The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-11-29
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lesson 10.-Fourth Quarter, for
December 9, 1917.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text Of the Lesson, Neh. S:t.t2.
Memory Verses, 2, 3LooIden Text,
Ps. tts:tos-commentary Prepared
BY Rev. D. M. Stearns.


appointed, Nehemiah gave to his broth
er Hanani and to Hananiah, the ruler
of the palace, charge over Jerusalem,
for they were faithful men and feared
God (7:1. ~. These men did not
find their position an easy one. but
such men would find II more difficult
TO rule in righteousness in any city on
earth today. for. while iniquity has al
ways abounded. our Lord Jesus taught
that when he shall come In glory Mt
the end Of this age II shall be as II
was in the days Of Noah and Lot Luke
81 :26-36). From chapter 1893, OF, II
would seem that about 10000 had now
returned from captivity, and from TT.
I conclude that meant the total OF the
three companies who returned with
Zerubbabel, with Ezra and with Ne
hemIah, for as they were taken cap
tive In three deportations, so they re-
turned ut three different times. II we
Are right In believing that 1914 began
N end the times of the gcntilcs. there
may be two or three great events ere
they finally close. but probably all
within comparatively few years.
Our lesson chapter tells Of the peo-
pie gathered to hear the book OF the
law Of Moses. the law of God, read TO
them by Ezra, the scribe. probably
with assistance from others either In
reading or explaining or both. II was
n full weeks Bible conference ut
which the book Of the law OF the Lord
their God was read to them one
fourth part OF each day. and another
fourth part they confessed and wor-
SHIPPED the Lord their God (9:3.
The book Of the law In the heart Of
the lesson. and II is mentioned eight
times IN chapter 3 and 9:l-3. There
Is nothing on earth to be compared
70 the word Of God. and. while they
had only n part Of what we call the
Bible. we have the complete book. and
the wonder is that we can find time
for aught else. for there alone can we
learn to know God and his eternal
purpose In Christ. II Is interesting to
note that II was before the water gate
that the people gathered to drink the
uNluk WuttT tut N'tu w INV N'''s
2. 18). for water represents the word
(Eph. 8 20: Ps. 1870.
We noticed In n previous lesson that
the sheep gate at which the building
of the wall began and ended suggested
the great sacrifice apart from which
nothing II ever truly begun. Lesson
verse 8 Is to me an epitome Of all
that IL comprehended In good reading.
"They read in the book In the law OF
God distinctly and gave the sense and
caused them to understand the read
Ing" whether Il be reading or sing
ing, Il ought TO be according tn this.
Paul speaks Of uttering words easy to
be understood and says. II had rather
speak Ave words with my understand
ing, that I might teach others also,
than ten thousand words In an I'M
known tongue" q Cor. 14:9. 19). The
effect upon the people rs they heard
the word OF God Is beautifully set
forth In verses 10. II. They had great
mirth because they understood the
words that were declared unto them.
and they went their way TO eat and
drink and send portions to others not
so fortunate. The portions were food
for their bodies as a result Of their JOY
In. the Lord. which was their strength.
For full thirty years tJune, 1916 I
have seen real Joy In peoples hearts
in my own congregation and at the b.
BILE classes because of the simple ex-
position of the whole word OF God.
taken literally. except when plainly
figure OF speech. and In twenty-seven
years and five months Of that time
have received from grateful hearts
without any solicitation over $4,000
to help give portions Of living bread
and water to multitudes who other
wise might not have heard II. l tell
them that II their Joy In the Lord does
not make them long to have others
as they might be. These people had
very great gladness oversees IL, III.
and their service was the result. An
other result was that they kept the
feast Of tabernacles as II had not been
kept since the days OF Joshua. the son
of Nun. They also confessed their
sins and separated themselves from
the ungodly (s:17; OIL, ~. God made
them rejoice with great Joy, 30 that
the Joy Of Jerusalem was heard afar
or t12 :43).
So II shall be to the ends Of the
earth when the Lord shall have finally
comforted Jerusalem Elsa. IS 10; 81:
II; 81 %. 10). So should It be now on
the part Of all true believers that who
soever will may receive a portion and
help complete the church. that the mar
riage Of the Lamb may come. We do
not understand the word Of God a.
we should unless we are sure that by
the precious blood of Christ we have
eternal redemption and can never per-
ish that at his coming for his church
we shall be like him even as to our
bodies; that between now and then he
has our service all appointed for us,
and we have only to walk with him
In the good works which he has pre-
pared (Eph. 20, z; John 10 :2S; John
81, 2; Phil. 3;20, n Eph. 2:10).