The Minnesota fiery cross., 1924-05-16
Lesson for May 18
ISAIAH AND THE ASSYRiAN
CRISIS.

LESSON TExT-Isa. So. 81.
GOLDEN TEXT-"God Is our refuge
and strength. a very present help In
trouble."-Pa t6:l.
PRIMARY TOPIC-How God An
swered Their Letter.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Issiah and the
Boastful Assyrian.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-How Isaiah's Faith Saved a City.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
E-Ssaiah's Service to His Country.
g. rNs King Of Assyria Invades
Judah Elsa. S6).
/. Rabshakeh Meets a Deputation
From Judah (vv. 1-21). Rabshakeh
was a representative Of Sennacherib.
the king Of Assyria, whose mission
was to induce Judah to surrender. In
order to accomplish this he:
(1) Tried to bully them into sub
mission (vv. 4-9). He taunted them
with their weakness and told them
that Egypt was a broken reed that
would not only fail Of support but
even pierce the hand that reached
out to 1t. He challenged them by
Offering 1000 horses, II they would
furnish riders for them. II they could
not furnish this small number 1t
would be futile for them to attempt
to withstand the great Assyrian army.
(2) He asserted that 1t was use
less for them to put their trust In
God ". 10). He even declared that the
Lord had sent him to destroy Judah.
(3) He tried to create panic
among the people wv. 1920. Fear
ing a panic among the people the
deputation Of the Jews urged Rab-
shaken not to speal; in the Jews
language. Taking up the suggestion
he spoke loudly in the Jews language,
warning them against trusting in Heze-
kiala
(4) He promised them plenty In an
other land similar to their own (vv.
16, 10. He urged them to make agree
ment with him and upon his return
from Egypt he would take them to a
land Of plenty, but the people were
loyal to Hezekiah, for they knew that
the cruel Assyrians could not be
trusted.
2. The Deputatlon Reports to Heze-
kiah ". 22). They rent their garments
doubtless In fear and dismay over
their perilous condition. for the crisis
long before predicted by Isaiah had
now come upon them.
u. Hezekiah's Behavior Elsa. 81:
1850.
1. Resorted to the House Of the
Lord ". ~. This Is q sure resort Of
Gods people in time Of distress Cps.
73 :18, IT; 77:18). This action was
prompted by faith, for Ged had prom
ised that those who in time Of distress
resorted to His house would be heard
by Him QI Chron. 7:15. 16).
2. Sent Isaiah wv. 2-7). The logical
and natural thing for the king to do
under such circumstances was to
send for Gods prophet. The prophet
sent back words Of encouragement to
Hezekiah, assuring him that God
would bring deliverance.
8. Hezekiah's Prayer (vv. 1920.
Rabshakeh, who seems to have with
drawn from Jerusalem for little
while, now returns from Sennacherib
with q letter warning Hezekian against
trusting God for deliverance. assuring
him that he would be deceived for no
god was able to stand against the AS
syrian army. He spread the letter be-
fore the Lord and prayed.
Q) He recognized Gods throne,
making II the ground Of his plea
". 16).
(2) He recognized the peril which
threatened the people (vv. IT'D.
Sennacherib had indeed laid waste the
susPsuRAiAg nations, but that ruin re-
suited because the gods of the nations
were not real.
(3) He asked for deliverance w.
2O). He desired that deliverance
would come In such a way as to yindl-
cate and honor the Lord.
4. Isaiah's Message to Hezekiah (vv.
21-35).
% That Sennacherib's sin was bias
phemy against the Holy One of Israel
(vv. 21-23).
(2) That Sennacherib had forgotten
that he was an instrument in Gods
hand wv. 24-28).
(3) Judgment upon Sennacherib was
imminent (vv. 29-35). Deliverance
would soon come and that through the
energy Of the Lord Of hosts.
IiI. Destruction Of the Assyrian
Army (vv. 86-3S).
The angel Of the Lord went forth
and smote In the camp Of the AS
syrians $4,000 men, so Sennacherib
was turned back by the way he came.
He did not enter Jerusalem and after
this defeat he went back to Nineyeh
to live and while there worshlping
In the house of his god he was as
sassinated.
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