The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-12-08
SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson xl.-FOurth Quarter, For
Dec. 10, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Memory Verse, ft--GoIden Text, Pc.
xvii, documentary Prepared by
Rev. .. N. stearns.
Chapter v tells OF greaA wrong
among the Jews themselves. for SONS
were holding mortgages on the lands
and houses OF their poorer brethren
and lending money at a high rate,
while for twelve years Nehemiah as
governor had refused to be charge
able to the people or to take any
thing from them. On the contrary, he
fed at his own table $50 Jews and
rulers besides those who came from
the nations about them, and all this at
his own expense.
Chapter vi is record OF his enemies
from without who earnestly sought to
do him personal harm. First they
thought to do him mischief by enticing
him to meet them In one of the VII
lagos in the plain OF Ono. It's ever
true that the wicked plotteth against
the just, watcheth the righteous and
seeketh to shay him PR xxxvii, Il, 80.
But the Lord shall laugh at him, fox
he seeth that his day IL coming. Ev-
cry child Of God must expect 30 be-
hated by the world and to suffer
tribulation and persecution Qnhn XIV,
1920; xvi. So; II Tim. iii. I'D, and u
should be accepted as a gift from God
and a special privilege Phil. 1 20s !
Pet. Nv, II, 49,
Nehemiah's reply TO the first Temp
tAtion, in verse 8. is worthy OF lmita-
ton by all earnest Christian workera
who are asked to turn aside from that
to which God has called thenns IT am
doing great work, so thatsI cannot
come down. Why should the work
cease while / leave 1t and come down
to youY' It is always wrong kind
| of coming down to leave any work
| directly for God, which He has I'M
trusted to Us, to confer with worldlings
or even to attend some kinds OF COM
mittee meetings or so called minister's
meetings which do not profit ALI
coming down from any form Of pride
or self Is always right and profitable,
for our highest place IL lying low at
our Redeemer's feet. ana the Lord
alone must be exalted. and with Him
/ alone must we be occupied q
Four times they tried In O similar
way to entice Him, but he was enabled
to resist them every time (verse A.
/ An old lady who endeavored TO find
something good in every one and ey-
erything was once asked if she ever
| saw anything good in the devil. She
thoughtfully replied, ''Wea, he is very
persistent" These enemies OF Nehe-
miah were evidently In his employ. As
to Nehemiah, he was steadfast. unmovA
able, Astounding in the work Of the,
Lord, knowing that his labor was not
In vain in the Lord Il Cor. Nv, 6G-
The fifth temptation was In the form
OF an open letter by Sanballats serv-
ant, In which was written q report that
Nehemiah and the Jews thought to-
rebel and make Nehemiah king, and
therefore they had built the wall ana
appointed prophets to preach that he
was king In Jerusalem. Because these
things would be reported to the king
at Babylon he was invited to meeS
these friends "a and take counsel to-
gether about the matter, for Of course
It would gTieve them to see such d
good man as Nehemiah in any trou~
BILE. The lie factory. under the super
intendence Of the father OF lies. has
been at work ever since the business
started In Eden so long ago, and every
child of God must expect to have some
turned out for his special benefit
! Their object at this time was to
make Nehemiah and the people afraid
OF being reported to the king and thus
to weaken their hands. But Nehemiah
had no guilt on his conscience in this
matter and nothing to fear. He re-
turned answer. 'There are no such
things done as thou sayest, but thou
feignest them out OF thine own hearts
oversees s, o.. So he trusted God to
strengthen his hands. Adam was
afraid and tried to hide from God
(Gen. fiji, 1O), but he was guilty. God
! does not give His people spirit OF
fear on Tim. i, y, and our Golden Text
should be the bold utterance OF every
believer. Even worse than these enc
mics OF Nehemiah were the false
prophets In the days OK jeremiah,
who in the name of the Lord were
prophets Of the deceit of their own
heart speaking vision OF their own
heart, causing the people to err by
J their lies and by their Hghtness Ger.
J xiii, is, 20, 82). What shall be said
of the false teachers of today who
with all the increased light of the New
Testament speak lies out Of their own
heart in the name Of the Lord2 What
ever Is not according to Scripture = q
/ lie.
y The next step Of the enemy was to
entice Nehemiah to meet them in the
! house of God and shut the doors OF the
J. temple lest he should be slain Verse
10). But Nehemiah perceived that
this messenger was hired by Tobiah
and Eanballat to make him afraid, SO
that they might have matter Tor an
evil report against him. Nehemiah's
reply is again brave and full of COM
fidence ia God: Should such man as
I fee2 And who is there that, being
as am. would 60 into the temple to
save bis iife7 win not go in verse
I'D. So be handed Tobiah and Sandal
lat and the Prophetess Noadiah and
all the rest Of bis enemies over to
God Verse 40. See III verses 17-l8
!. how many Of the mobiles III Judah were