The Word, Our Weapon in Hand

Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Nehemiah 4:17

That's going to slow down the construction. Today we would never do such a thing. Everything in the working world is about speed, productivity, and cutting costs. Think of the terrible production rates of workers with one hand holding a weapon. Think of the shrieks of dismay from the outraged at so many weapons in the workplace! It is interesting to note the political opposition to all three of the W's in this verse for today: work, weapons, and walls. We live in a strange time on the earth.

This verse is fascinating as we read about the accomplishment of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem while working in readiness to fight. Certainly not our vision of what Heaven would be like, but very much like what we face here on the Earth. As we work this day, we must have always ready to hand the word of the Lord, our one weapon in the fight against the Evil One and those temptations of the world. Once put down the Word, and a ravening horde of temptations claws at the door of the heart. Hold up that sword of the Word of God, and keep those things at bay.

And yet, all the time we work in Christ and keep the weapon of His Word in hand, the Spirit of God is in the heart of the believer, building and cleansing, polishing and pruning, always at work in us.

Praise the Lord,
Bucky