T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S v. 1. People gathered themselves to- gether. We have here a picture of one of the most interesting revivals in all history. We see a whole people gather ing together as one COMMENTS FROM man for one pur- MANY SOURCES pose— to hearken Keith It. Brooks to what God has to say. — Torrey. They spake unto Ezra. Blessed will that day be when the people spring to their feet jin the consciousness that somewhere there must be an authorita tive word, a healing message, syllables that will be strokes of anger upon all evil and yet bring music to broken hearts. The day will come when men will get tired of newspapers and period icals and sectarian churches and par tial institutions, and nostrums of every kind, and then will cry out for the Word of the living God-j-r-Parker.' Bring the book. Every true revival must begin with the Word and in believing submis sion to what the Lord has said.—Anno. Bible. r. 3. He read therein. Surely this was the first public Bible reading. When will the people be again as hungry for the Word of God as these Jews who stood in the open air from early dawn till the scorching noon?—Meyer. From morning Until midday. It was a long Bible reading, but the interest was sus tained. Before the saving truths of redemption can do their appointed work of transforming life and character, they must be intelligently communicated and attentively received.— Farr. Blessed, nowadays, above all the sons of men is the man who will preach very briefly. Who can bear to hear one of Paul’s Epistles read right through at one serv ice? There is no book like the Bible. It has everything in it, but this cannot be realized except by long, patient, . ex haustive reading. We need thorough Bible reading, systematic study.— Peo ple’s Bible. v. 4. Stood upon a pulpit. The Eng lish word for pulpit comes from the Latin "pulpitum” , meaning “ the stage of a theatre.”— Comp. Bible. Beside him stood. Their presence was of use, partly to show their cordial agreement with Ezra’s declaration of divine truth and partly to take their share with him in the important duty of publicly read ing and expounding the Scriptures.-—■ Brown. v. 6. Bowed their heads. Ezra and the people believed that what they read
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was the Word of God. Hence their reverence, praise and attitude of sub mission. How. little reverence for the Word of God our generation manifests. This is a fruit of the destructive criti cism which has put the Bible on the same level with common literature.— Gaebelein. v. 8. Wrote in the book and gave the sense. That kind of preaching most needed in the churches at any time is expository preaching. This is simply telling the people what the Bible means and applying its principles to the prob lems of daily life. Secular themes soon grow flat, stale and unprofitable. There is a perennial freshness about the Bible. Many a church which eloquent dis courses failed to fill has been crowded to hear some plain preacher explain the Bible.— Farr. v. 9. The people wept. A deep sense of their national sins, impressively brought to their remembrance by the reading of the law and its denuncia tions, affected the hearts of the people with penitential sorrow.— J. F. & B. v. 10. Send portions unto them. It is allowed, in token of joy, that they feast themselves, but it must be with charity to the poor. Christ directs those whn make feasts to let their poor neighbors benefit (Luke 14:13). God’s bounty should make us bountiful. Many will eat the fat and drink the sweet themselves, even to excess, who will never allow portions, nor scarcely crumbs, to the poor.—Henry. In de fiance of all the malice of the world, the liberal Christian will ever be rich, for God’s providence is his asset. God’s wisdom and power are his defense. God’s love and favor are his reward, and God’s word is his security.-—Barrow. How many there are on every side for whom nothing is prepared. Let us find out some sad and needy heart for whom there is no one else to think or care. Let us pray for some one who has no one to pray for him. Let us not be afraid to know something of the love that is un requited and is thrown away on the unworthy.— Simpson; Neither be ye, sorry. There is nothing which weak ens us so much as does unrestrained remorse. Contriteness of heart 4» wholesome and helpful, but excessive grief incapacitates us for our duties. It is well, therefore, to cultivate holy joy, the joy of sin forgiven, of acceptance with God, of hope that anchors us to the unseen and that cannot be ashamed.
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