With good art, good morals, and good walls, it all comes down to putting lines in the right place.
When Nehemiah described the challenge before them in rebuilding the city, the people responded as one man: “So they said, ‘Let us rise up and build.’ Then they set their hands to this good work” (Neh 2:18). But their detractors, now joined by “Geshem the Arab” (v 19), didn’t miss a beat. “They laughed at us and despised us, and said, ‘What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?’” Laughing like this is the moronic form of argumentum ad hominem, the fallacy of logic that merely attacks the person. And, like the people in Christ’s day (and perhaps in our own), they found insurrection a handy charge to try to dissuade them from restoring their God-given inheritance. Nehemiah’s response is direct and uncomplicated. “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem” (v 20). Understand what you’re up against, gentlemen—God Himself! And also the united determination of His people. As for you, stay where you are. You have no heritage (Heb, zikrôn), that is, nothing here with any association or memory of you. You also have no right (Heb, sedâqâ) or legal claim to any of this. And you have no memorial (Heb, hêleq) or real estate here. I’m reminded of the New Testament parallel, “What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” (2 Cor 6:14-16). This is the main theme of the book of Nehemiah. “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord….and I will receive you” (v 17). Sounds great to me!