Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1939-09-07

zoo. ana cause thy face to shine. ,rS
we snail be saved.-Psalm 8O:a aud
The way out-that seems IN boA.
chief object Of the search of nav s
The world is in what seems ill.,
hopeless confusion with the imnoi
nent danger of devastating eyrlo
sion which may in the judgment =,
some destroy civilization. Polite,
economics, education, yes, even "a
hglon, have tried their hands a,
solving the problem ami we Seem IA
be worse off than ever. Condition,
are much as they were when He,a.
klah came to the throne after ths
death Of his wicked father Abab
who had brought Judah into moral
spiritual, and national declensiOn
and disgrace.
The young king brought the ma.
ton back within a few years tn
peace and prosperity. How did hs
do it? He did not do it. God did Il
and He did it because Hezekiah 70.
membered Him and led His people
in return to God, in recognition
OF His Word, and to restored wor.
ship. God therefore prospered them.
It is significant that while our les.
son is about King Hezekiah, his per.
son quickly recedes into the back.
ground Of our thinking and God is
given our attention and our praise,
Truly great men do not magnify
themselves or their own names, but
point by their very greatness to the
eternal God to whom they give the
glory. Let us consider how God
worked through Hezekiah.
I. A Cleansed Temple.
Our lesson calls for attention TO
the context. Read chapter 20 and
learn how the priests and Levites
first were directed by the king to
cleanse the temple which had SUI. .
fered degradation and disgrace m.
der King Ahab. Sixteen days were
devoted to a thorough cleanup.
That's good place to start
America, how about cleaning up our
churches? Some of them need atten.
ton to their physical property,
cleaning and rehabilitation. Others
afe :peautifully kept up as far as
the building is concerned, but the
rubbish is in the teaching and in the
manner Of worship. Let's clean that
up too.
ii. A Prepared Priesthood.
Hezekiah gathered the scattered
priests and Levites, but he did not
permit them to serve in the temple
until they had been sanctifed and
prepared for their work. The men
who stand in the sanctuary to direct
the worship Of God must not only be
men of Gods own choosing, but they
must be cleansed by the blood. AS
the sacrifices were offered in Heze-
kiah's day, so for us has One been
given in holy sacrifice, and unless
those who profess to be His MN
listers have been cleansed by His
blood they have no proper place IN
His service or in the sanctuary.
III. A Purified People.
The people of the nation were noI
ready for Gods blessing. Some o.
those in the northern kingdom, %
whom the royal invitation had graz
ciously been extended to come
the Passover, scorned the invitation
go: 100. There was nothing ma
could be done for them. But otnef'
humbled themselves and came "
ID, and those in Judah came ou1
a great assembly wv. II, l3.
Observe carefully that this wa
more than a great Homecoming
jubilee event. The people were nei
to worship God and they needed
be prepared by being healed
their sins wv. 10, 2O). They ~
needed the cleansing blood. ltSu
only way even now. for without u
shedding of blood there is no
mission of sin" (Heb. 9:2O. SIN
what we must be cleansed from ap
healed of If God is to bless our lanu
Nv. A Feast of Joy and BLESSING
The nation and its leaders KEEP "
feast not only for seven Gays
they were not satisfied with TINS "
they kept it for seven more Va,
Think of many Of us who can nav
sit through an hour OF service
Sunday morning, and If we aisO
to Sunday school we are qulIe WV
out. 1t is just impossible III
to get to the Sunday evening SCI
ice or to the nlidweek prayer nlss
ing. Evidently we do not nave
spirit of the people Of HezeNsD
day or the joy that they founc
their hearts as they worshlpeu w
If we did, we would seek HIS HOo
and give ourselves gladly "
worship. The result would Oe ~.
we would receive some OF the 81
blessings which came % the ps'p
of Judah. ia,
The reading OF II Chronicle "ou
and 80 will reveal how God reSpC.
ed to the cry of His people anu .. q
He blessed and prospereo ~
He is the same God today az.
can and will do wondrous m I,;s'