The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1911-06-07
HEZEKIAH'S
GREAT PASSOVER
Specially Arranged for This PAPER
LESSON TENT. Chronicles %.

LESSON TENT. Chronicles 30.
MEMORY vERSES-lS-0
GOLDEN TEXT-"Man Looketh on the
Outward Appearance. but the Lord Look
eth on the Hearth Sam. 1871.
TlME-Beecher's Dates for the Aces
sion Of lothian. Ahaz and Hezekiah are
b. c. "a. .3S and ~. Hoshea becoming
king Of Israel In Il. c. 7as. Hastings
gives the dates as b. c. 1is. al. ~ and
Hoshea) 30.
PLACE-The temple in Jerusalem.
PROPHETS-Hosea. Micah and Isaiah.
Hezekiah was the good son of a bad
father. Ahaz: and Ahaz was the bad
son Of a good father. Lothian; and
after the good Hezekiah came his bad
son. Manasseh. But there must have
been reasons back Of these seeming
contradictions. In Hezekiah's case
one may have been his mother. Abijah
the daughter Tor granddaughter OF
zechariah. Twenty-nine Zechariahs
are mentioned in the Bible. This was
not the author of the book of proph
ecy. but may have been the prophet
who had so much influence over King
Uzziah.
Hezekiah did that which was right
in the eyes of the Lord. Gods ap
prevail is the only wise goal for king
a president or the humb,est citizen
1t Is the fatal defect in most forms Of
government that this over-rule of God
IS ignored.
Hezekiah began his reign by doing
the thing that plainly needed most
to be done first. He found the Tenn
pie. the sacred meeting place of God
and man. with its doors closed by
Ahaz. its lamps out. It's affairs cold. its
floors and hangings covered with dust
and dirt. Therefore the young king
summoned the priests and Levites to
the court on the east of the Temple
opposite the closed porch or entrance.
and In a frank and noble address de-
clared his conviction that all the ma.
tional woes had their origin in a neg.
lect of the worship of Jehovah, and
his determination to make a new GOV.
enant with the Lord. Then he babe
them. as their first task. to cleanse
the Temple thoroughly.
His reform shows his character. II
indicates his zeal, courage and vigor
He was young, only twenty-five; but
he did not put it of till he was older
It was In the very first month of his
reign. but he did not wait till he had
strengthened his power and won popu-
larity. We can never begin good
things too early. and when We come
into new positions 1t is always pru-
dence as we'll as bravery to show our
colors Enthusiastically from the first
Many young man. launched among
fresh associations. has been ruined be.
cause of beginning with temporizins
timidity.
The Second Step the Worship and
Praise.-Thus far the priests and Lee
vites alone had been purified. Now
the royal house and the people were
to be formally reconciled to Jehovah.
How was this done? Hezekiah gath
cred the chief men of Jerusalem. who
brought bullocks. lambs. rams. and he.
goats for sin offering. seven of each.
The city rulers laid their hands upon |
the animals. thus identifying them
selves with them. Then the priests |
killed the animals and sprinkled their |
blood before the veil In the Holy |
Place and upon the altar of incense.
pouring out the remainder at the
base of the altar OF burnt offerings in
the court before the Temple The fat
Of the offerings was burned on the
altar Of burnt offerings. and the flesh
vas afterwards eaten by the priests.
It was a mark Of the new national
feeling that arose during Hezekiah's
reign that this offering and those that
followed were not made for Judah
alone, but for the Northern Kingdom
as well.
The Third Step. the Wide Invi.
was the next step in
he great reform? The holding of the
national feast of remembrance of
Gods goodness. the passover. This
should have been celebrated In the
irst month Of the year. Nissan. CORE
spending to our April: but because
rot enough of the priests had been
purified and because of the time re-
luired to gather the people, it was de-
.ided that the exigency warranted the
to the next month. Iyar
" May. AS the reform had widened
rom Hezekiah to the priests and Le-
'itcs. then to the chief men Of Jeru-
a'em. then to the whole congrega-
ion of citizens. the next step was to
'xtend it to the entire nation, from
even to Dan.
The Fourth Step is the Great
further publication
vas needed before the passover could ,
'e celebrated? Jerusalem was full of
leathen affairs in every corner" and ]
hese were torn down and the frag-
nents cast into the Kidron.
The Fifth Step is the Generous ,
other illustration OF
heir zeal did the people give when
be passover was completed? Their ,
ew ardor for Jehovah blazed out in q !
urning indignation against the foul ,
lois which they had been worshiping. ,
/ was as when Peter the Hermit
reused whole multitudes to the wild J
st enthusiasm for the rescue of the :
loly Sepulcher, or even the dour
cotch Lowlander blazed up like an ,
Celt at the initiative of Jen. !
IL