Middletown transcript., 1922-05-13
LESSON FOR MAY IA
HEZEklAH LEADS HIS PEOPLE
BACK TO GOD

LESSON TEXT.-II Chron. 30:1-N.
GOLDEN TEXT.-God Is gracious ana
merciful. and will not turn away His face.
from you. II ye return unto Him.
II Chron. 30:9.
REFERENCE MATERIAL.-II Chron.
1881; ch. 80; 34:29-33: Amos 9:7-16
PRIMARY TOPIC.-A King Who "or'
shipped God.
JUNIOR TOPIC. - Hezekiah's Great
INTERMED1ArEAND SENIOR TOPIC.
Putting Religion First. -
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Wise Methods of Reform.
!. Hexekiah ProeIaims a Passover
(vv. 1-18).
The way for a SHINING and divided
people to get back to God and be
united, Is around the crucified Lord.
1. The Invitation Was Representa-
tive Of the Nation ". 2a). The king
took counsel with the princes and the
congregation to show that the proc
lamation was the expression Of the
nntion's desire.
2. The Time Was Unusual wv. 2b-4).
There was not sufficient time to
sanctify the people. nor to gather them
together at the regular time, so they
resolved instead of postponing 1t for
year to hold 1t on the fourteenth day
of the second month. This liberty
had been granted before In an eXi-
gency (Num. 9:6-13). This fleXibillty
with reference to the holding Of the
passover shows that Gods ordinances
were made for man and not man for
the ordinances.
3. The Scope of the Invitation (vv.
SOY. 1t included all of both nations
who would come to keep the passover
to the Lord God of Israel. Israel" Is
now used to include both kingdoms.
The effort was to win back the nation
which had seeded. The posts who
were sent with the message were au-
thorized to supplement the proclama-
ton with urgent exhOrtation to join
as united nation. This urgent invi-
tation was tactfully put as follows:
d) 1t touched ancestral memories
"Turn again unto the Lord God of
Abraham, Isaac and Israel" ". O..
Both kingdoms had common ances-
try. (2) Recent bitter experience
BE not like your fathers, and breth-
| ren, who trespassed against the Lord
God, and were given up to desolation.
as ye see" ". y. This was deli
cate subject, but their ruin was so
marked that such truth could be
pressed. (3) Yearning for captive
kinsfolk-"Yo brethren and children
shall find compassion before their
captOrs" ". 81. (D The instinct Of
self-preservation-" that they shall
come again into this land" ". 81. (5)
The forgiving mercy of God ". 9).
away from Him. Him that cometh
unto Me I will in no wise cast out"
John 6:37).
| 4, Israel's Reception of the Invita-
ton wv. 1O-12). This invitation in
Israel met mingled reception. ~
Some mocked. The urgent and sim
cere invitation only excited opposition
and ridlcule. (2) Some with humble
hearts came to Jerusalem. This Is
ever the case. The gospel is SAVIOR
of life unto life and death unto death.
II. The Passover Kept (vv. 1920.
/. Affairs Removed wv. 13. 14). In
the time of Ahaz (ch. % :24). these
heather affairs were erected in Jeru-
salem. Before there could be worship
of the true God all these traces of
idolatry must be removed. This act
of the people was voluntary. and shows
that right spirit actuated them.
2. The Passover Killed ". 15). The
zeal of the people was shown in going
forward with the service, though the
priests were not ready for their task
3. The Priests and Levltes Ashamed
wv. 1920. The zeal of the people
put to shame the priests and Levites
They were stimulated to perform their
duties according to the law of God
as given by Moses. They even took
charge Of the killing of the passover
since many Of the officers were not
sanctified so as to render this service
for themselves. Though unprepared
ceremonially, yet they took part In
this most sacred service and We're ac
cepted as worshipers through the in
tercession Of Hezekiah. God accepted
the purpose of heart rather than the
letter Of the law.
4. The Praise OF Glad Hearts wv
21, 22). They continued seven days
with gladness: (1) The Levites an6
priests sang Gods praise daily on lout
instruments ". 2I. (e) Hezekiah's
comforting words to the Levites "
22). He commended them and theil
teaching of the knowledge Of God
(3) They made confession Of theil
sins to God ". 22).
5. The Passover Prolonged Sever
Days wv. 23-2O. The kings objec
In prolonging the feast was to max,
as lasting an impression as possible
so as to result in the thorough con
version Of their souls to God. The re
joicing was taken part In by even tn,
strangers that came out of Israel
Not since the days Of Solomon wa,
there such an occasion.
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