Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-03-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Inte national sunday School Lesson
for March 17-Bezekiall and the
Assyrians-EH.C Chron. SO: B. FL.
BY REV. E. P. RODGERS, D. D.

help us. and to fight our battles. ~
Cbron. 23: s.
Central Truth: God is the refuge Z
, his people.
|. HeZekiah was one of the best kiEgs G
ancient Israel. His zeal for God, am
His true worship continued, and he ei
fccted a complete reformation in hi
. kingdom. F'indiug that the blazen ser
pent which Moses had erected in tn
wilderness was becoming no object o
idolatry with the people, heSleSlroyed it
He not only reformed religion. but h
greatly adyarced tie temporal affairs 20
his kingdom. Aud God blessed him il
lall that he undertook. so that he becarn,
4 very rich and prosperous as a sovereign
de was attacked in the fourteenth yea
of his reign with disease which threat
ened 10 prove fatal; but the prophe
Isaiab, by divine direction, visited ant
prescribed for him, and. bya very simple
apln lniication. he WIS healed. God alst
rave him a speciaI sign, at his earnes
rcquesf. that his life should be prolong
ed. wIIiclf was. that the shadow OF the
sun should 90 back ten degrees on The
dial plate OF -4haz (See Ii. Kings 20: s.
! Ill
After this came the invasioiisof Jud
by Sennacherib, Ki1g of Assyria, NOR
arch OF great power. who took foriy-siS
cities cailiel away 900 OOO capiiyes and
shut up Hezekiah in his capital. The KIM
Was forced 10 negotiate With the invader
and TO pay him an immense amount Oi
| treasure, which obliged him to s,iip of
the gold frop he doors of the temple
| But even this did rot secure peace TO Ju-
dah. The Assyrian KiIg returned with.
in year or two, and. as we learn from
this lesson, and sent messengers again to
Jerusalem demanding the surrender oi
the city. Senuacherib and his ennis
saries endeavored also 10 frighten the
people into surrender, by charging that
their king had dishOuored the God oil
| Israel, by taking away his high places
| (eee ch. 81: H. and that he could not eX-
prct the help or Jehovah in his trouble.
| The ASsyrial also bO:lsted of whit be
| bad already done to other nations. and
endeavored in every WAY to dishearten
the people, and induce them to give up
| the city.
In this extremity Hezekiah had re-
course TO the Lord his God. His pray Ell
is recorded in full in Ii. Kings 10. In
answer God instructed Isaiah to assure
him thar his prayer WAS heard. and that
| his enemy should not come into the city:
but Should leave III safety AMI return Il
his Own land. That Very night, by I
miraculous visitation of God, Il terrible
slaughter took place III the Assyriai
camp and $4,000 men were slain. Sem
| l,acilerib retreated to Niueveh. and vas
there killed by two of his own sons
Thus WAS Hezeaiah delivered from biz
great danger.
PRACITAL SUGGESTIONS.
| /. 1t is not Gods method 10 allow his
people always 10 enjoy unininyled pros
| periiy.
Hezekish for many years enjoyed spe-
| cial tokens OF the divine favor. Tilel
cama sickness and invasion. aud times oi
tear and anxiety. Gnd bad wise pur
poses to answer by these changes of tor
tune. His people need The discipline oi
trial, and they nnst have it in his lie. il
they have it all. Even thr best ot NEIL
cahuot be trusted with constant prosper
| ity. Let us not desire it for ourselves OF
our children. When we reach chat world
| where all the dealings OF God with lis
will be made clear 10 us. we may learn
| that we were more indebted to what we
4
we called its blessings, tor our best prep
aration for heaven.
| 2. Success only makes wicked meI
more presumptuouS and forgetiul OF
| Cod
This was true of the King of Assyria
! He was ii great monarcb, and successful
| warrior aud his power and success &c
| inflated him, that he thought nothing
WAS too great tor him. He was not airai.
of the God of Israel. and boasted that he
could hot deliver Judah out of his hand
And so he went 0D in his evil way, until
GOd's fOrbearance reached its limit, and
| the proud AsSyrian was destroyed.
"The prosperity OF fools shall destroy
them"
5. Gods people bave an unfailing re.
luge, in times of trouble, in prayer.
Hezekish aud the prophet Isaiah cried
unto Cod when the threatening messag,
OF the Assyrian King came TO them ant
God heard their cry. They went up tC
the temple anu spread their case before
the Lord, A lul account of shis is eivei
in Ill. Kings 10: l4-l9. And maI keu
ana complete deli:erlnce came that very
night, III most unexpected way.
Ii there are any promises which may
be fully relied on By Gods people they
are those which relate 10 prayer. On nc
subject is Gods word more full. or more
comforting. And in nothing is the his.
| tory OF the church so rich and instruct
i've, as in its abundant illustrations ol
Gods fidelity to these promises. Are you
in trouble-go and tell it ls God. "IIe
knows it already" you may say. True
but be wants you come and cOntide in
him. as pray hearing and prayer-an-
swering God; AMI ii your needs are great
surely their supply is worth asking for
But he works by means," you say. True
and the faith and prayers OF his people
are part OF the means which he had
promised especially 10 bless. For this
will be inquired OF by the house OF Israe
10 do it Tor theln," God knows your
wants and is able 10 supply them, bu
you have 40 right 10 expect that he vii
do so, unless you ask him. The story o.
King Hezekiah's deliverance from deatl
by disease, ard the destruction of the
As,yrian host III answer to prayer, arr
enough 10 rebuke your uilbelief, and sent
you TO your knees ia earnest and beliey
ing prayer in every time of need.
A. The fate OF Sennacherib and hi
: host foreshadows the doom of all the en-
emies of Christ and his Church.
Every age has had its proud ant
naughty foe OF Christ and his cause
The old Jewish empire the Pagan, pei
lsccuiillg powers all the schools OF inf
deity; and every organized effort agains
, the Lord and lis Anointed, through tin
centuries, have striven in vain agains
1 the Gospel and the church. They hav
J fallen like the Assyrian host before tn