May 1924
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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ried the Jews away into captivity, it is possible that they would have been absorbed into heathenism as the ten tribes were and ceased to exist as a nation. In that case the world would not have been prepared for the coming of Christ. In answer to the prayer of Hezekiah and in fulfilment of the message of Isaiah, the angel of the Lord came down and in a single night slew one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrian soldiers. The method of destruction is not given. It was not the shock of battle for it occurred in the camp. It was sudden for it came in a single night. It might have been a devouring plague but whatever it was, the producing cause was the angel of the Lord that swept down on the sleeping host and blotted it out of existence. After a long and weary march the Assyrian king re turned home, shamed and humiliated by this great disaster and met his own death by a dagger thrust from one of his sons. Sennacherib stands like Nebuchadnezzar, Haman and Herod for God-defying pride. He that exalteth himself shall be abased. “ Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” God never fails those who trust Him. “ God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1. During the first year of his reign, Hezekiah opened the house of the Lord, which Ahaz had closed, and repaired it. He had it thoroughly cleansed and restored the order of worship. This was accompanied by great rejoicings on the part of the people and attended by a COMMENTS great sacrifice offered by the sanctified FROM THE priests. This was followed by a na- COMMENTARIES tional passover, for the observance of V. V. Morgan which invitations were sent to all Israel and1 Judah. In this way Hezekiah “ clave to the Lord, and departed not from Him, but kept His commandments.” Sennacherib having invaded Judah and subjugated forty-six cities, Hezekiah sent him vast amounts of gold and silver in the hopes of averting an at tack upon Jerusalem itself. Sennacherib accepted the tri bute, but did not refrain from his purpose to attack the city. He sent three of his chief officers with a large army to the city to induce Hezekiah to open the gates of Jerusa lem to the Assyrian army, employing threats and in other ways trying to intimidate the king of Judah and his people. —Pract. Com. (V. 14) Unrolled the scroll of writing. God “ knows our necessities before we ask Him,” but He delights in our un folding them to Him with filial confidence. (2 Chron. 20:3, 11-13).— J. F. & B. Too often we may try to handle our own difficulties and to unravel with our own hands the tan gles which we find. We would better put them all into the hands of the wise Master and keep our own hands off. We may safely lay all the interests of our life, all our dangers, difficulties, sorrows, and losses before God in prayer.— J. R. Miller. (V. 21) Isaiah was the great prophet who prophesied in Judah during the four reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, times of spiritual decline within the nation and terrible peril from without.—Peloubet. (V. 22) “ Virgin" implies that the city, is as yet, invio late. “ Daughter is an abstract collective feminine person ification of the population.— J. F. & B. The girl-city dares cpnfront the mighty monarch and all his hosts, for with her is the Lord of Hosts.—Peloubet. (V. 29) “ Assyrian sculptures represent both captives and beasts as led in this way. Jehovah will treat the Assyrian as his captive, or as a beast which must be tamed and re strained.”—Dummelow. Over the mountains, desert, and rivers which the king boasted that he could conquer, back in disgrace to his capital, Nineveh.—Peloubet. (V. 84) Sennacherib did abruptly return to Nineveh with out taking Jerusalem or meeting with Tirhakah, and that, though he reigned for twenty years more, he never again made a Syrian campaign.—Expositor’s Bible.
and little Joash was crowned king. And, oh, how surprised and glad the people were! They clapped their hands, and shouted, “ God save the king!” Athaliah the wicked grand mother heard the sounds of rejoicing and blowing of trum pets, and hurried to the temple. The uncle ordered the guards to put her away, for she never had any right to be queen, and the boy Joash was taken to the palace as king. (Teach M. V. and tell how idol worship was put away, and true God worshipped.) Closing Prayer. MAY 18, 1924 ISA IAH AND THE ASSYR IAN CRISIS Golden Text: “ God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1. Lesson Text: Isaiah 37:14-36. (Read 2 Kings, chapters 18 to 20; Isaiah, chapters 36 to 38). Devotional reading, Psalm 46. S aving erVing V^oun try Used because willing to serve. “ H re am I: send me.” The Assyrian army had invaded Judah and conquered more than forty cities. Hezekiah had sent Sennacherib vast treasures to bribe him to spare Jerusalem. The king took the treasure but marched on Jerusalem nevertheless. He first tried intimidation to induce Heze- LESSON kiah to surrender. The king of Judah EXPOSITION mustered all his resources and strength- F. W. Farr en his defenses. Having made all possible preparation, he took the matter up with God in prayer. At this crisis the Assyrian king sent a let ter, recounting his victories and slurring the God of Israel. Hezekiah received the letter and spread it before God in prayer. The prayer that he offered, vs. 16-20, is one of the model prayers of the Bible. It contained adoration, confession of need, argument and petition. It showed 'jealousy for the honor of Jehovah that could not endure that His holy name should suffer reproach and contempt. It revealed a sublime faith that the hand of God is upon all men and that in His own time and way, He will bring to naught the plans of the wicked and fulfill all the counsel of His will. The im mediate result of this was that the prophet Isaiah was sent by God to Hezekiah to give him the assurance that his prayer was heard and would be gloriously answered. Isaiah was the great statesman and prophet of Judah and Israel. He is considered the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. All the interests of Israel were dear to his heart but above all concern for the people was his love and loy alty to God. He assured Hezekiah that the Assyrian inva sion would be futile. In reply to the boastful threats of Sennacherib, Isaiah speaks in biting sarcasm. The daughter of Zion laughs to scorn the mighty armies of her foe. His self-confidence would be rebuked. As a ring is fastened in the nose of a bull or buffalo to lead them away to slaugh ter, so this haughty king would be subdued. He would not even be allowed to make an attack upon Jerusalem. This was a crisis not only in the ministry of Isaiah but in the history of Judah. They had not reached that point in their training where the national ideals could have sur vived a calamity like that which came upon them at a later time. Had Sennacherib captured Jerusalem and car
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