Evening star., 1924-05-17
Sunday School Lesson

Isaiah's message of confidence, BE
not afraid" inspired Hezekiah to
vah. The king realized his unworthi
ness, because he had placed his trust
first in Assyria and then in Egypt,
contrary to the advice of Isaiah, who
insisted that Jehovah was all the pro-
tector that judah or the king needed,
if they would trust Him and do IJis
will.
Isaiah saw In Rabshakeh's attack
upon Jehovah that the controversy
was no longer one between nations.
The Assyrians were doomed to Do
feat because their victory would have
been considered a defeat for Jehovah.
1t was due to the prophets courage
and advice that Hezekiah entered the
save Israel in that hour so that all
the Kingdoms of the earth may know
that Thou art the Lord, even Thou
only" Hezekiah placed the burden
upon the Lord because His honor was
at stake. Such a prayer was bound
/ to prevail. The Lord will hear us. as
quickly as He heard Hezekiah, If we
draw near to Him in faith and pre-
sent the evidence that His honor and
! word are at stake.
Many men fail in their prayers be-
| cause they forget that much of the
suffering and sorrow of life is due to
their own careleSsness, conduct and
character. Isaiah was given def
mite answer to the kings prayer, as
suring Hezekiah that Jehovah would
his plan of exile. He was instructed
TO inform the king that the Lord
would not allow the king. who was
forty miles away, to approach the
city, or to make an attack upon it.
God not only assured the praying
king that He would protect the city,
but that He would also force Sennach-
crib to retire to Assyria, because
Jehovah recognized that His own
glory and His fellowship with David
called for Him TO favor judah in that
hour.
The Lord vindicated the faith Of
His servant. In Il single night the
angel of the Lord" smote the Assyrian
host with pestilence or a panic, and
Jerusalem was saved. 1t was one of
the great deliverances of history, and
it showed that Isaiah had firmly
grasped the central purpose of God,
behind and beneath the events Of his
time. He believed that nothing, not
even Assyria, could prevail against
the purpose of Jehovah, and that
kings, armies and empires were SIM
ply the instruments of His will The
faith of the prophet passed from him
to the king and resulted in the city's
salvation.
Faith is still the pathway to sue
cess for the individual and nation. 1t
was Washington's faith exhibited in
prayer at Valley Forge that saved
the American forces from being ami
hilated. Stonewall Jackson and
Chinese Gordon revealed their faith,
when they planned their battles upon
their knees in prayer. Lincoln testi-
fled to his faith in the darkest hours
of the conflict between the states. Nc
Kinley said in the presence of the
writer that the prayers Of the people
were his hope and defense. Roosevelt,
Wilson and Harding were all men of
faith.
England was saved from the ter
rors of the Spanish Armada in answer
to her prayers. Cromwell impaired
his faith to those around him until
the results of their faith gave them
the name of Ironsides. Field Marshal
French claimed that God won Water
loo" In the early days of the world
war, Germany. by every rule OF war.
ought to have won. but the defenders
of Eerdun gave God the credit for
stopping the kaiSer's army. The victory
that came to the "frail Belgian line,
together with those amazing English
'"Tommies' (ffteen feet apart in their
shallow trenches and with not half
enough ammunition), side by side
with their French brothers, proved
tho power of the weak over the
strong. 1t was the faith OF the
allies. This God used in the last
hours to save democracy for the
world.
Some OF Isaiah's prophecies await
fulfilled. The great prophet foretold.
will show a great number have been
fulfilled. The great prophet foretold
among other events, "the deliverance
| of the Jews from exile by Cyrus
| about two hundred years before his
| birth, and the overthrow of the op-
| pressors; the return 10 Judea, and the
! establishment of their ancient polity
| the coming. character. appointment
! Sufferings, and glory of the Messiah
the downfall of idolatry, and the cal
| of the Gentle world" He saw long
before its coming the attitude of the
| nation toward the Messiah. Isaiah
| pointed out their conversion and
| triumphant part in the work of the
| church and the development of the
| kingdom of God.
His message is vital today, summon
| ing the men of all nations to put
their faith in God as their refuge
and strength, a very present help in
trouble. When they heed the
| prophets call to exercise faith, then
| ''out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jeru-
| salem. And He shall judge among
| the nations. and shall rebuke many
| people; and they shall beat their
| swords into plowshares. and their
spears into pruning hooks; nation
shall not lift up sword against ma
ton. neither shall thes, learn war any