The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1911-06-30
lsaiah's Prophecy
Concerning Sennacherib
Sunday School Lesson for July 2, 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper
LESSON TExT-Isaiah a7:14-8S.

GOLDEN TEXT-"God is our refuge
and strength, a very present help In trou
le."-Psa 46:1.
TIME-Probably B. C. 7O1-697, toward
the close of Hezekiahs reign.
PLACE-Jerusalem 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 Is
shown by the fact that its history is
given in three books of the Bible, and
probably referred to In another, oc
cupying seven or eight chapters, be-
sides the clay cylinder on which Sen.
nacherib made his own record.
1t was great crisis in Israel's his.
tory like the exodus, and return from
captivity, 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 bad
father (but good mother), began his
| reign with 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
idolatry.
The re"-'lt was, most happy. "Heze-
kiah had exceeding much riches and
honor" His kingdom was tranquil
strong and wealthy. But one constant
danger threatened Judah-the grow
ing power of Assyria, whose overload
ship Ahaz had acknowledged, against
the urgent protests Of Isaiah.
In 7O1 B. G. the great invasion of
Palestine was made by Sennacherib,
with a double siege of Jerusalem.
Sennacherib sent army demanding
the surrender of ) -rusalem. He may
have felt that it was a mistake to
leave In his rear so powerful 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 Sen
nacherib, made the contest one be-
tween Jehovah and the Assyrian idols,
between the true religion, the one
means Of redeeming the world, and
Hezekiah, and Isaiah. and apparently
the scribes and elders, clothed in
sackcloth, went mo 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, relig-
ious and moral loss to the world. We
should pray for temporal blessings,
for whatever we 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
Tor 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
heir help.
The wonderful deliverance came !
when the angel O the Lord smote |
If the Assyrians a hundred and four
core and five thousand. Just where .
his occurred we do not know. But
'ennacherib was marching toward
Egypt The deliverance was a deliv-
france of Egypt as we'll as of Judah,
The scene ....J we'll hare hem near
T.,ypt. Whether it was by storm,
II pestilence, no one knows. 1t is
emarkable that the histories of both
is chief rivals in this campaign, Ju-
ah and Egypt, should contain indie
endent "reminiscences of so sudden
nd miraculous a disaster to his host.
From Egyptian sources there has
ONE down through Herodotus a story
hat king of Egypt, being deserted
y the military caste, when SIENNA
herb, king of the Arabs and Assy-
Ians invaded his country, entered his
anctuary and appealed with weeping
} his god; that the god appeared and
heered him; that he raised an army
( artisans and marched to meet SEN
acherib in Potassium; that by night
multitude of field mice ate up the,
uivers, bowstrings and shieldstraps
( the Assyrians; and that, as these.
ed on the morrow, very many Of |
lem fell. A stone statue of the king
dds Herodotus, stood in the temple
Hephaestus, having a mouse in the
and. Now, since the mouse was a
7mbol of sudden destruction, and
ven Of the plague, this story Of