Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-07-07

impossible TO please him.-IIeh. ll.6.
LESSON TENTH Chron. 30l-i3
Ah0z reigned sixteen years from
about 739 to 723 p. c., over the king
dom of Judah, its capital being in Jeru-
salem. The kingdom was nearing its
end, and was destroyed within a few
years after the death of Ahaz. His
| character presents many interesting
| questions for discussion; the character
of his reign, the wealth aud prosperity
of his father and grandfather, the de-
/ velopment of his character from the
! home wherein he originated, why ma
| ton can be successful and not be right
eous or virtu0us, that is, outwardiy
successful, and the application Of these
questions TO our present-day political
aud commercial lives.
!. Ahaz, the Ruler, wv, 1-5). The
! character of Ahaz is not To be admired.
| He played a prominent and evil part
in the history of the Kingdom of Judah.
| We find his name recorded among the
| Syrian inscriptions of the year 732 Il.
c., the Hebrew historian having
| dropped the prefix "JehO" from his
name. The full name Indicates that
| he had "grasped jehovah" yet he was
untrue to his name. The historian says
"he did not that which was right in the
sight Of the Lord" This puts it mildly,
| but indeed few Of the kings of Judah
did otherwise. and he patterned his
conduct not after the good model of his
father, but the thoroughly bad conduct
of the kings Of the northern nation,
Israel. He was but twenty years of
age when he took the throne, but had
already entered upon course Of action
opposed to that Of his father.
N. Ahaz Ruined. The choice lay
before him of following In the steps Of
, his grandfather UzZiah and his father
lothian III Chron. :10). He chose to
I defy God, openly disobeyed him and
=, was dislOyal to his God and his coun-
try, walking in the ways of the kings
of Israel, ". p, burnt his children in
the fire, after the denominations Of the
| heather, ". 81, made molten images
| of Baal, ". p, and spread that wor-
ship into the high places on the hills
|
= made sacrilegious use Of the temples
treasury and was dishonest as well as
profane. He trusted Baalim more than
he trusted God.
III. Ahaz Rebuked. God did not al
low him to pursue his course OF action
without protest. When the children Of
good men go wrong, there is no meas
| II, A1a nf x-ft ~ fo WI
they will sink. Nevertheless, God was
opposed and tried to save the young
man and the nation. God used the
king of Syria as one agency for rebuk-
ing this mad young man. He carried
| away great multitudes captive, one
| hundred and twenty thousand In one
day ". 60, and two hundred thou
sand women, sons and daughters"
| ". 81 at another date. Ahaz himself
was filled with terror at the grent ca-
lamity that overlook him. lisa. 7:2)
While ne received temporary help (u
| Kings 16: o, 10Y, he received ultimately
| ruin from the king Of Assyria, for he
/ became q vassal and was summoned
| to Damascus to pay homage to that
king, as appears from the account II
Kings 1919, and also from the Assy-
rlan inscription, above referred to.
| Other enemies also attacked him
| Edomites from the southeast carried
away captives, and the PhilistineS
from the southwest invaded the cities
Of the low plains, south Of Judah, and
took possession Of them wv. 17-10) and
the army of the Assyrian, which Ahaz
led to rob and prOfane the temple and
it's treasures In order TO buy them of
". 22-24), completed the ruin Of his
nation. Ahaz was forced 10 pay a
heavy tribute to the Assyrlan king
". 21), and got no help for his out.
lay. He put his trust in an arm Of
flesh instead of in the mighty arm OF
God, which brought upon him the
curse that always comes to those who
trust in man (Jer. II -, g.. There Is
blessing which always awaits those
who trust in Jehovah (Jer. 1874 81.
The wise man turns to God not in the
time Of his distress but at all fines.
Instead of sacrificing to the God who
saved his father and who would saVe
him, Ahaz sacrificed TO the god (which
smote him." His defiance knew no
bounds ". 24). He seemed to have
dabbled in every known form Of false
worship, thereby provoking 70 anger
the Lord God Of his fathers" III Kings
23:11, 12). God is long-suffering to
those who wander from him, but there
comes an end to bis patience III Peter
SO, 10Y.
w. The Reverse Picture, There
are several problems to be solved as
W view this picture, for II Is n story
OF real life, not only Of the early times
bu. is being repeated even today and
IA this country. (N Men will reap
that which they sow. One cannot SOW
wild oats and reap the fruits Of right
eousness. ~ Jehovah places right
eousness above security or prosperity,
60 Gods purposes arc for the upift
ana the making Of the nation and the
Individual better. God hever does evil
T. that good may come out of il, A Low.
Ing father must exercise discipline, aud
let vs not be mistaken, --...-.