The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-08
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
FEBRUARY IL.
Lesson Text: "Nehemiah's Prayer
Neh. l., 1-11-GoldenT Text: Psalm
Xxx, documentary.

vahl was one Of the Jewish captives' selected
by Artaxerxes the Persian monarch, TO I'll
the office ofFcupbearer. He arrived at Jeru
salem about thirteen years after Ezra was
governor OF Judea, remaining about twelve
years, and then returning to Artaxerxes,
from whom he received new commission.
He went again to Jerusalem and ruled there
for another twenty-five years, B. c. A5-42s
He was one OF the greatest men Of the
Hebrew Nation, renowned for his zeal,
patriotism, courage, humanity and earnest
devotedness to God and to His service
l"Searching the Scriptures by DR.. Ander-
SOM. One Of the most interesting things in
the book is the edict to rebuild the city
tchapter il, 5, 81, from which begins Daniels
seventy weeks.
2. 81 asked them concerning the Jews that
had escaped, which were left OF the captiv.
ity. and concerning Jerusalem" The church
OF to-day seems not to appreciate. the fact
that Jerusalem was and IS and shall yet be q
city very dear to Jehovah, and more dear
than we can understand to every loyal Jew.
1.-THE Lord hath chosen Zion. He hath de-
sired it for His habitation." "The Lord
shall yet comfort Zion and shall yet choose
Jerusalem" "At that time they shalt call
Jerusalem the throne of the Lordn Pa
cxxxii.. IS; Zech. j., II; Jer. iii, n,
8. "And they said unto Me, The remnant
that are left of the captivity there In the
province are in great aff1iction and re-
proach." By comparing verse l and chap
ter H., ], with Ez. vii, 6, z, 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
Gode If one question can help to answer
another we would ask. Why, with all the
open doors Of this generation to carry the
amount OF money In the hands Of Christians,
are there somany hundreds Of millions still
without the Gospel 'fa'
4. And 1t came to pass when I heard
these words that I sat down and wspt, and
mourned certain days and tasted AMI
prayed before the God Of heaven" Here is
q man away of 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. 4. 2, 81: See Paul three
years at Ephesus, warning the people night
and day with tears (Acts *, 3l), and re.
member that God Is rewarder Of them that
diligently seek Him Heb. IL, g..
5. "And said, beseech Thee, o Lord God
Of heaven, the great and terrible God, that
keepeth covenant and mercy for them that
love Him and observe His commandments"
From here to the end OF the lesson we have
his prayer; and it is prayer that was heard
in heaven and answered. Observe that In
chapter H., 4, he one day prayed without
uttering word with his lips, for at the same
moment he prayed to God and spske to the
king. Compare this verse with chapter L.,
50, and Ex. ,x11iv., g. z, and see in Jsr.
the God Of heaven.
q. II pray before Thee now day and
night for the children Of Israel, Thy ser
wants, and confess the sins Of the children
of Israel" Identifying himself with tho
nation, he confesses their sins. he excuses
nothing, palliates nothing, but includes
Himsel, saying, "Both I and my Fathers
house have sinned." "He that covereth his
sins shall not prosper, but whose contesseth
and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy"
prov. xviii, 49,. II We confess our sims
he is faithful and just to forgive US our sins
and to cleanse ris from all unrighteousness
Il John e, !, .: .,. ,,..,: ,,,,,,, ~, .a.;n..
nents." The curses had come just as God
had said in Deut. xviii, Is, As, and they
had brought it all upon themselves lisa:
ux., q. Nehemiah does well to mako full
confession; but, oh, think of Him who took
all these sins upon himself, who allowed all
sin to be -heaped upon Him, making It his
own that He might give unto US His right
eousness! This He does now for every In
dividual believer III Cor. ", q, Acts Kill,
80, Sg, and this He will yet do for Israel
lisa. X, 2D. -. ~ +,
8. Remember, I beseech Thee, the word
that Thou commandest Thy servant Moses.
He reminds God Of the curse which He by
Moses had said should come. and which had
Of Moses, nor did he doubt that Moses spoke
the words OF God. He believed God, con.
demned himself and his people and justified
God. -. -....-r..
Q. "But if ye turn unto Me, and keep Ny
commandments and do tham." He is quot
ing now in his prayer from Deut Xxx, l-5
where Jehovah promised, on condition o.
true repentance and obedience, to restore
them TO their land and bless them and giv
them a heart to love Him supremely; bu
the condition was, IF thou turn unto tn
Lord thy God with all thine heart and Will
all thy soul" peut. XXX, 10Y. As He choe
Jerusalem to put His name there and mag
nifv Himself from thence. so He chooses u
to bear His name and magnify Hmm these
mortal bodies (Acts *. Is, 10; Phil L.. ~
10. 'Now these are Thy servants and IN IN
people whom Thou hast redeemed oY iaJ
great power and by Thy strong hand" *
pleaded Moses reminding God tnat NOV
withstanding all their sin still they were
His people and His Inheritance whlcn ae
q ~ CG NA SC
with. the sinful nation and asked mercy ID
these words, 20 Lord. forgive for Thine owl
sake, o my God. for Thy city aad Iny
people are called by Thy name tDau. X,
is. i9. See what he will yet do f2r them
for his names sake in Eek. xxxvi., 2S-SS.
II. stprosper, I pray Thee, Thy servant.
this day. and grant him mercy in the agni
Of this man." Having poured out MS SOU
on behalf Of his people, he now asks specia
favor on his own behalf, and YET 1or tuen
sakes as their benefactor. Every suca lnOer
'csssor, whether be be Abraham or moses o.
Daniel or Nehemiah, suggests to US tne gIsa
intercsssor, our Lord Jesus Christ, who dlet
for ms lives for us and will in due time come
again to us. He, for His names sake Ior
gives our sins II John H., 12; Isa. Kill, SS
and tells us that whatsoever we shall asx ~
Bis name, that the Father may be g!orlneo
in the Son, He will do it John xiv, IL, l4'
Lesson Helper.
,REPoRTs OF a recent priZe-fgh
describe the fighters as brawny glad
iators, and state that when they go
real cory the smell Of warm BLOOD
drove the spectators wild with en-
thusiasm. 1t would appear from
these facts that all a burly ruff1ar