The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-07-18
+ SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES l..
Side Lights en- Next Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and PupIls
Edited by Charles K. Meyers.
CRAWFORD COU n TT 3 q n D A =
SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

gins, Dow. City.~~
Third Vice-President, VIM. Lind
berg, Kiron. ......
Fourth Vice-President, Edward Ly
on, Charter Oak.
Secretary-Treasurer, Chas. K. Mey
ers, DenisOn.
Elementary Superintendent, Nus
Anna Williams, Denison.
Secondary Superintendent, Frank
Woolston, Denison.
Adult and Home superintendent.
Mrs. E. w. Pierce, Denison.
Educational Superintendent, Miss
Monetta Jorgensen, Vail.
Supervision Superintendent, Il. l..
Hoffman, DenisOn ..--
July 22-Sennacherib's Invasion of Jul
dab, 2 Kings IS, 13 to 10, 81;
Chron. 80 and Isaiah sc and 81.
Our last lesson told about the good
who purged the temple, called the
people to forsake the worship of
idols; sent the message to the Jews
up in the north part of the country
to come and take part in the great
revival Of the worship of Jehovah.
Taking our knowledge from the
bible as to ancient history, one might
be led to believe that the Jews and
Jerusalem were about all there was
to the population of the world in the
years a thousand or more before
Christ was born. AS matter of fact,
they were very insignificant. The
Jews had few great warrior kings.
Theilslan1 Masl on the great highway
betweeh TIE powerful Egypt to the
south and the lands of the Assyrians
and the Modes and Persians to tibet
northeast. The Jewish kings were al
- ways debating whether to have the
armies of Egypt or her enemies as
allies.
At the time OF our lesson, some 713
years before the birth Of Christ, there
sat on the throne of Assyria a great
king, Sennacherib. whose capital city
was Nineveh. He had ambitions to
conquer the people to the west of
him and did come down and wipe out
the ten northern tribes of the Jews,
taking their great city. Samaria, af
ter notable siege. Hezekiah, the
good king, was then on the throne at
Jerusalem He did try to buy off the
Assyrian hosts by presents of money,
captives SO that his sacred city might
be saved to his people. Sennacherib
took the stuff, but then decided to
have the city also.
Our lesson of today tells Of the COM
ing of the. Assyrian hosts. From a
military point of view there was no
comparison in the strength of the in
vader and the besieged city. The enc
my had enjoyed complete triumphs
everywhere and had no doubt as to
taking Jerusalem in a short time. In
I fact, the King gloated in advance over
showing that the God of the Jews
would be powerless to help when his
mighty army showed its power.
Bible students will remember how
the great giant killed by David, par
AIDED from day to day, defying the
armies of the living God, and how in
the end the shepherd lad with his
sling put the boaster to death and his
army fled.
In our lesson today there is anoth-
err example of a bOaster who ridicul-
ed the living God and the people who
trusted in Him. We shall see how
he came out. Sennacherib sent for
ward his messenger with instructions
to tell the Jews as to his prowess,
to explain that he had subdued peo-
pie after people who had plead hard
to their Gods for protection, but to
no avail. The message of the king
found in 2 Kings IS. 20 to So, are
masterpieces, in cunningly told words
designed to undermine the faith Of
the Jews in Jehovah and their king,
Hezekiah, They were advised to pay
no attention to the words of their
king when he told them that their
God would protect them. but rather
to come right out and leave him be-
fore it was too late to make terms.
The Assyrians had swept over every
opposition. National gods had been
appealed to in vain to stop their
course. The question is then asked:
who are they among all the
gods of the countries that have
delivered their country out of
mine hand, that the Lord should
deliver Jerusalem out of mine
hand"'
Things were indeed desperate in
Jerusalem. King Hezekiah knew on
whom he had believed and was per-
suaded that God was able to keep
His own. He went to God in prayer
at, the temple with words Of earnest
beseeching for help. Word was sent
to Isaiah, the prophet Of God. With
him there was no uncertain feeling,
but that Jerusalem would be saved.
He sent words, of prophesy that the
city would not be hurt, and that Sen
nacherib would soon die an ignoble
death. -..-. ..
The record proceeds to. say that,
1.-The angel Of the Lord went out and
smote the camp of the Assyrians'
and when some of the soldiers awOke
in the morning. the mass OF their fell
lows were dead. Then there was a
grand rush for home and the Jews
were saved. Not long after Sennach'
crib was worshipping in his heather
temple, when his own sons came upon
him with the sword and killed him.
The Assyrian king made the direct
issue as to the power of God to de-
fend His people. When it comes to
this, there is never place for chance
as to results There was not in the
DAYS of old, and the same holds good