New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-07-06

impossible to please him.-Heb. 1l6.
LESSON TEXT-H Chron. 30:1-1s.
AhaZ reigned sixteen years from
about 739 to 723 b. c., owe 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 and prosperity
of his father and grandfather, the de-
velopment Of his character from The
home wherein he originated, why a ma
ton can be successful and not be right
eous or %virtuous, that is, outwarily
successful, and the application OF these
questions to our ~present-day political
and commercial lives.
|. Ahaz, the Ruler, wv. 1-5). The
character of Ahnz is not to be admired.
He played n 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 h.
c., the Hebrew historian having
dropped the prefix "Jeho" from ms
name. The full name indicates That
he had "grasped Jehovah" vet he was
untrue to his name. The historian says
''he did not that which was right III the
sight of the Lord" This puts it miltiiy,
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 n conduct
of the kings of the northern nation,
Israel. He was but twenty years OF
age when he took the throne, hut ltad
already entered upon Il course OF action
opposed to that of his fnthcr and
grandfather in that he initiated the
WAYS of the kings of Israel n caused
to be circulated throughout the lana
the image Of Baal. He was rich and
prosperous, outwardly, and his king
dom was we'll organized. He HAD II
navy. and We are told that the condl-
ton of the kingdom was of n prosper
ity not known, since the days of Solo
mon. His name was spread abroad
but what a significant verse Il ii
Chron. 20 10.
n, Ahaz Ruined. The choice lay
before him Of following in the steps or
his grandfather Uzziah and his father
lothian (I Chron. ! 10Y. He chose 10
defy God, openly d~isobeyed him ana
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 o
ship into the high places on the hills
and under every green tree ". -,
made sacrilegious use Of the temples
treasury, and was dishonest as well Ms
profane. He trusted Baalim more than
he trusted God.
~. Ahaz Rebuked. God did not nj
low him to pursue his course Of action
without protest. When the children OF
good men 60 wrong, there Is no meas
uring the extent Of depravity to which
they will sink. Nevertheless, Goo was
opposed and tried to saw the young
man and the nation. God used the
king of Syria as one agency for rebnk
ing this mad young mar. He carried
AWAY great multitudes captive, IN
hundred and twenty thousand in one
day ". 81, and 1.-TWO hundred thou
sand women, sons and daughters
". 81 at another date. AhnZ himscIf
was filed with terror at the great ca
lamity that overlook him. lisa, 7:2)
While he received temporary help ID
Kings 16: 0, 10Y, he received ultimately
ruin from the king of Assyria, for he
became a vassal and was summoned
to Damascus to pay homage to thai
king, as appears from the cou il
Kings 1G 20, and also from the Assy
rian 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, ami
took possession of them wv. 1910 and
the army of the Assyrian, which Ahaz
, led to rob and profane the temple and
its treasures in order to buy them of
". 22-24), completed he ruin of his
nation. Ahaz was forced to pay n
heavy tribute to the Assyrian 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 der. II -. 81. There is
=. ..I.,l 1,,.a,, a,,r.ftp t1nln
who trust in Jehovah der. 17:7, 81.
The wise man turns to God not In the
time Of his distress but at all times.
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 to anger
the Lord God of his fathers" OH Kings
Bill, 12). God is long-suffering to
those who wander from him, but there
m an end to his patience I'll Peter
SO, 10Y.
". The Reverse Picture. There
are several problems to be solved as
we view this picture, for it is a story
of real life, not only of the early times
but is being repeated even today and
In this country. ~ Men will reap
that which they SOW. One cannot sow
wild pats and reap the fruits of right
eousness. (2) Jehovah places right
eousness above security or prosperity.
(3) Gods purposes are for the uplift
md the making of the nation and the