346 THE PLOTS

wrong, and were very sorry, and

willing to restore the possessions of

their poor brethren. They said to
Nehemiah. “So will we do.” Then
he made them promise; and they all
answered, “Amen,” and praised the
Lord; “and the people did accord-
ing to this promise.” So all ended
well; and, we may hope, that the
nobles did not again oppress their
poor brethren.
set them a good example ; for he fed
many of the Jews at his table every
day, and was kind and generous to
all; and he did this “ because of the
fear of God.”

God is kind and merciful, and he
commands us to be so too. He
shows His love in all that He gives

 

Nehemiah himself

OF SANBALLAT.

us; but He showed it most when
He gave His Son to die for our sing,
Then, “if God so loved us, we ought
also to love one another.” 1 John
iv. 11. And Jesus Christ is full of
love. When He was upon earth He
“went about doing good.” There
was no unkindness, no selfishnegg
in Him, and if we are the servants
of Christ, we shall try to be like
Him. “He says, “By this shall all
men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.” —
John xiii. 85. Let us pray, then, to
have this love put mto our hearts.
It is one of the fruits of the Spirit
which God promises to give to those
who ask Him.

J
wr

CCXXX.

JHE PLoTs OF PANBALLAT.

ANBALLAT and Tobiah
eb) could not fight against
the Jews; but they tried
to trouble and hinder
them in their work.
Sometimes they sent for Nehemiah
to come and see them. This was
tempting him to be idle, that the
building might be stopped. But
Nehemiah said, “I am doing a
great work, and I cannot come
down. Why should the work cease,
while I leave it, and come down to
you?” They sent to him four
times; but Nehemiah gave always
the same answer; so at last they
left off, and tried to trouble him in
another way. We may learn here, a

 

lesson of industry from Nehemiah.
We have not walls and cities to
build, as he had, but we all have
some business to do. And how
should we do it? Very quickly,
and very diligently; because we
have much to do, and very littl —
time to do it in. “ Whatsoever
thine hand findeth to do, do it with
thy might; for there is no work,
nor device, nor knowledge, nor
wisdom, in the grave whither thou
goest.” Leclesiastes ix. 10.

But how did Sanballat trouble
the Jews now? He sent a letter
to Nehemiah, open, that every one
might read it. This letter told him
that he was accused of wishing 1