Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-07-11
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson lIl.-Third Quarter, For
July Is, 1917.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

The INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, u chron. xxx, tia
Memory Verses, II, f2-GoIdsn Text,
Heb. XII, documentary Prepared BY
Rev. D. M. Stsarns.
The story Of Hezekiah, son Of Ahaz.
who reigned twenty-nine years in Je-
rusalem and who did right In the sight
Of the Lord. working good and right
and truth before the Lord his God
and doing it with all his heart. 30
that there was none like him among
all the king Of Judah either before
him or after him in the matter of
trusting In the Lord God Of Israel I'll
Chron. xxx, 2; XXI. 20. Fl; II Kings
xviii, 81. occupies eleven chapters Of
Scripture Oh Kings xviii-xx: II Chron.
xxix-xxxii: lisa xxxvixxxix). When
we consider that these kings were
spoken Of as sitting on the throne Of
the Lord, to be kings for the Lord their
God q Chron. XXX, q; ii Chron. II.
81, we see more clearly the monstrous
sin Of Ahas and the great contrast In
his son. whose name signifies the
strength OF Jehovah and which be 80
well illustrated during the greater part
Of his life. Our lesson chapter tells
Of the great passover which he kept
for all Israel from Dan to Beersheba,
and this feast always points US in
three directions-to the night Of the
nations birth, to Christ our passover
crucifed for US and to the rebirth Of
the nation In the future when they
shall be gathered from all nations and
the passover shall be fulfilled In the
kingdom OF God
Let Us look a little at the rest of
his story before We take mp the days
lesson. He began his good reign by
opening the doors Of the house Of the
Lord. which his wicked father had
closed up. and by cleansing the temple
of its filthiness. which occupied them
sixteen days xxx, 3-S, III. He set
the priests and Levites to work with
the inspiring and encouraging words
Of xxx. IL. and. having restored the
vessels which his father had cast
away, he made atonement for all
Israel and had the true worship re-
stored with praises and gladness and
rejoicing xxx. "a. 30. 36). Then they
kept the great passover. sending invi-
tations throughout all Israel and Ju-
dab urging all to turn to the Lord
God Of Abraham, Isaac and Israel and
yield themselves unto the Lord Xxx.
1-9).
Although some laughed the invita-
ton to scorn and Knocked. there were
those Of Asher and Manasseh and
Zebulun who BUNDLED themselves and
came to Jerusalem to keep the feast
Xxx. 1912. They found such Joy In
keeping the feast OF unleavened bread
spake to the heart Of all the Levites
and the priests praising the Lord day
by day and teaching the good knowl-
edge of the Lord. and Hezekiah SO
spake to the heart Of all the Levites,
that the whole assembly took counsel
to keep the feast seven days more.
which they did with gladness. and
there was not so great JOY In Jerusa-
lem since the time Of Solomon. The
praise and prayer we're heard tn
heaven, the habitation Of His holi-
ness Xxx. 2l-20. The contrast be-
tween this and the sin and unbelief
and rebellion Of Ahax's reign helps us
to understand just little better the
contrast between IsraeTs present I'M
belief and suffering and the time.
drawing ever nearer, when they shall
obtain joy and gladness and sorrow
and signing shall dee away Qsa- XIV.
10; II, III.
After this great passover and time
of rejoicing there followed cleansing
of the land as far as possible from
tdolatry and idols. and the brazen SER
pent which Moses had made in the
wilderness and which Israel was now
worshiping as an idol was destroyed
(xxxi. l: II Kings xviii. 4. Such 4
turning from idols to God to serve
the Living and True God II Thess 1-9)
was too much for the devil to take
quietly. and SO he stirred up Sennach-
crib and his hosts to go up against
Jerusalem and with great blasphemy
defy the Living God. the God Of Is
rael Hexekiah encouraged bis princes
and people with the words Of chap
ter xxi. I. 9, saying. with him Il
an arm Of flesh. but with rs Is the
Lord our God to help N and to fight
our battles Hexekiah. the king. and
the prophet Isaiah prayed and cried
to heaven as they spread the wicked
letters before the Lord and asked the
Living God 30 to work on behalf Of
His people and because Of His name.
which had been 20 reproached, that
all the kingdoms Of the earth might
know that He was the Lord God. and
He only txxxii. 20; II Kings XIX. 14-l9I.
Note the same great desire on the
part Of Joshua aLi David Josh ".
"a; l Sam. xvii. 20. Al. That God
may be giorifed should be the one and
constant aim Of every believer PhiL