The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-12-07
Reading and
Obeyine the Law
LESSON TExr.-Nehemiah s:s-is Mem
Sunday School Lesson for Dec. 10. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper.


ory verses II, 49,
GOLDEN TExT.-"Blessed are they that
hear the Word Of God and keep it."-Luke
HES
TIME.-Temple was completed about
middle of September. B. c. a. The dedi-
cation OF the walls began about the first day
Of October.
PLACE.-The water gate. Jerusalem.
located Just south of the temple area The
assembly was held In the open square at
that point
SCRIPTURE REFERENcEs.-Reviv
uhder josiah. Kinss Ss.S-sS.so CElor
| Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 30:13-31:l0. Under Ezra.
Ezra 9:4-1O:5. AT Penteoost, Acts2 Teach
ings concerning Bible study and its effects.
Deut. 4:s-10; 6:6-s; 17:iS, 10; 3i:11-13, etc;
Josh 1:s; Psa. 10. 11e; lisa. s5:10 H. Matt.
I7:A-N; John 53s; 2O:3; Rom 1874; Heb.
Az. IL; 2 Pet. 1:1s %; s:2: Rev. 1:3; 2:7.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
V. 8. They" Ezra and 13 Levites
whom he had associated with him. 1t
seems Tvs. I'D that Ezra read from
the book of the law, the people stand
ing while he read to show their rever.
ence for the book. Then. after a por.
tion had been read, the Levites gath
cred little companies and caused
them to understand the reading"
v. 9. "Tirshatha:" A Persian title
meaning governor. This day is
holy" 1t was a feast day CLev.
2S:2D and hence more appropriate for
expressions of Joy than those OF grief.
"Wept d.. words of the law" Doubt.
less some passage portraying Gods in
dignation against sin, and the bitter
fruits Of unrighteousness, had just
been read.
V. 10. Eat the fat" ETC.: A pro-
verbal expression, meaning, Let the
day be one of rejoicing and feastlng.
Send portions" Make the poor par
takers of your joy. Joy
strength" True joy is a great source
of strength. Joy OF the Lord" means
not only the joy of sins forgiven, and
reconciliation with Cod but also
Christ's own joy (John 15:1D.
V. IL. "Stilled the people," The
Leyites passed among them comfort.
ing and cheering them. Neither be
ye grieved:" While it is proper for
us to lament sin, when we have con.
fessed and forsalien it we are to allow
it to be cast behind our backs, as God
does lisa. 3S:17), and 20 forward to
renewed effort, not wasting energy In
vain regrets.
V. 10. "Went their way" The as
sembly now broke up for the day.
"Mirth" Great rejoicing. Because
they had understood:" The same
book of the law had turned their sor.
row to joy. The book that shows our
sin. tells also of the love and mercy
of God
V. 49, "Chief of the fathers:" The
secular leaders. ITO understand" or
ito give attention to-" There seems
to have been voluntary gathering of
the people, this second day, and re-
quest that Ezra would read more to
them from the law of God.
V. IA. "They found written" Prob
ably Leviticus 23:3i-43 was read to
them "Dwelt in booths The Feast
of Tabernacles was celebrated by the
people dwelling in tabernacles, or
booths, made of branches of trees. II
was the great national thanksgiving
week.
V. Is. publish and proclaim:"
| Whenever 1t was desirable to call the
! people together, courtlers were sent
throughout the land telling the cause
for which they were asked to assem-
BILE, and inviting them to come THE
mount" The hill region round about
Jerusalem. pine branches" Better
in Revision, Branches OF wild olive"
Olive trees were noted for their thick
foliage, hence would be especially val
liable for erecting the booths in which
the people lived during the festival.
v. 16. upon the roof" ETC.: The
fat roofs of the houses afforded con-
venient places for the erection Of these
booths. Others set them up In the
courts of their houses; still others.
Iaymen as well as priests and Levites,
set them up In the courts OF the tenn
pie or open spaces in the city. street
| of the water-g gate" The broad, open
space between the temple and the city
walls, in which the people gathered
for the reading Of the Law on the first
day, Is meant (See v. -.
v. II. Come out of captivity" II
Is quite probable that the returned ex-
lies took the lead in this movement.
and especially enjoyed this festival oc.
casion. "Since the days Of Joshua
not done so:" The meaning seems to
be that. since the time of Israels first
entrance into Canaan under Joshua,
this feast had not been observed with
SO great rejoicing.
V. 18. DAY by day he read"
Ezra and his Levite helpers continued
the bible reading each Of the seven
days of the feast. We cannot find that
this was required by law, and rejoice
that II was token OF the deep interest
and sincere desire of the people to know
Gods will for them. Eighth day >.
solemn assembly," A closing festival
specially mentioned in Lev. 23: 80 was
held on that day. Manner" Better.
Ordinance"
Practical Points.
" s. Each should read the Bible with
prayer, that He who wrote it will teach
him to understand it.-Ps. 1873
V. TO- We can do nothing well without
JOY and a good conscience,-Phil. A.
V. H. AS we fully understand the
Word of God, our hearts and lives will
be filled with great rejoicing.-Jer. Is.
16
" IA. AS fast as we learn the will
of God, let us do it,-Jas. 1:22
V. Is. We are not doing our whole
duty unless we proclaim to Others the