Such a prayer'Jehovah must answer. The answer came in Isaiah's (a) expostulation against Sennacherib (vv. 22-25); (b) a n n u n- ciation of his defeat (vv. 26-29);; (c) con- solation of Jerusalem (vv. 30-35). (6) The victory over Assyria (vv. 36-38). "The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, His cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold; Like t he leaves of the forest when s ummer is green T h at host with their banners at sunset were. Sc'en. | Like the leaves of the forest when a u t umn hath blown. T h at host on the morrow lay withered and strown. The gist of this lesson is found in the words of the golden text, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," Psa. 46:1. Five little words tell the story. (1) Politics. Hezekiah had departed 1 from the living God: he had lost his confidence in the God of Israel and_ played into the hand of the enemy. He h a5 thought to pur- chase peace by robbing the house of God. It.. looked like a good bargain—it promised' well, but alas it was the old story. He leaned 'upon the a rm of flesh and it failed him. Beware of playing politics in your Christian work- Every compromise with the world will weaken your hold upon God and will" widen the breach between yourself and Him. (2) Pride. The king of Assyria was lifted up by his successes. The submission of Hezekiah emboldened him. He gravitated naturally, as every mkn does to whom power and prosperity comes, to independence of God. Who is this God? Where is His power? He blasphemer God and sought to bully Hezekiah. "Pride goeth before de- struction," Prov. 16:18. "Let not him that girdeth on his harness, boast himself as he t h at putteth it off," 1 Icings 20:11. "An evil eye, —blasphemy, pride, foolishness, all evil things come from within and defile the JEHOVAH'S SERVANT. THE SINNER'S SUFFERING SUBSTITUTE Lesson II.—lsa. 52:13; 53:12. I. THE EXALTED ONE. (1) "My Servant" has a three-fold appli- cation: (a) Collectively it me a ns the n a- tional Israel (lsa. 44:21); (b) individually it applies first to believers (Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 7:22); and second to the Lord Jesus (Rev. 19:11-16). "My Servant" in our les» son is the Lord. (2) The Prudent (Wise) One, is He "the Wisdom of G-od" (1 Cor. 1:24; 1:30), Who did deal wisely (Mat. 3:17; Luke 2:52"; Mark 7:37). (3) The Most High, "very high," is He " F ar above all princi- palities and powers" (Eph. 1:20-23). (4) The Extolled One." "And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures . . . . Thou art worthy," etc. (Rev. 5:8- 10). "Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." II. THE MARRED VISAGE. (1) Great astonishment would be caused
For the angel of death spread his wings on • the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as "he passed. IV. THE VICTORY OF FAITH OVER DEATH (38:1-22). (1) Typical of the postponement of Judah's doom, its king's life was lengthened 15 years by his appeal to the Lord. (2) A stupendous sign in the heavens showed t h at the sun, indeed the physical universe, is subservient to t he interests of the heiis of salvation; and that God's covenant with day and night is not so sure as that with the House of David .(Jer. 33:20, 21), came to himself; he had made a fool of him- self, but he was tired of playing the fool. He saw his mistake and humbled himself before God. " He humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabi- tants of Jerusalem," 2 Chron. 32:26. It is a bitter dose for a proud man to put on sack- cloth arid confess his sins, but it is good medicine in the long run. (4) Prayer. Heze- kiah spread the letter of the upstart, king before, the Lord; he prayed from a contrite heart and with a consciousness of his deep need; he confessed his faith in God as the pnly sufficient one anil called upon H im for deliverance. It was the prayer from a broken heart. Why do we not pray more real pray6rs? Jas. 5:13. Phil. 4:6-7. (5) Pun- ishment. God answered the prayer: God gave deliverance: God claimed the glory. The angel of the Lord who is the messenger of mercy to the saints is the avenger of God's adversaries. His scepter is reached out to His friends, but His sword has a keen edge for His enemies. "Kiss the Son lest H e be angry and ye perish from the way." Ex. 12:23. 2 Sam. .24:16. Psa. 35:56. (a) by His disfigurement. Young translates: "So marred by man His appearance, and His form by the son« of men"; Delitzsh, "So disfigured, not like man His appearance, and His form not like the sons of men"; the Scofield Bible says, "The literal render- ing is terrible: 'So marred from the form of man was His aspect that His appear- ance was not that of a son of man'; i. e. not human—the effect of the brutalities de- scribed." (Mat. 27:54; Mark 15:16-19; Luke 23:27, 47, 48; John 19:1-3.) Read particu- larly Psa. 22:14-17. (2) Great astonishment would be caused by his subsequent exalta- tion. Kings will be dumb with ama z eme nt (Rev. 6:15-17; lsa. 60:3; Phil. 2:19-11). III. THE SUFFERING SERVANT. (a) In chapter 53 repentant Israel of the last days (Rom. 11:5, 26; Zez. 12:10) is speaking personified in the prophet. They are amazed at the discovery of the Mes- siah-sufferer whom they " dis-esteemed and rejected. How graphic it reads in this light! ma n ," Mark 7:22-23. (3) Penitence. Heze- kiah rent his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. lsa. 37:1. Wise Hezekiah! He
PITH AND PIVOT—T. C. H.
Lesson for July 9, 1911
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