Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.

Nehemiah 6:15-19

15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
17 Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. 18 For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19 Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

Today’s title is “Whose Allies Are You?”

In world war 2, two great forces clashed with each other. One was the so-called Axis power comprised of nations such as Germany, Italy, and Japan. The other power was the so-called Allied Power comprised of such nations as the US, England, Russia, and China. All the nations that belonged to the Axis power had the same fate of defeat. On the other hand, all the nations that belonged to the Allied Power got the victory. Likewise, there are two different powers in the spiritual war. Everybody will have the same fate who they are allied with. The two powers are God’s power and Devil’s power. Whoever allied with God will have the victory with God. Whoever or whatever allied with the devil will eventually meet the fate of the devil who will be cast into the dungeon by God. So we have to carefully choose whom to be allied with. Nehemiah’s enemies have various allies including some nobles of Judah who were highly intimate to Nehemiah. They were intimately related to Tobiah by marriage who was the archenemy of Nehemiah. Those nobles of Judah who are allied with Tobiah were tipping out all the information they have got from Nehemiah. “Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.” On the other hand, they always spoke well of Tobiah to Nehemiah. With the help of those nobles of Judah who betrayed Nehemiah, Tobiah constantly intimidated Nehemiah. Nehemiah must have felt isolated and vulnerable. But Nehemiah had a great ally who never betrayed him nor forsaken him. too. Whom can that be? Of course, it was God. He completely provided for Nehemiah and protected him. God intimately shared His own wisdom and knowledge with Nehemiah. No wonder Nehemiah flatly and quickly defeated Tobiah and all those who are allied with him. Who are you allied with within the spiritual war of your life? Are you allied with God? It matters crucially that you are allied with our life as well as in spiritual and physical war. Allied with Him, there is the power you cannot defeat. Not allied with Him, you are at the mercy of the allied power of the devil.