The Elk Mountain pilot., 1911-06-29
Isaiah. Prophecy
Concerning Sennaeherib
Salsy SeAsA Lssssa r. ~ Z. 1911
specially Arranged Tor This Pspw

fLAACE-JoIu1Alom ana Vtciuity. Ino
destruction of the army was probably
southwest Of Judah toward Egypt
The Importance Of the event which
forms the subject OF this lesson 10
shown by the fact that it, history II
given in three books Of the Bible. and
probably referred to In another. 90
cupying seven or eight chapters, be-
sides the clay cylinder on which Sen
nacherib made his own record.
1t was 4 great crisis in Israels 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.
He1ekiah. although the son of . bad
father (but . good mother). began his
reign with . thorough and widespread
reformation and revival Of the true re-
lision. even while the Assyrians were
invading the Northern Kingdom. He
cleansed and repaired tho temple. re-
stored the temple services. and pro-
vided for the support Of the Lsvites
and for popular religious Instruction
from the books Of the Law. thus bring
ing about . great uprising against
idolatry.
The result was most happy. "Hsss-
kiah had exceeding much riches and
honor" His kingdom was tranquil.
strong and wealthy. But one constant
danger threatened Judah-ths grow
ing power Of Assyria. whose oveelorA-
ship Aha1 had acknowledged, agaiDst
the urgent protests Of Isaiah.
In 701 B. G. the great invasion a
Palestine was made by Sennacherib.
with 4 double siege Of jerusalem.
sennachsrib sent an army demanding
the surrender Of Jerusalem. He may
have felt that It was . mistake to
leave in his rear 80 powerful = fort
ress. while he had still to complete
the overthrow of the Egyptians"
The Assyrians. coming near to the
walls Of tho city and speaking through
Rabshakeh. the chief ofilcsr Of SEN
nacherib. made tho contest one be-
tween Jehovah and the Assyrian idols.
between tho true religion. the one
means of redeeming tho world. and
Hezekiah. and Isaiah. and apparently
the scribes and elders. clothed In
prayed from their inmost souls-
Note how amictions lead to prayer.
Hexskiah saw before him captivity.
suffering. probably death. tho loss OF
his kingdom, tho extinction OF his
line. tho exile of his 2 sople. 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 do
sire for earthly things overshadOw tho
larger and moro important spiritual
interests: but rather. As in Hezekiah's
case, the pressure Of personal need
should mako moro 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 80 obe-
dent to God that the relief could
come to them as q 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 Ave 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 1t was by a storm.
or pestilence, no one knows. 1t ts
remarkable that the histories Of both
his chief rivals in this campaign. Ju-
dah and Egypt. should contain inde-
pendent "reminiscences Of SO sudden
and miraculous q disaster to his host.
From Egyptian sources there has
come down through Herodotus a story
that q king Of Egypt. being deserted
BY the military caste. when Senna-
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 Sem
nacherib In Pelusium; that by night
a multitude Of field mice ate up the
Quivers, bowstrings and shieldstraps
Of the Assyrians; and that, as these
fied on the morrow. very many OF
them fell. A stone statue Of the king.
adds Herodotus. stood in tho temple
of Hephaestus. having q mouse In tho
hand. Now, since the mouse was
symbol Of sudden destruction. and
even of the plague. this story OF
Herodotus seems to be merely pic
turesque form of a tradition that pesti-
lence broke out in the Assyrian camp.
The parallel with the Bible narrative
is close. In both accounts it is a
prayer Of the king that prevails. In