The Tupelo journal., 1911-06-30

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MEMORY vERSES-33-a5.
GOLDEN TExT-.God is our refuge
and strength. a very present help In trou-
BILE. 46:1.
TIME-Probably B. c. 7o1-6y7. toward
the close of Hezekiah's reign.
Professionalism and vicinity. The
destruction Of the army was probably
southwest OF Judah toward Egypt.
The Importance of the event which
forms the subject Of this lesson lie
shown by the fact that its history Ia
given in three books Of the Bible, and
probably referred to In another, &C.
cupying seven or eight chapters, be.
sides the clay cylinder on which Sen.
nacherib made his own record.
1t was a great crisis in Israel's his
tory like the exodus, and return from
captivity, a signal landmark, to teach
and warn and encourage and comfort
Israel in other great crises, and the
nations and individuals of all times.
Hezekiah, although the son Of a bad
father (but a good mother), began his
reign with a thorough and widespread
reformation and revival of the. true re
ligion, even while the Assyrians were
invading the Northern Kingdom. He
cleansed and repaired the temple, re-
stored the temple services, and pro.
vided for the support of the Levites
and for popular religious instruction
from the books of the law, thus bring.
ing about a great uprising against
tdolatry.
The result vas most happy. "Heze-
kiah had exceeding much riches and
honor" His kingdom was tranquil,
strong and wealthy. But n constant
danger threatened Judah-the grow
Ing power Of AssyriA, whose overload
ship Ahaz had acknowledged, against
the urgent protests of Isaiah.
In 701 B. C. the great invasion Of
Palestine was made by Sennacherib.
with a double siege OF Jerusalem.
Sennacherib sent an army demanding
the surrender Of Jerusalem. He may
have felt that 1t "a a mistake to
leave in his ear SO powerful a fort
ress, while he had still to complete
the overthrow Of the Egyptians"
The Assyrians, coming near to the
walls of the city and speaking through
Rabshakeh, the chief officer Of Sem
nacherib, made the contest one be-
tween Jehovah and the Assyrian idols,
between the true religion. the n
means of redeeming the world, and
Hezekiah, and Isaiah, and apparently
the scribes and elders, clothed in
sackcloth, went into the temple and
prayed from their Utmost souls.
Note how Affections lead to prayer.
Hezekiah saw before him captivity.
suffering, probably death, the loss OF
his kingdom, the extinction Of his
line, the exile of his people. But above
all he saw the fall Of true religion,
the dishonor of Gods name, q relig-
ious and moral loss to the world. We
should pray for temporal blessings.
for whatever w need; but at the
same time we should never let the de-
sire for earthly things overshadow the
larger and more important spiritual
interests; but rather, as in Hezekiah's
case, the pressure Of personal need
should make more intense the desire
for Gods cause and kingdom.
Then came a message from God
through Isaiah. Hitherto Isaiah's mes
sage had been one Of warning to
Judah, in order to make them SO ODE
dent to God that the relief could
come to them as a blessing. Now his
message concerns the Assyrians, but
also shows Judah why God comes to
their help.
The wonderful deliverance came
when the angel of the Lord smote
of the Assyrians a hundred and four
score and five thousand. Just where
this occurred we do not know. But
was marching toward
The ~deliyerance was a deliv-
erance Of Egypt as well as of judah.
The scene may we'll have been near
Egypt. Whether it was by a storm,
or pestilence, no one knows. 1t is
remarkable that the histories of both
his chief rivals in this campaign, Jul
dab and Egypt. should contain indie
pendent "reminiscences of so sudden
and miraculous a disaster to his host.
From Egyptian sources there has
come down through Herodotus a story
that a king of Egypt, being deserted
by the military caste. when SIENNA
king of the Arabs and Assy-
rians invaded his country, entered his
sanctuary and appealed with weeping
to his god; that the god appeared and
cheered him; that he raised an army
Of artisans and marched to meet Sem
.acherib in Potassium; that by night
a multitude of field mice ate up the
quivers, bowstrings and shieldstraps
Of the Assyrians; and that, as these
fed on the morrow, very many OF
them fell. A stone statue Of the king,
adds Herodotus, stood in the temple
Of Hephaestus, having a mouse in the
hand. Now, since the mouse was q
of sudden destruction, and
sren Of the plague, this story OF
seems to be merely q pic
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