The Pulpit Commentary — Nehemiah — Section 149

regartlcd. On our wistlom or folly hero hangs our weal or our woe for life, and the future of others too, even of those in whom we shall be most deeply interested. If there be one step which, more than any other, should be taken with profound and protracted care, with devout and religious thoughtfulness, it is this step of choosing our friends, most particularly tlie friend of the heart and for the life. If we let humour speak on this subject, na we commonly do, it should only be on sufferance. We should make it speedily retire, that sound sense, and solemn consideration, an<i religious duty may utter their voice, and be obeyed.-C. Ver. 31 (see also v. 19; xiii. 14, 22).-The appeal to God. During the latter part of this book these ·words recur like the refrain of a psalm. They are an appeal to God-an appeal to God from man. There is something plaintive as well as suppli- catory in their tone. We look at- I. THE HUMAN NEGLIGENCE OF WllICH THEY ARE HUGGESTIVE. What l exclaims an earnest but inexperienced voice; is it meant that Nehemiah, the patriot prophet, who ventured so much in Persia for the people of God at Jerusalem ; who, in the teeth of such dangers and difficulties, threw a wall of protection round Jerusalem, and made her safe and strong for centuries ; who virtually repeopled and largely rebuilt her; who reinstituted her sacred feasts, and re-established her temple worship in its regu- larity ; who redeemed her children from bondage; who purified her domestic life ; who put down her sabbath desecration; who refused to receive fee or payment for his services, all the while showing a princely hospitality,-is it meant that he had to appeal to God from the indifference, the negligence of man? Only too possible, is the reply. Do we not remember that the ancestors of these Jews wearied of the faithful Samuel, and preferred the weak and vacillating Saul; that Greece had her Socrates and Aristides, and Rome her Coriolanus, and Spain her Columbus, and Eng- land her William Tyndale? Nay l can we forget that once a greater than Nehemiah was " despised and rejected of men" ? He was despised, and men esteemed ltiin not. :Nehemiah, to be the builder and restorer he was, had to be an ardent and energetic reformer, i. e. he had to come into sharp collision with the views and ( what was more) the interests of his contemporaries, and to challenge and even denounce their doings. These words, "Remember me, my God," follow his record of the vigorous part he took in the matters of (1) usury (eh. v.) ; (2) the non-payment of tithes (vers. 10-14): (3) eabbath desecration (vers. 15-22) ; ( 4) the work of cleansing (ver. 30). They speak of coldness, of suspicion, of disregard, of backbiting, on the part of some, if not many, of those he sought to serve. The strain is this : This people are overlooking my work for them, forgetting the sacrifices I have made, not sparing me their reproaches. Remember THOU me, 0 God, for good ; wipe not tlwu out my good deeds, spare thou me in the greatness of thy mercy. We must not enter the field of Christian work only, or chiefly, for what man will give us as the reward of our labour. li we do, we may be miserably disappointed ; we may reap more tares than wheat in the harvest-time ; we may find more thistles on the ground than fruits on the tree ; we may be like the Master, who had the crown of thorns pressed on his bleeding brow instead of the crown of honour laid lovingly on his head. It is not for us to " covet earnestly" the smile or praise or recompense of man. Doubtless it ought to be given in response to faithful work ; it is better both for him that gives, as well as for him that receives, that it should be given; but as those that serve the Lord Jesus Christ, as those that follow the Son of man, we must be prepared to do witl1out thrse things. And we can afford to do so, if needful, for there remains- II. THE DIVINE FAITHFULNESS ON WHICH THESE WORDS ARE BASED. II Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done" (ver. 19). But dare we ask God to think on us according to what we have done? For him to deal with us after our actions and to reward us according to our doings, is not this for him to deal with us after our sins and reward us according to our iniquities ? Dare we, sinners, make our appeal to the God of righteousness? Must we not address ourselves to him as the God of mercy, who does pass by, blot out, "remember no more" the things we had thou!sht and said and done? Truly ; yet this doctrine of grace and the doctrine that God will reward those who try to please and honour him stand well together. So Nehem'<th felt; for while asking God to remember him for "this also" (this good 156 THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH. [err. xm. 1-31.