• Read Nehemiah 6.1-19

The walls are now up and the defense works are almost complete… so the enemy must move quickly if they are to stop the construction. Nehemiah is invited to meet with their enemies in the Plain of Ono. This is about midway between Jerusalem and Samaria, a little more than a day's journey for Nehemiah, in a hostile area in the northwest limits of Jewish territory.

1. A Treacherous Invitation — Nehemiah 6.1-4
   1. How did Nehemiah respond, and what does that tell us about him?
2. A Public Accusation — Nehemiah 6.5-9
   1. How did Nehemiah respond to this tactic?
   2. What lessons might we learn from him for when we have to deal with criticism and accusations?
3. An Influential Temptation — Nehemiah 6.10-14
   Shemaiah was an unknown prophet who was “ill” enough to stay at home, but not too ill to go to the temple where only priests were to enter.
   1. Note Nehemiah's mixture of pride (11a) and humility (11b).
4. A Joyous Completion — Nehemiah 6.15-19
   1. What does it take for an enemy to recognize that something has “been accomplished with the help of our God”?
   2. What am I or are we doing today, that, except for the help of our God, will fail?