The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-06-29
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Specially Prepared for This Psp~.

ory Verses 1874. In connection with the
study Of the whole Of the chapter. see also
GOLDEN rExr.-"wi.h US is tn. LORD
our God TO help Us. and to fight our bat
tles.".-2 Chron 32:8
TIME. Probably b. c. 701.
PLACE.-Jerusaiem. Sennacherib was
besieging Lachish and Libnah.
PERSOES.-Hesekiah was king OF the
southern kingdom. The northern kingdom
had ceased to exist. Sennacherib ruled In
Assyria, and Tirhakah, afterwards king Of
Egypt. was probably governor Of Lower
Egypt. Isaiah and Micah were prophets at
this period.
Introductory.
In the study Of the Old Testament,
which we take up with the present les
son, we shall in the next six months
trace the downfall Of Judah, the captiv-
ity and the return, and will also review
the writing Of the major and minor
prophets.
The History Of Israel, the northern
kingdom, we carried to . close in the
lessons of last year. Established BY
Jeroboam in s37 B. c. (rsvised chronol-
ogy). 1t became extinct In 722 B. C.,
after . troubled existence Of Q little
more than two centuries. It saw 10
kings and nine dynastiss. the longest Of
which, that Of Jehu., endured through
only I'VE. generations. It changed its
capital three times-Shechem, Tirzah,
Samaria Seven Of its kings reigned but
two years or less. Its principal mon.
archs. Jeroboam, Omri, Ahab. Jehu,
and Jeroboam H., had been men whom
God could not bless. Ahab's marriage
to Jezebel, the unspeakable Tyrian prin-
cess, brought countless evils in It's train.
Periods Of outward prosperity under the
stronger rulers were marked by deepen.
ing idolatry and closed ever in bloody
civil wars. devastating the land. The
great prophets that uttered their bold
warnings, Elijah, Elisha, Jonah, Amos
and Hosea, were little needed. Syrian
oppression was succeeded by the As
syrian conquest, and the sad history
ends with the fall Of Samaria, . large
part Of the people being carried into ex-
ile This story of Israel Is one Of the
most conspicuous examples In the
worlds annals Of the folly. Of turning
from Jehovah to other gods.
The History Of Judah, the southern
kingdom, through these two centuries
was in strong contrast to that Of Israel.
There had been 13 kings, and only ;
single dynasty. Moreover, the great
Kings, Asa, Jehosaphat, Joash, Uzziah
and Hezekiah, under whom judah en-
joyed much prosperity, were all good
kings and God fearing men, and reigned
collectively 1877 years. Idolatry -four
ished at times, especially after the fool
ish marriage Of Joram to Athaliah,
daughter of Jezebel; but a succession
of masterful reformation kept the king
dom measurably true to Jehovah. There
was less need of prophets than in Israel.
and only one of first rank arose-Isaiah.
in the time of Uzziah. Micah prophe-
sled toward the close of this period and
possibly Joel. Early in this history the
Levites and other pious citizens left Is
rael for Judah, and greatly strength
ened the southern kingdom. Until the
fall of Israel that nation was buffer be-
tween Judah and Syria and Assyria,
while to the south Egypt was repulsed
and Philistia conquered or held at bay.
Contrasted, therefore, with Israel, the
story of Judah through its first two CEN
turies illustrates the Psalmist's words,
Blessed Is the nation whose God is the
Lord" Alas that the nature of the his
tory was so soon to change!
The Lesson Setting.
At the time of our lesson Sennascher-
ID has had a marvelously victorious
campaign. Sidon has surrendered. and
the allies of Egypt have been defeated,
Forty-six of the fortified cities Of judah
then fell before his swift advance, and
Jerusalem Is threatened. signs Of the
IAssyrian advance were given In the sky.
and night after night the watchers on
Mount Zion, seeing the glare In the west.
must have speculated which Of the cities
of Judah was being burned.
Sennacherib's own account Of this
invasion was inscribed upon what is
known as the Taylor cylinder, now In
the British museum. After an account
Of his triumphs over Syria, Egypt and
Philistia, Sennacherib wrote: "And
Hezekiah, the Judaite, who had not sub
nitted to my yoke-46 Of his fenced cit
les, and fortresses, and small towns In
their vicinity without number
besieged and took; 200,150 persons
small and great, male and female
horses. mules, asses, camels, large cat.
tie. small cattle, without number,
brought forth from the midst Of them
and allotted as spoil. As for himself
like q Gagged bird In Jerusalem, his cap
ital city, shut him up. Forts against
: him l constructed. and any who would
30 out of the city gate caused to turn
back. Fear OF the luster Of my
sovereignty overwhelmed him.
Thirty talents Of gold and 800 talents Of
silver. great stores OF lapis
lazuli couches of ivory. 9
Immense treasure, to Nineveh
my capital. made him bring;
and for the rendering Of the trib
ute and making homage The sent hii
ambassador. ."-McCurdy.
Historical illustrations.
Perhaps the only parallel of which
, details are known must be sought In the
, flight of Napoleon from Russia In 1912
In which 10000 horses perished In few
days, and only 10000 men, without arms
! remained alive, out Of the 100000
Geikie.
1T il not without reason, that. in tn,
churches OF Moscow. the exultation ovel
the fall Of Ssnnachsrib 10 still read OF
, the anniversary Of the retreat Of thl
, French from Russia. ia."-Stanlsy.
Judas Maccabseus recalled the stery
, to his soldiers on the eve Of his grsa
battle with Nicanor.