The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-02-15
THE WALL REBUILT.
LESSON VIII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. te.

Text OF the Lesson, Nen. ~, 0-21-mem-
DRY Verses, 19-2I-Golden Text, Neh.
iv, 9-Commentary by the Rev. ID. n.
stearns.
O. Nevertheless we made our prayer
unto our God, and set watch against
them day and night" Nehemiah deter
mines to have dealings with God alone,
and with men only as God may use them
and give them to him. His strength is the
good hand of his God upon him and reli-
ance upon God TO prosper him Chapter
ii, 8, Is, 20) His refuge is prayer Chap
tiers ii, 4; iv, T. 81. His helpers whom God
gave him, goldsmiths, apothecaries, mer-
chants, priests, rulers and their daughters.
each had a mind to work and took hold of
the work nearest TO them (chapters iii, s-12
%, 2S. etc: iv, g. The enemies were those
who hated the welfare of Israel and
scorned, Knocked, despised and fought
against the servants of God Iii, 10. 10: iv,
1, :, s.. The difficulties were great, the
enemy was strong. the helpers compare
lively few. but "the God of heaven. He
will prosper us' Chapter ii, 90 was Nehe-
miah's strength.
10 "And Judah said, We are not able to
build the wall" The enemies without
were bad enough. but to hear the people of
God talk SO discouragingly was trying
indeed. The laborers' strength giving out,
and the amount of work TO be done being
considered the men of Judah became
faint hearted
IL "And our adversaries said, They
shall not know, neither see, till we come
and cause the work to cease"
Enemies within in the last verse, for if we
are not helpers we are hinderers, and now
the enemies without, who talk of death
and desolation. Enemies on every side
ever since satan began to fight against God
and man. See our marching orders in Eph.
vi, IL, 10; Pet. V, s, 9; Math. K, %.
II. And it came TO pass that when the
Jews which dwell by them came" It is
bad to live near bad neighbors or gloomy OF
discouraged people unless by the grace Of
God you have sunshine enough to dispel
the clouds. Every Christian is expected to
be comforter and encourager of others.
as when "They helped every one his neigh
Dor, and every one said TO his brother, Be
of good courage" lisa. XII. o..
19. Therefore I even set the people after
their families, with their swords, their
spears and their bows" The people Of
God in the days Of Israel were oft called
upon 10 fight. Even Abram had quite an
rely upon TO 20 to battle for him (Gen.
xiv, IA, 49, But the weapons of our war
fare are not carnal, but mighty through
God TO the pulling down Of strongholds,
casting down reasouings and every high
thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge Of God, and bringing into cap
tivity every thought to the obedience OF
Christ" (II Cor X. !, b.
II. BE not ye afraid of them; remember
the Lord" These are somewhat like the
words Of Isaiah, Who art thou that thou
shouldst be afraid of man and forgettest
the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched
forth the heavens and laid the foundations
of the earth" lisa. Ii, IL, 1S). Ii becomes US
under ali circumstances to say, Behold,
God is my salvation savior, helper. health,
delivererl; ] will trust and not be afraid"
lisa. xii. D.
Is. "God brought their counsel TO naught;
we returned all of Us to the wall, every
one unto his work" This last phrase is
suggestive of the words of the Lord Jesus,
To every man his work. Mark xiii. 3i).
He has work for every member Of His
body IN the building up OF His church, for
1--WE are His workmanship created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained prepared, margin) that VIC
should walk in them (Eph. ii, TO-. If we
are only ready to do whatsoever He may
appoint III Sam. XIV, 15), He will surely
show IT TO us
i6 And II came to pass from that time
forth that half Of my servants wrought in
the work, and the other half of them held
both the spears, Shields" etc. An Illus
tration of the fact that they also serve who
only stand and wait (Milton), and suggest
Il - -, II, 4 l.
Israel, AS his part is that goeth down to
the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth
by the stuff; they shall part alike" Il Sam.
XXX, ~.
IT, Every one with one of his hands
wrought in the work, and with the other
hand held a weapon" This refers to the
builders and the bearers of burdens and is
somewhat explained by the next verse.
Surely this work was carried on under
great difficulties, but, as we have read,
THE people had mind to work" Verse O..
Is. For the builders every one had his
sword girded by his Side and so builded,
and he that sounded the trumpet was by
me-" Our instructions are TO have our
loins girt about with truth, and TO take the
sword of the Spirit, which is the Word OF
God, praying always (Eph. vi, II, II, IS.
We, too, are 10 be ever listening for the
trumpet, which may sound any moment 70
call Us 10 meet Him in the air q Thess iv,
10 10, there to join Him ere He comes with
the armies of heaven as the man of war on
behalf of Israel REV. xix, ii, Is; Ex. XIV,
81. While the trumpet is silent we are to
be ever building by winning souls unto
Him.
10 The work is great and large, and
we are separated upon the wall, one far
from another" How every statement
concerning this great work of Nehemiah
comes right 10 our hearts as laborers
with God in building mp the church OF
Christ, which is His bOdyi Through al
the world the Iaborers are scattered, some
so very far from others, and in some place;
so very few laborers, while in many place:
none At ali as yet.
20 ''In what place, therefore, We hear the
sound of the trumpet, resort ye thithel
unto us. Our God shall fight for US >
"The Lord shall night for you, and ye shall
hold your peace" and it was so manifest
that the Egyptians said, The Lord fight
eth for them" lEx. xiv. IA, 25). The Lord
your God, which goeth before you, BE
shall fight for you" CDeut. i. 30). Suct
facts and words as these made Nehemiah
strong 10 strengthen his people. Nevel
strong in ourselves. but always strong II