The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-11-24

Lesson K.-FCurth Quarter, For
Nov. rs, 1871.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.


Text Of the Lsssen, Neh. i--Memory
Verse, s--coIden Text, Jas. ', ts.
Commentary Prepared by Rev. o. M.
stearps.
Tho lesson today may include Chap
tiers and ii and might be entitled
Nehemiah. praying and God working.
The name Nehemiah signifies comfort
OF Jehovah. and his fathers name.
Hachaliah. signifies hidden OF Jehovah.
or perhaps Jehovah is hidden. the
former suggesting tire safety OF His
people and the latter that His ways
are great deep Verify, thou art =
God that hidest ThyseIf, o God OF IS.
rael, the Sayiour" lisa. xiv, 49,. The
time of the book is supposed to be
about seventy years after the dedica.
ton OF the temple that was rebuilt by
Zerubbabel and thirteen years after
Ezra's reform, as recorded In e. tx
ana 4 For some reason Nehemiah
had remained at Babylon instead OF
returning with Ezra's company, but
his heart was at Jerusalem. He was
true Tsraelite at gentle court, Xix.
Joseph. Moses, Daniel and Mordecai,
loving bis people and burdened for
them. He knew the God OF heaven
q. A, 8; II. 4, 2o). and. although be
knew Him as the great and terrible
God. he also knew Him as God keep.
Ing covenant and mercy for them that
love Him. ready to pardon. gracious
and merciful, and be could call Him
my God" q. 5: il. IL. 81. 80; II. 8, IL.
49,. The Jews at Jerusalem were not
yet as Isaiah had said they would be.
ruling over their oppressors and rest.
ing from their sorrow and fear. but
were still servants in the land. with
others ruling over them and having
dominion over them and their posses
sions at their pleasure (Neh. Tx, SO. 81.
So we know that the restoration from
Babylon did not fulfill lisa. III, 8-12; xiv.
Id; XIV, 10. or any other Of the great
predictions concerning Israels glorious
future, oil Of which will be fulfilled
when the Lord Jesus shall come the
second time In power and glory 10
restore all things OF which the proph-
cts have spoken (Acte gil. 21). He has
said that He win not rest till these
things are fulfilled. and we arg not az
right with Him as we should be un.
less we take no rest and give Him
no rest until He make Jerusalem a
praise in the earth lisa. xii. In. Some
one may say. Il am more interested in
our own Zion" meaning his owl
church or denomination. not under
standing the purpose Of the Lord iii
this age to gather out from all nations
an elect church. that so the marriage
of the Lamb may take place and He
may return with His bride TO bless
Israel and through her all nations in
all the earth
Reproach Is brought upon the Lord
today by His people who are more In
terested in their own affairs than III
Bis. When Nehemiah heard of the
great afHiiction and reproach resting
upon Jerusalem he gave himself tt
fasting and prayer. as did Daniel
Dan. X, 2. 81.
Nehemiah might truly be said to be
a man OF prayer. Of confidence In Gcd
and separation unto Him chapters 4, B.
IL; Ii, 4. s. 1920: iv. IA, 20l. He was also
a man Of patience. for II seems to have
been many months after he began To
fast and pray before the opportune
time came TO speak to the King. He
might perhaps have forced an oppor
tunity. but he had learned better and
knew that the Lords time and way
were the best In his prayer In our
lesson chapter let us learn from verse
alteration. Compare Jer. i, G. z, 10
xxxii, II: Acts iv, "A. In verses 6. Z
note the confession of sin and compare
Dan. TX. as 20. and see Prov. xviii
10: John /. 8; Ps. xxxii, 8. See In
verse 8 bow he recalls the threat OF
Lev. XVI, 81, So: Deut. Nv, &c. ~. and
in verse 0 the promise of forgive.
ness in Deut. Xxx. 1-3. See how all
through he leans upon and pleads the
word OF the Lord AS God had done
rs He said He would concerning their
sins. SO be pleads that He would re.
member His word concerning their re.
pentance. Verse 10 IL strong, bold
pleading. See the stand no takes III
spite of all their sins. Nov. these are
Thy servants, and Thy people. whom
Thou hast redeemed by Thy great
power. and BY Thy strong hand" we
are reminded OF Moses pleading in
Deut. tx. %. yet they are Thy people
and Thine inheritance, which Thou
broughtest out by Thy mighty power
and by Thy stretched out arm"
Watching day by day for a favor.
able opportunity to speak to the King
and all the while in constant com
munion with the King OF kings, the
time came by question from the King
concerning his apparent sorrow Of heart
so I'm one breath he prayed to the
God OF heaven aud spoke to the King.
and the King granted him his request
according to the good hand OF his God
upon him III. 4. 5. 81. I'm due time be
reached Jerusalem In safety, but FOR
days he kept the matter to himself and
told no one why he had come di 11-16l
When he did tell them why he had
come and said. "Let us build up the
wall OF Jerusalem that we be no more
q reproach." and also told them OF the
hand Of God upon BIN and OF the
kings favor they were ready 70 Join
him and said, let us rise up and
build III. II. 49,. Their enemies