Nehemiah 4 ネヘミヤ4章

Every morning (except Tuesdays) from around 7:40 to 8:00, before the preschool begins, the teachers gather around and have a time of devotions together. And every Thursday, I have the opportunity to share. To tell you the truth,, I have been undergoing a lot of stress and worries in my life. And Satan attacked me very heavily on Tuesday, as the Bible College semester began, and that night I had a class to teach. But on Thursday, when it was my turn to share, God spoke to me. So I want to take this time to share what God has shown me, and I pray that it will encourage you guys too.

毎朝（火曜日を除いて）大体7：40から8：00時、幼稚園が始まる前に、先生方と集まり一緒にデボーションをしています。それで毎週の木曜日は私が分かち合っています。本当のこと言うとこの頃色々とストレスとか心配事をしています。それで先週の火曜日（聖書大学初日）に悪魔は私に重い攻撃を仕掛けてきました。その中、木曜日に、分かち合うときに、神様が私の心に語ってくれました。そこで、この場を取って、神様が私に見せたことを分かち合います。これも、読む皆様にも励ましが与えられますように。

Nehemiah pleaded to King Artaxerxes to go and allow him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. And by God's grace and leading, King Artaxerxes allowed Nehemiah to go back. But as they were rebuilding the temple, the enemies saw what was happening and did not like it. So they start to discourage the people, telling them that what they were doing was useless and their effort was just a waste (verse 1-3). Instead of being discouraged by what they said, Nehemiah trusted and relied upon the Lord for strength (verse 4-5). Nehemiah and the people, did not let the enemies bring their hearts down, but continued to keep their focus upon God and the task that God has given to them, which was to rebuild the walls(v.6).

ネヘミヤはアルタシャスタ王にエルサレムの城壁を直すことを頼みました。神の恵みと導きによって、王様はネヘミヤにエルサレムに戻り、城壁を直す許可を与えました。しかし、ネヘミヤとユダヤ人が城壁を修理しているとき、彼らの敵はそれを見て、彼らには好ましくなかった。それで彼らはやる気をそぐことを彼らに言い、ユダヤ人がやっていることは時間の無駄であると失望に攻めていました（1～3節）。しかし、それらの発言に耳を貸し、失望せず、彼らは神の力に頼りました。（4～5節）。ネヘミヤやユダヤ人は敵が言うことに対し失望せず、ただ主に目を向け、主が彼らに与えた仕事を行い続けました。それは城壁の修復です。（6節）

However, because of the people kept their minds focused on God and the task that He gave to them, the enemies "became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion" (v.7-8). But, "nevertheless we(Nehemiah and the Israelites) made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night." (v.9). Even when the people knew what the enemies were going to do, to bring attack and confusion, they never let that discouraged them. Instead of being discouraged them, it made them to be more aware of what was going around them. They did not cease the work, but rather, made them rely on God even more. "with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon." (v.17)

しかし、彼らが働き続けていたことを見た敵たちは「非常に怒り、彼らはみな共にエルサレムに攻め入り、混乱を起こそうと陰謀を企てた。」（7～8節）「しかし、私達は、私達の神に祈り、彼らに備えて日夜見張りを置いた」（9節）。敵が何を仕掛けようかを知っていても、（攻め入り、混乱を起す）、失望しなかった。失望せず、もっと彼らの周りの状況を知った。働きを止めず、より神に頼った。「片手で仕事をし、片手に投げやりを堅く握っていた。」（17節）

But each person had a different task on which part to rebuild, so that they were separated. But even though they were far away from each other, they were to gather back when they heard the trumpet sounded, and God is going to fight for them. (v.19-20) They were working hard to rebuild the wall, and at the same time they were ready for battle. And not only that, they also did not take off their clothes, except when they washed it. (v.23)

しかし、みな、一人ひとり、城壁を修復する違う仕事が任されていた。そのため、彼らは互いから離れていた。みんな離れていたけれど、角笛が鳴るのを聞いたとき、その場所に集まり、神が彼らの為に戦ってくれた。（19～20説）彼らは城壁の修復をがんばっていた同時に戦いに備えていた。それだけではなく、服を洗うときだけ服を脱いだ。（23節）

There is a enemy who hates us, and that is Satan. When we go and do something great for the Lord, he hates it so much. He hates those who follow God, so he tries to discourage them. In order that you might not do that work for God.

敵は私達を嫌っている。その敵はサタンです。神の為に偉大なことをする事を嫌っています。また、神に従うもの、みな、嫌い、その人々を失望させようと励んでいます。神の働きをさせないため。

However, we can learn from the example of Nehemiah. When he and the others were discouraged by the people, they sought after God for strength. Strength that they may keep on doing the work of God. They did not just pray and seek God, but they believed that God was with them. Because of their faith, they were able to keep their mind to work, being able to keep their mind focused on God.

しかし、私達はネヘミヤの模範から学べます。彼と他のみなが敵によって失望に迫られたとき、彼らは神の力に頼りました。神の働きを続けるための力。ただ祈り、主を求めただけではなく、神が彼らと共にいることを信じていた。その信仰により、彼らは働く気があり、主に集中することが出来た。

When Satan sees that his discouragement didn't work, he will come and attack you, trying to confuse us. He comes and attack, not physically, but rather attacks our hearts. He gives us doubts and confusion of whether what we are doing for the Lord is what actually what God wants or something similar along that line. He hates us so much, that he wants us to get away from God by confusion and attacks. "I thought that God was going to protect me. Than why is Satan attacking me? I don't know anymore. I just want to give up." is the usual response that most of the time we have at first.

しかし、サタンが失望することが出来ないと知ったとき、彼は攻撃してきます。そして、混乱を与えようとします。彼は、肉体的ではなく、私達の心に攻撃してくるのです。この働きは本当に神が望んでいるのかというような混乱や疑いを投げてきます。私たちのことを憎み、神から離せようと攻撃や混乱を仕掛けてくるのです。「神は私を守ってくれると思ったのに。だったら何でサタンは私を攻撃しているの？もう何がなんだか分からない！もうあきらめたい！」大体そのようなことを最初に思ってしまいます。

But even in those difficult situations, Nehemiah never cease to trust in God. But rather because of the heavy attack that Satan was bringing to the people, he was able to come more closer to the Lord, relying upon the Lord more.

Not only that, but he knew that he was in the battle field. He knew that Satan will never give up on trying to stripe us away from God. So what did Nehemiah do? He became watchful, and set a watch against the enemy day and night. NOT just day time when they were working, but ALSO at night time when they were resting.

しかし、このような困難な状況の真っ最中でも、ネヘミヤは神を信用続けました。このサタンからの攻撃が彼らを神から遠ざけるより、もっと神に近づき、より主に頼った。

それだけではなく、彼は戦場にいると気づいていました。彼はサタンはあきらめずに攻撃してくると知っています。それでネヘミヤは何をしたというと、気を張り、日夜見張りを置きました。昼だけではなく、休んでいる夜にも見張りを置いたのです。

Spiritual warfare will never stop until Jesus' second coming. The devil won't cease to attack us just because we are resting. We still live in this world of sin, and even though we are cleansed by the Lamb of God, our feet will get dirty as we walk on this world. Spiritual warfare is just as real as wars that is going around the world. Even if we cannot see it with our eyes of what's happening, we can definitely feel it.

霊的戦いはイエスの再臨まで続きます。私達が休んでいるからといって、敵は攻撃を止めません。罪の世界にいる限り、汚れていきます。神の子羊によってきよめられていても。なぜならこの世を歩いているから、足にちりがつくからです。戦争のように、霊的戦いは実際にあるものです。目で何が起きているか見えないけれど、感じることは出来る。

So even when we are doing the works of the Lord, don't put your weapon or your armor down. When you do put it down, it's like being naked on the battle field when there is bullet fires everywhere, that is foolish.

だから、神の働きをしている中でも、その武器や武具を下ろしてはいけない。下ろすことは、戦場で裸になっているのと同じなのです。それは愚かなことです。

So my encouragement to you is that never put your weapon or your armor down. Satan will attack us, day and night. Keep your guard at all times, even when you are doing the works of the Lord. Be watchful, and never cease to pray. The key thing is to trust in the Lord for His strength to be perfected in your life, not your strength. God's strength never fails, but our strength will. Be encouraged by it.

そこで、私の励ましとは、武器や武具を下ろすなです。サタンは日夜、攻撃を仕掛けてきます。神様の働きをしていても、気を常に張り、祈り続けることが大切です。重要なことは神を信用し、彼の力が人生の中で完璧になることです、自身のちからではなく。神の力は決して耐えない、しかし、私達の力は尽きます。

Also the battle that you are going through, you are not alone. We are all working for the Kingdom of God, as the Israelites were working on different parts of the walls of Jerusalem. But when they heard the sound of the trumpet, they gather together. When you are in a fight, sound the trumpet, and we will be gathered. And our God will fight for us.

また、戦場ではあなたは一人ではありません。イスラエル人がエルサレムの城壁のあらゆる場所を修復して、離れていたように、私達みな、神の御国の為、働いているのです。角笛が鳴ったとき、彼らは集まりました。あなたが戦場の中にいるとき、角笛を吹いてください。そしたらみな集まります。そして、私達の神が、私達のために戦ってくれるのです。

Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

We are all brothers and sister in Christ.

ガラテヤ6：2　「互いの重荷を負い合い、そのようにしてキリストの律法を全うしなさい。」

私達はキリストの中の兄弟姉妹なのです。

Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

We are always there in times of trouble.

箴言17：17　「友はどんな時にも愛するものだ。兄弟は苦しみを分け合うために生まれる。」

辛い時でも私たちはいつもあなたといることを忘れないでください。

We fight together in this spiritual warfare, but ultimately God will will fight for us, because it is His battle.

この霊的戦いでは一緒に戦っているのです。でも最終的には神が私達のために戦ってくれるのです。なぜなら、これは彼の戦いなのですから。