Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-11-16
8eligiolas department.
S. S. LESSON FOR NOV. 22d.
HEzEKIAH' GOOD REIGN. I'd Kings,
IS, LIP.

GOOD REIGN. I'd Kings,
IS, LIP.
GOLDEN TEXT. And he did that
which was right in the sight of the
Lord. I'd Kings, IS, 3.
Hezekiah was the thirteenth king
of Judah and reigned from 725 to
900 before Christ. His father Ahaz
had exceeded all the former kings in
wickedness and the son exceeded all
his predecessors in goodness. The
golden text tells the reason of his
goodness. He had q set purpose
to do right in Gods sight be-
beyond Asa, Jehoshaphat, Or anyone
since David. He was not merely an
amiable king, gentle, virtuous. exem-
plary and devout, but he was a true
reformer who fought down and de-
stroyed the agencies of sin. He le-
moved the high places where idols
were worshiped; he broke the mag
es IN pieces, cut down the groves
that idolators should have no secret
places to worship in, and broke in
pieces the famous serpent Of brass
made by Moses because men offered
worship to it, calling it only piece
of brass. Some had trusted in ar
mics, others in walls, brides, and al
lies, but he condemned all these and
every power save his own people and
the God of his fathers. The histo-
rian says in verses 5 and 6, 'sHe
trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so
that after him was none like him
among all the kings of Judah,
nor any that were before HIM.
For he Glove to the Lord and depart
ed not from following him, but kept
his commandments which the Lord
commanded Moses" He further
says, and the Lord was with him !;
and prospered him wherever he
went. He rebelled against the king
of Assyria and served him not. He
smote the Philistines to GAIA, and
the borders thereof, from the tower
of the Waterman to the fenced city"
The greatness, honor and success of
his reign was due alone to his faith
fulness to God in all things. Judah,
under Ahaz, the idolater, was brought
very low and paid a heavy tribute to
Assyria, and the Philistines ruled
over the west cities, but he sought
God and trusted in him and his king
dom rose to its highest glory since
the days of Solomon. In him and
his people were greatly fulfilled the
promise made in Leviticus and Deu-
teronomy of the amazing prosperity
that should attend an obedient Isra-
ell. (See Lev. 26, 3-13, and Deut.
%, LA. But as Judah and Hez-
ekiah rise to victory, power and rich
es, Israel is descending to her long
deserved and foretold doom. The
great king of Nineveh or Assyria
laid siege to her capital and took it
and removed her people into a cap
tivity from which they never return
ed, and another people was transfer
red TO take and own their land for
ever. Because they obeyed not the
voice of their God, so were they cast
out and punished.
/. We see the king was singular
among his fellow kings of David S
line. He was entirely devoted in all
things. He followed his God fully
for himself.
2. He was wonderfully brave.
uncompromising and energetic. He
gave no quarter to idolatry and
wrong anywhere he broke up even
the brazen serpent of Moses to pre-.
vent idolatry, and cleared op
all the high places and cut dowr
all the groves that idoiatry anC
its abettors should have no place
to worship or conceal their wicked
ness. He bravely and successful,
attacked his Kingdoms enemies ant
won back his lost lands. And NOR,
than all he revolted from the pay
ing of tribute to the great king o
Assyria in sure certainty that tn,
king would make war on him with al
his power. 1t was reliance on tn
arm of God and his word Of trutl
against the geatest empire of tn
world whose kings were called king
of kings. Was he foolhardy man
A few years later Sennacherih cam,
with his army to take Jerusalem, a
Shalmaneser had already taken Sa
: maria and defed Hezekiah and hi
God, and threatened destruction ant
ruin. Hezekiah sought counsel 0
the Lord through Isaiah the prophet
II Will send blast upon him. SAT-
the Lord. The king of Assyria wax
ed up one morning and saw hi
mighty host nearly all dead, smittel
by the angel Of God, and went il
haste and shame TO his own land
! there to meet assassination by tn
: hands of his OVID sons SO wonder
fully was Hezekiah and his peopl
; saved, by the complete destructlol
+ of their foes. (See I'd Kings, 10, 35
and also lisa. 81. 81.
: '.They that trust in the Lord shal
be as Mount Zion, which cannot b