The Dolores star., 1922-05-05
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
SunndaySchoeel 4
' Lesson ' ;.
U3y RE =. b riI ~ - 4 LL., -.
Teacher OF English Bible in tho MOODY
bible Institute of Chicagoo
Copyrtght 1874. Western Nswrpaper on.o-
LESSON FOR MAY IA
HEZEkIAH LEADS HIS PEOPLE
BACK TO GOD

LESION TENTH Chron. Sl-N'
GOLDEN TEXT.-God is gracious anu
merciful, and will not turn away HIS race
rom YOU. II we return unto Him
II Chron. o.9
REFERENCE MATERIAL.-l1 Chron.
es.sI. CHI 81; 34:2s-33; Amos e:7-l5
PRIMARY TOPIC.-A King VINO "of-
SHIPPED God.
JUNIOR TOPIC. - Hezekiahs preo'
INTERMEDIATEAND SENIOR ToPlC.
Putting Religion First.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC.
Wise Methods of Reform.
|. Hezekiah ProcIaims a Passover
wv. 1-1S).
The way for shining and divided
people to get back to God and be
united. is around the cruclfied Lord.
l. The Invitation Was Representa-
tive of the Nation ". 2a). The king
took counsel with the princes and the
congregation to show that the proc
Iamation was the expression of the
nations desire.
.. The Time Was Unusual wv. 2b-D.
There was not sufficient time to
sanctlfy 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-l3). This tieXibility
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 wv.
5-9). 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 We're au-
thOrized to supplement the proclama-
tion with urgent exhortation to join
us II united nation. This urgent invi-
tation was tactfully put as follows:
% 1t touched ancestral memories
Turn again unto the Lord God of
Abraham, Isaac and Israeli ". %.
Both Kingdoms had Il common ances.
try. (2) Recent bitter experience
"Be not like your fathers, and breth,
ren, who trespassed against the Lord
God, and We're given up to desolation
as ye see" ". y. This was deli
cate subject, but their ruin was sc
marked that such truth could be
pressed. (3) Yearnlng for captive
kinsfolk-"iOur brethren and children
shall find compassion before theil
captors" ". 81. (D The instinct OF
self-preservation-"So that they shall
come again into this land" (v. 81. (5)
The forgiving mercy Of God ". 9)
God will not turn any sincere seeker
away from Him. Him that cometh
unto Me l will in no wise cast out
(John :37).
4. Israel's Reception of the Invita-
ton wv. 10-12). This invitation In
Israel met a mingled reception. "a
Some mocked. The urgent and sin.
cere invitation only excited opposition
and ridicule. (2) Some with humble
hearts came to Jerusalem. This is
ever the case. The gospel Is savor
of life unto life and death unto death
u. The Passover Kept tvv. 1920.
!. Affairs Removed wv. 13. 14). In
the time Of Ahaz Och. 2S :2D, these
| heather altars were erected in Jerl.
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 a right spirit actuated them.
2. The Passover Killed ". 15).
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 were 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
p, 22). They continued seven DAYS
with gladness: (D The LeyItes and
priests sang Gods praise daily on loud
instruments ". 2D. (2) Hezekiah's
comforting words to the Levites "
22). He commended them and their
teaching of the knowledge Of God
(3) They made confession Of their
sins to God ". 22).
o. The Passover Prolonged Seven
Days wv. 1920. The kings obiec,
In prolonging the feast was to make
as lasting an impression as possible
so as to result In the thorough con.