Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1917-07-20

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Psa i6.l
Last weeks lesson was a great pic
ture Of the reform Of the nation. TIC
day we have another picture whlcl
needs to be carefully put before tn
children. II IS national picture of
ruler and the invasion Of his country
In reality II reveals the principles
which are the same today and whlcl
affect the lives Of boys and girls a.
well us men; the dangers, temptations
the need Of prayer, the need Of life
OF faith In God, the care OF heavenly
father, delivcrancc and victory, II Is
great thing for any nation or any
individual to have such marvellous
experience OF Gods salvation. II oc'
cured probably Il. c. 70l, the latter
part Of lle2ehiah's reign. Assyrla on
the north was enlargIng It's borders
and seeking TO overcome Judea. Read
parallel accounts in II Kings IS; II
Chron. 81 and lisa. 80 80. We have on
the Taylor cylinder an account by SEN
nachcrIh OF the victory over Hezeklah.
found In Nlneyeh in 1880 and now In
the British museum.
|. The Situation. When the great
Sargon died at Sineyeh, the Syrian
governments sought to assert their In
dependence. II was a good time for
Hezeklah also to assert his lndepend'
ebce. Accordingly they refused TO pay
the customary tribute to Assyrla. For
time Sennncherlb was too busy at
tending to other portions of the EN-
prc to pay much attention TO the city
OF Jerusalem. Later, however, he sub
ducd the cities on the coast and threat
cued Egypt itself. While besiegng
LGklSh he sent n large body of troops
~ conquer Judea aud take lhe city Of
Jerusalem for II was not safe to leave
such a large fortress behind him on
his march into Egypt.
II. The Supplcation wv. 2O22).
Cod does things because we pray.
There was more power in liezekiah's
prayer than there was In his army.
Through his prayers he laid $4,000
OF his enemies in the grave llezekiah's
God saved his people out of the hand
of Sennachcrlb a. 10Y, God did 1t. One
great reason why he heard lIezckiah's
prnyer was because 1t was for Gods
own glory that Ilezeklah asked ". 10y.
one great reason why SO many of our
prayers are not answered IL because
they are seltSh-sceklng our own
qualification and not Gods honor
Uames 4:3 II. W. Rendlng his
clothes and putting on sackcloth, He
zekiah went TO the house Of God while
his messengers sought out the prophet
Isaiah. From II Chron. ~ 30 we find
that Isaiah joined with lleZeklah In
his earnest prayer Matt. 1910, 20).
thus the king and prophet worked as
well ms prayed. They showed their
faith by their work (James 2:17, 1S).
At the same time they waited upon
God for an answer, not because God
was unwilling to bestow good things,
or must be lmportuned, but that his
gifts may bring the greater benefit.
lie sometimes delays his answer,
thereby fitting us to receive them be-
cause Of the intensity Of our desire
and to appreciate the things he has
to bestow. God Is. as ready to say TO
us as to Hezeki.A, "Thy prayer Is
heard, If we will not meet the condl-
tlons Of prevailing prayer Il John
8 30; John 5:l4; Rom. S:2G.2O.
~. Gods Glorious Deliverance wv.
23.37) God permitted the Assyrians
TO attack and they thus imagined they
were having their own will and could
do as they pleased, but when his rod
had done its work, they found the diff
ference. The God against whom they
rayed guided them as with bride"
and turned them back to Assyrla. Sem
naCherib considered himself more than
a match for God (Ch. IS :23-25) but
had to return like n conquered beast
of burden with Gods 'hook" In his
nose and bride on his lips. God al
lows the enemies of his people to go a
certain length in order that his people
may be humbled and seek him. Then
he puts forth his hand and says, This
far and no further" Jehovah gives us
the same promise he gave EIezekIah
II will defend this city," Is not the
city of Jerusalem that God defends
more safe than city defended by an
army? (Psa. 1915, g.; 27:D. God had
promised David that his kingdom
should not perish, for In It lay the
hope of the world and his plans for
the redemption of mankind. Not be-
cause of the people did God defend the
city, but because of his oath. This is
a most dramatic picture, the mys-
FERROUS destruction of the Assyrlan
army wv. 35, 36). The Lord sent his
angel, literally his messenger" who
applied his own plan for the accom-
pllshment Of his purpose, In Pisa.
104: the "winds" are said to be Gods
messengers and in ii Sam. "a :18, "the
plague" Whatever the means of de-
struction, 1t was of God, and when 1t
smote the camp Of the Assyrlans "be-
hold the devastation, behold they were
all dead corpses.' How empty was Sen
nacherlb's boast and how potent were
Hezekiah's prayers. Nolselessly, all
unseen. the angel Of Jehovah moved
through that Assyrlan camp "that
night and when the survivors awoke
In the morning, behold the devasta-
tlon." Jehovah had kept his word
and manifested his power. 1t is dan.
gerous thing for men to trl1e with
God (Psa. 1850. This is but faint
foreshadowing Of the judgment which
must soon come upon all who defy
God.
cylinder 10 which reference has been