The Pulpit Commentary — Nehemiah — Section 80

III. CoNSIDERA.'rION OF THE PRESENCE OF Goo. Active faith in him as near, invit- ing to communion with himself, observing the state and conduct of each professing worshipper, speaking in the word and by the preacher, claiming a reverent regard to his declarations, ready to bless and save. IV. SELF-CONTROL. Over the thoughts ; swiftly banishing such as would divert from the sacred business in hand. Over the eyes, lest they conquer the ears. V. Withal, PRAYER. The Divine assistance being invoked in momentary silent ejaculations, whenever the attention flags or wanders. In conclusion, let the habitu- ally inattentive bear in mind that-1. They are necessarily great losers. Attention is the first condition of gaining good from public teaching. The loss thus sustained is of the highest and most lasting blessings. It is likely to include the loss of their souls. 2. They are guilty of great sin. Ver. 9.-Penitential sorrow. "All the people wept when they heard the words of the law." I. A NATURAL SORROW. "By the law is the knowledge of sin," and this knowledge cannot but awaken sorrow as to-1. Guilt contracted. The law is seen to be "holy and just and good ; " the Lawgiver righteous and benevolent ; and so sin appears " exceeding sinful." It is rebellion against authority the most just ; hatred of the infinite Excellence ; base ingratitude towards our best Benefactor ; disregard of the rights and welfare of our brethren. 2. Good forfeited. Physical, moral, spiritual, eternal; in this case, national. The thought of what Israel would have been but for disobedience to the law would be most distressing to the Jews. So when we think of all we have lost through sin we may well grieve. 3. Evil incurred. Condemna- tion, remorse of conscience, degradation of nature, separation from God, shame and sorrow, diseases and death, the miseries of hell. What anguish and tears is the thought of the consequences of sin fitted to produce ! II. THE PROPER EFFECTS OF SUCH SORROW. 1. Confession. " I will arise and go to my Father," &c. 2. Repentance. " Godly sorrow worketh repentance," &c. 3. Eager acceptance of the gospel. Revealing as it does the Divine and complete remedy for all that gives the conscious sinner pain-a glorious Saviour, a perfect atonement for sin, the Almighty renewing and sanctifying Spirit ; and thus a free and full pardon, restoration to the Divine favour, renewal unto holiness, peace, hope, ultimate perfection in body and soul, eternal glory and blessedness. 4. Watchful obedience. 5. Joy. "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." But, on the other hand, "Woe unto you that laugh now," careless and impenitent, "for ye she.11 mourn and weep." Ver. 10.-A CHRISTMAS HoMILY.-The joy of the Lord. "Go your way, eat the fat .... for the joy of the Lord is your strength " [stronghold]. The co=on opinion that the Jewish religion was gloomy and austere is erroneous. Its ritual and ceremonial observances were indeed minute, and in some respects burdensome, but there was much that was joyous. The private observance of religion consisted a good deal in offer- ing sacrifices of thanksgiving, of which the larger portion was eaten by the offerer and his friends in a social festal meal (Deut. xxvii. 6, 7 expresses the spirit of the Mosaic law). The Sabbath day, as originally instituted, was far from being the gloomy season which some represent; and of the other seasons set apart for speciill religious observance, only one was a fast, all the rest were. festivals for the com- memoration of God's goodness, and the offering of praise to him. The three occa- sions on which all the males were required to appear at the temple ,vere all festivals, and bow 'the festivals were to be kept our text shows. It relates to the feast of trumpets-the new year's festival-as observed by the Jews after their re-settlement in Palestine (for the law, see Levit. xxiii. 23). On this occasion the people were more disposed to mourn than rejoice, for the law had been read and expounded to them, and they were reminded by it of the nation's sin and deserved punishment. But Nehemiah bids them not mourn, but rejoice, adding that the joy of the Lord would be as a stronghold to them. We may gather from his words hints on Christian joy and feasting-, I. THE JOY WHICH Goo's PEOPLE SHOULD INDULGE. "The joy of the Lord." Holy, pious joy. It is joy-1. In God-his existence and perfections ; his relation to a2  THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. [en. vm. 1-12,