The Coolidge examiner., 1935-12-06

mind to work. Nehemiah 4:6.
PRIMARY TOPIC-When Friend:
Work Together.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Team-Wo Work.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOF
TOPIC-Team-W Work.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-Co-operation in Religion
Work
|. Nehemiah's Mission to Jerusa
lem (Neh. p.
While performing his official duty
as cupbearer to the Persian king
Nehemiah learned of the distress OF
his brethren at Jerusalem. The
walls of the city were broken down
its gates burnt, and the remnant
of the captives were in great afflic
ton and reprOach. This news great
ly moved him. He definitely asked
God to give the king a favorable at
titude toward his project. In an
swer to his prayer he was granted
a leave of absence from the Per
sian court and credentials from the
king. He jOurneyed to Jerusalem
and made a survey of the city by
night without disclosing his pur
pose to anyone. Having thus OBJ
tanned first-hand information, he
called the representative of the
Jews together and said, LET us
build the walls of Jerusalem
After he thus made known the hand
of God in bringing him to Jerusa-
lem, he revealed the authority vest
ed in him to rebuild the walls.
II. Preparation for the Building
(Neb. -.
The division of labor in this prof
ect displayed Nehemiah's admins
trative ability. A wise distribution
of labor makes difficult tasks easy
Observe some outstanding features
of his administrative work.
1. He laid stress upon indiffer-
ence. In administrative tasks 1t is
proper that unfaithfulness should
be pointed out. Such action serves
as a warning to the unfaithful and
encouragement to the faithful.
2. Help rendered by the women
". 12). 1t is fine thing for the
women to take hold even in build.
ing a wall when there are no men
to do it.
3. Stress laid upon earnestness OF
some ". 20). Recognition of fidel-
ity will spur one on to faithful per-
formance of his task.
4. Every one built over against
his own house wv. 10, %, 2S).
There is no incentive for exertiOn
quite so strong as that which con
Germs a mans own family.
5. Certain guilds of men under.
took certain work wv. s, 81, 32).
Wise administration sometimes calls
for such alignment of efforts. Men
of the same class and occupation
usually work best together.
III. Hindrance Encountered "A:
1919.
l. Scoffing Of Sanballat and Tobi-
ah (4:1-6; CT, 2:19, 20). The OPP
pressors of Gods servants frequent
ly begin by hurling shafts of ridi-
cule at them. They called the Jews
but feeble folk and asserted that
the tread Of a prOwling fox would
break down their stone wall.
2. Conspiracy for sudden at
tack (4:7-9). When the enemy saw
that the work was actually succeed
ing, they changed from ridicule to
an attempt to throw the workmen
into a panic. When the enemy can
not succeed by scoffing, he resorts
to intimidation.
3. Conspiracy with the Jews a:
1929. They sought, by means of
the Jews from the outside, to dis
courage those on the inside, say
ing. that the task was hopeless and
that at any time they were subject
to sudden and secret attack.
4. Greed and oppression Of the
rich GLIB.
The Jews of that day, like the
prOfiteers of our day, took advan-
tage Of the poor and oppressed them
so that they mortgaged their land
and even sold their daughters into
slavery.
5. Scheme to take Nehemiah's
life (6:1-14. When Sanballat and
TObiah failed in every other way,
they craftily sought to get Nehe-
miah away that they might kill him.
~. The Wall Completed (6:15-
7:4.
So energetically did they pursue
their tasks that in tifty-two days
the wall was completed. When their
enemies saw that in spite of all
their schemes the work was actu-
ally completed, they were cast down,
for they perceived that the work
was of God. Upon the completion
of the work, Nehemiah gave instruc-
tions as to the opening and closing
of the gates of the city. May we
learn from this:
l. That though Gods children
are besOught by enemies they should
not fear.
2. When beset by enemies we
should pray (4:9).