Middletown transcript., 1899-11-04

A@Ae OA e1AG A@[H6OAAs GsCAs IL A-A4~-sA
DRY Verses. s-1O-GoIden Text. Xeh
4, 11-COmmentary Prepared by ths
Rev. ID. nj. stcarns.
copyright. 1899. by D. NJ. stearns.l
/. The twentieth year refers to the
reign OF Artaxerxes (chapter ii, u. and
Young In his concordance thinks that
Ezra and Nehemiah speak Of three diff.
ferent rulers bearing this name, this one
being the Longimanus Of profane history,
contemporary with Herodotus and Thu
cydides, great historians, both Of whom
mention him. Ezra and his company
went up from Babylon In the seventh
year Of Artaxerxes' reign (Ez. vii. 6,
u, 13 years before the Tine OF our les
son. Nehemiah signifies comfort of
Jehovah" and brings before US the Fa-
ther Of Mercies and God Of all comfort,
who loves to comfort His people III Cor.
1, 3: Isa. xl. u. Hachaliah signifies
hidden OF Jehovah" and makes us think
Of all who, like Nehemiah, are safely
hidden In His hand lisa. xix. ..
2, 3. When certain brethren came from
Jerusalem to Babylon. Nehemiah inquir-
ed as to the condition Of affairs. there
and learned that the wall and its gates
were broken down and the people in
great affiiction. Even after the wall was
finished and they had kept the feast Of
tabernacles with great gladness. they
were compelled to testify that they were
only servants in the land and that 1t
yielded much increase to them who had
dominion over them and that they were
in great distress tNeh. tx. 81, 38). They
were honest enough to confess that they
deserved 1t all because of their sins.
4. sand 1t came to pass. when ! heard
these words. that | sat down and wcpt,
and nlodrned certain days and tasted
and prayed before the God OF heaven"
This is the conduct OF one who has
matter very much at heart, and the mat
ter In this case was the condition Of af
fairs ut Jerusalem. But Judah and .Jeru-
salem were hundreds Of miles distant
from Babylon. and Nehemiah had po-
sition of some honor aud was well cared
for, Why should he care much how
matters were going ut Jerusalem! The
same might be asked Of Daniel tnan- *.
8; Z. 2, 81 or Of Moses tIIeh. xi, 2tD.
5. II besecch Thee. D Lord God Of
Heaven" With reverence and yet with
confidence he looks up to God in heaven.
To Him only will he lock l1erSe / u:itl
chapter Ii. 4, 20) and on I.m alone rely
Like Jeremiah In chapter xxxii, II and
the apostles In Acts ~. ~. he looks to
God rs the creator OF haven and earth,
the faithful covenant keeping God. full
Of mercy for all who truly look to Him
I'll Chron. xvi, 81. There is uosil.ng we
need SO nuch while here on eufth for
God as to wait only upon Him FPS. xii.
81.
6. When We come to God, we can
come only as sinners, pleading our guilt
and our need and His mercy in Christ.
It Is good pleading to pray us Jeremiah
did: 20 Lord, though our iniquities tes-
tify against us. do Thou 1t for Thy
names sake. We acknowledge. o Lord.
our wickedness. Do not abnor us. for
Thy names sake. DO not disgrace the
turone Of Thy glory. Remember. break
not Thy covenant with US. tJer. xiv,
7, 21.l Gods covenant faithfulness Is
always o sure resting plnce. David found
1t so (ll Sam. xiii. -. In al our
Christian life 1t is helpful to remember,
Faithful IL He that caIIeth you, who
also viii da It, and 1T is God who
worketh" Il Thess. Y, ~: Phil. II. 13).
Z. we have dealt very corruptly
against thee" When We SEQ our sinful
ness and are willing to acknowledge 1t,
we are on the road to blessing. for He
that covcrcth his sins shall not prosper,
but who SD confesseth and forsaketh
them shall have mercy" Urov. xviii,
13). In pleading with Israel through
jeremiah the Lord said: .'Oniy acknowl-
edge thine i:,iquity. that thou hast trans
gressed against the Lord thy God. Turn.
0 backslidiny children. for | nm mar
ried unto you." Also through Hosea he
said that If they would turn to Him Ee
them freely tier. iii, 13, II: Hos. xiv,
?, A. Nehemiah was doubtless familiar
with these words and was acting upon
them.
8, 0. Remember. bcseech thee, the
word that taou commandest thy servant
Noses" In lisa. xii. 6, margin, the
Lords people are called His renem-
brancers and are urged 10 give Him no
rest until IIr does what lie promises to
10. In Isa. 4!iii. 2t;, He says, '.I'ut me in
lct US plead together"
That which God says He will do Is as
rood az dc.ic, for the words of God
;hail be fulfilled" trey. xviii. l1.l There
ire those t..;iay wha SAY that they yield
% no one In reverence fnr the Bible. and
It the same time they say that the great
,ody OF the s..eS.:;.:i;c predictions has not |
,nly never been fulfilled. bit cannot now
,e fulfilled and that soiae dnctr:nal state
nents OF Scripture are not authoritative
ind some of its revelations ARE not credi- |
BE. Such tvsy..eis would have given
Vehemiah no comfort. He believed, WITH I
jeremiah. that there was nothing too /
lard or wonderful for the Lord. who /
made the heaven and the earth tJer.
rxxii. III.
10. "Now. these are Thy servants, and 1
Thy people. whom Thou hast redeemed i
" Thy great power, and by Thy strong |
land." Thus pleaded Moses. the great |
ntercessor OF Israel 20 Lord God, de- /
troy not Thy people and Thine inherit /
nee, which Thou hast redeemed through Il
Thy greatness" and confessing their
and wickedness, and sin,
e says, "Yet they are Thy people and
thine Inheritance Deut. TX, 26-20.) 1
Daniel also. while confessing the sins Of
Ii people, pleads with God that they
re His people whom He has brought
ut Of Egypt Dan. ix, IL, 16). Our
ord Jesus prayed. Keep through Thine
wn name those whom Thou hast given
~ John xvii, III.
IL. Having laid the case honestly and
ully before God. be now asks for special
avor In the sight Of the king. whose
upbeareg be was and from whom he
Eas now about to ask permission to a.
Ist his people. Prosper, pray Thee,
nv servant this day. and grant him
lercy In the sight af this man" Such
'as bin concise aud definite request from
lod, and when he appeared before the
lng and made known his request 70 him,
10 record Is aAnd the king granted me
ccording to the roe.l hand OF my God
pom me- lchapter II. 81. While be had
, make request Of the king for leave Of
bsenee, II ras ID lied that be looked
J control the king. III ail his service we {
iAll zee that ILL mind was staged unon
"a