CALL TO THE PLAINS OF ONO. NEH. VI.
By J. Clarke
NEHEMIAH was using his best energies, with all the skill, ability and capital he could command, to rebuild the prostrate walls of Jerusalem, and for this purpose he had by his influence and wealth, gathered around him many of the Jews, who had been carried captive into Babylon, and they, led on by him, were steadily and laboriously progressing with the work, in spite of the efforts of the enemy, who were determined to first hinder, and then put an entire stop to the work. The heathen around about them, had tried to terrify Nehemiah and his countrymen, and failing in this, now they would try artifice; and so the invitation was sent to Nehemiah to meet them in some of the plains of Ono. Perhaps they meant to assassinate him then, or they would perhaps by thus getting him to consult with them, gain an advantage by his virtually acknowledging their right to call a conference; or some other artful design. But Nehemiah saw through their design; well he knew that he was clothed with authority from Artaxerxes, and what cared he for the howlings of such wolves as Sanballat, and Geshem, and Tobiah, and Gashmu? They might threaten or coax, it was all alike to his manly heart. He had a great work to do, he could not come down to attend to their wolfish or foxy councils. No: not he. Little did Sanballat dream of the spirit that gave life to the heart of the governor, Nehemiah. So now we are employed in rebuilding the prostrate walls of spiritual Jerusalem. One stone after another is laid. The builders are in motion, and in spite of the enemy the walls are steadily rising. Much rubbish is to be removed, much hard labor to be performed, but the wall must rise, for the Scripture says it, but the enemy says, no. Sanballat and Geshem, and Gashmu, and Tobiah, are intriguing and threatening, and in every way endeavoring to hinder and stop the work; but the builders have the sword in one hand, and the implements of labor in the other. Nothing daunted they labor night and day upon the wall, and will until the last stone is laid. No laborer thinks of stopping to notice the Geshems or the Tobiahs of the 19th century. No, they know too well that their Artaxerxes has clothed them with authority, and why should they do anything but smile at the howlings of the gaunt wolf that screams defiance? The Nehemiahs do not fear them.