The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-11-15
READING OF THE scRrPTuREa
for November 10. IsO0-Text. Nehe-
mIsb stI-i2-Nemory vs. Ia.

people we're attentive unto the book OF the
Law. -Neh, S:3
T1ME.-The first day OF the seventh
month. T. e.. the middle or last OF septem-
Der, A. u. t4t about two months after the
arrival Of Nehemiah In Jerusalem. and a
week after the completion Of the walls on
the 18th Of Elul, the sixth month august
septembsr). The FIRST day Of the seventh
month was September q In 1899, Bepte mber
II In 1898. and october In 1884
EXPLANATORY.
L. The Circumstances.-The section
of Nehemiah embracing Chaps. $40
differs from the opening and from the
closing chapters In that here Nehemiah
10 spoken Of in the third person, while
in the rest Of the book he himself
writes In the first person. In the prayer
(Chap. O) and the covenant (Chap. 10)
the first person plural Ia used. ut was
q series Of events Of the greatest impor-
lance. Nehemlah's design was TO renew
and enlarge the reforms which Ezra
had begun 10 years before. Chaps. $40
are an account Of transactions running
through "a days or more. by which Ne
hemiah brought this and other reforms
into active operation. Our Lesson IL the
first section Of the account. and tells
what happened In one day-the first
day Of the seventh month ". p.
II. The Great Meeting.-V. /. This
chapter should begin with the last
clause Of the last verse OF the previous
chapter; "And when the seventh
month was come" etc. The first day
of this month was the feast OF trum-
pets, which proclaimed day OF re-
joicing, like our Christmas bells. This
was a week after the walls were fin
ished. V. /. "All the people gathered
themselves together" From the city
and from the surrounding country. "As
ones" In one place, with one purpose
Into the street," Rather. into the
broad place, the public square. Before
the water gates" The open space south
OF the temple. called 0phel, lying be-
tween the temple wall and the city wall.
They spake unto Ezra. the scribe:"
This IL the first time Ezra's name &C.
ours in the book Of Nehemiah
III. The Text-Book.-Vs. Ia. Book
of the law OF Moses" This "testifies to
a general knowledge OF the existence of
book the contents Of which, SO far
a. they are known, agreed substantial
| ly with our Pentateuch. Prof. II. L.
Ryle. (which the Lord, Jehovah had
commanded 20 Israeli" This was not
a merely human book, but one inspired
and revealed by God. V. 2. "The law
Hebrew, Torah, instruction. "hcrc used
in sense which afterwards became ugi.
versal."-Prof. Ryle. Both OF men and
women" Both have equal need of.
studying Gods Word. "And all that
could hear with understanding" The
children, all who were old enough"
V. 3. "He read therein from
the morning until midday" Or from
daylight. for six hours or more. THE
ears OF all the people were attentive:"
Though there IL no word in the Hebrew
for attentive" yet the meaning is
quite correctly given.
". Studying the Word Of Cody. S.
Preceded by Worship. V. S. Opened
the book" Unrolled the scroll. or roll.
"All the people stood ups" Rose to
their feet as an act OF respect and rev.
erence for God and His Word. ".
Ezra blessed the Lord" Praised God
In prayer. "All the people answered."
Responsive worship is no new thing.
"Amen:" Lit, THAT which is true"
$50 letit be-" Lifting up their hands,"
An appeal TO God that they accepted the
law thus read and would obey It.
Bowed their heads and worshiped the
Lord with their faces 20 the ground"
They sank down into the posture of
humble, earnest prayer. first falling on
their knees, and then bending forward
and down till their faces came "be-
tween their knees" q Kings 1872.
Two Ways of Studying the Bible
First. V. 8. $50 they read dis
tinctly:@ II required clear enunciation
to be heard by the many thousands as
sembled. The manner of reading made
q great difference as to the sense.
Second. "And gave the sense:" Ex-
planning the unusual words, eXpound-
ing the meaning and the application Of
the law. interpreting the illusions TO
history and in every way possible caus-
Ing them TO understand the reading"
So Christ In the synagogue at Nazareth
caused the people to understand Isaiah.
(See Luke 4:l6-22.)
V. The Fruits OF Bible Study.-Vs.
Die. o. 1.-THE Tirshatha:" Allied TO our
word pasha. TWAS the Persian title for
a local OF provincial governor.-Ryle.
First Fruit-Repentance. For all
the people wept:" "ln the new light OF
the higher truth we suddenly discover
that the robe OF righteousness in
which we have been parading is but as
filthy rags Prof. Adeney.
Second Fruit-Joy in the Lord.
"Mourn not, nor weep" You have
wept long enough; you have fastened
your eyes on your sins too exclusively
V. 10. go your way, eat the fat and
drink the sweet" These were expr,s-
slons OF Joy and aids to joy. "And send |
portions" ETC.; Another way Of eN-
pressing aud of increasing true joy. |
Neither be We sorry" Sorrow and |
repentance are never required for their
own sake, but for the better things |
which grow out of them. "For the JOY |
Of the Lord is your strength" Your
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