The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-11-17
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson vlIl.-Fcurth Quarter, For
Nov. 19, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Memory Verses, 2f-23 Golden Text,
e. viii, 22--cemmentaFy Prepared
by Rev. o. M. stearns.
In our two previous lessons in the
book OF Ezra IRE 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. a priest in the direct line
from Aaron and also a scribe of the
law Of God vii. 5. 12), returning with
the permission and good will OF Artak-
erxes. king OF Persia, and with him
over 1.7O0 Of the people The decree OF
the king made nothing compulsory In
the matter Of returning. but gave full
permission to ell who were minded OF
their own free will to go up with Ezra
vii, 1S). It is thought that the story
OF the book OF Esther fits In between
Ez, vi and vii and the statement In
Est 4, Z, 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 abun-
dant bestowment and freedom OF action
granted to Ezra by the king, 'sWhatso-
ever shall seem good to thee, &c that
do after the win Of your God. And
whatsoever more shall be needed >
bestow it out OF the kings treas
ure house" Ez vii, Is, 20, 28). The
object Of ali this bounty was the
house Of God which was at Jerusalem
GEE vii, Is, is, IL, 10, %, 2D. The
man of God was Ezra, who had pre-
pared his heart to seek the law OF the
Lord and to do it and to teach It and
In whose hand was the wisdom OF
God GEE. vii, 10. 25) The great cause
back of all others was ''the good hand
of the Lord God upon him" (Ez. vii,
8, 9. %: viii. 10, %. all. 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 Ezak. i. 8; lid, Id. %;
viii, i; xxxiii. ~; xxxvti, i; xl, /. just
seven times. Ii we are willing to be
made strong enly for himself. that
people may knew Him as 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, IL; elk. 27l Because Ezra had
said to the king. THE hand Of our God
is upon all them for good that seek
Him." he was ashamed to ask for a
band OF soldiers and horsemen to pro-
tect them against the enemy, so they
tasted and prayed and afflicted them
selves before God, and He was en-
treated Of them (Elz. viii, 21-29. When
Nehemiah went to Jerusalem he &C.
cepted an escort Of captains of the
army and horsemen. and it ts writ
ten that the hand Of God was upon him
also (Neh u. q. 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
q whole heart for Him, there Is always
perfect freedom to do as occasion
serve, in reliance upon him II Sam.
4, n. 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
hers of the house OF the Lord oversees
24-3O). According to verse %. both YES,
sells and people were specially holy unto
the Lord "Ye are. holy unto the Lord;
the vessels are holy also, and the silver
and the gold are a free win 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 Pet. 1, is; il, o, for we are In
special sense set apart for Himself
Ops. Nv, 81. With more care than these
men watched over these treasures He
Is ever watching over His people
whom He calls His peculiar treasure
eek. xix, g.; Deut VII 6; Tit. II, IA, r..
W, and He will land all His goods
safely at their destination, for no pow
or can pluck ont OF His hand. In our
lesson story everything was delivered
by number and BY weight verse s4).
and He who said. Those that tliou cav
est me have kept. and none OF them Al
lost" John xvii, 12). IL 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 (vii, 8: viii, BIZ.
When Paul was nearing the end Df his
sojourn In mortal body he said. II
was delivered out OF the mouth Of the
lion, and the Lord shall deliver me
from every evil work and will pre-.
serve me unto His heavenly kingdom,
QI Tim, ~, IL, 1s). Ezra was ashamed
to ask for an escort Of soldiers because
IL looked TO him like lack OF trust In
the Lord. 1t would do Ms all good to
get ashamed OF our ''littla faith. but
we also need TO get ashamed. AS Ezra
did, OF conformity to this present ags
and its ways tix. 0).