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dows, needing painting and repairs, you argue a low state of religious life in that community. One of the first fruits of a revival may be a coat of paint upon the meeting-house or a new carpet on its floor. WEDNESDAY, May 10. 2 Chron. 29: 20-30. Sacrifices Presented. Hezekiah had learned that the whole duty of man was to fear God and keep His commandments. Therefore He call ed the nation to worship and began by presenting a sacrifice. He put first things first. Scripture teaches us that sacrifice is the basis of acceptable wor ship. God prescribes the method of ap proach and that way is by the blood and the cross. The bloody sacrifices of the Old Testament were typical of Calvary. They are explained and justified by the offering of the Son of God. Heb. 9:14. To. disregard this Divine appointment and to act independently by venturing to approach God without any reference to the sacrifice of Christ is to walk in the way of Cain. It is to repeat his error and to invite his fate. We must begin with the cross but we must not stop there. It is the necessary point of departure into all Christian work and worship. THURSDAY, May 11. 2 Ohron. 30:1- 12 . Call to Worship The letter which Hezekiah sent out to all the tribes of Israel laid great em phasis upon the Divine forbearance. It included exhortation, warning, threat ening and promise. Although the peo ple had gone very far into apostasy, God would graciously receive them and. re store them if they would return to Him. The message to the backslider runs through the Old Testament, “ Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.” After such a long period of backsliding, this message of Hezekiah excited opposition and ridi cule. Some of those in Ephraim, Man- asseh and Zebulun laughed the invita tion to scorn and gave its bearers insult and ill usage. This suggests the par able of Matt. 22:1-10. Nevertheless there were multitudes among the ten tribes who accepted the invitation while in the kingdom of Judah there was a unanimous feeling of approval and as sent. FRIDAY, May 12. 2 Chron. 30:13-27. The Solemn Assembly The passover was sometimes called
the feast of ^unleavened bread because no leaven or yeast was permitted to be used or even kept about the houses during the feast. This great feast could properly be observed only in Jeru salem. Ahaz had filled the city with idol shrines and the people cast them down and threw them into the valley of the Kedron east of the city. Some of the people were ceremonially un clean but they were allowed to partake of the passover notwithstanding, on ac count of their honesty of purpose and earnestness of heart. Hezekiah prayed that this infraction of the law. might be pardoned, having grasped the idea that the motive gives character to the outward act. Having kept the feast for seven days, they enjoyed it so; much that they, voted to extend it another seven days while priests* Levites, Is raelites and strangers living in Israel all rejoiced together. SATURDAY, May 13. 2 Chron. 31:1- 16. Like King, Like People. This lesson is a striking^ example of what one good man can accomplish when he throws his whole heart and soul into doing God’s will. There is nothing so effective in healing'any kind of quarrels and divisions as being united in a common purpose to seek and to glorify the Lord. The coming of God in saving and sanctifying power de pends to a great extent upon that degree of earnestness and devotion with which people prepare themselves for that com ing by entire submission to Gpd. In this necessary preparation Hezekiah led the way. Group action follows individ ual initiative. A courageous, true-heart ed leader can always get a following. What a sight it was to see a whole na tion turning from idolatry and worship ping Jehovah! SUNDAY, May 14. Psalm 96:1-13. Joyous Worship. This is a missionary Psalm, one of the group called Royal Psalms setting forth with clearness and force the duty of making Jehovah known to other na tions. It is also found with a few changes In 1 Chron. 16:8-33 where with Psalm 105 it is given as David’s song of praise when he brought up the ark of God to Zion. The phrase “a new song” in verse 1 seems to indicate that the Psalm was the original form which was adapted by David to the historic occa sion mentioned. Ten times in the thir-
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