Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-13

Golden Text: HE that co1neth to God
must believe that He is, and that He is
the rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him" Heb. 11;6.
We might have expected a great dea
of Ahaz for he had such a long line OF
godly ancestors and such a good ad-
wiser; but we were woefully disap-
pointed in him. Fortunately for Judah
his kingdom did not last long-but II
was long enough to wreck it utterly
When his son, HeZekiah, came to the
throne, it's treasury was depleted, It's
people corrupted, and it's power under
the domination of others. 1t made a
bad start for Hezekiah, for he was only
q young man of twenty-five and without
experience He had been raised with
the most corrupt example before him
for his father had been, in his sixteen
years reign the most wicked king Judah
had known. 1t is possible he may have
been made to pass through the fire as
an offering to Molech; if so, he had es-
capped May be that had turned him
against the idolatry of his father.
He had a good mother. whose influ-
ence and training had meant much to
him; and all during his boyhood and
young manhood Isaiah had stood boldly
for God and against the wickedness OF
his father Ahaz.
GREAT PREPARATION.
SO when he came into power at the death
of his father he lost no time in changing
things and bringing them back to the stand
ard of his fathers which he had learned from
lis godly mother and Isaiah. In the first month
of the first year he began to make preparation
for what turned out to be great [evlval i ne
his father had closed and repaired them. Ihen
he gathered the priests and Leyltes together IN
the broad plaza or court on the east, an9
commanded them to clean the place out, and
remove ell the filthiness that was found there.
To their credit be it said that they gave
him their cordial cooperation, and after SIX
teen days returned to report TO him that their
Job was finished, and that everything was In
readiness-all the vessels which Ahaz had re-
moved being restored TO their places before the
alter In the house of Jehovah.
GREAT OFFERING.
Following that was a great offering, for rams
end bulocks and lambs were offered in such
numbers that the priests could not kill them
ALL and the Levites (who had shown more
zeal than the priests) had TO come to their
assistance. Beside the sin offerings and the
burnt offerings, peace offerings were made, and
all the people rejoiced greatly, and Hezesxiah,
too, because Of what God had prepared for
His people. The people were sick and tired
of sin; Ahaz had brought them very low. They
thought they were having good time when
they were making offerings to the heather gods
on the high places which he had built, en-
tering into all the RIGHTEOUSNESS which that
worship demanded. But they realized now that
there a sting I'm all of those so-called pleas
ures, that II was hollow; that instead OF its
lifting them up, 1t had dragged them down
The opportunity which Hezekiah was now of
fering them was therefore gladly seized, and
great joy followed great giving and great con
tession Of great sin.
A GREAT INVITATION.
HeZekiah was not content to have. all of
this enjoyed by his people alone. He knew
how low Israel had been brought, too, for Israel
was on it's last legs. Hoshea, her last king,
nation taken away TO Assyria. SO Hezekiah
took counsel with his pruices and the priests,
and wrote q letter which he sent By posts