Are you familiar with the Old Testament book of Nehemiah? We recently heard a devotional based on that great story of courage and faith in God, and, in that, I saw a modern-day reflection for us.
Let me start by recapping some of the story of Nehemiah. The Babylonians had conquered Jerusalem about 140 years prior, destroyed its defensive wall and the temple, and taken many of the leaders away in exile to serve the Babylonian king.
Nehemiah was a descendant of those exiles and was also an important official in the service of the current king, Artaxerxes. Around 445 BC, he heard about the suffering of the Jews who had been allowed to return to Jerusalem, and he persuaded the king to let him go there and lead the people as they rebuilt.
Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, assessed the sorry state of the wall and the gates, and rallied the people to rebuild. They started to make progress but were ridiculed by the local leaders of the Samaritans, the Ammonites, and the Arabs – Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem – who also lived in the region and served the king. They said the Jews were too weak for that kind of work, that the walls they made would be flimsy, and that they weren’t even building with good materials. Nehemiah encouraged the people to trust in God and to keep working. Whole families were working together, building the wall right by their homes.
The Jews made more progress, which infuriated Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem. They threatened to have their armies attack the people and destroy their progress. But, Nehemiah told the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes” (Neh. 4:14 ESV). He told the people to work with their swords strapped to their sides, with one hand for their labor and the other for their weapon. He also designated a trumpeter, ready to run to any area under attack to sound the alarm so the rest of the people could rally there to help defend.
As the work progressed and was succeeding, those around them “were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God” (Neh. 6:16). They completed the work in 52 days, by the grace of God!
Those are just some of the highlights. I encourage you to go back and reread Nehemiah with your kids. It’s a great part of the history of God’s work through His people.
Now let me describe the modern-day reflection I saw. Our families are laboring to raise our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, free from the ungodly influences of the State and of the culture around us, as we educate them at home. The work can seem daunting, but we have neighbors committed to the same goal, laboring alongside us and encouraging us. And, we are pursuing what God has called us to do!
We also have our own Sanballats, Tobiahs, and Geshems to contend with. Local and state officials, “Ivy Tower” university experts, social media critics, even former homeschoolers turned naysayers, and the list goes on and on. They tell us we are too weak and that we don’t have the training or skills to educate our children on our own. They tell us our children will miss out on all the opportunities afforded to public school children. They tell us our children won’t be prepared to succeed in college or in challenging careers. And, they tell everyone else that it’s dangerous for the rest of society that our children will think differently and challenge the status quo.
Our enemies are enraged by our successes, too. They threaten to pass restrictive laws and regulations, and they seek to prejudice our culture against us. What can we do against such opposition? We can remember the words of Nehemiah: “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes” (Neh. 4:14).
While we work diligently to home disciple our children, we keep the Sword of the Spirit – the Word of God – in our hand. It keeps us rooted in His truth, His love, His promises, and His encouragement. It’s our sure defense against Satan and against all others who would come against our family.
And, we listen for the trumpet, the call from other homeschoolers who are under attack, and we run to their side. We pray; we call; we send emails; we show up at meetings; we don’t let them stand alone. Whether they are across town, across the state, across the country, or halfway around the world, we rally to them and cry out to Jesus to deliver them.
And, we rejoice in the successes home discipleship brings, seeking to glorify God as our enemies “perceive that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God” (Neh. 6:16 ESV).
Peace in Christ,
Rob & Jen Snyder
President, Homeschool New York
