Bible Commentaries
Expositor's Dictionary of Texts
Nehemiah 8
The Curse Turned Into a Blessing
Nehemiah 8:2
Refers to the time when Balak sent for Balaam to curse Israel.
I. God Turns His Own Curses into Blessings.
1. Toil: leads to self-denial and self-sacrifice.
2. Difficulty: calls forth energy and develops strength.
3. Danger: awakens courage and fortitude.
4. Pain: reminds us of the evil of sin.
5. Sorrow: acts as a refiner's fire.
II. God Turns Man's Curses into Blessings.—The crucifixion of Christ was the means of man's redemption.
The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church.
—F. J. Austin, Seeds and Saplings, p80.
References.—XIII:2.—B. J. Snell, Christian World Pulpit, vol. li1897 , p153. XIII:11.—J. H. Jowett, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxxix1891 , p92. Ambrose Shepherd, The Gospel and Social Questions, p73. XIII:15-22.—A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture— 2 Kings , Chronicles, Ezra , and Nehemiah , p391.
Add Comment
Comments