Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1917-10-26
INTERNATIONAL.
SUYDAYSQlOOL,
LESSON
Ry REV. p. b. FITzwATER. d. D.,
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
Copyright, 1917. Western Newspaper Unfon.)
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 20
EZRA RETURNING FROM sAsN
LON.


walton of Mordecai occurred, which ia
vorably disposed the Persian govern
ment toward the Jews. The time was
suspicious for Ezra to make his re
quest unto Artaxerxes. The supreme
aim of Ezra was the restoration Of the
true worship of Jehovah, for 1t is evi.
dent that the work done by Zerubbabei
had largely failed Of its aim. In order
that Ezra might be an efficient instru.
ment In the hands OF God for the ac>
complishment Of this purpose, he pre-
pared his heart to seek the law of the
Lord and to do 1t, and to teach in Is
rael the statutes and judgments"
| Il :1Ol There are three stages In the
experience of every true teacher. First:
to seek the law of the Lord. Second:
to do it. Third to teach tito others.
The last Is impossible without the first
two.
The royal commission granted to
Ezra embraced
CD The return of all whose free Will
prompted them to do so 1919.
(2) Ezra's being given magisterial
authority over the district beyond the
=, river" (7:25, 26).
(3) Exemption from taxation to the
Levites e :24).
(4) Conveyance Of offerings from the
king and his officers q :15, 1917
!. Register of Exra's Companions
| Q-14)> Doubtless this Is a representa-.
tive list of those who Joined Ezra.
There is clear implication that the
twelve tribes are represented among
thoseswho returned. (See 2:70; 6:16
I'D
IL. Ezra Sends to lido for Ministers
for the Temple Service wv. 1920. Be
fore the journey to Palestine was &c
tually begun, Ezra gathered about him
his companions who were to accom-
pany him, to see whether they were
representative. In this review he dis
covered that none of the sons of Levi
were in thescompany. So he sent chief
men to lido, who was doubtless the
president of the school Of the LevfteS
for ministers for Gods house In re-
Spouse to this appeal, 3S Levites and
220 Nethinims Joined him.
III. Ezra Seeking the Guidance Of
the Lord wv. 21-23)- The journey was
full of deadly perils 1t lay through
a region invested with Bedouin ma
RAIDERS. Ezra, fully conscious of these.
and ashamed to ask help of the king.
proclaimed a fast in which in deep
humiliation they sought the guidance
and protection of God This is dne
Illustration of the independence, and
yet dependence, Of the men who fully
trust God His chief concern was for
the honor Of Gods name. He had SO
confidently and repeatedly spoken to
the king Of the divine sufficiency that
now to have asked for guard Of sol
diers would cause him to blush with
shame. In this critical hour they COM
mitted themselves to the care Of Him
who keepeth Israel. We should begin
every journey, every undertaking.
every new piece of work, every new
day by seeking the direction of God.
No friendship or business interest ever
reaches its best unless Gods hand be
in 1t and upon it We should not go
anywhere, engage In any business or
have any friendship upon which we may 4
not ask Gods blessing and aid. They L
sought this for themselves, for their
children, and all their substance. TheyI
knew that as soon as they made God
first his blessing would be upon them.
and as soon as they forsook him his
power would be withdrawn and bis
wrath would be upon them.
w. The Treasure Committed to|
Twelve Priests wv. 24-30). Combined
with their faith In God, we find prac
teal business sense. Honest, trust
worthy, good men were selected "
2S). To such only should be Entrusted
the Lords money-gifts offered freely
to the Lord by his people. Again, thu
money was carefully counted and
weighed, and the amount set down
The men were held accountable at thu
end of the journey for everything I'M
trusted to them. Men ought to be helS
to strict account for everything intruss
ed to them, to the very last cent. TIL
men to whom this was intrusted werH
holy; the gifts were Gods; they diH
not belong to any man; they wei
charged with the obligation to delivt
these gifts before the chief priests.
v. The Safe Arrival At Jerusale
wv. 31-36). The journey listed fol
months. They carried with them m
lions of dollars worth of treasuf
through region infested with marau
ing Bedouins yet God delivered the
from their hands. At the end of I
journey they testified to the faithf
ness Of God in bringing them safely
". 81. The safe arrival at the e
Of each days journey is due to.
good hand Of our God upon us. AT
resting three days. the treasure
brought into the temple and burnt \
ferings were made tefore the Lord
hc-ah. Ell