The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-22
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOB
FEBRUARY 20, u
Lesson Text: Reading the Law
Neb. viii, 1-12-Golden Text
Psalm cxix., 1S-Com-
mentary.

"CAtarys
]. "And they spake unto Ezra, the scribe,
to bring the book Of the Law Of Moses.
which the Lord had commanded TO Israel"
The temple had been finished, and also the
building Of the wall, and though the city
was large and houses and people few, yet
they would without further delay seek to
worship the God of Israel according to His
law. The water gate was toward the east
Oil, 49,, and therefore near the temple for
the temple was at the east OF the city, facing
the Mount Of Olives. Ezra was a ready
scribe IN the Law Of Moses, for he had pre-
pared his heart to seek and to do and to
teach the Law Of the Lord in Israel Ez vii,
6 1G.
2. "And Ezra, the priest brought the
law before the congregation upon the first
day of the seventh month" This was the
regular day for the feast Of trumpets LEV.
xxiii., a., to be followed on the tenth day
by tho great atonement and on the fifteenth
day by the feast of tabernacles Nsv. xiii,
"a, 3t. The priest was the messenger OF
the Lord of Hosts, keeping knowledge that
the people might seek the InN at bis mouth
tMl. ND, and Ezra was BY his staYplica-
tiou to the study Of the Lsw qualified to
teach the people.
8. 'tAnd he read therein from the moru-
ing until midday, and the ears Of all the
people were attentive unto tbs book Of the
Law" wonder how many Of an audience
second or third hour. A political speech or
a concert or something Of that sort Is all
right even IL It Is two hours long, but
sermon or Bible reading must be within
the limits Of propriety, for too much OF re.
ligion las they sayl Is unandurable. One
can read novel whole day, but a chap
ter In the Bible is often more than enough.
4. sand Ezra, the scribe, stood upon a
pulpit Of wood, which they had made for
the purpose" Elevated above tho people
that all might see, as well as hear. he ls sup
ported by thirteen Of his brethren. six on his
right and seven on his left hand, hut I have
Moses, Certainly will be with thee" said
to Joshua. "As Fwas with Moses. so will
be with thee" and to Gideon, Surely will
be with thee" (Ex. Ill, u; Josh. j., S; Judg.
w., 16, was far more to Ezra than the breth.
rem who were by his side. 3,..
5. "And Ezra opened the book in the sight
OF all the people tfor he was above all the
people,, and when he opened it all the peo-
pie stood up" With great reverence he un-
rolled the scroll Of tho Law, and with rever-
ence the people stood up to hear what the
Lord, their God, would say to them. We
do not worship the Bible, but we worship
Him who is therein revealed to us as our
God and Saviour, and when we open our
Bibles to read the words Of the living God
weshould do 80 with great humility.
6. 'And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great
God, and they bowed taeir heads and wor-
shipped the Lord with their faces to the
ground" II they all meant it In their
hearts, then 1t was true worship; but II any
bowed the body only wishent bowing the
heart before God then He did not regard
it, for, though His eyes run to and fro
throughout the whole earth to show Himself
strong on behalf Of those whose hearts are
perfect toward him III Chron. xvi, o., He
looketh on the heart and not on the out
ward appearance Il Sam. xvi, y.
2. "And the Levites caused the people to
understand the law" Another thirteen are
here mentioned who with the Levites caused
the people to understand. To read Is good;
to understand Is better. After one Of His
discourses, In which Jesus had said that If
one does not understand the word the
wicked one catcheth 1t away, He asked the
disciples, "aave ye understood all these
things?' (Math. xiii, ~, 51.) When Philip
drew near to the chariot OF the Ethiopian
eunuch his first question was "Undsr-
standest thou what thou readestr lActs
viii, S0) II one should ask, "How can
understsndT should reply, through faith
we understand"; (aeb. H. 8; W, y. Re-
ceive it unquestioningly, and thus Under
stand.
8. $50 they read the book, in the Law Of
God. distinctly, and gave the sense, and
caused them to understand the reading
This Is the best rule for good reading that l
have ever seen. Legible writing and dis.
tinct reading are two very helpful things.
Moses and Habakkuk were told to write very
plainly Deut. xvii, S; Hab. H., 81, and I
believe the whole Blple to be q plain book
for plain people who are willing to let the
HOLY Spirit be their teacher
8. "This day Is holy unto the Lord, your
God: mourn not nor weep" The Law,
which is holy and just and good, convinces
us of sin AMI gives occasion to weep, but
Jesus, who is the end Of the law for right.
eousness to every one that believsth, teaches
us when we receive Him not to weep, as
we'll we might, because Of our sin. but to re-
joice in Him who became q curse for Us, and
ID now our Righteousness (ia. ILL.,, l3;. II
Cor, ", 81; ROM. <, A.. The section OF
this chapter whicn follows our lesson brings
before us the feast Of tabernacles, and as
atonement came between trumpets and tab
ernacles We seem face to face here with
atonement and its result.
1O. The Joy or the LORDS your SCren&In.
How passing wonderful Is the grace Of God,
which not only takes away our sins, but
gives us dis JOY to be our strength! he be
comes our salvation, our strength and our
song lisa, xiii, q, so that 1t becomes us to
say; II will greatly rejoice in the Lord
NV soul shall be joyful in my God, TOR de
hath, clothed me with the garments OF sal
walton, He hath covered me with the robe
of r;ohfeousnass't lisa lxi 10.
IL. $50 the Levites stilled all the people,
saving, Hold your peace. for the day is holy
neither be ye grieved." Stiffness, peace,
holiness. joy, all because OF. the love OF God to
usin the gift OF His dear Son. whether II oe
passover or pentecost or atonement, what.
ever the feast or the sacrifice, eaca ana az
speak of Him. Apart from Him all y deato
but in Him all is life and peace Il John v.
12; Eph. il. ~.
IL. tGreat mirth because they had under
stood the words that were declared unto
them" And they understood because they
recaiyed them, It made Jesus so glad be-
cause His disciples received His WORDS enas
He mentioned Il to His Father In His great
prayer, saying, 81 have given unto them ene
words which Thou gavest Me, ana tney nave
received them" John xviii, ~. IL docs
seem to me that if we but believe tne 1un-
dredth part Of what he says is ours IN % nim ~
we would be overhowing with Joy. IL
doubt and unbeIief that causes sadness out
truly as it is written, THE God OF feace
will fill us with all joy and peace IN neneV-
ing Rom. xv., 49,. Forget not toe port'o hs
for others.-Lesson Helper.