Suggestive Notes

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 2, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 22.

Schedule for Week Ending June 19, 1909.

	Date	Morning		Evening
	June
Su.	13	Ezra	6, 7, 8	John	21
Mo.	"	"	9, 10	Acts	1
Tu.	"	Neh.	1, 2, 3	"	2: 1-21
We.	"	"	4, 5, 6	"	2: 22-47
Th.	"	"	7, 8, 9	"	3
Fri.	"	"	10, 11	"	4: 1-22
Sa.	"	"	12, 13	"	4: 23-37

Suggestive Notes.

Our Old Testament lessons for the week begin with the sixth chapter of Ezra, and close with the book of Nehemiah. Both the books of Ezra and Nehemiah were written by the ones whose name they bear. Ezra was a priest; Nehemiah, a governor appointed of the Lord, and then given the burden of restoring Jerusalem. The record in Ezra begins with the search of king Darius, the son of Hystaspes, for the records concerning the Jews. This record is found and the decree of Cyrus renewed. We are told how God prospered the Jews in the building of the temple.

Darius Hystaspes was succeeded by Xerxes, and he by Artaxerxes Longimanus. Under this latter king not only is the decree of Cyrus and Darius renewed, but greatly enlarged, as recorded in the seventh chapter of Ezra. The remainder of the book records the experiences of the Jews at Jerusalem, their backsliding, their humility, their seeking of God, and the faithful reproofs given by Ezra and others. The book of Nehemiah is a story of the ups and downs, battles and conflicts, defeats and victories of the Jews at Jerusalem under the last reformation. It is typical of God’s work in other ages, especially in the last days. We have the adversaries putting forth every possible effort to hinder Nehemiah and his work, but the answer which he gives them is worthy of the man and worthy of his cause: “I am doing a great work, and therefore can not come down.” And God carries on the work to a glorious success notwithstanding all the efforts of the adversary to hinder. The last reform which Nehemiah undertakes is upon the better observance of the Sabbath.

Our New Testament lessons begin at the last chapter of John and close with the fourth chapter of Acts. The book of Acts was written by Luke. Compare the first verse with the preface to Luke’s Gospel. Acts is said to be one of the most important books of the New Testament. We could lose any other one of them, unless it be the Revelation, much better than we could Acts. That gives us a record of the earthly church and is very valuable indeed, not alone for its teaching, but for the examples. We would have a space of time that would be utterly uncovered by any inspired history were the Acts omitted. It gives us a record of the early church in its victories, its examples, its inspiring testimony to the power of God, working among men in one of the wickedest periods of the world. Our lesson for this week is the story of the waiting in the upper chamber, the final apostasy and death of Judas, the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the temple and the imprisonment of Peter and John, and God’s deliverance.