Evening star., 1922-08-26
Sunday School Lesson

deity so that he worshiped God not as
a national but universal deity who
controlled the destinies of the world
and eternity. In ascribing the title TO
Jehovah, Nehemiah was following the
leaders Of the Jewish race, who have
given to the world the model forms of
prayer. because they possessed deep
spiritual sense of Gods goodness and
greatness.
Confession followed alteration because
Nehemiah had the vision to see that
God was not to blame for his country
mems distressing condition. He cor
rectly diagnosed the cause of their
trouble to be sin. He recognized that
their peril was due to their failure to
keep Gods law. He united himself as
a sinner with the people, even those of
the former generations. who had for
gotten Jehovah and neglected 10 obey
| His commands. They had oppressed
one another, desecrated the Sabbath and
| Intermarried with the heather, contrary
| TO His word.
| The soul that prays in the spirit
| of Nehemiah reaches the mercy seat.
Having confessed his sins and those
| Of his nation. the patriot reveals his
| faith in the promises of Jehovah by
! boldly approaching Him and cour-
i ageously seeking pardon for his
countrymen. pleading the promises
made by Jehovah to His people
| through Moses. In a prayer that was
| saturated with scriptural expressions
| Nehemiah pleaded that his nation
| through their suffering had come into
a position where they We're prepared
| to do Gods will. Reformation is the
! end of all punishment. Ne gathers
| together the pith of many of Gods
| former promises and pleads with
/ Jehovah that He be as faithful in
l nf
| as He had been in fulfilling those of
| warning. He reminds Him that they
! are united to Him by peculiar ties
| which placed the responsibility of saw
! ing them upon Jehovah because of
| His words and former works for the
| chosen nation.
| While he was pleading for his
| people Nehemiah commenced to
realize that he was peculiarly fitted
to help answer his petitions for his
stricken countrymen in Palestine. He
/ then sought Divine help to assist the
| cupbearer to personally answer his
| own prayers Every man who is
moved to pray ought to put himself
| in the attitude of answering his own
prayers. In this act of conservation
Nehemiah reveals his spirit of self
denial. sacrifice and service. He
| proved that he was a loyal, patriotic
and religious Jew when he willingly
offered to surrender all his wealth,
ease ana comfort Qelp MS DTeln-
rem, He pleaded with Jehovah that
He would fit him for the work. Ne
hemiah recognized that he must OBJ
tain the approval of the king if he
| was to carry out his program to help
| his brethren, but he sought Gods
! blessing first He knew that success
| could only come as result of the
Lords favor.
| Prolonged and intense prayer and
| fasting like that of the pious pa
| triot. reveals itself in ones physical
appearance. The man who talks with
J Jesus IS apt to reveal that fact by his
F., face and acts. After the cupbearer
had been pleading with Jehovah for
! about four months. ArtaXerXes. the
king, noticed the worried look of his
favorite court official and inquired as
! to the cause. Nehemiah had been
| looking during the four months for a
| favorable opportunity when he could
present the conditions of his country
men and secure the kings approval to
| his plan. 1t took courage for him to
stand before the king and plead for a
neglected and despised people. espe-
1 cially when the king had issued the
decree. that had stopped work that
| was essential to their security and the
continuation of the temple worship. A
| word, a gesture might mean life or
| Lord, so that he obtained the opportu-
nifty from the king to answer his
prayer for his countrymen.
| Civilization is at the cross roads.
The future depends upon the church
of Christ. The testing time of Chris
tianity has come. Commercial ana
industrial conditions are perplexing
the statesmen of the world. The So,
luton of national and international
conditions demands new spirit IN
the life of men, which the religion OF
Jesus alone can give. The perils oil
the moment summon all to emulate
Nehemiah and seek Gods guidance
after we have acknowledged our fail
ures, farawayedness and folly. so that
by a life of self-denial, sacrifice ana
service we may help usher in the day
of peace, prosperity and power. No
man has a right to place profits ana
personal advantage above the, Welfare
Of his countrymen in this hour: IL
we fail at this great crisis, it will be
because we have not prayed. During
the war we prayed for victory Our
leaders and generals prayed. The men
in the trenches prayed. The same
God awaits our call for His assistance
to lead US in the pathway of victory
and triumph in the days of peace as
He did in days Of war.