The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-06-04
HezekIAH THE GOOD KING.

sunday-school Lesson for
June Z, 1891.
Especially Arranged from 8. 8. Quarterly.1
LESSON TExT-2 Chron. go: Iii.
GOLDEN TExT-Them that honor Me will
honor.-1 Sam. 2: 50.
CENTRAL. TRUTH-A revival Of truc religion
Is fruitful in blessings.
TIME-B c. 1oG.697 tho period Of Hezekiah's
reign. Hezclliah began to reign ia years after
the death of Joash.
PLAcE-Judah and Jerusalem.
RULEIs-Hoshea was king OF Israel fer the
FIRST six years OF HeZekiah. Shalmanezcr ~.
was king of Assyria ut the beginning Of Heze-
ltiah's reign, f27-122; then Sargon, 722705, and
then Scnnacherib, 705-631. Rome was founded
753.
PRopHErs-Nuhurn. 790.6o5. Isaiah, 76o-oos,
Micah, 1907 o. A considerable part Of 1sniah's
prophecies belong to this reign.
CoRnEspoNDING BIBLE HISTORY - Hezeki
eh's reign is recorded in Chron., chs. 2o32;
Kings 1920; 1sa. 3SG3. II large part OF Isaiah,
chs TO- H. eo.23 oT-3S $500 belong to this reign.
HELPS OVER HARD PLACES. II. '1Iczekiah,"
the thirteenth king Ct Judah, was tho son OF
Ahaz 'IIis mothers name" Is mentioned
probably to express her influence for good over
the king Daughter Of zechariah," probably
Isaiat's friend lisa s:2); the same man who
was an influential counsellor of Hczckiaa's
grandfather U2ziah. g Chron. 2D:5) g. First
month" OF the year: Nissan, our March or
April "Oporcd the doors:" which Ahaa
closed (23:2i) T. "The la-nps:" or the golden
candlesticl. from which all the light CT tho
temple caTe n symbol CT Gcd's l'fo ana liSnt-
giving nature; OF tho warmth cheer, beauty,
and blessing which shine from His nature. q
"Delivcrcd them to trouble:" The Phflistines
took possession of largo portion OF the King
dom: the sacred treasures OF the temple were
sent as tribute to tho king OF Assyria. (Sec
Kings TO- = Chron. 2a) TO- MAKE covenants"
a solemn renewal OF the original covenant in
the wilderness. (Exod. 24:3-S) like renewal
was made by Asa, Josiah and Nehemiah.
LESSON COMMENTS.
Amid all the degeneration in Israel
and Judah, we feel, on reaching this
lesson, as though we had arrived at an
oasis in the desert. Ahaz, the father Of
Hezeliah, was utterly bad in all his
ways; but, fortunately for Judah, he
had good son. To the deeds OF this
son our lesson calls attention; and that
the subject may be presented to the
scholars somewhat more fully than Is
done in the verses that form our lesson
for the day, we shall take in more OF
his life than these verses give us.
He began Alright. In the very first year
of his reign he opened the doors of the
house of the Lord, that his father had
closed. and at once instituted a series
of reforms that were much needed.
The French say: at is the first step
that COSTS" and our king took that
first step in the right direction. Thus
in his future life he had no back tracks
to take.
He coatin1e5 sceM Reformation in Jc-
rusalem alone did not satisfy him.
Though in all Judah the influence OF
this religious monarch was quickly
felt, SO that all godly people rejoiced
with him, he was not content with this.
There in the north lay their sister
tribes, that were in evil state as re-
garded their religious condition. So Hez'
ekiah started missionary movement
in that direction, and sent out posts
to try and recall Israel to her allegianoc
to Jehovah. That these posts" were
scornfully treated was not Hezekiah'd
fault, for he did his best, and that was
all that he was responsible for. Yet
some were touched and converted (see
Chron. 3O:11). Then followed q great
religious gathering and revival in Jeru.
salem..
He Kept on continuing ,0eM Many q
man has begun well, and then after
awhile has lost his enthusiasm, and has
stopped his good work. Not so this
king; he stuck to his good purpose. q
Chron. 31:1 tells of this, and the secret
of it all is given in Chron. 31:21, where
we read that in all religious duty, he
did it with all his heart"
Therefore God prospered Lin. OF course
this was the result, for God had many
times promised that he would give pros.
perity to those who obeyed His com.
mandments. Under his rule, Judah re-
covered much of her ancient fame, and
the promises to those who would Job,
serve to do all that Moses had COM
manded," were fulfilled.
Surely the application of a lesson like
this is not hard. 1t says:
Begin areM. Sowing wild oats is utter
folly, for all such sowing must be fol.
lowed by reaping that which you have
sown. Many bad beginning makes a
bad ending, and the secret of ruin must
often be sought for in the youth of the
one who has gone to destruction. AS
the twig is bent, so the tree grows.
But you may begin we'll, and yet not
Keep on weN. How sadly true this
is every Sunday-school superintendent
can bear witness. Some of the most
promising scholars, who, perhaps, have
taken all the prizes ever offered by the
school, turn out badly in the end. They
did run well, who did hinder them? I.
may be that bad companionship was the
cause, or that the reading of vile liter
ature lay at the root of all their evil
courses, but the fact remained the same,
they gave good promise, but they failed