The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-03-02
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson Tor March 3, 1893
Keeping the Sabbath-Neh. rs; 1929.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. --
International Lesson Tor March 3, 1903
Keeping the sabbath,-Neh. rs: 1929.
GOLDEN TExT.-Rememaer the Sabbath day,
70 keep 1t holy.-Ex. 20:8,
TMR-Probably about eighteen years after
the last less son, summer or early autumn Q315)
of BIC 4c6 or 427.
THE INTERvALs.-OD Nehemiah continued to
act as governor at Jerusale m for i2 years, til
BIC 4S3, the SD year of Artaxerxes. What
Nehemiah did during these years after the
dedication Of the wall is not recorded nor are
the reasons given why he returned to Susa He
may have been recalled by the king, as was the
frequent custom Sanballat and his other
enemies may have so slandered him at the
court as to require his presence. Private busi-
ness may have demanded his attention. or he
may have needed well-earned rest (2) 1t is
probable that Nehemiah remained away
some years, the abuses he found on his
return would not have had time to develop;
but he returned before BIC 425, the year
Artaxerxes died, for he obtained permission
from him to return $3.50.
PLACE. Jerusalem and vicinity
EZRA, the scribe, hal probably passed away,
for his successor, Zodak, is mentioned Q3:13)
And it is not probable that the great abuses re-.
ferred to could have aris en- had he been at Jeru.
salem.
MALACHI, the last Of the prophets belongs to
this period or Immediately after. "The last
chapter Of Canonical Jewish history is the key
to the last chapter OF its prophecy" He was
probably a helper of Nehemiah in his reforms
CONTEMPORARY HISTORY. - The Pelopon-
nesian war was raging in Greece-43l-404 He
rodotus, the father OF history, was still living
Socrates was teaching in the streets Of Athens
and among his pupils were Xcnophon (the his
torian, philosopher and generaO and Plato (thc
tutor of Aristotle), the last two being the
greatest philosophers in the ancient world
Perlcles, the greatest statesman OF Athens,
died the year before, b. C. 400.
LESSON NOTES.
An MUasion Of Eciis. During Nehe-
miah's absence, and doubtless after
Ezra's death, the opposition party,
which mad been silenced and cowed in
his presence, took courage and opened
the hoodgates of evil, SO that deluge
of sins rushed in upon the nation like
an overwhelming torrent, carrying
away the barriers of law and religion,
and covenants and promises.
First. The high priest Eiashib him
self deseorated the temple by fitting up
one of the temple chambers, built for
the storage of tithes, as a dwelling
place for the heathcn Tobiah. the Am
monte, who was allied in marriage to
hi 1S:4. -.
Second The tithes for the support of
the priests and of the temple worship
were withheld (Ver. 1O). or the poorest
of their noc1s and herds had been
brought for sacrifice, the blind, the torn
| of wild beasts, the sick, those of little
| use for themselves tMal. IL. 8: :;:9)
| Thus they had dishonored God, and
robbed Him of His due, and the penalty
had fallen upo them.
Third. They had neglected the temple
worship. The services had beaome
wearisome to them NAL. 1879, nothing
was done except for good pay (A1al
| 1:10). People who refused to bring
their promised dues, or brought mean
sacrifices, would have little interest in
| public worship.
Fourth. AS natural consequence,
| crimes and sins began to rapidly in
crease-sorcery, adultery, false swear
ing, oppression, cheating the widow and
fatherless (Mal. 3:5), but especially was
| there return to the custom of mixed
marriages. Eliashib, the high priests
| own grandson, rManasseh, married
the daughter of the great enemy of the
Jews, Sanballat, of Samaria (13:28).
Others not only married heathen wives,
but put away their true Jewish wives
in order to do it. He thus dealt
treacherously against the wife of his
youth" (Mal. 2:14-16).
Fifth. The sin of Sabbath breaking.
which is the main subject of our lesson
to-day.
Nehemiah Rtpels the moaston First.
He himself, apparently taking part
with his own hands, with great indig-
nation drove Tobiah out of the temple,
and restored it to its proper uses. We
are reminded of the cleansing Of the
temple twice by our Lord Jesus, once
near the beginning John 2:13-17) and
once near the close Matt 21:12, 13) of
His ministry. This expulsion of evil
from the temple was a type of Gods
moral cleansings: (D OF the soul, which
was made to be temple of God, q
house Of prayer; (2) of the church,
where everything which mars its pur-
pose as the house of God for all people,
all selfish ends, call worldly seeking,
must be cast out.
Second. Nehemiah reinstated the
| priests and Levites, who had been COM
PEELED to go to their homes and earn
their living, since the people refuse ed to
support them in their religious work.
The services of the temple now went
on according to law, and the tithes
were brought in. One of the first eff
fects of a religious revival is seen in the
restoration to their full power of church
services, and the abundant support OF
the pastor and all needed helpers. A
church which had become greatly be-
hindhand in its pastors salary once in.
vited an evangelist to assist them.
Learning of the state Of things, he re.
fused to begin his services till they had
paid the debt, assuring them that the
Lord never blessed spiritually dishon