The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-07-07

PRAYER
Sunday School Lesson Tor July 9. 1905
Specially Prepared tor This Paper.
Specially Preparation This Paper.

and strength. a very present help Ia trou'
bic Psalm s6l
TIME About 7i d e.. just before Sen.
nacheribs invasion. and Ia the fourteenth
year Of Hezekiah's reign.
PLACE Hczekiah's palace Al Jerusa-
ZEN
Comment and Suggestive Thought
v l. In those days 4 vague e.
preston. meaning in the time Vi
Hezekiah. In both accounts OF Beze-
kiah's sickness, IL is closely associated
with the visit OF Observation-Disclosures
OF Babylon. Hezekiah had been reign
ins Ia years. sick unto death.
lie was taken with an illness which,
according TO the view OF the times.
must prove fatal. 1t seems probable
that ne had a carbuncle, located Pc.
haps on the back OF his neck. Came
unto aim. As an interested friend
and a spiritual adviser. the prophet
came 10 visit the sick king. Thus
saith the Lord. IL was God who
guided the prophet in warning the
King TO be ready for death. set thine
house ia order Arrange your world
~ affairs as you would do when aboul
10 leave them. Thou shalt die.
Tbs was no fatalistic decree but 4
statement that the disease from which
the king was suffering was very likely
10 cause death.
V. .. Turned his face toward the
wall" That he might shut out all
else and be alone with God. Contrast
this With Ahab's sullen turning Of his
face 10 the wall Il Kings "a A..
Prayed Unto the Lord" He expressed
himself in the words quoted (v. -,
Hezekiah had learned long before this
time 10 take everything 10 God in
praye. Though perhaps Isaiah mad
left tie room. We may believe that
now. As on another occasion, the king
and ne prophet we're praying To-
gethel
Y : Remember now. . Lord.
This prayer sounds 70 Is a if Heze-
kiah were Boosting OF ais goodness
but he did not so intend il. He wai
simply pleading Gods promises. To
the bes. OF his knowledge and ability
he had loved God and been loyal to
Him. AID had lived uprightly. People
as yet anew very little about future
rewards and punishments, and Heze-
k.ah fef. thar ii God were just lie
would reward him now by a cOntinu-
ance Of lite. "Hezekiah wept sore:
There wes personal pain as well az
zeal for Gods honor and for his ma
tons goo6. and, like a true Oriental
the king nsde no effort TO conceal his
emotions.
V. 4. "Th-l cane tie word Of the
Lord to Isaiah This was when the
prophet. after leaving the king. had
come TO "the middle court" or THE
middle city" (See > Kings 20:4.)
Jerusalem was built upon two hills
and the prophet had just descended
enc and was in the valley before as
cending the other. when the message
anne 20 him.
" 8. GO. and say TO Hezekiah:7
What is here given us Is an abbre-
waited form Of .he message recorded 10
full in , Kings z0.5. .. a have heard
thy prayer God was then. as He is
to-day. the nearer and OF
prayer. He was eager then. as now,
TO do His children all possible good,
but. when they neglect TO pray TO Him,
they. as IL were. bind His hands so
that the good cannot be granted. Il
will add Is years" Hezekiah Il
assured first Of rapid recovery. "O1
the third day thou shalt 90 up unto
the house Of jehovah then Of pro
longed life. Subsequent history con
erms belief that this promise was lit
orally fulfilled. Hezekiah lived to see
his son Manasseh reach the age OF
y years. We are told in another
account. and. later. in this record OF
Isaiah (3s.21). that, by the prophets
recommendation. a poultice OF figs wal
applied to Hezekiah's carbuncle with
benefcent effect. In working out His
promise. God did not disdain the use
OF means. but, by employing such. gave
help to many a sufferer Of later times
V. 8. Il viii deliver Assy-
ria Finding this passage here indi
Gates hat Sennacherib's invasion mad
not yet taken place. The sentence may
however. have dropped out of place IL
the many copyings Of the original
manuscripts, or ii may be regarded
merely as a promise that Assyrians
would not return 10 modest Hezekian
or threaten Jerusalem.
v z. This shall be a sign" Ac.
cording to ? Kings 20:S-l1. Hezekiah
asked for a sign. and Isaiah gave hin
his choice. whether the shadow on the
dial should 90 forward ten degrees or
backward for the same space. II is
| observed that in the age when spirit.
ual light was yet 50 dim. godly mer
were not reproached for seeking
signs to confirm the Lords VIII.
v. s. "The dial Of Ahaz." This IL
the first instrument for measuring
;ime that IL mentioned in the Bible
The sun-dial was In use by the Baby.
enians
Practical Points.
". l. Death Is no respecter OF per.
5000 ~ Uf.4a