The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-15
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
FEBRUARY 10.
Lesson Text: "Rebuilding the Wall" !"
Neh. tv., 9-21-Go!den Text;
Neh. iv., 9-Com-
mentary.


mentary.
unto our God. and set a 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 reliance uoon
God to prosper him chapter il, s., is. 2)l.
His refuge is prayer chapters H., 4; iv., 4,
81. His helpers whom God gave him, gold.
Smiths apothecaries, merchants, priests,
rulers and their daughters, each had mind
to work aud too. hold Of the work nearest
to them chapters ill.,, s-12, 90, IS, etc; iv.,
o.. The enemies were those who hated the
welfare OF Israel and scorned, Knocked,
despised and fought against the servants OF
God di., 10, 10; w., ], 81. The difficulties
were great the enemy was strong, the
helpers comparatively few, but 1.-THE God OF
heaven, He will prosper u.s. chapter H., 2o)
was Nehemiah'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,
tu6 u1eu Ot Suudu D8C6ul6 t6tub u6kkr Ucu-
II. "Apd our adversaries said, They shall
not know, n ither see, till we come
and cause The work to cease.n Enemies
within the last verse, for II we are not help
ers we are hinderers, and now the enemies
without, who talk Of death and desolation.
Enemies on every side ever since satan be-
gan to fight against God and man. See our
marching orders in Eph. vi, H. 70; Pet.
", 8. 9; Math. L, 28. ~ ...
10. 'tAnd it came to pass that when the
Jews which dwell by them came.n It is bad
to live by bad neighbors or gloomy or dis.
couraged people unless by the grace of God
you have sunshine enough to dispsl tho
clouds. Every Christian is expected to bea
comforter and encourager Of others, and
when ''rhey helped every one his neighbor.
and every one said ohis brother, Be Of good
courage Isa xii, o..
IS. Therefore 1 even set the people after
their families, with their swords their
spears and their bows" The paople OF God
In the days of Israel were oft called upon to
fight. Even Abraham had quite an army
Of trained servants whom he could rely
upon to get to battle for him tGan. xiv, IA,
15l. but the weapons Of our warfare are
not carnal, but mighty through God to the
pulling down Of strongholds. casting down
reasonings and every high thing that ex.
alteth itself against the knowledge Of God.
and bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience Of Christ" III Cor. Z, 4, 81.
IA. "Be not ye afraid Of them; remember
the Lord" These are somewhat Ike 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, l2, 13. It becomes us
under all circumstances to say, "Behold,
God IS my salvation savior, helper. health,
deliverer): will trust and not be afraid"
lisa. XII, ., b.
Is. 'God brought their counsel to naught,
we returned all Of US to the wall, every one
unto his work" This last phrase is sugges.
tive Of the words Of the Lord Jesus, ITO
every man his work" Mark xiii, 3b. He
has work for every member Of His body in
the building up Of His church, for I'VE are
His workmanship created in Christ Jesus
unto good works. which God hath before
walk in them," (Eph. H., lO. II we ars
only ready to do whatsoever he may ap-
point III Sam. xv., 15), he will surely snow
It to US. ..,. ls
49, "And it came to pass from that time
forth that half OF my servants wrought In
the work, and the otner half Of them held
both the spears, Shields" etc. An flustra-
tion Of the fact that they also serve who only
stand and wait tMiltoD). and suggestive also
of the law that David made in Israel, "As
his part is that gosth down to the battle, so
shall his part be that tarrieth by the stun;
they shall part alkep II Sam. Xxx, "a.
II. 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 neSs verse; Sure
ly this work was carried on under great dif-
ficulties, but, as We have read, THE people
had a mind to work" (verse 6). -. ~
"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 lolns girt about
with truth, and to take the sword of the
Spirit, which is the Word Of God, praying
always tEph. vi IA, II, 49,. We, too, are
to be ever listening tor the trumpet, which
may sound any moment to call US to meet
Him in the air II Thess. iv., 16, III, there to
join Him ere He comes with the armies OF
heaven as the man Of war on behalf Of Israel
REV. xix, IA, Is; Ex. xv., 81. While the
trumpet is silent we are to be ever building
by winning souls unto Him.
10. 1.-The work Is great and large, and we
are separated upon the wall, one far from
this great work of Nehemiah comes right to
our heart as laborers with God In building
up the church OF Cnrist, which Is His body !
Through all the world the lnborers are scat
tered. some SO very far from Others, ana 10
some places so very few laoorers, while IN
many places none at all as yet.
90. '.ln what place therefore. ye hear the
sound Of the trumpet, resert ye thlther unto
us. Our God shall fight for u.s." ''Ihe Lord
shall fight for you and ye shall hold your
peace.n and it was so manifest that tne
Egyptians said, 'The Lord tighteth Tor
themn lex. xiv, IA, 25l. The Lord, your
God. which eceth before you, He shall fight
for you' (Dsut. j., 3U. such facts and
words as these made Nehemiah strong TO
strengthen his people. Never strong in our.
selves but always strong in the Lord and
in the power of His might" tEph. vi, 1U.
he will accomplish His work in and through
q, $50 we labor ed in the work" And in
due time the wall was finished, for the work
was wrought of God tchapter vi, 10, lol.
Consider we'll the difficulties, see the
treachsry within (chaptor vi, 49, 19 as well
as the enemies without the camp, ana con-
template Nehemiah and his Col until you
can hear Him say to you as he said to Jere.
miah. "Say not am child, for thou shalt
oo To all that shall send thee. and whatso-
ever [ command thee thou shalt speak; be
NOT afraid of their faces, for am with thee
to deliver thee. saith the Lord. they snail
FIGHT against thee, but they shall not pre-
ysiW (Jer, l., Z s, l9.-Lesson Helper.