Fools mock. (Ezra 1; 3-7; Nehemiah 2; 4-6; 8)

1:1-2

The Lord works through any person He chooses - whether a member of the church or not. In this case, the Persian king was inspired by the Lord to rebuild the temple. “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.”

Members of the church do not have an exclusive right to be inspired by the Spirit. We can look at examples of this over and over again in history. Consider the founding fathers of America or Christopher Columbus. God loves all of his children and will inspire/guide/lead those in and out of the church.

4:4

It happens often that, when you’re attempting to lift yourself to a higher level, there are those who want to tear you down. There are always plenty of people who question your ability, intelligence, willpower, skill. They sometimes have good intentions and want to protect you from disappointment and failure. Whatever their motivations, the result is the same - talking you out of what you’re attempting to accomplish.

This was certainly happening with those who didn’t want the temple rebuilt. “Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.” The footnote for weakened is to ‘discourage the people.’ There seems to never be a source of discouragement from others when attempting to elevate yourself.

When we are doing the work of the Lord, we must know that it never goes unopposed. There will always be forces that frustrate. We can’t let that opposition dissuade us from what we’re doing.

So, whether we are preparing for a mission or wanting to get sealed in the temple or get baptized, we should expect opposition. That opposition will usually come in the form of another person standing in the way. We must push through.

5:11

Those who were building the temple knew who they were and what they were doing. “And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.” It’s important that we also know who we are in this great work. We need to see our place in the kingdom. Whether we are teaching gospel doctrine or are a mission president, we are servants for the Lord and tools in His holy hands. Seeing ourselves as we are helps us to maintain the course.

6:21

“And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat.” We must separate ourselves from the world. We can’t blend in if we are God’s people.

We must have courage. This will be more and more so in coming years. We will be mocked and looked down upon. The world will not approve. We have to build up our spiritual courage to face the persecution that WILL come.

If we wait until the persecution begins to build our spiritual stamina, it’ll be too late. We’ve got to build our spiritual structure before the storm comes.

7:6

“This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.” It’s fortunate that the king “granted him all his request.” Why did he? Because “the hand of the Lord his God” was “upon him.” What does this mean?

I think it has two meanings:

1. God was caring for him and providing a path for success.

2. Ezra was submitting to God’s will and was allowing himself to be a tool in the Lord’s hand.

When we give up our will, his hand is truly upon us and can spiritually guide us in the right direction. He will go before us and prepare a way. He will protect us from sin and the pain that comes from straying off of the path.

7:10

“Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it.” How do we prepare our heart?

First, what does it take to seek knowledge? What gives us the desire? I think it ultimately is love. If we care about Heavenly Father and his work, we want to contribute. To be more able, we want to study. We want to attend church. We desire to hear promptings of the Spirit. We want to worship in the temple.

As we love our Heavenly Father, that love will affect our behavior. We will seek to do His will. We will desire to serve him and others.

It is about getting to a point that we feel love. If we are going through the motions to be obedient and to gain a heavenly reward, I don’t think that is preparing our heart. Our hearts are about FEELING. We must feel love and devotion and gratitude. If we don’t feel those authentic feelings, we must continue to do those things that will expand our knowledge and appreciation for the Savior. It is our brain that will help us know about Jesus, it is our heart that will help us KNOW HIM. We’ve all got to prepare our hearts.

7:23

“Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven.” Whatever we are asked to do, let us do it diligently. We must view our small efforts as essential to the gathering of Israel. Everything we do is to build this house of God. No calling is insignificant. We are all an essential part of the body of Christ. Every little effort we make is holy.

Nehemiah

2:4

Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the temple. He was making a request before the king. The king asked “for what dost thou make request?” In between that question and Nehemiah’s answer, Nehemiah “prayed to the God of heaven.”

It must have been just a moment. In that moment, Nehemiah asked God for help. I’m assuming he asked for guidance about what to say to the king. I think it’s a good example of attempting to have a prayer in our hearts. When we are in the important moments of our lives, we should fill the small gaps with:

• Thoughts of our Heavenly Father.

• Gratitude for our blessings.

• Pondering the effects of Christ’s atonement.

• God’s love for us.

• The beauty of God’s creation.

• Hearing promptings from the Holy Ghost.

This is especially true today. We have a ‘distraction device’ with us at all times. This device can easily fill our ‘in-between’ moments with noise and information. If we are waiting in line, scroll. If we sit down on the couch, click. If there is a pause in the conversation at the dinner table, search Google. Our devices often prevent those small spaces of time where we could receive illumination or promptings from the Spirit.

As we know, the Spirit whispers. If our minds are constantly noisy, we lose the ability to hear and respond to those promptings. This is something that I can definitely work on.

2:18

Nehemiah needed others’ help in rebuilding Jerusalem. To convince them: “Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.” We can strengthen others by invoking the Lord’s involvement in what we are doing.

I think we can do more of that. When we are beginning a service project, the Lord’s name should be mentioned. We should remind ourselves in whose service we are truly in. When we are giving to others, we should take a minute and give thanks to the Lord that we are in a position to do so. When we are on the Lord’s errand, his blessing should be stated. As we do this, all hands will be strengthened.

Often, we disconnect what we are doing from the Lord - even in church efforts or activities. We can do better.

4:2

Sanballat was an enemy of the Jews. He didn’t want the wall rebuilt. “And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?” Often, when we attempt to improve our condition, there are those who will attempt to keep us down.

I discussed this in Ezra. It is worth repeating. In many cases, when we attempt to extend ourselves spiritually or temporally, there are those who will mock or dissuade us. As we expect it, we are better able to move past it.

4:6

“So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” They had a mind to work in building the temple. Do we have this same ‘mind to work’ in building the kingdom?

I think it’s easier to build a wall than it is to build the kingdom through gathering Israel. With a wall, it’s easy to see progress. I can point to a section and know that it didn’t exist at the beginning of the day. It’s harder to measure the progress of gathering Israel. You can’t point to a section and know that it is directly from your efforts.

Building the kingdom is mostly invisible. It is measured in the hearts of people. You can’t put a ruler to it. To keep investing time in gathering Israel, it often requires faith in things you can’t actually see.

As a result, members don’t always have a ‘mind to work.’ We don’t see too many volunteers. Ministering isn’t always done. Temple sessions aren’t usually filled. Family history is often ignored. Callings sometimes aren’t magnified.

As our spiritual vision improves, we can recognize the progress we, and others, are making. As we do this, it’s easier to have a mind to work.

4:8-9, 11, 13, 14, 17

The Jews were attempting to rebuild. They had a mind to work and were working, living their lives productively in the work of the Lord. Satan was, as always, attempting to derail their work. In this case, it was “Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites” who were “very wroth.” That wrath translated into action. “And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.”

The Jews were aware of this. They saw it coming. “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.” They depended on God and were watchful. They knew their enemy and what they were attempting.

It’s easy to fight an enemy that you can easily see. It’s harder when you can’t. Their enemies attempted to blend in. “And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.” Sometimes, the enemy is hard to identify.

We may not view a harmless phone as the enemy. Our TV’s don’t appear very threatening. Yet, for many, these are the path the enemy uses to get inside of our homes. How do you fight an enemy you don’t recognize? We have to get better at recognizing the well-worn avenues the enemy uses to infiltrate our families.

We have to actively protect ourselves. “Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.” We have to watch and prepare ourselves spiritually.

We must recognize that we are in a battle. But, we need not fear. The Lord is on our side. If we are tied to Him, we cannot fail. “Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” He is in the battle with us. However, we still have to fight.

We can be aware and protective while we go about our lives. We can be engaged in our work and still be ready to fight. “They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.”

5:16

“Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.” Nehemiah was focused 100% on building the wall. Again, it was easy for him to focus on such a specific task.

Again, it’s easier to focus when there is a clear start and end. It’s harder to focus on the ever-expanding work of gathering Israel. But, just like a wall, we need to build one stone at a time. We can’t let ourselves get overwhelmed by the enormity of it. We just need to keep our head down and place one more piece:

• Attend church this week.

• Take one more name to the temple.

• Bear your testimony to a friend.

• Read another chapter of scripture.

• Partake in the sacrament.

• Contact your ministering family.

6:2-3

Sanballat and Geshem attempted to prevent Nehemiah from building the wall. “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. 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?” Nehemiah sensed that they meant to do him ‘mischief’ and refused their request.

I read this and think of the youth of the church. They may be attempting to build their testimony or keep commitments that they have made to God and themselves. They are working hard to live the law of chastity or word of wisdom.

There will likely be those around them who see them on a higher plane and want to pull them down to their level. Our youth have amazing resistance. They sense that others intend to do them mischief and refuse to come down.

Sanballat and Geshem tempted him five more times. This is how the tempter works. The adversary keeps at it. He is relentless in his efforts. He tries to wear us down. We must see it for what it is and refuse to come down.

6:9

The truth is, sometimes, the constant effort can weaken us. We do our best every day and the challenges still come. The naysayers in our lives do take their toll. It was true for them. “For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.”

When we don’t have strength, we can be strengthened. We may not be able to strengthen ourselves. That strength can come from an infinite source. If we don’t feel like we can stand, there is someone to lean on.

This strength isn’t symbolic. We can literally be given strength. The Light of Christ is what gives us the power to stand at all. It makes sense that, if the source of our strength is the Light of Christ, Christ can certainly increase our strength.

Sometimes, we just have to ask.

6:11

Shemaiah, on an errand from Tobiah and Sanballat, suggested that Nehemiah flee to the temple and shut the doors. Nehemiah’s response was “Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.”

Nehemiah received strength and courage simply from knowing who he was. He knew he was a son of God and was worthy of His protection. Often, when faced with the trials of life, if we remember who we are and WHOSE we are, we will have courage.

6:16

Enemies love to argue. They love to discourage. They love using their words to mock. However, it’s hard to argue with results. “And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.”

People can usually make compelling arguments on different sides of an issue. For example, I could argue that religion is mostly harmful. But, I would have a hard time making that argument while viewing the good the church does. It hard to ignore the money and hours that members of the church donate to help others. People are often convinced by the ‘fruits’ of our religion. They see the people being good. Our good example is how others perceive that we’re doing the work of God.

8:8

“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” In the footnote, it says that ‘gave the sense’ means that they ‘gave a commentary by the power of the Holy Ghost.’ I like to think that these blog posts are my commentary about the scriptures as given to me by the Holy Ghost.

The scriptures are sometimes hard to understand and harder to apply them to our lives. It requires the Spirit to give us a sense of what it’s talking about. Without the Spirit to illuminate our minds, the words don’t have an effect.

8:10

Nehemiah encouraged the people, “neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” I believe that joy comes from knowing who you are and that you’re on the right path and understanding the plan of salvation. If we truly understand what’s happening here in mortality, we should feel joyful. If we know that our bodies will be renewed and we can be perfected in Christ, we should feel joy - no matter what mortal trials we are given.

Perceiving the plan of salvation throughout our lives also gives us strength to overcome the horrible events that can bring sorrow. We are meant to pass through sorrow. Knowing that we will pass through to something greater should give us strength when we are in the midst of the sorrowful events.

Again, knowing the Lord and what he has done for us gives us joy and strength.