THE KING’S BUSINESS
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even in Jerusalem: (;) but ( fo r ) they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hesekiah his son reigned in his stead.” Ahaz died at last, dishonored and unwept. While they allowed him to be buried in Jerusalem he was excluded from a place in the sepulchre of the honored kings. Isaiah, the faithful prophet o f God, was relieved to see him go, and used his death as the basis of an exultant prophecy (Isa. 14:28-32). It was a great blessing to Judah when this king of “liberal views and artistic temperament” died and gave place to Hezekiah his son, one of the best kings Judah ever had. OUTLINE Kings, 11:14-23. What adversaries rose against Ahaz? vs. 21 and 25. (4 ) Ahaz’s Perversity, Isa. 7:12. Did Jehovah try to save Ahaz? Isa. 7 :3-8. What did He offer in proof? Isa. 7:11. What reply did Ahaz make? Isa. 7:12. Do you wonder Jehovah grew weary with him? Isa. 7:13. What wonder did Jehovah announce to him? Isa. 7:14. PRACTICAL POINTS (1) Go right, or get left. (2) We do not advise every son to follow the ways of his father, but we do urge every father to blaze the way for his son. • (3) Many a bad son of a good father, is the real son of his grandfather. There is “she- heredity” as well as “he-redity.” (4) It is not more “gods” that we want, but more God. (5) It never helps to rob God, however you use the money. ( 6 ) If you are bent on going to Gehenna, don’t push your children, into it. (7) When a man’s ways please the Lord He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. ( 8 ) When a man’s ways do not please Him, He finds enemies for him at all points of the compass.
in 2 Kings 23:11, 12. Ahaz seems to have dabbled in every known form of false wor ship, and thus he “provoked to anger the LORD, the God of his fathers.” God is longsuffering with those who wander from Him, but there is a time when His patience ceases (cf. 2 Peter 3:9, 10). Woe to the man who presumes upon the patience of God; a final and errevocable judgment will fall at last. vs. 26, 27. “Now the rest of his
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