1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Well, hello Fay for listeners, Welcome to the 2 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: Bible Explained Podcast. I hope you all had a great 3 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: Fourth of July. I did nothing. It was quite nice. 4 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: In fact, I'm recording this episode at night when fireworks 5 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: are happening, so you guys might hear some fireworks because 6 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:29,159 Speaker 1: people are still excited about July fourth. So if you 7 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 1: hear a couple pops in the background, that's the fireworks 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,319 Speaker 1: going off near my house, which I love fireworks. They 9 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: do not bother me at all. I know some people 10 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: hate them. My dogs will band it. My old man 11 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: he is so deaf he can't hear anything, so fireworks 12 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 1: don't phase him at all. Cody, my other dog, doesn't 13 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: really like them, so he kind of just like stands 14 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: near me if they're going off. But he's a good boy. 15 00:00:55,000 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: He's a chicken in general. So, but speaking chickens, Namiyah 16 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: Chapter six is what we're going to talk about today, 17 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: and Niamiyah was not a chicken. In fact, he was 18 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: very very bold on many occasions, and so we are 19 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: going to get into how Niamiyah was unafraid even of 20 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: death threats against his life. He was not going to 21 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: potentially sin against God even though his life was on 22 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: the line. We're also going to talk about how Niamiyah 23 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,639 Speaker 1: discerned between real and false prophecies and real and false 24 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: messages from God. Right after this quick word from a sponsor, 25 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: let's turn to Niamiyah chapter six and read the entire thing. 26 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: As usual. I'll be reading from the World English Bible 27 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: or the web. Grab your cup of coffee, and let's 28 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: dive into Niamiah six together. Now, when it was reported 29 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: to sand Ballot, Tobiah, Jessham the Arabian, and to the 30 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: rest of our enemies that I had built the wall 31 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: and that there was no breach left in it, though 32 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: even to that time I had not set up the 33 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: doors in the gates. San Ballet and Jesham sent to 34 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: me saying, come, let's meet together in the villages in 35 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: the plain of Ono. But they intended to harm me. 36 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: I sent messengers to them saying, I am doing a 37 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: great work, so that I can't come down. Why should 38 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: the work cease while I leave it and come down 39 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: to you. They sent to me four times like this, 40 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: and I answered them the same way. Then san Ballet 41 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: sent his servant to me the same way. The fifth 42 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: time with an open letter in his hand, in which 43 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: was written it is reported among the nations, and Gashmu 44 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: says it that you and the Jews intend to rebel 45 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: because of that you are building the wall. You would 46 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: be their king. According to these words. You have also 47 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: appointed prophets to proclaim of you at Jerusalem, saying there 48 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: is a king in Judah. Now it will be reported 49 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, 50 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 1: and let's take counsel together. Then I sent to him, saying, 51 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: there are no such things done as you say, but 52 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: you imagine them out of your own heart. For they 53 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: all would have made us afraid, saying their hands will 54 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: be weakened from the work, that it not be done. 55 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: I went to the house of Shemeah, the son of Daalaiah, 56 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,239 Speaker 1: the son of mehet Abel, who was shut in in 57 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: his home, and he said, let us meet together in 58 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 1: God's house within the temple, and let's shut the doors 59 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: of the temple, for they will come to kill you. Yes, 60 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: in the night, they will come to kill you. I said, 61 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: should a man like me flee, who is there that 62 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: being such as I would go to the temple to 63 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: save his life. I will not go in I discerned, 64 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: and behold, God had not sent him, but he pronounced 65 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 1: this prophecy against me. Tobia and san Ballet had hired him. 66 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: He was hired so that I would be afraid do 67 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: so and sin, and that they might have material for 68 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: an evil report, that they might reproach me. Remember my God, 69 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: Tobia and san Ballot according to these their works, and 70 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 1: also the prophet is Noahdiah, and the rest of the 71 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: prophets that would have put me in fear. So the 72 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: wall was finished in the twenty fifth day of alul 73 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 1: in fifty two days. When all our enemies heard of it. 74 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: All the nations that were around us were afraid, and 75 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: they lost their confidence, for they perceived that this work 76 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: was done by our God. Moreover, in those days, the 77 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: noble of Judah sent many letters to Tobia, and Tobia's 78 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: letters came to them, for there were many in Judah 79 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: sworn to him because he was the son in law 80 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: of Shakania, the son of Aarra, and his son and 81 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: Jehoah Han had taken the daughter of Mashulam, the son 82 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: of Berekiah, as wife. Also, they spoke of his good 83 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: deeds before me and reported my words to him, Tobias 84 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: sent letters to put me in fear. In the previous 85 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: days and weeks, we've been talking about Nehemiah and how 86 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: he went to Jerusalem in order to oversee the walls 87 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: being built. And the reason this was necessary was because 88 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: the exiles had been back home for close to a 89 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: century at this point, and still Jerusalem was without any 90 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: security from the neighboring nations. And you can see how 91 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 1: much the neighboring nations hated Jerusalem. So it's important that 92 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 1: these walls get built for the security of everybody who 93 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: lived in Jerusalem. Not to mention it also would show 94 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: that Israel was becoming its own nation once again, especially 95 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 1: if they had a cap city with walls surrounding it 96 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: like Jerusalem. So the walls were very necessary, both politically 97 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: and for safety reasons. Niamiyah he had it on his 98 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: heart as an Israeli man to go to Jerusalem and 99 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: to build those walls. So he presented his case before 100 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: art Exerxes, the king of Persia, And because Niemiah was 101 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: the cup bearer to the king, he was probably at 102 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: least somewhat kind of close to him, though in a 103 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: work type relationship, and he was able to get permission 104 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: from art Exerxes to travel to Jerusalem with an army 105 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: of Persians and also with supplies to rebuild these walls. 106 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: And that's because God was overseeing this project and helping 107 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 1: Niamaiyah along the way. But as we've talked before, even 108 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: though Niamiyah was helped by God, this didn't mean that 109 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: things were just going to go easy, peasy, lemon squeeze 110 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 1: for him and for the Israelites. In fact, things are 111 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: kind of the opposite of easy. At this point. Everything 112 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 1: is very difficult. Cult a few chapters ago, this guy 113 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: san Balot was trying to muster up his army of 114 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: Samaritans to fight against Jerusalem, and thankfully Neamiah heard about 115 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 1: it and put guards in place and gave a weapon 116 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: to every single builder of the wall so that they 117 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 1: would be protected in case the Samaritans came against the 118 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: Israelites while they were rebuilding, so that was thwarted, thankfully. 119 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: And then in the last chapter Niamiah five, we talked 120 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: about how there are some internal problems taking place in 121 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,679 Speaker 1: Jerusalem also, which was causing the work to be stalled 122 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: on the walls. But now that these two things are 123 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: taken care of, Miamiyah continues to build the wall, and 124 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: he built it very very quickly. In fact, in our 125 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: passage for today, verse fifteen, it says the wall was 126 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,280 Speaker 1: finished in the twenty fifth day of a lull, in 127 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: fifty two days. That is crazy. That is so fast 128 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: for a wall to be built with primitive supplies that 129 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: these people were working with. But it was because God 130 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: was with the Israelites. And we're going to talk about 131 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 1: how they were able to build this wall so quickly 132 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 1: once we get to that verse. But the start out, 133 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: it says in verse one. Now, when it was reported 134 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: to san Ballot, to Baia and Jessham the Arabian, and 135 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: to the rest of our enemies, that I had built 136 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: the wall and that there was no breach left in it. 137 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: Though even to that time I had not set up 138 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: the doors to the gates. San Ballot and Jessham sent 139 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: to me saying, come, let's meet together in the villages 140 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: in the plane of o no, but they intended to 141 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: harm me. Oh no, you get it, the plane of 142 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: oh no, oh no. Yeah. But anyway, so what's happening 143 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: here is the work to the walls is almost complete. 144 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 1: Other than the fact that the gates have not been 145 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: set up yet, so the walls have been fully filled in. 146 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: There is no breach left in these walls. So san Ballot, Tobia, 147 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: and Jesh who likely are all governors of different regions. 148 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: San Ballat being the governor of Samaria, Tobia being the 149 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: governor of the Ammonites, and Jessham probably being the governor 150 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: of the Arabians. These three men were getting panicked because 151 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: they did not want these walls to be built, because 152 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: that meant they lose political power over Jerusalem. They lose 153 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 1: that land. They didn't want to lose that land. So 154 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: what they do is they decide they're going to try 155 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: to kill Neemiah so that the work stops. They were 156 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: sending it to Neamiah specifically, san Ballot and Jessham kept 157 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: sending to him saying, come on, let's meet together in 158 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,719 Speaker 1: the villages in the plane of oh No. But they 159 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: intended to harm me. So Niamiah saw through their plan, 160 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 1: and he probably didn't want to meet with them anyway. 161 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: So he's basically like, I'm too busy. I'm not gonna 162 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: come down and meet with you guys. There's no need 163 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: to do that. The work must continue. In verse four, 164 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 1: it says that four times this happens, and four times 165 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,839 Speaker 1: he answers them the same way. So finally the fifth time, 166 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 1: san Ballot decides to turn up the heat. So it 167 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: says he sends a servant to me the same way 168 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: the fifth time, but this time with an open letter 169 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: in his hand, in which was written. And so here 170 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: we go. Here's the lies. It is reported among the nations, 171 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: and Gashmu says it that you and the Jews intend 172 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 1: to rebel because of that you are building the wall. 173 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: You would be their king. According to these words. You 174 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: have also appointed prophets to proclaim of you at Jerusalem, 175 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 1: saying there is a king in Judah. Now be reported 176 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: to the king according to these words. Come now, therefore, 177 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,199 Speaker 1: and let's take counsel together. Now, this is something I've 178 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: talked about. I think I mentioned all of this back 179 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: in the Book of Ezra. But you'll notice a theme 180 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 1: in scripture. Whenever somebody is doing something good for God, 181 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 1: a lot of times those people tend to succeed right 182 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 1: because God is with them. God is blessing their project, 183 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: whatever it might be, and the people around them tend 184 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: to get very jealous because they want to succeed in 185 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: the same way. So you'll see this pattern of those 186 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: people spreading false reports, and the false report has the 187 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: same story over and over and over again, the story 188 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: being that this person is trying to rebel against the king, 189 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: or that this person is purposely disobeying the king in 190 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:23,199 Speaker 1: some way. That is always the same story. It happened 191 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: with Shadrack, Mishak, and Abennigo, it happened with Daniel, it 192 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: happened with Jesus, it happened with Paul, it happened with 193 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: Mordecai in the Book of Esther, happened to the Israelites 194 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: in the Book of Ezra, the one we just covered, 195 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 1: And now it is happening to Nehemiah right here, same story, 196 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: over and over and over again. And you can imagine 197 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 1: that if the king of Persia art Exerxes believed this 198 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: report about Niemiah, he would go and immediately kill Nehemiah. 199 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,199 Speaker 1: He would off him because first and foremost art e 200 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: Xerxes was not a very nice guy. He murdered his 201 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 1: two brothers to get to the position and he was in. 202 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: He was not going to let people potentially take power 203 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: away from him or usurp the throne from him or 204 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 1: even set themselves up as a king to rebel against him. 205 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: He wasn't going to allow that. And I'm sure that 206 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: san Ballet knew this and was hoping that the Persian 207 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: king would take action against Namayah to kill him. But 208 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: thankfully the king liked Niamiyah and probably trusted him, and 209 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: Niamaiyah did not cave to what san Ballet was doing. 210 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: He did not run away in fear. Instead, what he 211 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: did was call san Ballot out as a complete and 212 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: total liar, and he possibly talked to the king. He 213 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: might have sent letters to the king saying that this 214 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: san Balot guy is either lying or getting incorrect information. 215 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: That's what he says in verse eight. There are no 216 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,439 Speaker 1: such things being done as you say, but you imagine 217 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: them out of your own heart, for they all would 218 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: have made us afraid, saying the hands will be weakened 219 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: from the work, that it not be done, but now 220 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:02,559 Speaker 1: strengthen myad hands. So here's another prayer. We see Niamaiyah 221 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: praying a lot in the Book of Namiah. In fact, 222 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: he was a prayer and his prayer here is that 223 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: the people would continue to be strengthened in the work 224 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,199 Speaker 1: that they are doing, even if their hands are weakened, 225 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:18,079 Speaker 1: if they're discouraged, that God gives them strength to finish 226 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: the work of the walls and put those gates on 227 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: so that everybody is safe and secure inside of those walls. 228 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: And now you can really see why these walls were 229 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: so necessary and long overdue, because look at how much 230 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: the nations did not want Jerusalem to have these walls, 231 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: the amount of hatred they had for this little city. 232 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 1: They wanted those walls to not exist. They wanted the 233 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:48,679 Speaker 1: Israelites to not exist. It's been the same story throughout history. 234 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: People don't want the Israelites to have that land. But 235 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: this wasn't the only thing that san Balot was trying 236 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: to do in order to kill Niamiah. First, he wanted 237 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: to kill Niamaiyah just privately out in the fields, you know, 238 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: take Neamaiah away from the work and kill him right there. 239 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:06,839 Speaker 1: Then when that didn't work, he wanted to have the 240 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: king of Persia kill Neamiyah, so he spread a bunch 241 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: of lies about Niamiyah, how Niamiah is, you know, going 242 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: against the king, rebelling with all of Jerusalem and everything 243 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: like that. Then when that didn't work, here's the third thing. 244 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 1: That he tries in verse ten, I went to the 245 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: house of Sheameyah, the son of Delaiah, the son of 246 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: mehet Abel, who was shut in at his home, and 247 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: he said, let us meet together in God's house within 248 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,200 Speaker 1: the temple, and let's shut the doors of the temple, 249 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night, 250 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 1: they will come to kill you. You know. The first 251 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,080 Speaker 1: thing that you think when you read that, you're like, oh, boy, 252 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,680 Speaker 1: you know, this guy is really trying to warn Neamayah. 253 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:48,199 Speaker 1: He's trying to keep Neamayah safe. And you would think 254 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: that this man has the right intentions, right especially knowing 255 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 1: what Neamaiyah is dealing with right now. But Niamiyah has discernment. 256 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: He says in verse eleven, I said, should a man 257 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:04,719 Speaker 1: like me flee, who is there that being such as 258 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: I would go into the temple to save his life, 259 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: I will not go in. I discerned, and behold, God 260 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me. 261 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: Tobia and san Ballot had hired him. So this is 262 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 1: the third thing that san Ballot tries, and also Tobia 263 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: is in on this one as well. They hired this guy, 264 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: probably a priest because it says that he had access 265 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: to the inside of the temple. They hired this guy 266 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: to give a fake prophecy to Namiyah. The fake prophecy 267 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: being that Niamiah was going to be killed that very night, 268 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: and the only place of safety that Neemiah could go 269 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: in order to not be killed was inside the temple. 270 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: And you can imagine, you know, if somebody you really respected, 271 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: like a very holy person, came to you and was like, oh, man, Jen, 272 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: you know you're going to be killed tonight. There's people 273 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: out to get you. You know, I got this vision 274 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: from the Lord, and the only place that you will 275 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: be safe is inside the temple. If you got that 276 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 1: kind of prophecy, you'd be like, oh my gosh, I'm 277 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: going to be killed tonight. You know, this is a 278 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,359 Speaker 1: man of God. He got a vision, he got a prophecy, 279 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: he's speaking from God. He does the work of the temple. 280 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 1: And most people would probably have believed this person and 281 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: gone into the temple, but Niamiyah had discernment because it 282 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:33,239 Speaker 1: was illegal according to the laws of God for Niamiyah 283 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 1: to go into that temple. We've talked about that before, 284 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: and God is never going to send a prophecy to 285 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: somebody that tells them they need to sin, or that 286 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: goes against his laws. There's a story in second Chronicles 287 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: twenty six Now a king named Uziah. You might remember 288 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: this guy. Uziah was a good and godly king for 289 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: the most part. But here's what it says second Chronicles 290 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: twenty six six. But when he was strong, his heart 291 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: was lifted up so that he did corruptly, and he 292 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: trespassed against Yahweh his God. For he went into Yahwei's 293 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: temple to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azaria 294 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: the priest went in after him, and with him eighty 295 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men. They resisted Uziah 296 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: the king, and said to him, it isn't for you, Uziah, 297 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests the 298 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 1: sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense, go 299 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed. It will 300 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: not be for your honor from Yahweh God. Then Uziah 301 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: was angry. He had a censer in his hand to 302 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: burn the incense. And while he was angry with the priests, 303 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priest 304 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: in Yahwa's house beside the altar of incense. Azaria the 305 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: chief priest and all the priests looked at him and behold, 306 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: he was lepers in his forehead, and they thrust him 307 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: out quickly from there. Indeed, he himself also hurried to 308 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 1: go out because Yahweh had struck him. Uziah the king 309 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: was a leper to the day of his death, and 310 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:02,680 Speaker 1: he lived in a separate house being a leper, for 311 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: he was cut off from Yahway's house. Jotham, his son, 312 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: was over the king's house judging the people of the land. 313 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: So this king Uziah was a good and godly king, 314 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 1: and he had a lot of successes under his reign. 315 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 1: But then once he became too strong, he got complacent, 316 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 1: he started becoming arrogant, and he decided he was going 317 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 1: to be a priest. So he goes into the temple 318 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,199 Speaker 1: of God. He just walks right in with his little censer, 319 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: and he's about to burn incense to Yahweh, and the 320 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: priests all come in, eighty of them, it says, along 321 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 1: with the high priest, and they say, Uziah, get out 322 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: of here. You're a king. You are not allowed inside 323 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: of this temple. Only the priests are allowed inside, and 324 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: he gets super angry, and he's probably like, I'm the king, 325 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 1: I'm allowed to do whatever i want to do. And 326 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 1: right as he's getting angry, he becomes lepros because God 327 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 1: judged Uziah immediately right after Uziah became angry, which, by 328 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: the way, Uziah had a chance to listen to the priests, 329 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:02,480 Speaker 1: but he didn't listen, and that was when he became angry, 330 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 1: and God judged him for his sin. So it could 331 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: be going back to Niemiah six, that Tobiah and san 332 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 1: Balat understood the law of God well enough to know 333 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 1: that it was wrong for anybody who was not a 334 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 1: priest to go inside the temple. And Niemiah was not 335 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: a priest. He was not allowed inside. He knew it 336 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: was wrong for him, even if that was the only 337 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 1: place of safety that he could go, he was not 338 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 1: going to go inside of that temple, and so he didn't. 339 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: But not to mention this would have actually had very 340 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 1: bad political consequences for Namayah as well, because most likely 341 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: had he gone into the temple, like say, he listened 342 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 1: and gone into the temple, not only would he have 343 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: had the wrath of God on him, but he also 344 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: would have had the wrath of the Persian king as well. 345 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: You know, the temple was highly regarded, and if Neamiah's 346 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 1: like hiding out in the temple for a length of time, 347 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: that would have looked very suspicious to anybody who knew 348 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:02,440 Speaker 1: that he went in, and people absolutely would have known, 349 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: because that was probably Tobia and san Balt's plan was 350 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 1: to trick Niemiah to go inside of there and then 351 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: tell everybody, Oh, Namiyah is inside the temple. I wonder 352 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: what he's doing in there. He could be trying to 353 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: make himself the king with the help of the priests 354 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: or something like that. So it would have looked very, 355 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:25,720 Speaker 1: very bad for Namiah had he gone into that temple. 356 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: And thankfully he'd discerned and knew that God had not 357 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:35,880 Speaker 1: sent Shemeya, but that Shemeyah pronounced this prophecy against Namiah, 358 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: so it was a false prophecy, and Tobia and san 359 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 1: Ballot had hired him. He was hired so that I 360 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,360 Speaker 1: would be afraid do so and sin that they might 361 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 1: have material for an evil report that they might reproach me. 362 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:55,919 Speaker 1: And now again in verse fourteen Neamiah Praise, remember my God, 363 00:19:56,119 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: Tobiah and san Ballot, according to these their works, and 364 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: and also the prophetess Noah Diah and the rest of 365 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,959 Speaker 1: the prophets that would have put me in fear. And 366 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: that's the thing we need to be very, very careful 367 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 1: about anybody who claims to have a prophecy from God. 368 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 1: It says in the New Testament that we need to 369 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: test every single spirit to know whether it's from God 370 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: or whether it's from man. And you have to remember 371 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: that Satan does have an amount of power. He is 372 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: able to do some pretty miraculous looking things. I mean, 373 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: in the Book of Exodus, the demonic magicians were able 374 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: to do a lot of the same things that Moses 375 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 1: was able to do. At the very beginning. They turned 376 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 1: water into blood, they turned a stick into a snake. 377 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 1: They were able to do these things because they had 378 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:46,919 Speaker 1: the demonic power working with them. And then after a 379 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 1: while they weren't able to do anything anymore, because you know, 380 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 1: God's power is so much more amazing than anything demonic 381 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: ever could be. But Satan does have an amount of power, 382 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,199 Speaker 1: and he can fool, and he can trick, and he 383 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 1: can make things look very miraculous. So it actually says 384 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,800 Speaker 1: in the Old Testament, even if a prophecy comes true, 385 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: if that prophet starts to speak against Yahweh or starts 386 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 1: trying to lead people into sin by worshiping other idols, 387 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: that you are supposed to disregard that prophet entirely. And 388 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: actually I believe it says to stone him as well, 389 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:24,640 Speaker 1: because these types of prophets lead people astray. So nowadays 390 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:26,880 Speaker 1: prophets are on the rise. You can get a prophecy anywhere. 391 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 1: You can go on YouTube and get any number of 392 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:32,400 Speaker 1: people claiming to be prophets, claiming to have some sort 393 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: of prophecy. But if those prophecies, first and foremost, if 394 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:38,679 Speaker 1: they don't come true, that is the sign of a 395 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 1: false prophet. And even if they do have a prophecy 396 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 1: that comes true, that does not mean that that prophit 397 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: is necessarily of God. They could be working under a 398 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,880 Speaker 1: different power. So you have to be very careful with prophets. 399 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:56,200 Speaker 1: That being said, we shouldn't despise the prophets as long 400 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: as they're real. The problem is finding a real way, 401 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: and we don't see them very often these days unfortunately. 402 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 1: In fact, I don't know that I've ever seen a 403 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: real prophet in my days, but there could be. We 404 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: shouldn't despise them, but we definitely need to test all 405 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 1: of those prophecies before we just decide, Oh, this person 406 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 1: claims to have a revelation from God, well who cares. 407 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter what they claim. Anybody can claim to 408 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: have a prophecy from God. I could claim it and 409 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: just be speaking lies in His name, and in order 410 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 1: not to have the wrath of God come on me. 411 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 1: Right now, I am not going to do that, but 412 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 1: I could do that if I wanted to. So you 413 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,400 Speaker 1: have to be very very careful about prophets, and thankfully 414 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: nea Maiah was. So. It says the wall was finished 415 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 1: in the twenty fifth day of a lul in fifty 416 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: two days. When all our enemies heard of it. All 417 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: the nations that were around us were afraid, and they 418 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: lost their confidence, for they perceived that this work was 419 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: done by our God. So essentially, in about two and 420 00:22:57,280 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 1: a half months a little bit less than that, the 421 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: entire wall was complete. It was complete, and a lot 422 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 1: of people don't understand how this could be possible. In fact, 423 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:13,159 Speaker 1: the historian Josephus says that this figure is wrong, and 424 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 1: he I think says something like two years. I don't 425 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:18,920 Speaker 1: remember the exact number, but he says that the wall 426 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: couldn't have possibly been completed in fifty two days. But 427 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: that's actually untrue because excavations of the Wall of Jerusalem 428 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 1: that have taken place show that the work was done 429 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 1: extremely fast and very primitively. It was basically the quickest 430 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 1: wall you could build for security. Hence, why that one 431 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 1: insult that Tobia made a couple chapters ago makes so 432 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: much sense, because Tobio was saying that this wall was 433 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: so flimsy looking that if a fox jumped up on 434 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 1: it that it would crumble down into pieces. It was 435 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 1: an insult, but that was probably because Tobio was seeing 436 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 1: how fast the work was getting completed. But it turns 437 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: out that the wall was actually very sturdy and very 438 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: well made in spite of the fact that it was 439 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 1: done very very quickly. So scholars and historians actually do 440 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: believe that it only took fifty two days to build 441 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 1: that wall, especially considering the amount of people that helped 442 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: build this wall. That was a couple chapters ago we 443 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: talked about that basically everybody built what was in front 444 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 1: of them. So whatever was directly in front of their house, 445 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: they would build that and just do what they could do. Essentially, Now, 446 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: this doesn't mean that the walls were pretty. This doesn't 447 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: mean that the walls that all the rubble was cleared 448 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 1: around the walls. It just means that there were walls 449 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 1: in place that would protect that city that the people 450 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 1: could build up even further at that point. But the 451 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: walls were done, and everybody in the surrounding nations that 452 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: looked at this gave up. They gave up because they're like, 453 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 1: this is an act of God. It says they perceived 454 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: that this work was done by our God. Moreover, in 455 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 1: the those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters 456 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them, for there 457 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:09,919 Speaker 1: were many in Judah sworn to him because he was 458 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 1: the son in law of Shikania, the son of Aara, 459 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: and his son Jehoahan had taken the daughter of Mischulam, 460 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 1: the son of Berechiah, as wife. So now Nehemiah is 461 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 1: dealing with his last problem, even though the other nations 462 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:27,400 Speaker 1: have broadly given up. Now that the wall is complete 463 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: and they lost Tobia just will not go away again. 464 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: Tobia was an enemy of Nehemiah. He has been mentioned 465 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:40,119 Speaker 1: since I think the second chapter, just constantly causing trouble 466 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:44,119 Speaker 1: for the Israelites, causing trouble for Neemiah. But the people 467 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: in Jerusalem were actually attached to this guy because he 468 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 1: had connections, so they were loyal to him. It says 469 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 1: that his connections were the fact that he was the 470 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: son in law of Shakania, the son of Aara, and 471 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,360 Speaker 1: also his son Jehoahan had taken and the daughter of Masulam, 472 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 1: the son of Berakiah as wife, so Tobia was related 473 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:10,120 Speaker 1: by marriage to Shikania, the son of Aara. Now Aara 474 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: is mentioned in Ezra chapter two as being one of 475 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:16,399 Speaker 1: the original people that came back to the land. It 476 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:21,159 Speaker 1: says in Ezra to verse five that Aa Aarra's family 477 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 1: had seven hundred and seventy five people that came with him, 478 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 1: so Arra was a leader in his own right, possibly 479 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 1: one of the princes of Israel. And Aara's son, Shikhania, 480 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:39,160 Speaker 1: had a daughter who Tobia married, so he was related 481 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 1: by blood to somebody very powerful in Jerusalem. And also 482 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 1: Tobiah's son who was named Jehohan had taken the daughter 483 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: of Misulam, the son of Berakiah, as wife. Now, Maschulam 484 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 1: is actually mentioned twice in the book of Nehemiah. In 485 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: Niemiah three, he was one of the builders of the wall. 486 00:26:56,800 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 1: In verse four, it says Mischulam, the son Bearrakiah, the 487 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 1: son of Machezebel, made repairs, and then also jumping down 488 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: in this same chapter to verse thirty, it says after him, Mischulam, 489 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: the son of Bearrikiah, made repairs across from his room. 490 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:17,120 Speaker 1: So Michulam, it sounds like, was also a powerful man 491 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: in his own rights in Jerusalem, and one of his 492 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:23,680 Speaker 1: daughters married one of Tobia's sons. So all of these 493 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 1: people are unfortunately loyal to Tobia because of this. And 494 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: it says they spoke good of his deeds before me 495 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: and reported my words to him, and Tobia sent letters 496 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: to put me in fear. So all these people are like, no, Neamiyah, 497 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: you know he is actually a really good guy. He 498 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: did this, and he did this, and you know he 499 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: did all these great deeds, and you know you shouldn't 500 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 1: think so poorly of him. Man, I can tell you, guys, 501 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,919 Speaker 1: when somebody hurts you and other people speak well of 502 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: that person who is like out to get you or 503 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:58,200 Speaker 1: hurts you. That is like one of the most irritating 504 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 1: things ever because it's like, oh, yeah, they hurt you, well, 505 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 1: but they do really nice things to other people. Well, 506 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 1: who cares they hurt me? I'm sure you guys have 507 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,719 Speaker 1: experienced something like that too, And Neamiyah is dealing with 508 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: this as well. Oh yeah, Tobia just wanted to completely 509 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: destroy your reputation and possibly go along with san Ballet 510 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 1: to kill you. But he's really a nice guy, we promise. 511 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 1: And then of course they were also spying on what 512 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: Neamiah said and giving it to Tobia. So unfortunately, Tobia 513 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 1: just would not go away. He was a constant threat 514 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 1: and irritation to Namiah for the rest of his days. So, 515 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: faithful listeners, I hope you enjoyed Namiyah Chapter six. Before 516 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: I close out today's episode, please listen to this last 517 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 1: sponsored ad for today. So, the moral of Neamiah six 518 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: is that you can't trust people who claim to have 519 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: prophecies or messages from God. And sometimes you can trust them, 520 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: but you have to do your due diligence because anybody 521 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: can claim to have a prophecy or a message from God. 522 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: I will link in the description one of the episodes 523 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:13,160 Speaker 1: that I've done about how you can know if something 524 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: is a real prophecy or not. So take a listen 525 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 1: to that episode once you are done with this one 526 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: in just a few seconds. So, faithful listeners, I hope 527 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: you all have a fantastic rest of your Monday. I 528 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:26,720 Speaker 1: will see you guys tomorrow for an episode from James 529 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:29,840 Speaker 1: six am or whenever you choose to wake up and listen. 530 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 1: And until tomorrow, happy listening and God bless. I just 531 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 1: want to take a second to thank the team at 532 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 1: Life Audio for their partnership with me on the Bible 533 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:45,960 Speaker 1: Explain podcast. In fact, if you go to lifeudio dot 534 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 1: com you'll find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in 535 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 1: their network. They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, 536 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:53,320 Speaker 1: and more.