Calvary Road Baptist Church

“A Survey Of Satanic & Demonic Warfare In Nehemiah”

Nehemiah 

Our survey of Satanic and Demonic warfare brings us to the book of Nehemiah.

Before I read the introductory comments written by former seminary professor and pastor Gene Getz,[1] I want to recommend to everyone an excellent book written by former pastor and president of Dallas Theology Seminary, Chuck Swindoll, back when he pastored the Evangelical Free Church in Fullerton, California.

My copy was published by Thomas Nelson Publishers in 1978. The title is Hand Me Another Brick: Principles of effective leadership: how to motivate yourself and others.[2] It is a great starter book for any leader's development, be it a boy or girl, a man or woman, a father or mother, a businessman or a Church member.

 

 

Gene Getz’ introduction to the book of Nehemiah found in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament reads, 

INTRODUCTION

Historical Background. God had promised Israel that if they obeyed Him, He would bless them as a nation. If they did not, then He would judge them and cause them to be taken into captivity (Deut. 28). That promise was repeated to Solomon with a specific application to his own life. If he, as king of Israel, obeyed the Lord he would experience God’s continual blessing. If Solomon did not obey Him, God would take away his power and position as king of Israel (1 Kings 9:1-9).

As happened so frequently among many of Israel’s leaders, a good beginning had an unfortunate ending. Solomon sinned against God, particularly by marrying many foreign wives and worshiping their false gods (1 Kings 11:1-5). So the kingdom was split in 931 B.C. The 10 Northern tribes were initially ruled by Jeroboam, and the Southern tribes Judah and Benjamin) were ruled at first by Rehoboam.

Both kingdoms, however, continued to be characterized by idolatry and immorality. And as God had forewarned, His hand of judgment fell on all Israel because of their sin. The Northern Kingdom fell first and the people were taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. The Babylonians brought about the fall of the Southern Kingdom in 586 B.C.

The Israelites of the Northern Kingdom were absorbed into Assyria and eventually into other cultures. However, the people of the Southern Kingdom remained intact in Babylon, and after the power of Babylon was broken by the Medes and Persians in 539 B.C., many Jews returned to their homeland.

In 538 B.C. the first group returned to Judah under the leadership of Zerubbabel (Ezra 1:1-2:2). Over a period of years and tremendous opposition from the Samaritans, the returnees eventually succeeded in rebuilding the temple in 515 B.C. (See the chart “The Three Returns from Exile,” in the Introduction to Ezra.)

 

 

 A number of years later-in 458 B.C.-a second group of Jews returned, led by Ezra (Ezra 7:1-10). Arriving on the scene, they found the Jews in Israel in a state of spiritual and moral degradation. They had intermarried with the unbelieving peoples of the surrounding nations and were participating in their pagan practices. However, through Ezra’s faithful teaching ministry, the majority of these people turned from their sins and once again followed God’s will for their lives.

In 444 B.C., 14 years after Ezra’s return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah also returned and God used him to guide Judah in rebuilding the city’s walls and in reordering the people’s social and economic lives. What he accomplished in a brief period of time was an incredible feat. How he accomplished this goal is one of the major emphases in the book that bears his name.

Name. On the name of the Book of Nehemiah in relation to the Book of Ezra see “Name” in the Introduction to Ezra.

Author. Most Bible expositors agree that Nehemiah authored the book that bears his name. Much of the book is a first­person account of the circumstances surrounding his return to Jerusalem (chaps. 1-7; 12:31-13:31).

Nothing is known about Nehemiah’s childhood, youth, or family background, except that his father’s name was Hacaliah (1:1) and he had a brother named Hanani (1:2). Possibly Nehemiah’s great­grandparents were taken into captivity when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. Nehemiah was probably born in Persia sometime during or soon after Zerubbabel’s ministry in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah had risen to a position of prominence in his pagan environment. He was serving King Artaxerxes as his personal cupbearer (1:11; cf. 2:1).

This important position in the king’s court gives insight into Nehemiah’s life and character. A mighty monarch such as the king of Persia would select for that position a man who was wise and discreet, and consistently honest and trustworthy. Nehemiah’s position alone reveals much about his intellectual capabilities, his emotional maturity, and his spiritual status.

Nehemiah probably wrote the book that bears his name soon after all its events were completed. This means the book was written about 430 B.C. or shortly thereafter.[3] 

The book of Nehemiah neatly falls into two easily distinguishable parts, with chapters 1-6 recording the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and chapters 7-13 recording the restoration of the people.

Before proceeding, let me remind you how incredible it was for Cyrus, the king of Persia, to grant the Jewish people permission to rebuild the walls around their capital city of Jerusalem. What conquering power, then or now, permits a conquered and occupied people to rebuild advanced defensive fortifications to protect their city from attack?

In terms of what we refer to as technology, a city’s defensive walls of that era might be likened to the United States allowing Germany or Japan to build antiaircraft batteries that could shoot down our B-29 super fortresses after the end of World War Two. It was simply unheard of. It was a miracle.

Let suggest that you spend time reflecting on a matter brought up in our consideration of the book of Ezra. At this time, I read a statement made by Sydney Page that is as applicable to the rebuilding of the city walls as it was to the rebuilding of the temple: 

... the situation on earth reflects the situation in heaven. Presumably, the antagonism of the prince of Persia in the extraterrestrial realm manifested itself in the human opposition Israel encountered as she sought to rebuild the walls and temple of Jerusalem. Later, Israel would find herself under the control of another foreign power, Greece, and the mention of the prince of Greece alludes to this.

That Daniel’s three-week fast coincides with the three-week struggle between the unnamed angel and the prince of Persia demonstrates a relationship between human intercession and what happens on a higher plane. Daniel’s prayers appear to influence angels who play a significant role in shaping the destinies of nations. In the immediate situation, the attempts to terminate the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its temple are not successful. Daniel’s prayers, in conjunction with the efforts of the unnamed angel and Michael, guarantee that God’s purposes for Israel will not be frustrated. The answer to Daniel’s prayers may be delayed because of opposition in the heavenly realm, but the supernatural adversaries of Israel do not have the last word.

The portrayal of the princes of the nations in Daniel reveals that the unfolding of human history is not determined solely by the decisions made by human beings, for there is an unseen dimension of reality that must also be taken into account. In particular, there are malevolent forces in the universe that exercise a baneful influence in the sociopolitical realm, especially where the people of God are concerned. Nevertheless, the power of these evil agencies is limited, for transcendent powers of goodness oppose them, and the faithful prayers of believers are also effective against them. However antagonistic the forces of evil may be towards the will of God, they cannot prevent it from being accomplished.[4] 

As before, we will survey the book of Nehemiah. Then I will make observations about specific verses that suggest Satanic and Demonic activity that is more fully seen in such prophetical books as Daniel and Zechariah, contemporaries of Nehemiah: 

First, THE BOOK RECORDS THE REBUILDING OF THE WALLS, Chapters 1-6 

The book begins with Nehemiah’s prayer, in chapter 1. Verses 1-3 record the report Nehemiah received from Jewish men just returned from Jerusalem, the capital and central place of worship for the Jewish people. The Jewish people were afflicted, the city walls were broken down, and the city gates were burned with fire. Nehemiah’s people were suffering, and the city was defenseless. Nehemiah wept, fasted, mourned, and prayed to the God of heaven, verse 4. In his prayer, he acknowledged God’s greatness despite the present situation, verse 5, confessed his people’s sins, verses 6-7, and sought God’s help, verses 8-11. Of interest to me was Nehemiah’s willingness to assume responsibility for the corporate sins of his people, rather than shifting responsibility away from himself, using the word “we” in verses 6 and 7.

Nehemiah’s prayer was answered in 2.1-8. Recognize Nehemiah’s danger in allowing the Persian king to see his sad countenance, verses 1-3. It was for that reason he prayed to the God of heaven, verse 4. Men lost their lives for not being cheerful in the presence of an oriental despot. Nehemiah offered up a flash prayer and then voiced an appeal to the king that by the grace of God was granted.

His preparation for the enormous task before him is found in 2.9-20. His arrival to Jerusalem is in 2.9-10. He then conducted a survey of the city walls at night to avoid tipping his hand and betraying his plans before he was ready to implement his efforts, 2.11-16. He challenged the people, with positive responses from the Jewish people and negative responses from the Horonite, the Ammonite, and the Arabian, 2.17-20.

Nehemiah’s delegation of the work of rebuilding the wall is recorded in chapter 3. Verses 1-5 record details about the workers on the north wall. Verses 6-12 record details about the workers on the west wall.

Verses 13-14 record details about the workers on the south wall. Verses 15-27 record details about the workers on the southeast wall. Verses 28-32 record details about the workers on the northeast wall.

Nehemiah chapter 4 records Nehemiah’s reactions to the opposition he faced. The opposition of a man named Sanballat is spelled out in verses 1-3. Nehemiah’s prayerful reaction and response to Sanballat are recorded in verses 4-6. An account of Sanballat’s conspiracy is found in verses 7-12. Nehemiah’s strategy against a new threat is recorded in verses 13-15. The completion of the walls while both working and standing guard is recounted in verses 16-23.

Of course, internal problems developed for Nehemiah to deal with, 5.1-13. The nature of the internal problems and Nehemiah’s initial response to them is found in verses 1-7a. Then, in 7b-11, Nehemiah confronted the problems head-on. And in verses 12-13, we are told of the people’s response to his leadership.

The history of Nehemiah’s service as the Persian governor of that region is found in 5.14-19. As governor, Nehemiah refused to use the privileges of that office, 5.14-15 and 17-18. With his innocence of any conflict of interest recorded in 5.16 and 19.

Of course, the opposition against Nehemiah became personal, 6.1-14. There was a scheme to assassinate him, verses 1-4. There was a scheme to slander him, verses 5-9. There was a third scheme involving treachery, verses 10-14.

But God blessed Nehemiah’s project with success, and he completed his task of rebuilding the walls in only 52 days, 6.15-19. 

Then, THE BOOK RECORDS THE RESTORATION OF THE PEOPLE, Chapters 7-13 

The security of the city was first accomplished by controlling access through the gates, 7.1-3.

Then a census of the returnees was conducted, 7.4-73a.

The ministry of Ezra is recounted in 7.73b-10.39. The Israelites’ obedience to the Law is spelled out in 7.73b-8.18. We read Nehemiah 8.4-8: 

4  And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

5  And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:

6  And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7  Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.

8  So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. 

It is clear from verse 4 that a pulpit is not a podium but a platform a speaker stands on to be seen and heard by his audience. It is clear from verse 5 that the people stood when the Word of God was opened and read to show respect. It is clear from verse 6 that the people, still standing, said “Amen, Amen,” to verbalize their agreement with Ezra’s blessing of God, physically displayed their attitudes by lifting up their hands, bowing their heads, and worshiping. Since the Hebrew Scriptures were not understood by the Aramaic-speaking Jewish people, those men who did know Hebrew read the Scriptures and explained to the people what was meant by what they had read. This is the beginning of expository preaching.

The people’s confession of sin is detailed in 9.1-37. Nehemiah 9.2-3: 

2  And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

3  And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God. 

It seems that the Word of God was read for upwards of three hours, twelve hours comprising a day, while the people stood. Then the people, continuing to stand, confessed their own sins and the sins of their parents and grandparents for another three hours while worshiping the LORD their God. Their promise to obey the Mosaic Law is recorded in 9.38-10.39.

The list of Judean residents is found in 11.1-12.26. Many people did not want to live in the city, so people were chosen by lots to move into the city, 11.1-24. Occupants in the villages of Judah and Benjamin are recorded in 11.25-36. Priests and Levites are listed in 12.1-26.

The wall is dedicated in 12.27-47. Preparation for the dedication is found in 12.27-30. Two great choir processions are described in 12.31-42a. The singing of the choirs and the offering of sacrifices is recounted, 12.42b-43. The worship routine established in David’s reign was restored as much as possible, with priests in place and systematic giving encouraged, 12.44-47.

The reforms under Nehemiah’s administration are rehearsed, chapter 13. The exclusion of foreigners, verses 1-3. Nehemiah’s encounter with Tobiah, verses 4-9. Nehemiah’s encounter with the officials in Judah, verses 10-14. Nehemiah’s encounter with those who profaned the Sabbath, verses 15-22. Nehemiah’s encounter with those violating their marriage commitments verses 23-31. 

Let me remind you that Nehemiah’s exclusion of foreigners was not xenophobia or racism. I mentioned in this regard during our consideration of the book of Ezra that Moses’ marriage to Zipporah, Salmon’s marriage to Rehab, and Boaz’ marriage to Ruth was not opposed by God.

The danger was marrying women who were committed to paganism, not marriage to Gentile women who worshipped the God of Israel. And the terrible examples of Solomon and his many idolatrous women and Ahab’s disastrous marriage to Jezebel seem to have been lost on so many Jewish men who returned from Babylonian captivity.

Were households demolished by breaking up such marriages? Yes. Were the lives of children ruined? Almost certainly, yes. But where was the wrong? Was the wrong in ending marriages not sanctioned under the Mosaic Law or entering into those marriages in the first place? Severe steps were called for and taken to preserve a national identity and defend against Satanic and Demonic encroachment.

Now the evidence in the book of Nehemiah of Satanic and Demonic influence, recognizing that in this small historical book, like with Ezra, more evidence will be found in contemporary sources from the books of Daniel, Zechariah, and other postexilic minor prophets: 

Nehemiah 1.6-7:

6  Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.

7  We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. 

1)   Do not imagine that Nehemiah’s inclusion of himself in this prayer of repentance and confession does not run the gamut of offenses against God, not excluding the failure to love and adore God and the sins of idolatry.

2)   The Jewish people flagrantly sinned against God for centuries, turning their backs on God, devoting themselves to idolatry, and by murdering their children by offering them as sacrifices. 

Nehemiah 6.1-6:

1  Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

2  That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

3  And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

4  Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

5  Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;

6  Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words. 

1)   Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian are each Gentile pagan idolaters, opposed to the people, plan, and purpose of God. This passage provides a look at the human side of the spiritual conflict, with three men useful to the forces of spiritual darkness in their opposition to the completion of the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls at whatever cost.

2)   Four times, they just wanted to talk, which would have succeeded in distracting Nehemiah from his important work. The fifth time they resorted to subterfuge, lying about Nehemiah planning a revolt.

3)   Why are they so determined to oppose Nehemiah? They did not know. But we know. And the demons that energized and directed these three men knew. Daniel 9.24-26: 

24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 

4)   The walls Nehemiah rebuilt were significant. Cyrus authorized the rebuilding of the walls. Daniel informs us that the walls play a role in Biblical prophecy. No wonder those three men opposed Nehemiah so fiercely. 

Nehemiah 9.18:

“Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations.” 

1)   This is lifted from the confessional prayer found in Nehemiah 9.1-37, under the spiritual guidance of Ezra. Of course, it is a reference to that time the children of Israel plunged into an idolatrous frenzy at the foot of Mount Sinai.

2)   Turn to Deuteronomy 9.7-21:     

7   Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.

8   Also in Horeb ye provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry with you to have destroyed you.

9   When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:

10  And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

11  And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.

12  And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.

13  Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

14  Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.

15  So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands.

16  And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the LORD your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the LORD had commanded you.

17  And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes.

18  And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

19  For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also.

20  And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.

21  And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount. 

3)   Here Moses recounts the people’s sin forty years earlier. He focused on God’s wrath and the people’s idolatry. But what was behind the golden calf but demons? 

Nehemiah 13.23:    

“In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab.” 

1)   Read on, and you will see that the influence of idolatry has overwhelmed the children in these mixed marriages and that Nehemiah brings up the sins of Solomon in this regard.

2)   Can a man withstand the spiritual onslaught of an unsaved and, therefore, Satan-dominated wife? Solomon was not able to. Ahab was not able to. Nehemiah and Ezra were persuaded the men they were dealing with were not able to. 

As I mentioned at the outset, there is not much in the book of Nehemiah about Satanic and Demonic activity, but there is enough to be warned.

 

Nehemiah’s Leadership 

Nehemiah exhibited many characteristics necessary for effective leadership. Donald K. Campbell lists 21 such factors (Nehemiah: Man in Charge, p. 23): 

__________

[1] Gene Getz is the prolific author of dozens of readable Christian books emphasizing practical Christian living.

[2] Charles R. Swindoll, Hand Me Another Brick: Principles of effective leadership: how to motivate yourself and others, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1978)

[3] John F. Walvoord & Roy B. Zuck, General Editors, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 1985), pages 673-674.

[4] Sydney H. T. Page, Powers Of Evil: A Biblical Study of Satan & Demons, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1995), page 64.

 

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