Christian Nation Vol. 18 1893 - Rparchives.org

4. CHRISTIAN NATION.can we reasonably account for the state ofSabbath School Lesson,severity revealed in the 5 th chapter, and theabsence of Ezra, or the failure to mention hisLESSON IX., SABBATH. FEBEUARY 26, 1893Title, " Reading the Law," Neh. 8:1-12.GOI.DEN TBXT :Open Thou mine eyes ihat Imay behold wondrousthings oui of Tity law.—Ps. cxi.c'xviii.1 And all the people gathered themselves togetheras one man into the street that was before the watergate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bringthe book of the law of Moses, which the Lord hadcommanded to Israel.2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before thecongregation both ot men and women, and all thatcould hear with understanding, upon the first day ofthe seventh month.3 And he read therein before the street that tvasbefore the water g.ite fromthe morning until midday,before the men and the women, and those that couldunderstand ; and the ears of all the people were attentiveunto the book of the law.4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of woodwhich they had made for that purpose ; and besidehim stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, andUrijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand;and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mi.shael, and Malchiah,aud Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, andMeshullam.5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all thepeople ; (for he was abovs all the people ;) and whenVolume 18.babel.bowed thoir heads, and worshipped the LordTo the people who gathered at that time,with their faces to the ground. Notice thehe opened it, all the people stood up :there was occasion for joy, when they looked atfact that aZZ thepeople did this. ^lere isthe6 And Ezra blessed tlie Lord, the great God. And the past. Let them look at their goodly vineyardsand olive yards, their many flocks and being fulfilled—the Spiritof the Lord is mov­very spirit of worship. Zechariah's vision isall the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting uptheir hands: aud they bowed their heads, aud worshippedthe Lord with their faces to the ground. look at the altar, the^temple and their well-herds and beautiful harvests; and then let theming the people. The people are taught. Thelaw is read in their hearing. Many of the7 Also .Jeshua: and Bani, aud Sherebiah, Jamin, walled city of Jerusalem, and they had muchpeople were not acquainted with the classitAkkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah,Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused from our standpoint, we would say, they willfor which to beglad. Looking at the matter Hebrew, for they had been born and taught hthe land of Chaldeans, hence certain personthe people to understand the law : and the people have a day of thanksgiving.who were capable, taught the people. Thesiwere probably distributed through the audistood in their place.II. We Will Look at the Assemely.ence in sufiicient numbers to impart oral in8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly,and gave the sense, and oaused ihem to under­it was composed of the people atlarge. It wasThis might be called a general assembly, forstruction to them, each instructor havinghiidivision or ciass. If this was a good methdlstand the reading.a popular assembly, men came to it; they wereby which to reach the masses, it must be goot9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra uot mixed up iu business, or politics or secretnow. The people were devoted students thaitha priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the societies eo that they had neither desire norday. In the 3d verse it says, " the ears of alpeople, said uuto all the people. This day is holy unto time to go to church. Women were in it.the people were attentive unto the book of thfthe Lord your God ; mourn not, nor weep. For all I The first verse states that "all the peoplelaw." Here there were exercises devotional,the people wept, when they heard the words of the ! gathered themselves together." This includesinstructive and scriptural; well presented;law.all classes. But the second verse leaves uswell received ; and now we are ready to note10 Then he said uuto them, Go your way, eat the without doubt, for it says, "Men and womf»n."IV. The Effect oe the Service V. 9,fat, I'll! drink the sweet, and send portions unto them In that day, when women were by all otherlast clause. " All the people wept when theyfor whom nothing By the is Bev. prepared T. P. : Bobb. for this day is holy nations left out of the count, it is refreshing toheard the words of the law." The word wssunto our Lord ; neither be ye sorry ; for the joy of meet them here, in this public assembly.We pass by many stirring events in the passagewhich intervenes between our last leesonthe Lord ia your strength.Children were there. "All that could hear11 So the Levites stillel all thepeople, saying. Hold with understanding." Here is a precedentand the present. The fifrhchapter gives us theyour peace, for the day is holy ; neil;her be ye grieved. upon which Joseph and Mary acted afterwardstory of oppression and wrong committed by12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to when they took the twelve year old boy to thethe rulers, upon those who were poor, and whodrink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, temple. Children need instruction, aud arehad suffered during a famine. The sixthbecause they had understood the words that were declaredunto them.unanimous assembly. "They gathered them­our very best listeners at church. Here was ashows us the completion of the wall in themidst of great opposition, and, under all theselves together as one man," v. 1 In the furtheistudy it will appear that they had a defi­circumstances, iu a very short time. Howmany daya were they iu building the wall?nite object in view. It was au earnest meetingThe seventh chapter is a chapter of hard names.for they asked for the reading of the law. ItThere is a much larger chapter of names thanwas an open air meeting. They did not choosethis—the names fouud within tbe Liuib's Bookthis for the purpose of being odd, but of necessity.No building would hold them; not evenof Life. May our names be fouud among thennmber. Then, when the necessary work hadthe court of tbe temple. It is estimated thatall been accomplished, aid ween the city layfrom 80,000 to 50,000 people were present atin safety behind her newly repaired walls,this time. It was a mos'' patient assembly. V.there came a day wheu they are all gatheredtogether. The object will appear by and by.Here we meet for the first time in this book ofNehemiah, with Ezra the priest. There it. nodoubt but that he had returned to Babylon,and was there during all the previous administrationof Nehemiah and probably for yearsbefore. Oniy on the ground of his absencepresence during all these exciting times. Butnow, he seems to have returned at a time whenhe was most needed, aud he is at once put intothe service. Devoted lives are always busyones. Critics argue that the lesson of todaybegins at the middle of the last verse of chapter7: "And when the seventh month came,the children of Isrrel were in their cities."Then comes the assembly of the lesson, and cothat we direct attention.I. The Occasion.II. The Assembly.III. The Exercises.IV. The Effect.V. The Admonition.I. The Occasion. It was the return of theseventh month. It was a month of feasts.There was firstthe Feast of Trumpets and newmoons, the beginning of the Jewish civil year.Second, th© great day of atonement, which wasthe 10th day of the month, and then from the15 th to the 21st was the Feast of Tabernacles,a time of joyous memories. There was goodreason then for such a gathering as this. Besidesthe things mentioned, we remember thatthe restored altar was dedicated at the samedate more than 90 years before, under Zerub­3 says; Ezra "Eead in the law from morninguntil midday." The margin reads "From thelight." At that season of the year, the fulllight of day or sun rise would occur at sixo'clock. Ther© was a service six hours' long.It must have been au intensely interested audience,to tarry for so loug a service. To themthe time seemed short, because of the intensityof their interest. Dr. Milligan once said thathe stood in the aisle of Mr. Spurgeon's chnrchfor two hours, during which time the speakerheld his attention so completely that he forgoteverything except the thought that came fromthe speaker's lips. When the service wasended, he said he could not straighten his neckfor a while. That was intensity. These peo.ple were intense listeners.III. The Exercises. It is worthy of noticein the outset, that it was a service by requestsEzra might have suggested the propriety ofsuch a service, but it seemed to originate in adesire on the part of the people to know moreabout the law. When it is done in the rightway, it is a great advantage, as well as encour.agement to the preacher, to have his peopleselect texts for him. Ezra stood upon a pulpitof wood made for the purpose, aud was sup.ported by a number of efficient helpers, namedin the fourth verse. Then Ezra opened the bookin the sight of all the people, and the peoplerose to their feet while the invocation was of.fered. We ought always to begin the study ofthe Word of God by fervent prayer. Teacherswill probably agree that the lessons of thepresent quarter are not easy. This suggestsgreater earnestness at a throne of grace. Godcan make them all good lessons, and lessonslong remembered. The people were reverent.They stood up, and as the priest spoke wordsof adoration, all the people answered, Amen,Amen, with lifting up their hands : and theyread and heard that day in such a way astomake it effectual to salvation. " The holyscriptures" were read that day "with a highand reverent esteem of them, with a firm persuasionthat they are the very word of God;with desire to know, believe and obey the willof God revealed in them ; with meditation, application,self-denial and prayer." Lar. Cat.2 : 157. It must have been so, for the effectwas great. The law conveyed to them "aknowledge of sin." There was a personal applicationand a deep sense of actual transgression.It was a day of universal contrition,sorrow, shame, because of sin. When peopleonce have a desire to hear tbe law, it will provea sharp two edged sword.V. The Admonition. V.9.. " NehemiahtheTirshatha, (Governor) and Ezra the priest,and the Levites that taught the people, saidunto all the people, this day is holy unto theLord your God : mourn not nor weep." Thecivil ruler takes part here with the priest andLevites, in remonstrating with the people.This was a thanksgiving occasion : there wascause for thanksgiving. There was real causefor sorrow, but they say to the people, donot