The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-11-11

Sunday school Lesson In the iaterna~
tionnl Lesson series for November
IL, Isos-2 Kings 10 :2O-.@. 2s-:j7.

tBased upon Peloubets Select Notesl
GOLDEN TExT.-God IS cur refuge ara
strength. a very present help n trouble
Pisa. 46l.
kiAh's reign q Kings 1913 10 eo;2D. The
parallel passages are chron. S2l-ss; lsa-.
Chaps. IS 70 SO.
TIME.-Probably about p c. 7oi. The
las half OF Hozekiah's reign, 2-o-1lV years
after the beginning OF the kirsdom' ara
il0-l90 before the exile-a period OF reior-
nation. -
PLAcE.-In and around Jerusalem. the
capital Of Judah.
EXPOSITION.
Scene /. The Invasion OF judah by
Assyrian ordes.-Assyria at this time
was at the height Of its arrogant pow
err. Scnnacherib. their king, about IL.
c. 7Oi. marched from Nineveh with an
immense army like the Huns and
saracens Of later history. They took
city after city by storm, till the cities
Of the Phil.stines and the south on
judah were in their power, and little
was left to Hezekiah but his capital.
Jerusalem. Hezekiah tried TO buy of
the invaders by the payment OF the
former tribute. and other immense
and costly gifts. TO obtain which he
stripped the gold plating from the
temple doors. and despoiled his palace.
Scene III. Around the Walls of Jeru-
salem.-Among the most dramatic
scenes in all history were the inter
views described in lisa. 80 and 81, and
also In Kings between the rabshakeh,
one of the Assyrian officers, on the one
hand. and on the other, IIezekiah's Of
ficers, and the people of Judah answer
| ing from the walls Of Jerusalem. Inc
rabshakeh demanded an unconditional
surrender. lie appealed 10 the people
themselves. promising to spare their
/ lives. and take them TO a country far
! better than Palestine. II they would
! ONLY open the gates in spite OF their
rulers. He warned them that no pow
er had stood before the Assyrian
force; the gods of no place had been
able 30 save their people.
Scene III. Hezekiah Praying in the
1'emple.--King Hezekiah rent his
clothes, and put on sackcloth, and
went to the house Of God. while his
messengers sought out the prophet
Isaiah. 20 know what to do. He did
all he could. as wen as prayed.
Scene ". The Answer Sent by
Isaiah.-ys. 2O-22. 1884. 90. Thus saith
the Lord" Jehovah. II have heard"
He would have them understand de-
liverance was from him.
81. 1.-THE virgin the daughter OF
Zion" Zion. the citadel of Jerusalem,
stands for the city. like a beautiful
~. Al l.r~
"Hath despised thee" Assyria, land
laughed thee to scorn:" She defies
you, and mocks at all Jour threats. be-
cause she is safe. not in her own
strength, but in that of the Almighty
God, her protector.
%. Even against the Holy One of
Israeli Whom they had 'reproached
and blasphe med" by comparing him
with their idols. and declaring he
could not resist their power.
: Is. IL will put my hook in thy nose:"
As was done with wild bulls 10 lead
them. and as the Assy rians are repre-
scented on their tablets as doing with
their captiyes.
%. "And this shall be sign unto
thee" This sign was given 10 Heze-
kiah. ''Such things as grow Of them
selves" For two years the regular
operations OF agriculture shall be sus-
pended. By the occupation Of the Assy-
rians, but the third year everything
would &c on as usual
3d. The remnant that is escaped"
The Assyrians had already destroyed
large part Of Judah and carried away
100000 Of the people. according TO Sem
nachcrib's account Yet God would
not permit the nation to be Dc stroyed.
but this remnant. like the stump of $
tree cut off. should "again take root
downward. and bear fruit"
32. THE king of Assyria, He shall not
come into this city:" The promise was
clear. direct. positive and it was full.
filled.
"a. FOR my servant David's sake:"
Not because the people deserved it.
but because of the kingdom of God
promised to come through David.
Scene V. The Destruction of the As
SYRIAN Army.-vs. 35-37. 35. That
night" The promise was Immediate
" fulfu.d. The angel Of the Lord
went .out:" The use Of the word
''angel" here does not determine the
manner In which the destruction was
accomplished. Ii may have been .
storm. a pestilence, or flood. The de-
struciion Of the great host in the Phil
istine plains appears to have been from
sudden out break of pestilence. This
Is the Jewish tradition, and pestilence
Is said in the Bible TO be the work of
an angel e sam. 24:16. 17). In the
camp OF The Assyrians:" Where this
camp was is not stated. but the main
body of the army were last reported
at Libnah lisa. 37:s), not far from
Lachish. but nearer 10 Jerusalem. "A
hundred fourscore and five Thousands:
Giving some idea Of the immense size
OF Sennacherib's army. And when
they arose." Sennacherb and the sus-
vivors.
: Sc. so Sennacherib. 4. .returned:"
Tie records other campaigns. but
| 81. I. 4.