The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1922-05-11
LESSON FOR MAY IA
HEZEKlAH LEADS HIS PEOPLE
BACK TO GOD

GOLDEN TEXT.-God is gracious and
merciful. and will not turn away His face
from you, if we return unto Him.
II Chron 800
REFERENCE MATERIAL-II Chron.
29:31; oh. 80; 34:29-3S; Amos 9:7-15
PRIMARY TOPIC.-A King Who WoT-
SHIPPED God.
JUNIOR TOPIC - Hezekiah's Great
Passover.
INTERMEDIATEAND SENIOR TOPIC.
Putting Religion First
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC.
Wise Methods of Reform.
|. Hezekiah Proclaims a Passover
wv. 1-1S).
The way for a SHINING and divided
people to get back to God and be
united, is around the crucifed Lord.
J.. 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
nations deGsSe.
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 it for
year to hold it on the fourteenth day
of the second month. This liberty
had been granted before in an ext
gency (Num. 8 :6-13). This hexibility
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.
$50. 1t included all of both nations
who would come to keep the passover
10 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 a united nation. This urgent invi-
tation was tactfully put as follows:
Q) 1t touched ancestral memories
Turn again unto the Lord God Of
Abraham, Isaac and Israel" ". g..
Both kingdoms had a common ances-
try. (2) Recent bitter experience
BE not like your fathers, and breth-
rem, who treSpassed against the Lord
God, and were given up to desoation,
as We see" ". y. This was a deli
cate subject, but their ruin was so
marked that such truth could be
pressed. (3) learning for captive
kinsfOlk-"Your brethren and children
shall find compassion before their
captOrs" ". 81. (4) The instinct Of
Self-preservation-"So that they shall
come again into this land" ". 81. (5)
The forgiving mercy of God ". 81.
God will not turn any sincere seeker
away from Him. Him that cometh
unto Me will in no wise cast out"
John :3D.
4. Israers Reception of the Invita-
ton wv. 1O-12). This invitation in
Israel met a mingled reception. "a
Some Knocked. The urgent and sim
cere invitation only excited opposition
and ridicule. ~ 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 tvv 1920.
l. Affairs Removed wv. 13, AZ. In
the time Of Ahaz (ch. % :24), these
heather affairs We're 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).
3. The Priests and Levites Ashamed
(vv. 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 .hey 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,
q, 22). They continued seven days
with gladness: (D The Levites and
priests sang Gods praise daily on loud
instruments ". Ply. (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)
5. The Passover Prolonged Seven
Days (vv. 1920. The kings object
in prOlonging the feast was to make
as lasting an impression as possible,
so as to result in the thorough con-
version of their souls TO God.
Holy Communion