Rejecting What is False

The tomb of Tobiad and his family in modern day Jordan.

OT: Nehemiah 6
NT: Matthew 26:57-66

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Nehemiah 6:2-9 — Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written: “It is reported among the nations — and Geshem says it is true — that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together.” I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” [But I prayed,] “Now strengthen my hands.”

There's nothing like hearsay to drive a heart to fear. Nothing like a false rumor to cause the noblest of men to panic. Yet, when Tobiad, Geshem and Sanballat threatened to spread a false rumor about Nehemiah around the ancient world, the great governor of Judah responded in prayer and not fear. He was bold in rejecting what was false. And he let the Lord His God be his defender from false rumors and the tongues of his enemies.

How often we choose to fight fire with fire instead of fighting fire with prayer! How often we open our mouths and say something that destroys our reputations -- that crushes our witness -- instead of responding in confident faith! Nehemiah knew what was true. He knew that he had no ambitions to claim the throne of Judah. He knew that revolt was last on the minds of the elders of Israel. But he also knew that a rumor of those things might jeopardize the safety and security of his struggling nation. So what was his response: prayer. God stands above space and time and has the ability to work things out for His people. So all he needed to do -- and we need to do -- is trust Him. Rumors come and rumors go. I dare say that most are probably either false or blown out of proportion. Trust what you know to be true. And let the God of Truth work out the details.

Be God's.