The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-07-06
LESSON FOR JULY 8
AHAz, THE FAITHLEss KING.

LESSON TEXT-II Chron. 2S:1-5, 2O:27.
GOLDEN TEXT-Without falth 1t 10
impossible to please him.-Hep: li'o'
LESSON TEXT-II Chron. 3O:l-l3.
Ahaz regned sixteen years from
about 739 to 723 B. c., over the king
dom of Judah, it's capital being IN Jeiu-
salem. The kingdom was nearing us
end and was destroyed within lew
wears after the death of Ahaz. his
character presents many Interesting
questions for discussion; the character
Of his reign, the wealth and prosperity
Of his father and grandfather, the de-
velopment of his character from the
home wherein he originated, why h'i-
tion can he successful and not be right
cons or virtuous, that Is, outWardIy
successful, and the application Oh llleSe
questions to our present-day polltlcal
and commercial lives.
/. Ahaz, the Ruler, wv. l-o). Inc
character of Ahaz is not to be admlreu'
He played prominent and evil par'
in the history of the Kingdom OF Juoah'
We find his name recorded among the
Syrian inscriptions of the year 13Z b.
q the Hebrew historian having
dropped the prefix "Jeho" from MS
name, The full name indicates that
he had "grasped jehovah yet he was
untrue to his name. The historian says
che did not that which was right IN the
siobt of the Lord" This puts it mildly
hut indeed few of the kings OF judah
did otherwise. and he patterned MS
conduct not after the good model OF HIS
father, but the thoroughly bad cohuucI
of the kings of the northern nation
Israel He was but twenty years Oh
age when he took the throne, put hau
already entered upon course OF actloh
onnosed to that of his father.
H. Ahaz Ruined. The choice lay
hafore him of following in the steps Oh
his grandfather Uzziah and his father
! Lothian Oh Chron. 1 10Y. He chose 10
defv God. openly disobeyed him anu
was disloval to his God and his coun-
try. walking in the ways OF the klhss
Of Israel, (v. p, burnt his children ID
the fire, after the abOnlnatlOns OIL 'he
heothen, ". -, made molten images
of Baal, ". p, and spread that Wol
: shin into the high places on the MUS
and under every green Tree w. I!
made sacrilegious use of the temple
raos11rv. and was dishonest as well a.
: nrofone, He trusted Baalim more tll"I
he trusted God.
III Ahaz Rebuked. God did not al
low him to pursue his course OF acllol
without protest. When the children VI
good men go wrong. there is no meas
nring the extent of depravity to Whlct
thav will sink. Nevertheless, Goa "as
onnosed and tried to save the youhs
man and the nation. God uSeo 'ns
king of Syria as one agency for reDuN
ing this mad young man. He carfleC
awav great multitudes captlNe' on'
hundred and twenty thousand III on'
day ". g., and "two hundred thot
sand women. sons and daughters
". 81 at another date. AhaE hllhsei'
was filled with terror at the great ca
lamity that overlook him. Qsa' -.
While he received temporary help u
Kings 10: 8, 10Y, he received ultimately
ruin from the king Of Assyria, Tor 1T
became a vassal and was suillihone'
to Damascus to pay homage TO INA
ling as appears from the account L
Kings 1919, and also from the Assy
rion Inscription, above referred u
Other enemies also attacked Hill
Edomites from the southeast carried
away captives, and the Phllstine
from the southwest invaded the cue
of the low plains, south of Judah, AM
: fool, nossession of them wv. lf-I9) AM
the army of the Assyrian, which Ana
1 led to rob and profane the temple all,
its treasures in order to buy them OF
". 22-24), completed the ruin Oh III
nation. Ahaz was forced TO pay
, heavy tribute to the Assyrian KIN
~ 9D. and got no help for his ou'
, Law. He put his trust in an arm
, flesh instead of in the mighty arm o
q God. which brought upon MIN III
, curse that always comes to those VII
trust in man Ger. IL %. %. Ihere
, q blessing which always awaits tnos
, who trust in Jehovah (Jer. ld:i' q
! The wise man turns to God not in IN
, time of his distress but at all times
, instead of sacrificing to the God WI
j saved his father and who would saw
him. Ahaz sacrificed to the god "whie
smote him." His defiance knew n
hounds ". 2D. He seemed to nav
: dabbled in every known form OF fals
. worship. thereby provoking to ange
: the Lord God Of his fathers" Gil King