Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-06-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JULY 2.

Chron. xxxii., 9-23-Golden Text, ii.
Chron. xxxii., 8-Memory Verses, 1921
documentary on tho Days Lesson.
l. Sennacherlb's defiant messages
Tvs. 9-19). 8. after this" After re.
ceiving the present from Hezekiah e
Kings 1S: 14-16). "Sennacherib." The
he built towers around Jerusalem and
shut Hezekiah in ''like Gagged bird"
"Assyria." This was great and pow.
erful country lying on the Tigris. Its
boundaries differed greatly at different
periods. "Send his servants" See
Kings IS: II. Tartan, OF general; the
rabsaris, the chief of the eunichs; and
the rab-shakeh, the chief cup-bearer,
these being the offices which their
names imply, with great host. None
of these are proper names. Tartan
was the ordinary title of an Assyrian
general. They We're to demand the w.
conditional surrender Of the king and
capital "TO jerusalem Sennachcrib
was cncamped before Lachish, thirty
miles southwest of Jerusalem, seated
in state. From this proud position he
sent a large detachment to Jerusalem.
They took up their position on the
north of the city, on spot long after
wards known as the camp of the Assy.
rans. Hezekiah feared to appear; or
perhaps, careful of his dignity, he sent
officers of his court who were nearer
the rank of those sent. In his place
came Eliakim, now chief minister;
Shebna. now in the office of secretary;
and Joah, the royal historian. "All his
power All his army.
10. "WhereOn do We trust?' Liter
ally, "Whereon are ye trusting and sit
ting in restraint?' Judah was in al
lance with Egypt, Assyria's arch-en-
envy: and reference is here made to
this. II. Doth not Hezekiah." Hez'
ekiah is abused most Wiley and over
whclmcd with scorn and insult. II.
"Worship before one altar" Rab-sha'
keh was not familiar with the Jewish
law, and he naturally supposed that
the destruction of so many affairs
would incur the displeasure of the
gods: but the reason he gave to prove
that Judah was weak was the very rea-
son why God was with them TO make
them strong. 1915. Know We not"
etc. This boast was natural. The AS.
~ IIUHS I'lt ldu ullllitNii hb''h ="
reer of success and might well believe
that their gods were more pOwerful
than those of the nations around them.
They had utterly over-run and de-
Stroyed the kindred tribes Of Gailee,
Gilead and Samaria. They had for
years exercised lordship over .Iudea,
and the very king who now dciicd
them had purchased his safety by the
payment of heavy fine. lG against
the Lord" Hezekiah treated this
blaSphemous speech as he ought. He
refers the matter to Jehovah.
II. Wrote also letters" a little
later another insulting message in the
form of n letter tR v, margin) was
sent. The king took the letter and at
once went again To the house of the
Lord. He spread out the letter before
the Lord and poured out his soul in
earnest prayer e. Kings 10: $40; lisa.
81: 14-2O,. Is. "A loud voice" An al
fusion is here made TO what occurred
q Kings is: 2S-35i before SennaCherib
wrote his letter, Jews speech The
Hebrew language. The Syrian Ian
g,lagc was not understood by the com
mon people. ITO alright them 1t
was a day of great suspense. Already
there was Il rumor that the King OF
Egypt was on his way to the rescue,
Senacherib had heard the rumor, and
it was this which caused him to put
forth every effort to intimidatc JervSa'
lem into submission. -. 'Spakc
against" etc They saw 10 difference
between the Jehovah of the Jews and
the gods of the other nations.
II. Hezekah and Isaiah call on the
Lord ". 20 20. "Prayed.' King
HeZekiah rent his clothes and put on
sackcloth and went to the house of
God. while his messengers sought out
the prophet Isaiah to know what to do
The PRAYER expressed the deepest need,
The highest faith. the utmost earnest
ness, the wiscst plea, the highest mo-
tive. 1t was united prayer, prayer
meeting. Isaiah joined with Ilezckiah.
But they not only prayed. they worked
The king built walls and towers. ana
prepared arms and shields and encour'
aged the people to be strong and cour-
ageous. and not to be afraid of the AS
syrian king. flor there he more with us
than with him" Tvs. 6, y.
Ill. The Lord destroys the AsSy-
rians ". 2n,
81. The word angel means "A mes.
senger," zone sent" and may be APP
piled to any messenger sent from God,
whoever or whatever that may be.
Thus in PSa. 104: i the winds are said
to be His angels or messengers. Inc
use of the word angel here does not
determine the manner in which the de-
strurtinu was ACCOMPLISHED 1t may
have been storm. Il pcStilencc or
flood 1t is generally understood to
have been the simeon. "tUt OIL. lii
one night Gods messenger Smotc lSo.'
900 men g Kings 10: 35l. This gives
some idea of the immense size of Sen
nacheribs army. ale returned The
king and few others were preserved
Gown land" Nineveh. when he
was come" Just how long Il time
elapsed between this calamity ana SEN
nacherib's death we do not know, but
it was probably about twenty years
He records other campaigns, but he
never again came to Palestine. Ills
god" Nisroch. "Slcw him.. "Adram'
melech and Sharczcr his sons smote
him with the sword; and they es'
capped q Kings 10: 81.
". Hezekian is exalted Tvs. -, 2"'
These verses tell us that God not only
saved His people from the hands oil
Sennacherib, but from all others an'
guided them on every side Many
presents were brought to HcZekiah
/ and he was exalted in the sight OF all.