Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-11-15
SUNDAY SGSN0l. ,
Lesson VIIi.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. 10, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, e. viii, 21-S2.
Memory Verses, 21-23-Goi6en Text
Ell. viii, a2-Commentary Prepared
by Row. o. NJ. Stearns.

Memory Verses. 21-23-Goi5en Text,
Ez. viii, a2-Commentary Prepared
by Row. o. NJ. Stearns.
In our two previous lessons in the
book OF Ezra we saw nearly 10000 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. priest in the direct line
/ from Aaron and also Z scribe OF the
law Of God (vii. :. 12l. 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 al! who We're minded of
their own free will to go up with Ezra
vii 1Sl. II is thought that the story
Of the book OF Esther fits in between
Ez. vi and vii and the statement In
Est. /. 4. s, that there was royal
wine In abundance tor wine of the
kingdom-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 album
dant bcstowment and freedom Of action
granted to Ezra by the king. "Whatso-
| ever shall seem good to thee. that
90 after the will of your God. Md
whatsoever more shall be needed -
bestow it out of the kings treas
ure house" OIz. vii. Is. 20. 23l. The
object Of all this bounty was the
house of God which was ut Jerusalem
(Ez. VII. IL. Is. Il. 10. %. %. The
man of God was Ezra. who had pre-
pnred his heart TO seek the law Of the
Lord and to do il and TO teach it and
in whose hand was the wisdom OF
God CEz. vii. 10. %. The great cause
back OF all others was the good hand
of the Lord God upon him" (Ez. vii.
q. o. -: viii. Is, 80. 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 10
Jerusalem without an armed escort
Compare the hand OF the Lord upon the
prophet Ezekiel in Eek. 1. 3; ill., IA. -;
viii. I: xxxin. 80: xxXvii. /; N, l. just
seven times. II we are willing 20 be
made strong only for Himself. that
people may know Him rs 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 PS
Xxx. II; elk. %. Because Ezra had
said TO the king The hand of our God
is upon all them for good that sceb
Him" he was ashamed TO ask for 1
band Of soldiers and hOrSemen TO pro
tect them against the enemy. SO the!
tasted and prayed and afflicted them
selves before God. and lie was en-
treated Of them QCz. viii. 21-2:a. WhCl
Nehemiah went To Jerusalem he &c
cepted an escort OF captains Of tn
army and horsemen. and il Is writ
ten that the hand of God was upon hin
also Neh. ii. <. 81. Elijah was as trul
cared for by God in the home Of tn
desolate woman at Sarenta. where sh
ministered to him. as when cared fo
W bv the ministry Of birds at Cheritl
Y With a mind stayed upon Jehovah an
a whole heart for Him. there is Away
perfect freedom to do as occasio
serve. in reliance upon him q San
<, ~ The silver and the gold and Il
vessels. worth over two and half mi
lion dollars. were placed under Il
care Of twelve priests. with ten me
TO assist them. with instructions
watch and keep and deliver safely
the chefs at Jerusalem I'm the char
bers Of the house of the Lord tvrrS
24-3O). According to verse 2S. both ve
sells and people were specially holy un
the Lord. "Ye are holy unto the Lor
the vessels are holy also, and the silv
and the gold are a free will offeril
unto the Lord God of your fathers
When the kingdom comes everythil
shall be holiness unto the Lord" Gao
xiv. 90. 2D. 1t should be so now. wi
all that the believer is and has. accoI
Ing to | Pet /. 10: il. O. for we are
on a special sense set apart for Hims'
ops. ~, 81 With more care than the
men watched over these treasures
- is ever watching over His peop
:" whom He calls His peculiar treasr
eek. xix, :: Deut. vii. 6: Tit. il. IA.
W, and He will land all His GOO
safely at their destination. for no pc
er can pluck out of His hand. In
lesson story everything was delive
by number and by weight (verse
and He who said. THOSE that thou
est me have kept. and none OF then
lost" John xvii. 12). is the same
changeable one who cannot lose