Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-06-05

ID. M. Stcsirns
lCrnprled from Lesson Tlo,per Quarterly by pcr-
mission OF H. S. Hoffman, publisher philadei-
phio
/. "Hezekiah began to reign when he
was fveand-twenty years OH, and no
reigned Internationally years in Jeru-
salem"
Having in the last lesson stepped back
about 100 years to consider the revival in
the days of Joash, we now return to about
the time of the lesson of two weeks ago,
for it WIS in the beginning Of the reign of
Hczekiah that the ten tribes were carried
into captivity Oh Kings, xviii 10j. lie was
the last but one Of the good kings of Jul
dab. His father Ahaz was q wicked king
and his son Manasseh was the worst of
oil (xxviii, 10, %; xxxiii, 0,lO).
And his mothers name was Adj jah, the
daughter of Zechariah."
O. "And he did that which was right in
the sight of the Lord, according to all that
David, his Gather, Ind done"
g. ale, in the first year of bis reign, in
the firsg month, opened the doors of the
house ofthe Lord. and repaired them"
What grand beginning be makes, and
how promptly He does not allow month
to pass alter he becomes king without at
his father, had destroyed the vessels, shut
up the doors, and made affairs in every cor
ner of Jerusalem (,;xvih, 2D. Hezekiah
now seeks 10 undo his fathers sin, and he
Loses no time about IT,
d. And he brought in the priests and
the Lovites, and gathered them together
into the east street"
There was time when the head of each
| family acted as the priest of the household,
offering sacrifice unto the Lord Job /, 5;
Gen. viii, 20; xii, 7, 81. But since the build
ing Of the tabernacle at sinai The house Of
Aaron and the tribe of Levi were set apart
to stand between the people and God and
to offer sacrifice.
3. And said unto them, Hear me, We
Levites; sanctify now yourselves, and
sanctify the house of the Lord God of your
fathers, and carry forth the tilthiness out
OF the holy place"
1t took them sixteen days TO cleanse
| the temple ON this occasion Tvs. BID,
/ but it takes much longer than that to
cles rrse some believers from the filthiness
of flesh and spirit which clings so closely.
g. For our fathers have trespa4sed, and
done evil in the eyes Of the Lord our God,
and have forsal1en him, and have turned
away their faces from the habitation of
the Lord, and turned their backs"
So, also, said Jeremiah u little later IN
their history Ger. ii, b. 10, and so said
Moses ere the nation was yet forty years
old (Deut. tx, g. ~. Their history might
be called continued forsaking OF the Lord
who redeemed them
I. also they have shut up the doors of
the porch, and put out the lamps, and
have not burned incense, nor offered burnt
offerings in the holy place, unto the God
Of Israeli
S. Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was
upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath
delivered them to trouble, t. astonish-
ment, and to kissing, as we see with your
eyes"
In Lev XVI and Dent, xviii f. was
clearly foretold that She wrath Of the Lord
would thus come Upou them if they We're
disobelient and doses added, Il call
heaven and earth to record this day against
you, that | have set before you life and
death. blessing and cursing; therefore
choo,e life thar both thou and thy seed may
live (Deut xxx, l9). IS God by His ser
want fUrctold SO it came 10 pass
o. For, 10, our fathers have falipn by
the sword: and orr sons and our dAu xhter.
! and our wives ora in captivity for this
One hundred and twenty Thousand fel
In one day, aud 200, 10 women, SONS auc
daughters were carried captive b,ca ls'
they had fors,Lten the LORD God Of tneI
fathers CHAP. xviii, 8, s.. This also Ia,
been plainly foreuod QDeUt, xviii, -, 80
and so 1t came 10 plss. Think ior u Inomen
Mt the more than l00, 900 who in heathen
dom are dying every day, without knowl
; edge of God, besides All in CLri,tendon
who have heard, bat do not believe.
TO- Now it is In mine heart to make
covenant with tho Lord God of Israel tina
his fierce wrath may turn away from us.
So did Asa, and at a later period Meme
miah CHAP. XIV, 70; Neh- X, o. and elcl
| o,Hained blessing from the Lord. See tn
encouragement to act thus in II Chron. VII
1 H. David found comfort IN the unchange
ableness and fullness Of Gods covenan
. with him, and Gods faithtulness SHOULD
j. ever be-our resting place Oh sam. xiii,
a Ps, xxxEs, /, Q; Cor. i. o X, 49,. Yet he
/. US do as Hezekiah did, and enter into
= covenant with the Lord TO present on
4 bodies living sacrifice, with all we ar
a and nave, that Ake tho lad leaves ~ tn
/ hands of Jesus, we may be blessed, broker
= multiplied and made to feed hungry soul
:, with the bread Of life, that so the Gospt
+. may DO preached in all the world for wi,
}. ness, THE body Of Christ hastened to COLI
! pletion and the Kingdom come. Let u
= covenant to be wholly His for His service
r. IL. MY sons, be not now neg ligeDt."
Cursed DO he that doeth the work Of th
Lord negligenly (Jer. Xviii, 10, margin
Whatever we do IN His service ahould b
n done most thoroughly az unto Him, and
: we live rs in His sight how can we
: negligent OF decedtfulf
a For the Lord hath chosen you to stan
+ befo<e HIM"