The Yale expositor., 1911-06-29

MEMORY VERSES-3S-S5
GOLDEN TEXT-"God is our refuge
and strength very present help in trou-
ble."-Psa. 46:1.
TIME-Probably B. C. 7O1-697. toward
the close of Hezekiah's 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 a great crisis in Israels 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 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 result 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 701 B. G. 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 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 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, a 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
for Gods cause and kingdom.
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 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 hundred and four
score and five thousand Just where
this occurred we do not know. But
Sennacherib was marching toward
Egypt. The deliverance was a deliv-
erance of Egypt as we'll as of Judah.
The scene may well have been near
Egypt. Whether it was by 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 disaster to his host.
From Egyptian sources there has
come down through Herodotus story
that king or Egypt, being deserted
by the military caste, when SIENNA
cherib, 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 Sen
nacherib in Potassium; that by night
multitude Of field mice ate up the
quivers, bowstrings and shieldstraps
of the Assyrians; and that, as these
fled 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
symbol Of sudden destruction, and
even of the plague, this story of
Herodotus seems to be merely pic
turesuue form of tradition that pesti-