Nehemiah 6:3
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
Nehemiah sent this answer when he was summoned to leave the rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall, calling it a great and important work that must not cease or be interrupted while he left his post to come down. The invitation came from enemies whose friendliness concealed a trap to hinder and stop the work and to harm him, and enlightened to their purpose he refused persistently with the same answer despite four repeated requests. A work appointed and entrusted by God is a great work that must not be abandoned, delayed, or compromised to answer calls that would draw workers away from duty. This means not leaving the sharing of Bible truth to enter controversy and debate with opponents, since answering every objection consumes time needed for the most important work and allows other branches to suffer while important parts are left undone. It also means not yielding to threats, ridicule, slander, and false reports, not abandoning fruitful work for souls to attend to disputes and meetings elsewhere, and for parents not neglecting the training of their children for other demands.
Nehemiah's Words and Setting
Nehemiah sent his reply to a summons to leave the rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall and its walls, calling the building a great and important work and asking why it should cease or be interrupted while he left his post to come down. The meeting would have stopped the work he was doing in order to go down to those calling him, and his steady refusal resisted an attempt to draw him away for discussion. The same refusal warns workers asked to leave their duties for a council and ministers at conferences not to leave their work to be drawn into distracting meetings, since such interruptions obstruct important work, and this experience is repeated.
The invitation came from enemies and adversaries who intended him harm and sought to distract, hinder, and stop the work. Their apparent friendliness concealed plots to confuse and discourage the builders, and the proposed conference and counsel or alliance was a trap to draw faithful workers into compromise with determined opponents of the work. That trap included a plot to kill or imprison him, alongside a false charge that he planned to become king and that his supporters were traitors. He recognized the conference as a trap, and, enlightened by the Holy Spirit to their purpose, he held to the same answer each time despite four repeated requests.
He held to the work because he clung to the Lord, kept His commandments, and the Lord was with him. His enemies pressed with bold threats, ridicule about the wall, and flattering promises of freedom and privilege if the builders would join them and stop building. He met reproach by praying for God to hear and turn it back, and by requiring the people not to argue with their enemies or answer them a word, lest words give them advantage, so the work would not cease. The account sets his devotion and self-sacrifice in contrast with the hatred, falsehood, and treachery of Sanballat and Tobiah, presenting both characters for readers to choose which to imitate.
Staying Focused on God's Work
A work appointed and entrusted by God is a great work, and it must not be abandoned, delayed, interrupted, or compromised to answer calls that would draw workers away from their duty and post. The refusal answers repeated invitations and proposals meant to distract, hinder, or draw faithful workers into compromise with determined opponents, holding steadily to duty rather than seeking worldly favor. It refuses to come down from the wall to meet threats, mockery, falsehood, and attempts to divert, teaching steadfastness while truth prevails over error and right over wrong. Bible workers especially must resist being occupied with answering opponents' objections when that keeps them from the most important work for the present time. Leaving the post of duty to defend oneself against slander may harm God's cause and hinder future usefulness, while faithful work itself can refute falsehoods.
Not coming down means not leaving the work of sharing the message and Bible truth to enter controversy, debate, or dispute with opponents. Workers are to continue presenting saving truth in Christ's manner rather than echoing opponents or responding with sharp attacks. Refusing the distraction lets people see the contrast between those who keep God's commandments and those who disregard them, and exposes what spirit angry opposers who challenge to debate are of. The work in Adelaide advanced on this principle despite a challenge to debate, expressing refusal to be drawn away from presenting Bible truth.
Answering every objection and challenge consumes time needed for the present, most important work. Those building Jerusalem's walls refused to leave their important work, keeping focused on what God had given rather than letting opposition occupy time and silence efforts needed for the present. Satan will stir up enough opponents to keep pens constantly employed while other branches of the work suffer, and his object is accomplished when he can keep workers answering objections and thus silence their voices and hinder them from the most important work for the present time. Abandoning the urgent sharing of Bible truth to answer every challenge can therefore leave other important parts of it undone.
The refusal also resists intimidation, threats, mockery, ridicule, falsehood, slander, misrepresentation, and false reports, including opposition over the Sabbath and demands for discussion, controversy, or a meeting. Time is too precious to spend defending character against hostile attacks or meeting opponents on their level, so God's servants are to continue with humble, unwavering faith and rely on God to vindicate truth. They refuse retaliation and do not let feelings divert them from warning the world, keeping the last message of mercy and present truth central with the coming of Christ in view rather than letting Satan divert the mind. Faithful continuance in duty, without interrupting an important duty to meet those seeking to hinder it, lets right prevail over wrong.
Ministers and workers engaged in fruitful work for souls turning to God and truth should not abandon it for councils, conferences, meetings, or church disputes. Such calls may repeat the enemies' attempt to draw Nehemiah away from rebuilding Jerusalem's wall for a discussion intended to do him harm, and the steady refusal warns that interruptions can obstruct important work. Leaving work among people turning to God and truth to become entangled in disputes fueled by one-sided reports, suspicions, prejudice, and jealousy can undermine influence and leave souls exposed to harmful influences. Matters that could have been addressed by following Christ's rule and giving counsel according to the Bible should not draw the minister away, since listening to accusations deepens distrust and division. When souls are interested in the truth, leaving to settle avoidable conflicts can let spiritual interest die and cause souls to be lost.
The urgent works not to leave include making known the Sabbath's history and claims, keeping central the last message of mercy and present truth with Christ's coming in view, and preparing a people to stand in the day of God. Attention must stay on making the Sabbath's history and claims known instead of spending time answering opponents' objections. Falsehoods, misrepresentations, and slander must not divert the mind from the last message of mercy and present truth. Those engaged in God's great work of preparing a people to stand in the day of God must not leave it for distractions.
For parents, and especially Christian mothers, caring for and training children is the great work not to neglect. They cannot be diverted by demands to attend meetings or do other missionary work when no faithful, understanding instructor can care for the children, nor by pressure to follow worldly fashions and amusements. Children need individual guidance, and their early years are a time for parents to watch, pray, and encourage every good inclination without interruption. Parents work with Christ and seek grace to develop sound, worthy, beautiful characters fitted for the kingdom of heaven and immortal glory, seeking their children's eternal good.