394
August 1929
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
1. Absence of Levites from the Com pany. Vs. 15-20. The River Ahava was, according to the evidence obtainable, just north of Baby lon. Here Ezra gathered his comrades to begin the journey. Since Ezra was laying the emphasis on the religious phase of life, he searched the company to find how many of the Levites and priests were present, and found none. He immediately sent to Casiphia and requested of Iddo, the chief man of that colony, to send him ministers for the house of God. In com pliance with this request certain priests, Levites and Nethinim were sent. 2. The Fast. Vs. 21-23. While at the River Ahava, Ezra pro claimed a fast "that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance." God re- sisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble. Likewise He dwells in the high and holy place but also with him that is of a contrite spirit and humble heart (Isa. 57:15). Ezra realized that the successful termi nation of the journey depended u p o n God’s overruling providence. Such was the faith of Abraham’s trusted servant who was sent to get a wife for Isaac (Gen. 24). Paul urged the brethren at different places to pray that God would prosper his journeys in order that he might carry on the work of God. Prior to this time Ezra had told the king what a wonderful God his God was and how He worked in behalf of His faithful children. The journey before them was beset with dangers and difficul ties. Prudence, humanly speaking, would have dictated the policy of taking every precaution for safety. Ezra, however, concluded that should he ask for a com pany of soldiers to protect him on the way, his request would cause the king to doubt his faith in God and His power to help. Therefore rather than give any occasion to doubt, he refused to ask hu man aid. It was perfectly proper for Nehemiah, who was in a little different position, to have an army to accompany him (Neh. 2:9). A certain thing may be proper under peculiar circumstances, but under other conditions it might be dis honoring to God. 'Prayer and fasting go hand in hand. At such seasons one is not busy with the daily routine of the preparation of meals and can concentrate his mind and soul with undivided attention upon the wor ship of God. There is also a very close connection in a spiritual way between fasting and prayer. III. Gifts for the Temple. 8:24-30. Ezra delivered all of the vessels given to God, and offerings for the house of the Lord, into the hands of twelve of the chief of the priests at the beginning of the journey, charging them with the grave responsibility which they were accepting, and commanding them to deliver the gifts to the proper authorities at Jerusalem. Ezra provided things honest in the sight of both God and man. IV. Arrival at Jerusalem, and Thanks giving. 8 :31-36. 1. Arrival. Vs. 31-34. Being prospered on the journey by the Lord, they arrived safely at Jerusalem. On the fourth day after their arrival
they delivered the gifts to the proper authorities. 2. Thanksgiving. Vs. 35, 36. They immediately entered into a praise and thanksgiving service to God for His mercies. September 8, 1929 Nehemiah Rebuilding th e Wall of Jerusalem Neh. 2:1-7:4. Golden Text: “So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together un to half the height thereof: for the people had a mind to work" (Neh. 4:6). L e sso n in O u t l in e Introduction : Historical Setting. I. Nehemiah the Executive. 2:1-4:23. 1. Commission from King to Return to Jerusalem. 2:1-8. 2. Preliminary Survey. 2:9-20. 3. Organized Concerted Efficiency. 3 : 1-32. 4. Opposition of Enemies. 4:1-15. 5. Wise Precautions. 4:16-23. II. Nehemiah the Reformer. 5 :1-19. 1. Abolition of Usury Accomplished. 5:1-13. 2. Unselfishness of Nehemiah. 5:14-19. III. Organized Opposition of the Ene mies. 6:l-7:4. 1. Invitation to a Parley. Vs. 1-9. 2. Shemaiah’s Deceitful Plot. Vs. 10- 14. 3. Tobiah’s Plots. Vs. 15-19. 4. Nehemiah’s Precautions. 7 :l-4.'
FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTL INE
TEAM WORK
. § M otive Neh. 2:17.
/\OM M O N
Neh. 4:6.
1 ONSENTOF V co n secra -
1 fliND
| e a n s Neh. 5 :12-18.
TION OF
ter he had fasted, he prayed to God. In his prayer he confessed the sins of the nation against God and implored divine favor. The conclusion of this prayer was that God would grant him special mercy and favor in the eyes of the king. I. Nehemiah the Executive. 2:1-4:23. 1. Commission from King to Return to Jerusalem. 2:1-8. In the month Nisan, the first month, of the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, Nehe miah appeared before the king in his of ficial capacity as cupbearer. In 1:1 the statement was made that Nehemiah re ceived word from Jerusalem in the month Chislev, the ninth month, of the twentieth year of Axtaxerxes. In 2:1 it is said that he appeared before the king, which appearance was after his hearing about the desolation of Jerusalem and his pray ing, in the month Nisan, the first month, in the twentieth year of this king. This seeming discrepancy is very intelligible in the light of the Persian method of reck oning time, which was to count the years from the date of accession of the king. For instance, if Artaxerxes was crowned in the seventh month of the cal endar year, his first political year would date from his coronation to the seventh month of the following year. Therefore, the political year did not necessarily cor respond with the calendar year. Hence, the last five months of the year of his accession—eighth to twelfth month of the calendar year when he ascended the throne—would naturally precede the re maining months of his first political year, which would fall in the following calen dar year. The king noticed that sadness of heart was reflected in Nehemiah’s countenance ; hence the king asked the cause. Reply ing, Nehemiah stated the sad news which he had heard concerning the city of his nativity. The king’s heart evidently was touched by the sad story and the sincerity of his faithful official. In true sympathy he asked Nehemiah what he could do for him. At this point Nehemiah prayed to God; then made his request, which was that he be permitted to return to Jerusa lem for the purpose of helping the situa tion there. This permission was granted. Moreover, letters were given him by the king to the Persian officials west of the Euphrates River asking that they assist Nehemiah in every way possible. 2. Preliminary Survey. 2 :9-20. The king granted an army to escort Nehemiah on his long perilous journey. There was no violation of principle or lack of faith on Nehemiah’s part in ac cepting the proffered offer. There would, however, have been a mistake made by Ezra had he requested troops, as was learned last Lord’s Day. Upon receipt of the news' of Nehe miah’s arrival, Sanballat and Tobiah and others were grieved; but Nehemiah paid
— o — Introduction : Historical Setting.
TN the preceding lessons of this period the position has been set forth that the Artaxerxes of the book of Ezra is the Artaxerxes of the book of Nehemiah, the
Ahasuerus of Es ther, and that his torically he is known as Darius Hystas- pes. In the opinion of the writer , of these notes, all of the evidence favors this position. The
twentieth year was thirteen years after the coming of Ezra and his reforms, which occurred in the seventh year of this same king. Nehemiah was holding a very high po sition of honor at the Persian court in Shushan as cupbearer to the king in the twentieth year of the reign of that mon arch. In the month Chislev, the ninth month, Hanani returned to Shushan from Jerusalem and reported the miserable conditions which existed in Palestine, the fact that there was great affliction and reproach resting upon the people, and that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates of the same were burned. Nehemiah, being a genuine son of Abra ham and a lover of his people and the holy city, was moved by the receipt of such news. He immediately sat down and wept and mourned certain days. Af-
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