The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-07-07
No. 40.
HEZEKIAH'S
PRAYER
Sunday School Lesson Tor July 9. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

LESSON TEXT. Isaiah 3s1-S Memory
Verses i-e Read all the chapter.
GOLDEN TEXT-"God Is our refuge
ana strength. a very present help IN trou-
Die. Psalm 1911.
IlME-About 70l b. c., Just before Gen
iacheuJs Invasion, and In the fourteenth
/ gear of Hezeklah's reign.
pLACE.-Hczekiahs palace at Jsrusa-
.em
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Y. L. In those days" A vague ex-
/ preston. meaning in the time of
Hezekiah In both accounts Of Hezs-
Aiah sickness, II is closely associated
with the visit of Merodach- -baladan,
/ ol Babylon Hezekish had been reign
I lng ia years Sick unto death"
/ lie was taken with an illness which,
according to the view OF the times,
must prove fatal. IL seems probable
that he had a carbuncle, located per-
haps ou the back Of his neck. Game
unto him. As an interested friend
and a spiritual adviser, the prophet
came to visit the sick king. Thus
saith the Lord" 1t was God who
guided the prophet in warning the
king 10 be ready for death. set thine
house In order" Arrange your world
iy affairs as you would do when about
90 leave them. Thou shalt die"
This was no fatallstic decree. but a
statement that the disease from which
the king was suffering was very likely
TO cause death.
v. 2. Turned his face toward the
wall" That he might shut out ell
else and be alone with God. Contrast
this with Ahabs sullen turning OF his
face 10 the wall Il Kings 2l:4).
Prayed unto the Lord" He expressed
himself IN the words quoted ". 81.
Hezekiah had learned long before this
time TO take everything to God In
prayer Though perhaps Isaiah mad
left the room, We may believe that
now. as on another occasion. the king
and the prophet were praying to-
gethor
" 8. Remember now, o Lord"
This prayer sounds to us as II Hezs-
kiah we're boasting Of his goodness.
but be did not 30 intend Il. He was
simply pleading Gods promises. To
the best OF his knowledge and ability
be had loved God and been loyal 10
Him, and had lived uprightly. People
as yet knew very little about future
rewards and punishments. and Heze-
klah felt that If God we're Just He
would reward him now by a continu-
ance of life. "Hezekiah wept sore:"
There was personal pain, as we'll as
zeal for Gods honor and for his ma
TONS good; and like a true Oriental,
The king made no effort to conceal his
emotions.
" a. Then came the word Of the
Lord 70 Isaiah" This was when the
prophet, after leaving the king, had
come 70 "the middle court" or "the
middle city, (See 2 Kings 20:4)
jerusalem was built upon two bills.
and the prophet had just descended
one and was IN the valley before as
cendlng the other when the message
came 20 him.
Y. s. GO, and say 10 Hezeliah:"
What is here given us is an abbre-
Waited form Of the message recorded In
FUN in Kings 2O:5, 8. Il have heard
thy prayer" God was then, as He Is
to-day. the hearer and answerer OF
prayer He was eager then, as now.
20 DO His children all possible good,
but, when they neglect 10 pray TO Him.
they. as II were, bind His hands 30
that the good cannot be granted. Il
viii add is years." Hezekiah IL
assured first Of rapid recovery. "On
The third day thou shalt go up unto
the house OF jehovah" then OF pro-
longed life. Subsequent history con-
firms belief that this promise was lit
orally fulfilled Hezekiah lived 10 sec
his son Manasseh reach the age OF
~ years We are told In another
account, and, later in this record OF
isaiah (3S:2D, that by the prophets
recommendation a poultice Of 1gs was
applied 10 Hezekiah's carbuncle with
beneacent effect. In working out His
promise. God did not disdain the use
OF means. but. by employing such, gave
help 20 many a sufferer of later times.
". 6. Il will deliver Assay
r'a." Finding this passage here indi-
Gates that sennacherib's invasion had
not yet taken place The sentence may,
however have dropped out Of place In
the many copyings Of the original
manuscripts. OF Il may be regarded
merely as a promise that Assyrians
would not return to molest Hezskiah
or threaten Jerusalem.
" 7. This shall be a sign:" Ac-
cording TO Kings 2O:s-1l, HezeklaA
asked for a sign. and Isaiah gave him
his choice. whether the shadow on the
dial should 20 forward ten degrees or
backward for the same space. II is
observed that, IN the age when spirit
ual light was yet so dim. godly men
were not reproached for seeking
signs 20 confirm the Lords will.
VS. THE dial Of Ahaz:" This is
the FIRST instrument for measuring
time that Is mentioned in the Bible.
The sun-dial was IN use by the Baby
l0uians
Practical Points.
VI. Death Is no respecter Of per-
sons.-Ps s9:48
VI. The Christian who is abiding
10 Jesus needs no preparation for
death.-Phil 1:2L
W. We should daily take time TO
be alone with God.-Matt. 6:6.
V3. God Is pleased TO have US plead
IFS promises IN prayer.-rsa. <S:2e.
VA God answers prayers for TEN.
Doral good az we'll a. for spiritual
good. often bringing about the tenn
poral benefit through the spiritual
change.-Jas. 5:15.
Money may not bring happin ess, bu
the shvues. thereof causes a LOT Of an