Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-02-09
NETHERLANDS PRAYER.
LESSON VII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. IL.


Text of the Lesson, Neh. 1, 1-11-Mem-
DRY Verses, 8, 9-Golden Text, Ps. Xxx.
1O-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stcarns.
1. "The words of Nehemiah the son of
Hachaliah." Nehemiah (comforted Of
Jehovah) was one of the Jewish captives
selected by Artaxerxes, the Persian mon
arch, to fill the Office of cupbearer He ar
rived Mt Jerusalem about thirteen years
after Ezra was governor Of Judea, remain
ing about twelve years, and then returning
to Artaxerxes, from whom he received
new commission. He went again to Jerusa-
lem and ruled there for another twenty
two years. Il. G. 445-42S. lie was one of the
greatest men of the Hebrew nation, re-
nowned for his zeal, patriotism, courage,
humanity and earnest devotedness to God
and to His service C'Searching the Scrip
lures" by DR.. AudcrsOn). One of the most
interesting things in the book is the edict
TO rebuild the city Chapter ii, >, s., from
which begins Daniels seventy weeks.
2. II asked them concerning the Jews
that had escaped, which were left of the
captivity, and concerning Jerusalem" The
church of today seems not to appreciate the
fact that Jerusalem was and is and shall
yet be "A city very dear to Jehovah, and
more dear than we can understand to every
loyal jew. The Lord hath chosen Zion
lie hath desired it for his habtation."
THE Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall
yet choose Jerusalem" AT that time they
shall call Jerusalem the throne of the
Lord" ops. cXXxii, 10; Zech. i, II; Jer. lii.
~.
3. and they said unto me, The remnant
that are left Of the captivity there in the
province are in great affection and re-
proach." By comparing verse l and chap
ter ii, l. with Ez. vii, e, I, we find that this
desolation was the condition of things at
the Holy City thirteen years after the great
reformation wrought through Ezra, and
we feel inclined to ask why it was so. With
the temple finished, the worship restored
and such purifying as Ezra had accom-
plished, why was there not more zeal for
God? If one question can help to answer
another we would ask, Why, with all the
open doors OF this generation to carry the
Gospel to every creature and the vast
amount of money in the hands OF Chris
tians, are there so many hundreds OF MIL
lions SUN without the Gospel:
4. And it came to pass, when heard
these words, that sat down and wept and
mourned certain days, and tasted and
prayed before the God of heaven" Here
is a man away off in Babylon so interested
in the welfare of Jerusalem and in the
honor OF the God of Israel that for several
! days he gives himself up to mourning and
fasting and praying Compare Daniel
fasting and praying for three full weeks
that he might know the mind of God dan.
X, 2, -: see Paul three years at Ephesus
warning the people night and day with
| tears Acts Xxx, 81, and remember that God
is rewarder of them that diligently seek
Him (Heb. XII, 9.
3. "And said, beseech thee, o Lord God
of heaven, the great and terrible God, that
| keepeth covenant and mercy for them tina,
love Him and observe His commandments ,
From here to the end of the lesson we have
his prayer, and it is prayer that wa.
heard in heaven and answered Observe
that in chapter ii, 4, he one day prayed
without uttering a word with his lips, fol-
at the same moment be prayed to God anC
spake to the king. Compare this vers,
with chapter tx, 80, and Elk. xxxiv, 6, I
and see in Jer xxi II, the comfort to b,