Bible.
b) Here is one of them.
1. Person
a) Sanballat and Tobiah.
2. Situation
a) Spread rumors and lies to stop the building of Jerusalem's walls.
3. Result
a) Frightened and humiliated.
4. Reference text: Nehemiah 4:1-9
i) 1But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?” 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! 5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders. 6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, 8 and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night. (Nehemiah 4:1-9 NKJV)
5. What is the text all about?
a) Sanballat was governor of Samaria, the region just north of Judea where Jerusalem was located. Sanballat may have hoped to become governor of Judea as well, but Nehemiah's arrival spoiled his plans. Sanballat tried to scare Nehemiah away or at least discourage him by scorn, threat, and bluffs.
b) Almost 300 years before Nehemiah's time, the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered, and most of its people were carried away captive. Sargon of Assyria repopulated Israel with captives from other lands. These captives eventually intermarried with the few Israelites who remained in the land to form a mixed race of people who became known as Samaritans. The Jews who returned to Jerusalem and the southern region of Judea during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah would have nothing to do with Samaritans whom they considered to be racially impure. Relations between both groups grew progressively worse - 400 years later, the Jews and Samaritans hated each other.
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