Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-07-13
LESSON FOR JULY IS.
HEzEKIAH, THE FAITHFUL KING.

The reformation under lleZekl0h Is
one Of the bright and attractive spots
In the latter history Of the kingdom OF
Israel II was n most thorough refor
nation and God set his seal upon II
In many wonderful ways. Teachers
ought to give their classes comprer
hensive view of all that lIezckah did
ms recorded In ii Chron., chapters
29.32.
|. Hezekiah's Proclamation. wv.
10y. The proper Introduction TO this
lesson would he to return to chapter
twenty-nine and note the restoration
OF the worship Of Jehovah. How II
began In one mans heart, lIezekiah
how he called the people to be clean
co 49,, then called upon a cleansing
OF the house of God and its restoration
wv IS, 10). How he called them 10
renewed sacrifice and worship wv.
20, Ply. The restoration of the sin
Offering and Of the burnt-offerlng, and
the result of these offerings in the Le-
vltlcal music and In the worship Of the
great congregation GO. 2S). The So
Quel OF song always follows and ac.
companies Il true revival Of religion.
Having cOnsecrntcd themselves unto
the Lord, Hezeiiah sends out this
proclamation. The conservation Of the
people, IA referred In chapter 20, was
very complete. (See w. 3l-36.) Heze-
klah was man Of deep discernment
ms well rs OF true plety. He saw the
meaning of the sacrifice of redemption
and put the passover forward as the
very heart-eenter of the worship Of
Jehovah. (See w. /, 2.) Whoever I'M
derstands the passover, understands
Gods way Of salvation. (See Exodus
12:l3-23; | Cor 5.7, s.; Rom. 3:25, 90;
John :29) lIezckinh did not contne
hes call to those Of Israel alone, but
extended 1t beyond its borders to those
Of Ephraim, thus manifesting the true
missionary spirit lTezekiah had am
pie Scriptural warrant keeping this
passover out Of its regular order wv.
J-l3). God Is not God Of time or
place. Wherever obedience is possible.
ID be matter Of time or not.
God approves. llezekIah, however,
did not act upon his own initiative,
but sought counsel. (See V. - The
man who Is the most clearly led Of
God Is the man who Is most eager and
anxious to know how God Is leading
other men and Will listen most patient.
y to their counsel The fact that the
people Ind not gathered themselves
together at Jerusalem" for n long
line, might have warranted n FUR
her delay Not so with this enthusl-
lstic young king. He was not bound
~ precedent, but was anxious to
please God.
u. Hezekiah's Elaboration wv. Z
0. Hezekiah began his exhortatlon
~ calling attention to the trespasses
II their fathers ". y. At the same
line he reminds them that If God gave
hem over to desoatlon because they
themselves were stiff-necked ". 81
md yielded not themselves unto the
ord to enter his sanctuary. which he
Iad sanctliicd unto them, they would
ONE under the flcrceness of Gods
wrath, for they had turned from the
ord; they had "trespassed against the
.ord God of their fathers" Because
f that respass God had "glven them
p to desolation." Literally he had
lade them ian establishment" This
and desolation was well
nown. ''as ye see ". y. Anyone
nth eyes open can see today the desc
ltlon Of individuals, of families. COM
and nations who trespass
gainst God. For n generation we |
ave had the deity of Christ and the /
aspiration of his Word called into
uestlon and that the individual man
the dictator of his own conscience
nd life, and ii Is because men have
eparted from their faithful allegiance
Jesus Christ and fail to obey his
that we see the strife and
isolation Of today.
The first departure caused people to
e "stlff-necked" and Jehovah Is call
Ig them to repentance, but they would
Of hear (see On. 6:13; Elk. 800;
ON. 10;2D. In place of this "stlff-
eckness" of their hearts Hezeklah
threats them 10 turn again to the
ord and not to be stlff-necked as were
leir fathers ". 81, that If they will
i'm again unto the Lord ". 9) they
III find compassion so that they shall
,ain enter his gracious and merciful
'alings. Having yielded themselves
ey were to enter into communion
It'll him and center into his sanctu-
y, which he had sanctified forever"
They were also to serve him. Most
essed results were to follow for them
Id for their brethren and their chill
EN-, but all Of this bright prospect is
ndltioned upon repentance, surren-
r, communion and service, which Is
sed upon the fact that Jehovah "ls
acious and merciful" lex. 34:8, Z;
!. S6:5; Jonah Az; Mark 7:1S). ,
len, even as now, there were those
10 would not yield themselves to ,
IDS gracious invitation. As the |
tests passed through the country of
Dhraim and Mannsseh, even unto Ze-
lun, they were laughed to scorn !
d some Knocked" ". 10). Alas that .
ey did so, as we read their suisse
ent history! Yet even In these
ices there were some who "hum.
ID themselves and came to Jerusa-
H." and In Judah the hand of God
IS to give them one heart 10 do the
of the king and Of
princes ". 12). If we are faithful
Of Jehovah, he will bless
efforts. but we must expect to be
lghed at and TO be Knocked. This,