ning with this little nation God was making a
better world; a world of love, instead of selfishness and hate; of
happy work and play, instead of misery and hopelessness and war.

Of course very few of the prophet's hearers understood him. But more
and more the Jews were filled with the thought that somehow God had a
great future for them. Boys and girls, as they grew up, wondered if
they might not become leaders, a new Moses, a second David, or Elijah,
to play some part in bringing the great future which God had promised.

STUDY TOPICS

1. Read Isaiah 40 or 49 for a taste of the writing of the "Great
Unknown."

2. Read Ezekiel 2. 1-7, or 14, for a similar taste of this prophet's
message and style.

3. Which of these two prophets do you consider the greater?

4. Is there evidence to-day that the Jews still believe in a restored
nation?

CHAPTER XXIII

THE GOOD DAYS OF NEHEMIAH

About seventy years after the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem a
committee of Jews went to Persia to seek aid for their distressed
country from their more prosperous kinsfolk. In the Persian capital,
Susa, they found a man named Nehemiah, who was cup-bearer and personal
adviser to the king of Persia. He was a man of good sense, of kindly
sympathy, and of great ability--just the man to help them. They told
him how the walls of the city of their fathers had never been rebuilt
in all these years since the Babylonians had captured it, and how the
poor people suffered from robbers and oppressors, who took advantage
of their helplessness.

NEHEMIAH'S GREAT ADVENTURE

All this was news to the young man. They did not have newspapers and
magazines in those days, and people in one part of the world knew
little about what was going on in other parts, even those near by. The
stories told by his brother Jews made Nehemiah sad, and his sadness
showed in his face even when he came before the king. This was
dangerous, for a part of his duty was to keep the king in a cheerful
humor. But his Majesty was not angry, but asked him "Why are you so
sad?" Nehemiah answered by telling him the story of his native land
and its pitiable condition; and then and there with a prayer in his
heart he asked the king to give him a leave of absence, and to permit
him to go to Jerusalem and help the people there to rebuild the
walls.

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| [Illustration: REMAINS OF WALLS OF THE CANA