Nehemiah-The Bullies Tried to Smear My Name

By Mary Vee
Nehemiah 6

From Nehemiah's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Nehemiah. I had been a servant in Babylon for a long time. I was cupbearer to the king. 

The king of Babylon sent me to oversee the completion of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It's been twelve years since I arrived, and we are nearing completion. 

My job has been to encourage the men in their work rebuilding the walls, oversee plans, and work alongside those who needed help. I could tell my presence brought strength to the men. I didn't give up. So they saw they shouldn't give up.

I've told you in past stories about a couple of men who are making our lives absolutely miserable. Sanballat, Tobiah, and their army of fiends have tormented the Jews working on the wall with horrible insults. Since we've shown our solitary, the bullies have taken to picking on me. Sanballat sent me five messages trying to get me to leave the work to meet with him...in a valley...many miles away. 

Really? Why would I do something so foolish?

On one of my walks, I went to the house of Shemaiah. The poor man was a shut in, which meant he was unable to walk or was too ill to leave his home. I wanted to encourage him. Spend a little time talking to help him feel better.

Shemiah lay in his bed and asked me to sit by him. He said, "We should meet in the house of God, inside the temple. While there, we'll close the doors tight." He looked toward the window. I did too, but didn't see anyone. "There are men who are coming to kill you. They plan to come by night to kill you. Please. Meet me in the temple. I'll help you hide."

His face had sincerity, but I knew better. This was a trick. A way to pull me away from the job God had given me to oversee the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. And how long did he expect me to hide out there? Long enough for the men to lose courage to fight the bullies? Long enough for the walls to stop being built? I think not. "Tell me, Shemiah, should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his life? No. I won't do it. I won't go. 

Even as I spoke, I knew in my heart God had not sent Shemiah to give me this message. He prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by hiding from the very duty God gave me. And when I hid, Sanballat and Tobiah would give me a bad name to discredit me in front of all the Jews who were working. Then they wouldn't listen to my instructions and encouragement. No. I refused. 

I would continue my work to complete the walls of Jerusalem as God has asked me to do and no bully will stop me.


Come back next time to see what happens.
*********************************************************************************************
sources: New International Version, New King James Version 

Hezekiah- Bullies Like to Lie

By Mary Vee
II Kings 18 and II Chronicles 32

From the Journals of Hezekiah

Photo Courtesy

As king of Judah and a man who loves to serve God, hearing men say mean things about God really hurt my heart.

I didn't like listening to Sennacherib's official shouting lies to the people of Jerusalem. They said them so loud, all my soldiers and citizens standing on the wall heard them. 

I looked at the people's faces and saw their strength drain from them. They were listening to the bullies. 

After my official Eliakim, Shebna and my field commander, Joah asked the Assyrians to speak in the Aramaic language, the bullies refused and shouted  louder in Hebrew, the language our people understood.

The Assyrians said, "Do you think we only want Hezekiah and you to hear our message? No we want the soldiers and the citizens to hear. They need to know we will conquer and force them to have nothing to eat."

The commander stepped away from the officials and set his hands by his mouth to help his voice go farther. "Hear the word of the great king of Assyria. People of Jerusalem, do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He can't save you from us. Don't let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord. We will conquer Jerusalem. 

"Don't listen to Hezekiah. Make peace with us and come join us. Every person who surrenders will have plenty to eat and drink. You will be taken to a land like Jerusalem. A land of bread and vineyards, olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death."


I wanted to cover my ears. I have served God as king of Judah and tried to teach the people to always worship Him. I wish I could make the bullies stop shouting. I wish the people of Jerusalem couldn't hear them. But the bullies didn't stop.

The official shouted again. "Don't listen to Hezekiah. He is misleading you when he says the Lord will deliver you. Has the god of any nation ever delivered them from our hands? Where are their gods now? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"


I can't even write any more of the horrible things the officials said. They called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem standing at the wall just to scare them in order to capture our city. They even insulted our God by saying the God of Jerusalem was the work of men's hands. I couldn't stop my tears. The Almighty God, our creator, should not have to hear such words.

But, thanks be to God, the people of Jerusalem kept silent and said nothing back to the bullies. I had commanded them not to answer anything the bullies said. 

When the officers came back inside the city and told me the rest of the mean things the bullies said about us and God, we fell to our knees and tore our clothes. We put on sackcloth and went to the temple of the Lord and cried out to Him.

Come back next time to see what happened.

************************************************
1.  Who were the bullies?
2.  The bullies said mean things about Jerusalem, king Hezekiah, and God.  What did the people do?
3.  Did any of the people from Jerusalem rush out accept the gifts from the bullies?
4. When the officials came back in the city and told king Hezekiah the rest of the message, what did they all do?