Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-06-20
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Text of the Lesson, John xxi, 1925.
Quarterly Review-Golden Text,
John Xxx, 31-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. nj. Stearns.


The story OF Hezekiah, son Of Ahaz.
who reigned twenty-nine years in Je-
rusalem and who did right In the sight
of the Lord, working good and right
and doing 1t with all his heart, so
that there was none like him among
all the kings Of judah either before
him or after him i'm the matter of
trusting In the Lord God Of Israel QI
Chron. xxx, 2; XXI. 20, 21 III Kings
xviii, 81, occupies eleven chapters of
Scripture III Kings xviii-xx; III Chron.
xxix-xxxii; lisa. xxxvi-xxxix). When
we consider that these kings were
spoken OF as sitting on the throne of
the Lord, to be kings for the Lord their
God Il Chron. xxx, %; III Chron. TX,
3, we see more clearly the monstrous
sin of Ahaz and the great contrast In
his son, whose name signifies the
strength OF Jehovah and which he so
well Illustrated during the greater part
of his life. Our lesson chapter tells
OF the great passover which he kept
for all Israel from Dan to Beersheba,
and this feast always points us in
three directions-to the night Of the
nations birth, to Christ our passover
crucified for us and to the rebirth Of
the nation in the future when they
shall be gathered from all nations and
the passover shall be fulfilled in the
kingdom Of God.
Let us look q little at the rest of
his story before we take up the days
lesson. He began his good reign by
opening the doors Of the house OF the
Lord, which his wicked father had
closed up, and by cleansing the temple
Of its filthiness, which occupied them
sixteen days xxx, 80, 10. He set
the priests and Levites to work with
the inspiring and encouraging words
Of xxx, IL, and, having restored the
vessels which his father had cast
away. he made atonement for all
Israel and had the true worship re-
stored with praises and gladness and
rejoicing (xxix, "a, 80, 36). Then they
kept the great passover, sending invi-
tations throughout all Israel and Ju-
dab urging all to turn to the Lord
God Of Abraham, Isaac and Israel and
yield themselves unto the Lord Xxx,
1-9).
Although some laughed the invita-
ton to scorn and Knocked, there were
those Of Asher and Manasseh and
Zebulun who humbled themselves and
came to Jerusalem to keep the feast
Xxx, 1912. They found such joy in
keeping the feast Of unleavened bread
spake to the heart of all the Levites
and the priests praising the Lord day
by day and teaching the good knowl-
edge of the Lord, and Hezekiah so
spake to the heart OF all the Levites,
that the whole assembly took counsel
to keep the feast seven days more,
which they did with gladness, and
there was not so great Joy in Jerusa-
lem since the time of Solomon. The
praise and prayer were heard In
heaven, the habitation OF His holi-
ness Xxx, 21-2O. The contrast be-
tween this and the sin and unbelief
and rebellion of Ahaz's reign helps us
to understand just little better the
contrast between Israers present I'M
belief and suffering and the time,
drawing ever nearer when they shall
obtain Joy and ,gladness and sorrow
and signing shall flee away Qsa. XXX
10: IL ID