Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-17

to the good hand of his God upon
him. 1t is exceedingly interesting to
discover how God used all these hui
man agencies to work out His plans.
Ezra, Nehemiah Mordecai, Esther
We're all Gods agents; and their in
innate association with each other
made possible the working out of
plans which otherwise would have
been humanity impossible. OF course,
this in no way detracts from the
power of God or the place of God
in these TRANSACTIONS for they were
all of His choosing, and these peo-
pie were no more than His agents.
Tn the Goth year of Darius Ne
! hemiah was appointed governor of
Jerusalem. He rebuilt all the walls
and set up the gates, although every
obstacle that could be put in his way
was used. The earnestness with
which he did his work brought this
part of it TO completion in 81 days.
When this was done, he realized that
the people had to be instructed in
righteousness if it was to be perma-
nent, SO he erected a pulpit of wood
the first mention of such-and
gathered all the people to hear. Ezra
mounted the pulpit, with certain lead
the people stood be read to them from
the book of the Law. All the adults
and all the children that were old
enough to understand gathered on
the first day of the seventh month
and listened to Ezra from morning
till midday. There is no record of
their having complained of being
tired. or Of the length of the sermon.
Ezra was a ready scribe. He had
prepared his heart to, seek the law
of Jehovah, and to do it, and to teach
it to Israel Therefore he read dis
tinctly, and gave the sense and
caused them to understand the read
ing.
There is still an hunger for the
Word of God in the hearts of people
Nor do. they mind listening an hour
or more to one who has prepared his
heart to seek the law of Jehovah, to
do it, and to teach it. When such
an one reads the Book distinctly,
and causes people to understand it,
and gives the sense of it, people will
always listen. What they tire of is
a sermon of twenty minutes that
might have been said in five; or one
that begins with a text from the
word OF God and then departs from
1t IN the words of men, no matter
now eloquent or learned; or Of one
that comes from the lips of a man
unprepared and whose life is not in
accord with his words
+ Ezra had a hearing; and the peo.
pie were brought to tears Of repent
ence when he heard from him what
Goa had said; and then to gladness
When they understood now gracious
God is. The greatest feast of the
tabernacles was observed and there
was very great gladness; and every
day they listened to what God had.
to say to them.
Revival
Twelve years passed by Ne.
hemlah was governor. Then for
some reason he returned to Shus-
nan and was gone for a year. He
heard of an outrage committed by
Ellash1b the priest who had over
sight or the temple and obtaining
leave of the king, went back to
Jerusalem to correct it. During his
absence-oh, how prone these people
were to turn away from God so soon
as effective leadership was removed!
But be careful in your thinking
you may step on your own toes. Dur
ing his absence, Eliashib had desc
Grated the house of God by preparing
Tor Ioblah, an heather, great
chamber in the courts Of the tenn
pie. Tithes had ceased to be paid.
The house of God was forsaken.
aThe Sabbath was profaned. Heather
marriages were again contracted.
Inc Jewish language was being cor
rupted by the offspring of these.
And to cap the climax a son of the
nigh priest had married a daueh
ter Of Sanballat their bitterest en-
envy, and was having access to the
tenlple
Nehemiah proceeded to take the
matter in hand. He cast Tobiah
and all his furniture out of the tenn
pie; he restored the tithes so that
the LeVites had their living: he
cleansed the priesthood and restored
the offerings that had been neglect
ed he stopped mixed marrying.
When the Sabbath approached he
shut all the gates of the citv and
When the fish merchants and others
came the next day and began to
camp outside the walls, he ordered
them to move on and not come back
again on the Sabbath. They under
stood him to be a man of his word,
and they gave him no more trouble.
Possibly the most spectacular of !
MS reforms was the last incident in
the Old Testament. He chased the
son-in-law of Sanballat out of the
great chamber of the temple, even
though he was also the son of the
high priest.
Nehemiah as the governor and
Ezra as the priest served their gen
GRAFTON well according to the will
of God. You have your opportunity
to serve your generation now Do it
according to the will of God.
TT II L