The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1911-11-18
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson VIIl.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. 19, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.


Memory Verses, 21-23-GoIden Text,
e.. viii. 22-commsntary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stsarns.
In our two previous lessons In the
book Of Ezra we saw nearly $4,000 re-
turning to Jerusalem by permission Of
Cyrus. the king. under the leadership
Of Zerubbabel and Joshua. and we saw
the temple finished by the encouraging
words Of Hagar and Zachariah. Now
we see Ezra. a priest in the direct line
from Aaron and also a scribe Of the
law Of God vii. 8. 12,. returning with
the permission and good will Of Artak-
erxes. king of Persia. and with him
over LOO Of the people. The decree Of
the king made nothing compulsory in
the matter Of returning. but gave full
permission to all who were minded of
their own free will to 60 up with Ezra
vii. 13). 1t is thought that the story
Of the book Of Esther fits in between
EZ. vi and vii and the statement in
Est 1, Z. 8, that there was royal
wine In abundance tor wine Of the
ingdom-margin). according to the
state of the king. but that every one
did according to his own pleasure in
the matter Of drinking gives an idea
Of perfect freedom. Note the abun-
dant bestowment and freedom Of action
granted to Ezra by the king. "Whatso-
ever shall seem good to thee. - that
do after the will Of your God. And
whatsoever more shall be needed I" =
bestow 1t out of the kings treas
ure house" Ez. vii, IL. 20. 90. The
object Of all this bounty was the
GEE. vii. Is. 10. II. 10. %. 20. The
man Of God was Ezra, who had pre-
pared his heart to seek the law Of the
Lord and to do 1t and to teach 1t and
in whose hand was the wisdom of
God (Ez. vii. 10. 25,. The great cause
back of all others was the good hand
of the Lord God upon him" (Ez. vii.
6, o. %: viii. 10. %. 81. by which the
king granted him all his request. by
which also he was made strong, by
which the right men were brought to
him, and, as we shall see In this les
son, by which he was brought safely to
Jerusalem without an armed escort
Compare the hand Of the Lord upon the
prophet Ezekiel in Eek. 1. 8; Ill. IA. ~:
viii. 1; xxxiii. %: xxxvii. I; xl. l. just
seven times. If we are willing to be
made strong only for Himself. that
people may know Him al the doer Of
all that is done In and through us. we
may expect His hand upon US for the
sake Of the man Of His right hand FPS.
Xxx. II: elk. 20. Because Ezra had
said to the king. 1.-The hand Of our God
Is upon all them for good that seek
Him." he was ashamed to ask for
band Of soldiers and hOrsemen to pro-
tect them against the enemy. so they
tasted aud prayed and afflicted them
selves before God. and He was en-
treated Of them (Ez. viii, 2l-23. When
Nehemiah went to Jerusalem he &C.
cepted an escort Of captains Of the
army and horsemen. and 1t Is writ
ten that the hand Of God was upon him
also (Neh. II. 8. 81. Elijah was as truly
cared for by God in the home of the
desolate woman at Sarepta. where she
ministered to him. as when cared for
by the ministry Of birds at Cherith.
With mind stayed upon Jehovah and
a whole heart for Him, there Is always
perfect freedom to do as occasion
serve. In reliance upon him Il Sam.
Z, y. The silver and the gold and the
vessels. worth over two and half mil
lion dollars, were placed under the
care Of twelve priests. with ten men
to assist them. with instructions to
watch and keep and deliver safely to
the chiefs at Jerusalem In the cham
bers Of the house of the Lord oversees
24-3O). According to verse %. both YES
sells and people were specially holy unto
the vessels are holy also. and the silver
and the gold are a free will offering
unto the Lord God Of your fathers"
When the kingdom comes everything
shall be holiness unto the Lord" Zach.
xiv, 20. 21). 1t should be so now. with
all that the believer is and has. accord
ing to I Pet. l, IS: II. 8. for we are In
q special sense set apart for Himself
FPS. ~. 81. With more care than these
men watched over these treasures He
IL ever watching over His people,
whom He calls His peculiar treasure
Ex. xix. 3: Deut. vii. 6: Tit. II. IA. R.
W, and He will land all His goods
safely at their destination. for no pow
er can pluck out Of His hand. In our
lesson story everything was delivered
by number and by weight (verse 34),
and He who said. "Those that thou CAV.
est me I have kept. and none Of them IL
lost" John xvii. 12). Is the same I'M.
changeable one who cannot lose any
thing that Is truly His. Ezra's journey
occupied four months. and all the way
they were kept and delivered from the
hand Of the enemy and Of such as lay
IN wait by the way tvii. 8; Will. SD.
When Paul was nearing the end OF his
sojourn In a mortal body he said. IL
was delivered out Of the mouth Of the
lion, and the Lord shall deliver me