The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-11-30
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KEEPING TIE SABBATH.
1ntcrnational 3. =. Lesson for Dec. 3
1S00-Iext, Nehemiah 13s1S-~@-
Memory vs.. 1917.

Especially Arranged from Peloubets Notes.1
GOLDEN TEXT.-Remember the Sab
bath day to keep 1t holy.-Ex. so:s
READ Nehemiah 10. and compare Isaiah
| IS: is; jeremiah II: 1927.
TIME.-Probably about IS or IS years
after the last lesson, summer or sA.:y Ru-
tumn Q3: l0 Of b. c. 426 or 42'.
THE INTERvAL.-Nehemiah remairea
! at Jerusalem 12 years. from the twentieth
| year OF Artaxerxes G.: ID, B. c. 4ii, TO ihe
| thirty-second year Q3: 81, d. e. 4S3. Thea
| he was recalled. He was In Persia some
| years, perhaps five. but returned before b.
| c. i25. the year Artaxerxes died. for he re-
turned by permission of that king C3: q.
! PLACE.-Jerusalem and vicinity.
| MALACHI. the last OF the prophets, he
| longs to this period. Prof. Driver places
! him shortly before. or during Nehemah's
second visit"
EXPLANATORY,
|. Tie floodgates OF Evil Are
Opened.-Ns. l-J. The reforms of Ne
hcmiah accomplished great things and
made an era in the progress of the
| kingdom of God. But, as in all revivals
and reforms, there followed a reaction.
especially on the part of those who
were carried along by the current of
popular feeling, but were not really
changed in heart. Doubtless the reac-
tion began during the IL years before
! Nehemiah was recalled to Persia; but
| doubtless in his absence, and after the
| death of Ezra, those who had been 81.
lenced and subdued by their presence
took courage to return to their evil
courses, so that deluge of sins rushed
| in upon the nation like an overwhelm-
ing torrent, carrying away the barriers
of law and religion and covenants and
promises.
II. Undermining the Kingdom Of God
Through Sabbath-Breaking.-Ns. 1917.
Is. "ln these days" During Nehe-
miah's second visit to Jerusalem, while
making the other reforms. saw l."
lie did not depend on hcarsay. but en-
amined for himself and found the facts.
| Three Forms of Sabbath-Ereakirg.
i. Working on their farms and keep
ing their laborers at work. "ln Ju-
| dah:" Ir the country around Jcrusa-
lem. Threading wine presses en- the
Sabbath" The wine presses were
large watts into which the grapes were
placed and the juice trodden out by the
feet of men. bringing in sheaves:"
Gathering their harvests and bringing
them into the city.
2. BY transporting their goods. "And
bringing in sheaves:" Into the city,
and into the other walled towns "Wine,
grapes and figs" For storage and sale.
This required large working force.
and tempted the people TO buy and trade
on the Sabbath.
3. BY the ordinary business and traf-
fic through foreigners, who had no care
for the Sabbath. V. 1G. "There dwelt
men of Tyre also therein" That is, IN
the city, Jerusalem. Devoted to COM
merce, they had formed a little settle
ment in Judea for the sale Of their mer-
chandise, fish (they were a maritime
people) and other things.-Prof. Toy.
"Sold on the Sabbath unto the chill
dren Of Judah" who were so contain
mated by their heather neighbors as to
yield to the temptation to buy.
The Evil Effects of Sabbath-Break-
ing,-V.17. "What evil thing is this that
ye do?" What they did was evil for
themselves and for their children.
| III. Nehemiah Makes Sabbath Re
form.-Ns. 1922. First. He reproved the
leaders. He did not reprove the weak and
let the rich and strong do as they would.
V. II. II contended:" Argued and used
his official authority. with the nobles:
The higher classes, the people of prom
inence and influence, who were the most
to blame, since they had better knowl-
edge and fuller control of their time,
and who could have the most influence
in favoring or opposing the reform.
Second. He warns them from their
own past history. V. IS. "Did not your
fathers thus?" Why was Jerusalem
destroyed? Where had the nation been
carried into captivity? why were they
now weak and poor and scattered? Let
the prophets answer. One reason was
that their fathers had refused to obey
Gods Sabbath laws. A broken Sabbath,
was the answer (Jer. 1927; Eek. 20:13.
See also Isa. 5s:13, 1D.
Third. He Exercises His Authority.
". 10. "Began to be dark before the
Sabbath" At sunset of the previous
day, because their Sabbath began then.
1.-THE gates should be shut us usual,
only they SHOULD not be opened till
after the Sabbath" "My servants set
: at the gates:" His own armed body
guard, whom he could trust. THAT
there should be no burden brought in"
"Foot passengers were, no doubt, al
lowed to enter and leave the city on the
Sabbath. Com. v. 90. $50 the
merchants" Not believing that the
command would be strictly enforced.
"Lodged:" Camped outside the walls,
waiting for the gates to be opened on
Sabbath morning, as formerly. V. 81.
~ testified against them:" Rebuking,
commanding. V.22. 81 commanded the
Levites:" The "Levites" would be mere
appropriate keepers of the city gates
on the Sabbath day than his servants,
FOR whom he, no dbubt, had other uses.
The Levites were therefore ordered to
| "cleanse ethemselyes'-that In. TO Durify