The Sanballats and Tobiahs

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, ‘What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?’ Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, ‘What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!’ Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, ‘The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.’ Also our enemies said, ‘Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.’” Nehemiah 4:1-10

In the Bible, in ancient times, Sanballat was the name of one or more governors of Samaria and an official in the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Sanballat the Horonite was among Nehemiah’s opponents. His role in the Bible is not specified.

Tobiah was also an Ammonite official. Sanballat, together with Tobiah, learned with displeasure of Nehemiah’s arrival in Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. They opposed Nehemiah by all means to prevent him from restoring Jerusalem’s walls.

When the repairs to the wall were progressing and the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, in 52 days, Sanballat was greatly angered and humiliated along with his team: Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites. Sanballat accused Nehemiah of seeking to become king, but Nehemiah denied it, and Sanballat then tried to ruin Nehemiah’s reputation.

Who are the Sanballats and Tobiahs? These are people who feel displeasure, hatred, and dissatisfaction regarding the projects or destiny of God’s children. They mock you relentlessly and discourage you from pursuing your dreams and calling. Stay away from them. The Bible also shows us in Psalms 1:1-2 that you are blessed when you do not walk in the company of such people on your journey of destiny:

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord.”

And in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, the Apostle Paul warns his son in the faith, Timothy, saying:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

It is not me who says it, but the Bible. Do not think that you are more spiritual than God by staying in the company of such people; they will negatively influence you. Remain a servant, just obey, and stay away before the fire burns you! The Sanballats and Tobiahs are also the kind of people who conspire and form evil plans against you to destroy your projects and cause your downfall.

They are like people who study your life, your past, your project, your family, your home, with the intent of spreading false testimonies about you to ruin your reputation or image in the eyes of others, with the goal of blocking doors to your destiny or blessings. “He who destroys your image or tarnishes your reputation destroys your name and closes certain doors to your destiny.”

Indeed, the Sanballats and Tobiahs, their problem is that they don’t want to see you progress in your projects, business, studies, marriage, or anything you do in life. They will try at all costs to stop your destiny halfway so that they can rejoice over you. They wish nothing but harm to befall you, not your success.

The Sanballats and Tobiahs are people who misuse their power or authority to destroy what you want to accomplish. They are no different from witches and occultists. However, I love what the Bible says in Jeremiah 1:19:

They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

No matter what the Sanballats and Tobiahs (the enemies of your destiny) are plotting against you—be it a deadly accident, poison, false rumors, criticism, failure, or false testimonies to tarnish your reputation—they will do nothing. I love what Pastor Athom’s Mbuma and Mama Nadège say in their song: “BAKO SALA ELOKO TE” which means in French, “They will do nothing.”

I want to announce some good news to you who are reading this now: your enemies will do nothing; I see all their plots, arrows, attacks, mockeries, and criticisms falling in the supreme name of Jesus! And I see you gloriously entering your destiny and your season of enthronement and success! And you will respond to your enemies like this:

I answered them by saying, ‘The God of heaven will give us success. We, his servants, will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.'” (Nehemiah 2:20). Hallelujah!

This text is an excerpt from the book THE BATTLE OF DESTINY written by Joël Merveil Mokili.

We invite you to read the following article: “The Journey of David and His Preparation for Kingship.

DESTINY DESTROYER. DESTINY DESTROYER. DESTINY DESTROYER.

DESTINY DESTROYER. DESTINY DESTROYER.

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