The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-02-16
SUNDAY MEDITATION,

School Lesson Appointed for Feb.
26, 1893.
Subject: Ezra Reading the Law after Nehe-
| miah had Finished building the Walls of
Jerusalem. Neh., S:1-12.
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
| indicated above.l
| INTRODUCTION.
| We have another lesson in the Book of Nehe-
miah. Nehemiah learned through some Jews
| who CHANGED to BIO at Shushan that his people
| in Judea were in a distressed condition. He
became sad. The King. Artaxerxes (Ahasuerus),
noticed his sorrow. Esther, the Queen, was also
| interested. o.: 81 Learning how concerned
| his cup bearer was as TO the Jews he permitted
him to go to Jerusalem, giving him royal letters
| which insured his safe arrival at Judes. Nehe-
miah went, saw the condition of things. and
set himself to building wall around the Capt.
| tai. He so systematized things as to complete
the work in so days. He also set several mis-
| cellaneous matters at rights. In about six
| months he returned to Persia. After about
| probably, FIVE years he set out again from Shu-
| shan to Jerusalem, having a commission AZ
| Governor of Judea. He acted as such for IL
| years, when he again went back to Artaxerxes
Hearing after little while that Tobah was
| introducing certain abuses in the temple SER
vice, he visited Jerusalem, and in q very yigor
| Gus fashion demolished the plans of that Am
| monte.
Ezra again appears. We remember how he
| went to Jerusalem about 80 years after Zerub-
babel led the Jews back from the captivity, 10
years before our present lesson how Artaxerxes
permitted Ezra to visit Judea, taking such Jews
as desired to return to their native land; how
Ezra set himself to effect thorough reform at
Jerusalem. We do not know how long he re-
manned in Judea AS soon az the walls about
Jerusalem are finished by Nehemiah, Ezra again
makes appearance.
As to time required for building the wall see
6 Is. 1t is thought that Ezra went back to
Persia and remained till the walls were fin
ished
serious harm to the prosperity of the Jews
was the usurious practices Of the more wealthy
class as to the poorer. Nehemiah set this mat
ter right at once and without any apparent
trouble.
After the walls had been finished gates were
hung, and thus jerusalem inclosed. AS fight
ing was then practiced such defense was
great help. To-day it would be utterly USE
less. Having put the city in a secure condi-
ton the next anxiety of Nehemiah was to i'm
prove the interior.
The former lesson closed at 4: IL. The in.
tervening data up to our lesson should be care
fully read before taking up this paragraph; to
w.t. 8: LIZ.
Chapter the sixth is interesting as showing
how many attempts were made in clandestine,
deceptive, treacherous ways to stop the work of
Nehemiah. 1t is suggestive to men engaged in
any great work reform. When opponents
can not succeed in open attack and violence
they try to accomplish harm by deception and
trickery.
/. Data.
Neh., 91-72. The context must be read
No one can get most from an isolated fact.
Things are related and mean differently ac-
cording to fixed circumstances. So no para
graph can mean so much to one ignorant of
the connections.
g. Time and Place.
Our lesson finds Us at the Capital of Judea in
the year AS b. c. This is the date when we
hear for the first time of pulpit, text SER
mon, street preaching, Bible exposition.
If one examine map of ancient Jerusalem,
he will find the Temple on the extreme east
side. West is Milo, y Sa., 5:9.) inclosed on
three sides by wall and having on the south
side bridge reaching across the Tyropeau
Valley from the Temple to the Upper City on
Mount Zion. In the wall north of Milo is the
watergate. Through that gate the Gibeonites
and Nethinms brought water to the Temple,
and hence the name. Before the gate on the
Milo side there was an extended area, suitable
for the gathering of a multitude. The congre-
cation assembled in the street.
3. The Facts.
We read in Verse 1 "All the people gathered
themselves together as one man."
1t was an interested throng, composed of men,
women and such children as could understand
the reading of the Scriptures. The preacher
was Ezra the priest and scribe, with six priests
at his right and seven at his left. The plat
form was temporary wooden structure, ele-
waited so high that the II priests could be easily
seen and more readily heard. The time was
the first day of the new civil year. The book
read and explained was mainly, probably, only
the Pentateuch. ". H. Ezra was master of
it. He had with great care collected its parts
and studied its contents. It is a compliment
to the people that the reading was at their sug-
gestion. Not only IL priests but IL Levites |
also aided Ezra. The reading, interpreting, |
and explaining were gone through with for six |
hours-from light in the morning to noon.
Books in those days were scrolls, and unrolled |
in reading. They were written, the art of |
printing not then being known. The Book of
Moses, read on the occasion we study, was |
probably in the Hebrew language. The peo-
pie felt great interest, since it was a law book. |
wa 1t seems the exercise began with |
prayer. V. 81 All our preaching and in
struction should be preceded by worship.
The scene was very impressive. When Ezra /
opened the book he did so in a reverential, |
weighty manner. Out of respect to Gods |
Word, the people rose and stood during the
reading From time to time the reading |
ceased, and the congregation may have sat dur
ing its explanation or Interpretation. Prepar-
ing pulpit platform in the open air, it is likely
temporary seats were also provided. We can
not suppose an assemblage of men, women, and
children remained on foot for six hours. The
people had been in Babylon as captives, and
had probably acquired the Chaldee language.
Hence, the Hebrew MS. needed Interpretation
and this was doubtless part of the work of
the 13 priests aud 13 Levites. But, further,
the book required explanations. To help the
the words were read distinctly.
We are pleased to see how in terested, and hence
". 81 the congregation remained
through service six to seven hours long.
Gods Word had been sorely neglected. 1t was
quite new to most of the people. Moses was
the uthor by direction of God. The book was
a body of laws by which it was their duty to
guide their lives The occasion was solemn.
Gods law was magnifed. Aspendid precedent
was established. The occasion was memorable.
4. Notes.
L. 1t would seem from Verse l the people
assembled of their own accord. Some hold,
however, that Nehemiah had summoned them,
a fact not unlikely. But the request that the
law be read was seemingly entirely spOntane-