The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-11-15
THE SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR NOVEMBER Ie.

COSNECTlSG LlShS. 1uc pluCe VI mSet'
ing was In the open square OF Ophel, south.
east Of the temple area, and near the water
gate, through which water was brought
Tor use in the temple. At this time, under
Ezra, began q new era Of Bible study. He
inaugurated class OF scribes for copying
and teaching the law, and synagogue
meetings for readingit. It Is thought that
Ezra returned to Persia after he had spent
eight months in Jerusalem working re-
form by separating the Jews from their
heathen wives, but in his absence they had
relapsed into their former condition, and
were In this state of dIsobedienca when
Nehemiah came to them. Here is the first
mention OF his name in Nehemiah. and It
is probable he followed Nehemiah to Judea.
to assist In another movement OF reform"
1. "All the people gathered" From the
surrounding country from 10000 to $1,000
In number. 1t was at the time OF the Feast
OF Trumpets. Trumpets were blown every
where. They proclaimed day OF reiolc-
Ing; they were a public acknowledgment
OF Jehovah as King, summons for the
people to range themselves under His bnn-
ner; they were call to repentance:
Rouse ye, rouse ye from your slumber;
awake, awake from your sleep, you mind
vanity" Book OF the law" The whole
body OF sacred writings, collected into one
volume OF Ezra, the first great scribe. Our
Old Testament.
2. "All that could hear" Men, women
and children who were old enough to
understand.
8. "He read therein from the morn
ing until midday" Or, from daylight"
He began as soon as 1t was light enough.
and read on (he and his assistants, v. y
till noon, that Is. for six hours or more.
The reading appears to have been varied
by occasional exposition Tvs. Z, 81. 1.-THE
ears Of all the people were attentive"
Though there is no word in the Hebrew for
"attentive," yet the meaning is quite cor
rectly given: "The ears Of all the people
were to the book"-fxed on that, and on
nothing else. .-..
4. EZRA stood" With thirteen repre-.
sentative men from Jerusalem, upon an
elevated platform where they, in turn,
read the Scriptures. Here they could bs
is known OF most Of these persons, perhaps
the chief Of the courses OF priests who
ministered in the temple service. They
gave dignity to the service and honored
Ezra in the sight OF the people. Those
mentioned in verse were Levites.
5. ezra opened the book" The book
was long strip Of parchment, rolled upon
stick at either end; therefore called
roll or scroll. The writing was In
parallel columns across 1t. Such rolls are
still used in Jewish synagogues. .,.-
6. "Ezra blessed the Lord" offered
prayer. In that prayer Gods goodness.
and mercy, faithfulness and truth, power
and righteousness, were recognized, and
His faithful promises were pleaded.
Z. "Caused the people to understand
the law" They stood beside the reader
and expounded the law by turn during
pauses In the reading, or we're stationed at
intervals In the crowd, dividing 1t into
Bible classes, and all teaching at the same
time. This WAS part OF the regular work
OF the priests and Levltes. On this
occasion 1t was probably necessary for
them to translate and explain the law In
the common tongue for the benefit OF
large part OF the people. They expounded
the mind and will OF God in what they
read, and applied 1t to the peoples pres
ent condition.
8. "Read distinctly" So that every
word could be distinctly heard. This was
the first way in which they caused tho peo-
ple to understand. The Israelites having
been lately brought out OF Babylonish cap
tlvity, in which they had continued sew
enty years, were not only corrupt, but
they had in general lost the knowledge OF
the ancient Hebrew to such degree that
when the book Of the law was read they
did not understand 1t. Therefore the
Levites translated It into the Chaldee dia-
lect. Caused them to understand
They gave both a. translation OF the He
brew words into the ChaIdee and an expo.
sition OF the things contained in them, and
Of the duty incumbent upon them by virtue
thereof. ,..
9. Nehemiah the Tirshatha." Hitherto
Nehemiah has called himself pechah-the
ordinary word for governor" Now he Is
IL hak kho a
reverential title for governor. The new
title Is among the indications that this por.
tion of the book is written by another.
"Tbis day is.hoIy." Mourning was unsuita-
BILE for day OF high festlvity, the opening
day OF the civil year and Of the sabbatical
month, itself a sabbath or day OF rest, and
one tn be kept by blowing OF trumpets.
Lev. 1928, 25; Mum. 29:1-6. A day mp
pointed for general rejoicing In Him who
has turned our captivity, restored to u
the law. and again established US
amorg His ordinances. 1t appears that
the people were not only ignorant
of their ancient language, but also Of the
rites and ceremonies OF their religion, not
being permitted to observe them in Baby
lon. Therefore the rites and ceremonies
must be explained. See vs. 13, IA. "All
the people wert." They realized how dif.
ferent their lives had been from the lives
commanded by God. They had failed in
personal duty. Tney had failed In the pub
tic worship OF God. They had failed as a
nation. They saw, also, the punishment
which God had threatened for sic, and un-
derstood clearly why they had been made
captives and why the nation was so poor
and weak when 1t might have been the
central glory OF the world.
10. "Go your way, eat and drink" OBJ
aerys Gods appointment. They should
testify the genuir eness OF their repentance
by the faitbfulness with which they kept
the feast. "Send portions" II was an
ordinance OF God that In these feasts the
poor should be specially and literally pro-
vided for. Deut. 15:7-11; 16:11-15. Neither
be We sorry" We must not be merry when
God calls US to mourning. We must not
af1ict ourselves when God has given US
occasion to rejoice. Even our sorrow for
sinners must not hinder our JOY in Gods
service. "Joy Of the Lord" Aconscious-
ness OF Gods favor, mercy and long.su1er-
ing. .,
II. "Levltes stllled all the people"
Hushed tneir loud lamentations. Emotion
needs control when 1t Is in danger OF run
ming into mere physical excitement.
12 "Went to make grea. mirth. be-
cause they understood the words OF the
law" They now knew Gods will and
their own duty, which they resolved tc
practice. This gave them ground OF hope
and trust In Gods mercy, and therefore
gave them great Joy.