The copper era and Morenci leader., 1922-09-01
LEssoR,HeR SEPTEMBER 3
NEHEMIAH RERUILDs THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM
ESSON TEXT-Neh. a:1-7:A

LESSON TEXT-Neh. a:1-7:A
 GOLDEN TEXT-Our God will fight for us.-Neh. APO.
 REFERENCE MATERIAL-Neh. 2:9-2O; Cor. s:s-17.
 PRIMARY ToPIC-How God helped Ne hemiah Build a Wall.
 JUNIOR TOPIC-How City Wall Was Rebuilt.
 INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC Praying, Watching, Working.
 YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC Success Through Leadership and Co., operation.
 Having secured a leave of absence from the Persian court, and creden- tials from the king, Nehemiah jour neyed to Jerusalem. After resting three days without disclosing his pur- pose to any one, he made a survey of the walls by night. Having thus ob- tained first-hand information he called the representatives of the Jews to- gether and said, Let us build the walls of Jerusalem" He then made known the hand of providence In bringing him to Jerusalem with the authority to rebuild its walls. He thus showed great wisdom in finding out for himself the real conditions and what work would be required to re- store the walls. The one who is qual- flied to lead In 2 great undertaking Is the one who has mastered the situ- ation and is thus able to remove ob- jectiOns and show how the work can be done. '-'-
 s.-Preparation for the Building (ch. 3.
 The division of labor in this project shows Nehemiah's administrative abil- ity. A wise distribution of labor makes difficult tasks easy.
 Note some outstanding features of this great work.
 l. Stress Laid Upon Indifference (3:5) In. administrative tasks it Is just that unfaithfulness should be pointed out. Such action will be a warning to some and an encourage ment to others by showing the in- tegrity of the director.
 2. Help Rendered by the Women l3:12). Perhaps Shallum had no sons to aid him. It is fine thing for women to be able to take hold even in building wall when there are no men to do it. Gods word carefully notes such extraordinary acts.
 8. Stress Laid Upon Earnestness of Some 6 :20). If one knows that his faithfulness will be recognized he will earnestly pursue his tasks.
 4. Every One Built Over Against Q.10 chief concern is for his family. No in centive to exertion is quite so strong as that which concerns his own fam fly.
 6. Certain Guilds of Men Undertook Certain Work (ch. 8 s, 31, 32). Wise administration sometimes calls for such alignment of efforts. Men of the same class and craft will usually work better together.
 IA.
 l. Scoffing of Sanba1lot and Tobiah l4:1-6; Of. 2:19-20). The opposers of Gods servants usually begin by hurl, ing at them shafts 'Of ridicule. They called the Jews but a feeble folk and asserted that the tread of a proving fox would break down their stone wall
 2. Conspiracy of a Sudden Attack (4:79). When the enemy saw that the work was actually succeeding they changed from ridicule to an attempt to throw the workmen into a panic and thus hinder the work. When the enemy cannot succeed by scOffing ther he resorts to intimidation.
 3. Conspiracy With the Jews (4 1023). They sought by means of the Jews from the outside to discourage their brethren by showing that the task was hopeless and that at any time they were subject to a sudder and secret attack.
 4. Greed and Oppression of the Rulers (5:1-13). The Jews of tha day, like the profteers in the recen World war, took advantage of the poor and oppressed them so that they mortgaged their land and sold theii daughters into slavery. Nehemiah boldly rebuked them for their crime. and ordered a restoration to be made exacting an oath Of them that they would fulfil their promises.
 Q. Scheme to Take Nehemiah'S Life GELD. When Sanballat and Tobial failed in every other way they sough by craft to get Nehemiah awly that they might kill him.
 III. The Wall Completed (6:15-7 :D
 So energetically did they pursue their tasks that in fifty-two days the wall was completed. When the en emies heard that in spite of all theiI schemes the work was actually com pleted, they were cast down, for they perceived that the work was of God
 Find the Rock Beneath.
 The steps of faith fall on the seem ing void, but find the rock beneath.-