Posted: 05 August 2023

From a sermon given on 06 August 2023:

But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 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?
(Nehemiah 4:1-2)

Provocation is the act or something deliberately put forth to incite, stir the emotions of the recipients calculated to elicit a reaction. When it is negative, it incites the recipients to react and respond negatively. The likes of Sanballat and Tobiah were not happy with what Nehemiah and the Jews were doing. They intentionally provoked them so that they could react and slow down the building of the wall.

Sanballat and Tobiah did not only ridicule them but their words were also calculated to discourage them. They alleged that the construction was so inferior that even small weights (foxes and jackals) would collapse it. However, Nehemiah prayed about it (Nehemiah 4:4,5) and continued working. They completed the project within fifty two days.

Our adversaries will always rejoice whenever they successfully facilitate a provocation that eventually throws us off balance. May God give us the ability to overcome all negative provocations sent purposely to derail us from our God given purpose in Jesus name.

Further Readings:

Numbers 12: (The entire chapter)

1Samuel 25: (The entire chapter)

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
(Job 2: 9-10)