Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-07-18
SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson N.-Third Quarter, For
luy u, 1877.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES,
Text Of the Lesson, u Kings xviii. -, to
xix, s7-hiensory Verses, 80, 33-Gotd-
on Text. Ps. xIvi. 1-commentary
Prepared by Rev. D. M. stsarns.

y
Prepared by Rev. D. NJ. stsarns.
In orr hast lesson all that we saw Of
Hezekiah was good. except In the mat
ter Of his not honoring the Lord before
the visitors frum Babylon. but xhis les
son gives i little more insight into the
heart OF the mat. who. like all the rest
OF us. would lie nothing but sinful hut
for the grace of God. His great turn
ing to the Lord. with the great Passover
and the two weeks feast of unleavened
bread and the cleansing Of the land
from idols. was in the very beginning
thing. while patient continuance in well
doing Is often quite another. and II Is
in the continuance that many fail
Paul said that. having obtained help OF
God, he continued tActs XVI. o.. and
that same help Is for all who really de-
sire II.
In the sixth year OF Hezekiah's reign
the ten tribes were carried info captiv-
ity In Assyria by Shalmaneser In the
ninth year Of the reign OF Hoshea. their
king. because they obeyed not the voice
of the Lord their God. but transgressed
all that Moses. the sery ant OF the Lord.
commanded xviii. 9-12,. Eight years
later. in the fourteenth year OF Heze
kiah. Sennacherib came against Judah
and Jerusalem. and at first Hezekiah
tried to buy him of by measure %
submission to him by giving him gold
and silver, even the gold from the
doors and pillars Of the temple xviii.
1916. That was certainly not trust
ing In the Lord. as he had done at the
beginning. and gave rhe enemy ground
20 reproach God and scofY AT Hezekiah's
trust xviii. -, and made them bold 10
blaspheine and defy and lie. saying.
The Lord said to me. Go up against
this land aud destroy 1t txviii. 25l.
While those who bear the name Of
the Lord may terribly fail as did
some Of the kings who sat upon the
throne of the Lord in Jerusalem, 50
that Jerusalem herself was called
hariof, and also called Seldom and Go
morrah lisa. t. o. 10. 21t. those. who
like Pha raoa and Sennacherih, and the
antichrist Of the last days. openly
defy God. are the devil In human form.
hut all such holiness shall be brought
down. and the Lord alone shall be ex-
allied lisa. II. II. III. The Assyrian
generals were not far from the truth
when they said that 1t was vain TO
place any reliance upon Egypt Twill
1921. for the Lord Himself had said
the same ming through Isaiah. THE
strength of Pharaoh shall be your
shame. and the trust in the shadow II
Egypt your confusion. for the
Egyptians shall help in vain. and to no
purpose tfsa. xxx, III. But when 1t
came TO exaiting the king Of AsSyrsa
above the living God and putting Him
on level with idols. the gods of the
nations. that was unbearable. and to
such blasphefny the people held their
peace. and at the kings commandment
answered not word xviii. 2S-3o. 33
:6s This brought Hezekiah IN hu-
mility to his knees and to the Lord In
whom he so fully trusted at the begin
ming. To mere words we should be
able to act according to Pa xxxyiii. Is.
Il as deaf man heard not. and was
as dumb man that openeth not his
mouth
When II Is q bad letter or writing
of any kind, then we can spread II be
fore the Lord and commit TO Him. as
Hezekiah did Xix. IA. 49,. Our desire
should always pre-eminently be that
God might be magsified before others,
and we should remember that as crea-
tor Of heaven and earth nothing Is too
hard for Him xix. 1919: Jer. xxi.
III. When the servants Of Hexekiah
sent to Isaiah about 1t his words from
the Lord we're full Of comfort xix, 9,
~. BE not afraid OF the words which
thou hast heard. with which the serv-
ants OF the king Of Assyria have bias
phemed Me. Behold ! win send .
blast upon him. and I viii
cause him to fall by the sword In his
own land" After Hezekiah had spread
the letter before the Lord and prayed.
the Lord sent through Isaiah grandly
comforting reply. saying among other
things concerning Sennacherib. Il
know thy abode. and thy going out.
and thy coming In. and thy rage
against Me- ~ win pat my hook
IN thy nose. and my birdie In they lips.
and viii turn thee back by the way
by which thou camest."
Then to Hezekiah He said, II will
iefend this city 70 save II for mine
nwn sake. and for my servant. David's
rake xix. q. q, 34). The blast Of
which He spoke II described In xix. IS.
1t 10 grand to trust In the Lord at all
times and to pour ont our heart he
fore Him. for power belongeth unto
God tPx XII. 8, IL. All the defiance
and lying and blasphemies Of past ages
shall come to bead IN the willful king
" DAN iii. 8. 20: II. 50: who shall
speak marvellous things against the
God Of gods and prosper for . time.
but Ne shall come to his end and none
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