Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-11-10
Sunday School Lesson
Commentary.
E. r. WALKER, D. D.
nehemiah 1:1-11.)
INTRODUCTORY.

The book of Nehemiah was origin
ally bound with the book of Ezra, and
was considered the second part of that
book-the Second Kings, Second
Chronicles, etc. In the Hebrew canon
and also in the Talmud it was SO
treated. The two books together form
people from captivity, and the rebuild
ing OF the city, temple and walls of
Jerusalem, and the revival of the re-
ligion Of Israel and reconstruction of
the ecclesiasticism and in a measure.
of the commonwealth.
EXPLANATORY.
Time: B. c. 446.
Place: Shushan, of Elan.
Verse l. The words of Nehemiah
the son Of Hachaliah. This Is gener-
ally understood as signifying the his
tory. as written by the one named. A
strange way to begin book, and yet
natural. The fact that this history
is written in the words of a man does
not disprove it as inspired by God.
God speaks by man. He adopts mems
style and very words as vehicles of
His own thought. This introduction
StelUS " q iiC" pcSihhihe ~ 49,
narrative of return and reconstruction
as commenced and carried along con-
siderably by Ezra. 1t is difficult to
disassociate Nehemiah from the ready
| scribe. The two were closely affiliated
| in that great revival Of Gods people.
Modern writer's always associate them
together The name of Nehemiah means
Jehovah Comforts" And assuredly
this man was much comforted by Je-
hovah. particularly in answering his
prayer. And through him the GOO
Of all Comfort comforted His people
in their tribulation.
1. And It came to pass, when heard
these words, that ! sat down and wep'
Weeping is generally regarded as ar
exercise for women and children; but
Orientalists of both sexes and all age:
have been accustomed to give way Il
their feelings and shed tears. jesus
wept" And was not He a strong man
Weeping Is not necessarily sign O.
weakness. but 1t is an evidence O
moral constituencies, and Is by the re
ligon of the Bible regarded as mor'
than proper. jeremiah recognized II
his day that the condition of Cod
people was occasion demanding tears
"Oh, that my head were waters. ant
mine eyes a fountain Of tears, that
might weep day and night for the slail
of the daughter of my people!
Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud
for the Lord hath spoken-But IL "
will not hear 1t, my soul shall weep II
secret places for your pride; and min
81, ond down will
tears, because the Lords flock Is car
ried away captive" Ger. o. i; lS: IL
III Certainly sin and its effects de
mand weeping Of those who have eye
to see and hearts to feel. The grea
wonder Is that the eyes of the strong
est men remain dry in view of SIN an
all its woe. Certainly a man like Ne
hemiah must not be classed among tn
weak. He was every inch a man.
Afterward, when 1t was suggested t
him to flee into the temple and hid
from the enemy to save his life, h
put away the suggestion as one to b
given only to the weak. Said he
SHOULD such q man as I flee? an
who Is there, that, being as am, woul
60 into the temple to save his life?
will not go in" (Ch. 6:110 Yet thi
man of nerve and courage could ri
down and weep over the condition Q
Jerusalem. his fatherland. and the re
ligion of Israel. And today the condi
tion Of the spiritual Jerusalem-th
:. church-with Its walls raxed. and II
; gates down, and It's sacred precinct
. exposed to the incursions of the worl
. and its sacred truth and its professe
people byword and kissing to me
who heap contumely and contemp
upon those who would stand for tn
true faith once delivered to the saint
all certainly is enough to cause tn
, most stalwart men of God sit down an
weep-and mourned.-Th expression
msans more than wserings y = u