International S. S. Lessons.
"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." —Neh. 8:8 LESSON VIII.—SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1893. [NOTE.—The questions which follow are merely suggestive for the student on the leading points of the lesson; it is presumed that the thorough student will think of many more as he studies the subject. References, where verses alone are given, always refer to the lesson scripture printed above. All other references are given in book, chapter, and verse. The text printed is that of the Revised Version, not because it is especially preferred, but because it is not found in every family, as is the common version.] 9. But we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 11. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12. And it came to pass that, when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times from all places, Ye must return unto us. 13. Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them; remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses. 15. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to naught, that we returned all of us to the wall, everyone unto his work. 16. And it came to pass from that time forth, that half of my servants wrought in the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 17. They that builded the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves, everyone with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon; 18. And the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. 19. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another; 20. In what place soever ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us; our God shall fight for us. 21. So we wrought in the work; and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 22. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day. 23. So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, everyone went with his weapon to the water. Golden Text.—"We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them." Neh. 4: 9. 1. WHAT was the subject of our last lesson? 2. How long a time did Nehemiah pray? Note 1. 3. What was the result of his prayer? Note 2. 4. What did Nehemiah first do on arriving at Jerusalem? Note 3. 5. What effect did this work of building have on their enemies? and what resulted? Note 4. 6. What did Nehemiah do to meet this conspiracy? Verse 9. 7. How did the Jews without feel? Verse 10. 8. How did the enemies of the Jews boast? Verse 11. 9. What did those Jews who lived near these enemies say to weaken the hands of Nehemiah? Verse 12. 10. What did all this cause Nehemiah to do? Verse 13. 11. How did he encourage the people? Verse 14. 12. What resulted from this? Verse 15. 13. How did he arrange and guard his workmen and work? Verses 16-18. 14. What instruction did he give the leaders? Verses 18, 19. 15. How did he show his faith? Verse 20, last clause. 16. How did he divide the watching and working? Verse 21. 17. What instructions did he give to all? Verse 22. 18. How indefatigable were they in their work? Verse 23. 19. What lessons may we not draw from this? Note 5. 20. What lessons of profit may we draw from this narrative? Note 6. 1. Nehemiah seemed to have been seeking God for about four months, from Chislev to Nisan. Compare Nehemiah 1:7 with 2:1. Nehemiah's earnest and anxious face was noticed by the king, in whose presence everyone was expected to smile. 2. The result of Nehemiah's prayer is given in the second and third chapters of his book, especially in the first eleven verses of the second chapter. There we are told how the king noticed his sadness and inquired its cause, how fearful Nehemiah was, how the heart of the godly man was then lifted to the One who knows every thought, how God heard, how gracious the king was, and how he not only consented that Nehemiah should go to Jerusalem, but that the king fitted him out with all he needed to make his journey in safety and pursue his work successfully. 3. Nehemiah's first work, like the prudent man that he was, was to look over the work to be done. Chapter 2:12 to 3:32 tells us how he looked over the ruined wall in the night, how he called the rulers together and laid the matter before them, how Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem laughed him to scorn, how Nehemiah answered, showing his faith in God, and how he disposed of his forces in building. 4. The building of the wall brought out the enmity of the men spoken of in the previous note. First they ridiculed the work as amounting to nothing; even a fox in passing over the wall would break it down, they said. To meet it Nehemiah rolled the reproach off upon the Lord. The building went on, and the enemies of the Jews, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, together with the Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, conspired together against them to stop the building of the wall. 5. We may not draw from Nehemiah's use of the sword a model for gospel work. Nehemiah lived in the days of a theocracy, when God ruled his people. Nehemiah went to Jerusalem to do a material work for a material city, to build up a material kingdom. Not so the Christian. His work ought or should be to gather out souls, to win souls, to watch against sin, to build up the spiritual house of God. When the Christian presumes to execute God's judgments, he usurps the place of God and becomes a transgressor. 6. We may learn many useful lessons from this narrative: 1. God always hears the prayers of those who seek him for his glory, unselfishly. So Nehemiah sought God. 2. In building character we should examine our work, as did Nehemiah, and learn what is to be done. 3. We should clear away the rubbish. 4. We should use that instrument which is both trowel for building and sword for defense or aggressive warfare, namely, God's word, the sword of the Spirit. 5. We should be earnest, zealous, self-sacrificing. 6. Let us build at home, get ourselves right, and then we may labor for others. 7. The women, the families, joined in the work. God has work for all now. 8. Opposition may be expected, but labor on, watch and pray, our God will fight for us, and give us eternal victory.