THE KING’S BUSINESS
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and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another, (:) In what places there fore (places so ever) ‘ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: ( ;) our God shall fight for us." The work was great and laborers were separated one from another and yet Nehemiah had no fear as to the issue, for he could say, “our God shall fight for us.” The believer can always say that, and so victory for the believer is always fissured, if he is right with God. When the workers far sepa rated from one another should “hear the sound of the trumpet” they were not to run to cover but to run to the place of the battle, and none were to claim exemp tion. So it should always be in the Chris tian battle, where the trumpet sounds, where the battle is fiercest, thither the true child of God should resort. We have a greater leader than Nehemiah and when He sounds the trumpet we should flock to him. v. 21. “So. we laboured (wrought) in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared” There were no eight hour laws in operation among those building the walls of God in Nehemiah’s day, and there should be no eight hour laws in operation among Christian workers today. We should be ready to fight and we should be at the work from early dawn until the night comes when no man can work (John 9:4).
wrought. We need today fighting Chris tians, and we need working Christians. We need warriors and we need builders. ' It is to_be noted that the rulers backed up the workers. Too often the rulers are on the backs of the people instead of at the backs of the people. vs. 17, 18. “They which (that) builded on (omit, on) the walU (omit ,) and they that bear burdens, with those that laded, everyone (laded themselves, everyone) with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand (omit, hand) held a (his) weapon. (;) For (and) the builders, everyone had the sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me." They worked with one hand and held the weapon with the other. That is what the Christian often has to do : we must fight while we work, and work while we fight. The sword that we have in our hand should be “the Sword of the Spirit,” “the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17) but that sword is also a working tool (2 Tim. 3 :16, 17). Nehemiah watched and controlled all, and the man to sound the trumpet was right by his side. He was ready at every moment for the battle, and so ought every Christian to be. vs. 19, 20. “And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, (omit ,) and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large,
—-------- O------------ Ezra and Nehemiah Teach the Law DECEMBER 9, 1917. LESSON X. Neh. 8:l-4a, S, 6, 8-12. (Read 1-18, Memorize vs. 2, 3)., G olden T ex t : “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”—Ps. 119:113. DAILY BIBLE READINGS , Mon., December 3—Neh. 8:1-12. (The Lesson).
Tues., December 4—Neh. 9 :1-1S. Wed., December 5—Neh. 9 :16-25. Thurs., December 6—Neh. 9:26-38. Fri., December 7-—Psalm 19:7-14. Sat., December 8—Psalm 119:1-16. Sun., December 9—Psalm 119:97-112.
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