The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-07-19

/
Last weeks lesson was a great pic
ture of the reform of the nation. To-
day we have another picture which
needs to be carefully put before the
children. It is a national picture of q
ruler and the invasion of his country.
In reality it reveals the principles
which are the same today, and which
affect the lives of boys and girls as
well as men; the dangers, temptations,
the need of prayer, the need of a life
of faith in God, the care of heavenly
father deliverance and victory. 1t is
a great thing for any nation or any
individual to have such a marvellous
experience of Gods salvation. 1t oc-
Cured probably B. c. 701, the latter
part of HeZekiah's reign. Assyria on
the north was enlarging its borders
and seeking to overcome Judea. Read
parallel accounts in II Kings 18; II
Chron. 80 and Isa. 1881. We have on
the Taylor cylinder an account by Sen
nacherib of the victory over Hezekiah
found in Nineveh in 1880 and now in
the British museum.
|. The Situation. When the great
! Sargon died at Nineveh, the Syrian
| governments sought to assert their in
/ dependence. 1t was a good time for
! Hezekiah also to assert his independ-
ence. Accordingly they refused to pay
the customary tribute to Assyria. For
] 10, ,
tending to other portions of the en-
| pire to pay much attention to the city
/ of Jerusalem. Later, however, he sub
| dued the cities on the coast and threat
ened Egypt itself.
II. The SuppIication wv. 20-22).
God does things because we pray.
/ There was more power in Hezekiah's
| prayer than there was in his army.
| Through his prayers he laid $4,000
of his enemies in the grave. Hezekiah'S
God saved his people out of the hand
of Sennacherib ". 19), God did it. One
| great reason why he heard Hezekiah's
! prayer was because 1t was for Gods
own glory that Hezekiah asked ". 19).
| One great reason why SO many of our
! prayers are not answered is because
they are selfish-seeking our own
| qualification and not Gods honor
Games 4:3 R. W. Rending his
clothes and putting on sackcloth, He
Zekiah went to the house of God while
his messengers sought out the prophet
Isaiah. From II ChrOn. 80 90 we find
that Isaiah Joined with Hezekiah in
his earnest prayer Matt. 1919 20),
thus the king and prophet worked as
well as prayed They showed their
faith by their work Games 2:17, 1S).
At the same time they waited upon
God for an answer, not because God
was unwilling to bestow good things,
or must be importuned, but that his
| gifts may bring the greater benefit.
He sometimes delays his answer,
thereby fitting us to receive them be-
cause of the intensity of our desire
and to appreciate the things he has
to bestow. God is as ready to say to
US as to Hezekiah, "Thy prayer Is
heard" if we will not meet the condi-
tons of prevailing prayer Il John
3 %; l John 5 IA Rom. S:26.2O.
III. Gods Glorious DeIiverance wv.
23-37). God permitted the Assyrians
| to attack and they thus imagined they
were having their own will and could
do as they pleased, but when his rod"
had done its work, they found the diff
ference. The God against whom they
raved guided them as with a 'bridle"
and turned them back to Assyria. Sen
nacherib considered himself more than
match for God och. IS :23-25) but
had to return like a conquered beast
of burden with Gods hook" in his
nose and bride on his lips. God al
lows the enemies of his people to 90
certain length in order that his people
may be humbled and seek him. Then
he puts forth his hand and says, "This
far and no further" Jehovah gives us
the same promise he gave Hezekiah,
Il will defend this city" Is not the
city of Jerusalem that God defends
more safe than a city defended by an
army? (Psa. 1875, 6; 27:D. God had
promised David that his kingdom
should not perish, for in it lay the
hope Of the world and his plans for
the redemption of mankind. Not be-
cause of the people did God defend the
city, but because of his oath. This is
most dramatic picture, the mys-
ferrous destruction of the Assyrian
army wv. 80, 36). The Lord sent his
angel, literally his messenger" who
applied his own plan for the accom-
plishment of his purpose.
There is sort of a grim irony in
the ending of Sennacherib's career He
who had so defantly asked, "Who are
they among all the gods of the country
that have delivered their country out
of mine hand" is led back to the house
of his own god whom he imagines to
be so potent to worship and in that
very presence is slain by the hands of
one of his own sons. The importance
of this event is shown by the fact that
it is referred to in three books of the
Bible and probably referred to anOth.
er, occupying seven or eight chapters,
besides being recorded on the great
cylinder to which reference is made.