The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-07-13
INTERNATIONAL
SUNl6YS0[1OOL
LESSON
(By e. o. SELLERS. Acting Director of
the Sunday School Course of the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
copyright. 1917, Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON FOR JULY IS.
HEZEKIAH, THE FAITHFUL KING

LESSON TEXT-II Chron. 3O1.
GOLDEN TEXT-Ke that cometh tt
God must believe that he Is, and that h,
Is rewarder of them that diligently seel
him.-Heb. 116.
The reformation under Hezekiah Is
bneSO the bright and attractive spots
in the latter history of the kingdom of
Israel. 1t was most thorough refor-
nation and God set his seal upon it
in many wonderful ways. Teachers
ought to give their classes cOmpre-
hensive view of all that Hezekiah did,
as recorded in II Chron., chapters
1892.
|. Hezekiah's Proclamation. wv.
1.6). The proper Introduction to this
lesson would be to return to chapter
twcnty-nine and note the restoration
Of the worship of Jehovah. How it
began in one mans heart, Hezekiah !;
how he called the people to be clean
go :15), then called upon a cleansing
of the house of God and it's restoration
wv. IS, 1917. How he called them 70
renewed sacrifice and worship wv.
20, Ply. The restoration of the sin
offering and of the burnt offering, and
the result of these offerings in the Le-
vitical music and in the worship of the
great congregation go, 28). The Sc
quel of song always follows and &C.
companies true revival Of religion.
Having consecrated themselves unto
the Lord, HeZekiah sends out this
proclamation. The conservation of the
people, as referred in chapter 20, was
very complete. (See w. 31-36.) Heze-
kiah was man of deep discernment
as well as of true piety. He saw the
meaning of the sacrifice Of redemption
and put the passover forward as the
very heart-center Of the worship of
Jehovah. (See w. 1, 2) Whoever I'M
derstands the passover, understands
Gods way of salvation. (See Exodus
u 1923; Cor. SCI, 8; Rom. 8 :25, %;
John 1 :29.) Hezekiah did not conf1ne
his call to those of Israel alone, but
extended it beyond it's borders to those
Of Ephraim, thus manifesting the true
missionary spirit. Hezekiah had am
pie Scriptural warrant keeping this
passover out of it's regular order wv.
9-13). God is not a God of time~or
place. Wherever obedience is possible,
whether it be a matter of time or not,
God approves. Hezekiah, however,
did not act upon his own initiative,
but sought counsel. (See V. p The |
man who is the most clearly led of |
God is the man who is most eager and |
anxious to know how God is leading !
other men and will listen most patient
Iy to their counsel. The fact that the
people had not gathered themselves
together at Jerusalem" for a long
time, might have uranted a fur
Their delay. Not so with this enthusi-
astic young king. He was not bound
oy precedent, but was anxious to
please God.
II. Hezekiah's Elaboration wv. z
~. Hezekiah began his eXhOrtation
" calling attention to the trespasseS
If their fathers ". y. At the same
ime he reminds them that if God gave
hem over to desOlation because they
themselves were stiff-necked ". 81
nd yielded not themselves unto the
ord to enter his sanctuary, which he
ad sanctified unto them, they would
ONE under the fierceness of Gods
yrath, for they had turned from the
ord they had ''trespassed against the
ord God of their fathers" Because
f that trespass God had "given them
D to desolation." Literally he had
lade them ian establishment" This
and desolation was wdl
nown, "as We see" ". y. Anyone
18th eyes open can see today the DESC I
tion of individuals, of families, COM
Iunities and nations who trespaSs
yainst God. For a generation we
ave had the deity of Christ and the
SEPARATION of his Word called into
lestion and that the individual man ;
the dictator of his own conscience
Id life, and 1t is because men have
,parted from their faithful allegiance
Jesus Christ and fail to obey his
that we see the strife and :.
of today. i,
The first departure caused people to Il
"stiff-necked" and Jehovah is call a
g them TO repentance, but they would
It hear (see Oh. 36:13; Elk. 80 %;
I'm. 10:2D. In place of this "stiff- IL
ckness" of their hearts Hezekiah
treats them to turn again to the
rd and not to be stiff-necked as were Il
cir fathers ". 81, that if they will -
m again unto the Lord ". 81 they 4
II find compassion so that they shall y
ain enter his gracious and merciful
alinpS. Having Welded themselves