Middletown transcript., 1899-10-21

Copyright, 1883, by D. NJ. Stearns.l
81. Then proclaimed fast there at
the river of Ahava, that we might afiict
ourselves before our God, to seek of Him
right way for US and for our little ones
and for all our substance" In the sew
enth year Of Artaxerxes, the king of Per-
sia, Ezra and some 1,S00 of his people
went up to Jerusalem to see to the well
fare Of those who were there, to carry up
much silver and gold, free will offering
from the king and his counselors unto the
God Of Israel, for The temple and for sac
rifice and for the will of God, as Ezra
might be directed. Chapter vii. Ezra was
Il ready scribe in the law OF Moses and
had prepared his heart to seek the law Of
the Lord and to do it and to teach it
lchapter vii, 6, 10). Notice the order Of
doing and teaching and compare Acts i,
l: Mark vi, 80. Our lesson begins with
Ezra about to start on the journey and
making final preparation by season of
special waiting rpon God.
30. For l was ashamed to require of
the king band of soldiers and hOrsemen
20 help us against the enemy in the way,
because we had spoken unto the king,
saying, The hand of our God is upon oil
them for good that seek Him." See his
references to the hand Of the Lord upon
him in chapters vii, 6, 0, %; viii, 18, 81;
also Neh. ii, S, IS; Eek. iii, IA, %; viii,
l, cite. 1t is no use to say that we trust
in the Lord il we don't do it, and, while
there would have been no sin in Ezra's
having a band of soldiers. he would not
thus have shown as much faith in God.
%. 80 we tasted and bcsought our God
for tbs, and He was entreated of u.s."
Esther and her people tasted and prayed,
and God heard and delivered (Et t. iv,
f6). Our Lord said concerning the evil
spit which He cast oat of the child aft
er HIS transfguration. IIawbcit this k;nl
goeth not out but Ly p.a. or ard fa ting
(Math. xvii, 2l). Ba nabas and Paul
were set apart to missionary W TX with
prayer and fasting t.Acts xiii, !, g.. 1t is
true that overindulgcnce Of apiet:tt does
not tend to spirituality. yet til. ~ is no
special credit IN doing without flo. bat
when we want something fr.m God for
Gods glory more than We want a.. linz
else we viii be very apt To- give ours Ives
heartily to prayer and ia. ting See Daa.
tx, 3; X, 3.
"a, %. 4'Then l scpdi a:cd - of the
chief of the priests AMI We. Ii un-
to them the silver and tie gold =
which the king and his counseiors had Of
fered." These two verses tell Is that
these offerings included also that which
was given to all Israel there present and
that all was for the house of God. do
not know OF any giving on record that
can compare with the gifts CT Israel, both
rulers and people, for the tabernacle and
the temple lex, xxxvi, 6, Z; xxxviii, "a
81; Chron. xxi, IA, 1G; xxx, 10. Ii
there was the same zeal for the house of
God today-that is, the .thafyh CT God,
of all trUc 6elievers-to COM
piete il, what an abundance Of mission
aries and Of money thee would be seen
to the glory of God.
III, %. In these two verses he tells tie
exact weight Of the silver and :0'd AMI
of the vessels, and, Enowii.. the va.re of
4 talent Of gold or silver. the current val.
1e of all could be estimated, but valile
among men and value before God ara Of
ten two wholly different things. tough
we make no reference to this pa t u.ar
ease. We EnOw that in the temple oae
lay our Lordsa the rich people ca ting
n of their abundance, and H. saw Il poor
widow cast in 2 mites. which make far
hing, aud Tie said that she had ca t in
more than they all. She cast in ell that
she had, even all her living.
IS. And | said unto th. n. Ye are LoIy
INTO the Lord; the vesst.ss are holy also.
Ind the silver and the god a:e free will
offering unto the Lord God 4 your fa.
hers. As t. Lord who CT lei The p let's
md l.cvitrs TO their IS: was hoy. 50
hey were to bc holy also-sct a sart y hoi- |
y for Him u.cv.>xxi. 6. 81. The Lord |
hose them t. stand before Him. to serve
Him. to El,E:+ser unto Him, AID it is even |
% with t:l:e believers now. for all be.iev-
RS are priests. and al are chosen vessels |
% be holy into Him and to bear His /
lame uI Ch.on. xxx, Il; Pet. ii, 3, O;
Acts *. II.
-. "Wds~L ye und keep t,:cl until We /
Weigh them OF. re the chief of the priests /
t JeTu- alem IL tie chHmb rs of the house
II the LO:d. We think If our Great /
1igh Priest who will never lose any vcs-
cl which the Father has gwen 10 Him,
or no pOwo: an ever pluck Us out of
His hand. and we may gladly say. l know
vhUn huyr brtiPved and am persuaded /
hat He is able to keep that which have
committed unto Him against tint day
John X. 2S: xvii. IL; xviii, o..
30. $50 took the priests and the Leyites
he weight of the silver and the gold and
he vessels TO bring them to Jerusalem
INTO the house Of our God" In verses
3 and 81 we read that all the silver and
old and the yessels wee safely delivered
y weight aud number at Jerusalem, and
hus their work was successfully per
ormed. Net nj Jerusalem, but ut the
Judgment seat Of Christ, we will give ac-
ount Of our stewardship Of all that with
vhich He has intrusted us In His serv-
,e, and 1t may help US to remember day
= day that the Lord weigheth actions
nd spirits and trieth heart and veins and
III give every one according to his ways
nd the fruit OF his doings Il Sam. Il, 3:
rov. xvi, 2: Jer. xvii. 10).
81. THE hand Of our God was upon us.
nd He delivered us from the hand OF the
aemy and OF such as lay in wait by the
ay." When we become children Of God
: faith in Christ Jesus, we have from
lat time the world and the flesh and the
evil as our enemies. but we need not
ar, for He who Is In Us Is greater than
J. and victory Is sure while we rely nm .
! Him and cry, Thine is the power"
e may say, God, who raiseth the dead,
.livered us and doth deliver and Wilde
YER. The Lord shall deliver me from
very evil work and win preserve me'un-
His heavenly kingdom QI Cor. l. 8. 10;
Tim. w. 1S). He Is able. We swili
ust Him.
81. And We came to Jerusalem and
'ode thete three days." On the next !
y they gave In Their report, and burnt
ferings and SIN offerings were offered
7 al Israel. Thel e Is no blessing andsl
J safety apart frrm Him who Is both
. Offering aud burnt offering, but in !.
i'm. BY His precious blood, there il per- : :
Ct safety and the assurance that As Ne
We been justified we shall also Be ElorI- :
8 from. ;. 0: viii. SO.