Answers Bible Curriculum Year 2 Quarter 3 Lesson 7
This week in our Answers Bible Curriculum, we move from Israel to Judah and focus on king Hezekiah. Why did God bring the Assyrians against Judah? Why did Hezekiah respond to the invasion the way that he did? Why did God deliver Judah? And how do these happenings matter for our lives today? We’ll consider these questions and more.
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period and so far this quarter we’ve spent time looking at the northern kingdom Hezekiah and Jerusalem found themselves then we’ll see how Hezekiah responded to the situation and how God responded to Hezekiah and then we’ll consider what this account means for our lives today let’s ask or just a note we have lots covered today so please hold on to your questions and comments till the end let’s pray now Our God God in heaven I pray that you were bless this time now help me be able to explain well and help the people to understand that we might get what your word has Meant For Us to be edified to be instructed to be encouraged to be convicted all those things in Jesus name amen please open your Bibles to the book of Second Kings second Kings chapter 18.
the account of events that we’re going to learn about today is actually covered or at least described in part in three different books three different books of the Bible we’re actually going to look at a piece of each today spending most of the time in Isaiah we’ll get to that later first so let’s start inside King Second Kings 18. and we’re going to read verses one to eight all right Second Kings 18 verse one down to verse 8.
looks like the PowerPoint disengaged Khalif all right first one now it came about in the third year of Jose the son of ela king of Israel that Hezekiah the son of Ahab king of Judah became king he was 25 years old when he became king and he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem his mother’s name was Abby the daughter of Zariah you did right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father David had done he removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Ashraf he also broken pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made for until those days the sun’s visual burned incense to it and it was called nehustan he trusted in the Lord the god of Israel so that after him there was none like him and all the kings of Judah nor among those who were before him for he clung to the Lord he did not depart from following him but kept his Commandments which the Lord had commanded Moses and the Lord was with him wherever he went he prospered and he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve he defeated defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory from Watchtower to fortified City okay start our analysis of Hezekiah with a few observations what kind of King was Hezekiah it’s a very good one we’ve met him before he was the best of the kings of Judah as we’ve noted in other lessons Hezekiah not only followed the Lord’s commands he also destroyed the idols from among the people and even removed the high places something that even the good Kings of Judah seldom did Hezekiah clung to the Lord Hezekiah was truly a righteous King and how did God respond to hezekiah’s obedience he blessed him says the Lord blessed him made him prosperous wherever he went whatever he did and we see one example of that what was one specific example mentioned by the author where Hezekiah was blessed defeating the Philistines he has military victories against the Philistines and he even Rebels against Assyria Now that statement he rebelled against the king of Assyria that tells us something about what was previously true if he rebelled against Assyria what was previously true he must have been in submission to Assyria previously Judah was in submission to Assyria we’ve met Assyria we’re familiar with the Syria by this point the dominant and expanding power at this time in the 700s going down to around 700 BC the king of Judah before Hezekiah a has actually had made an alliance with Assyria against Syria called Aram and Israel the northern kingdom they had they had invaded Judah ahaz asked his Syria for help Assyria invaded those enemies now this Alliance was apparently one in which in order to stay friends with this Syria you had to pay tribute you had to give wealth and so even though they were an ally they were actually kind of subservient to Syria but Hezekiah stops paying this tribute I’m not going to be your Ally and you’re not going to be my Overlord anymore he says to Syria I’m not told why Hezekiah does this could be because he’s confident in the Lord could be that some things have happened to Assyria he senses a moment of weakness it’s a strategic time maybe he can get away from their lordship because they’re not as strong as they once were we don’t know but if you’re the king of Assyria this little Rebellion is not going to go unnoticed and you don’t want someone who Rebels against you to get away with it because it’s going to set an example for your other allies slash uh subservient Nations so let’s see how Syria reacts we’ll skip over verses 9 to 12 these verses give it another description of the fall of Samaria the ending of the Kingdom of Israel in the North in the fourth year of Hezekiah asuria invades and besieges Samaria and in the sixth year the area fell so in the sixth year Hezekiah now let’s read from verse 13 to the first part of verse 17.
by the way if you’re wondering what the picture is this is a just a depiction of the idols being smashed you can see the snake uh the the um the image that comes from all the way back from Moses pictured in the left side okay but verse 13 let’s be down to verse 17.
now in the 14th year of King Hezekiah sanak Rib King of Assyria came up against all the Fortified cities of Judah and seized them then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at lakeish saying I have done wrong withdraw from me whatever you impose on me I will bear so the king of issue it required of Hezekiah king of Judah 300 tons of silver and 30 talents of gold has an idea gave him all the silver which was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the King’s house at that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the Temple of the Lord and from the doorpost which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria then the king of the series Sent Tartan and rap series and Rob Scheid rap shaker from lakeish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem stop right there let’s observe eight years after the fall of Samaria the 14th year of Hezekiah what does the king of Assyria do that’s right he invades Judah starts taking the Fortified cities this is a very successful Invasion it says all of the Fortified cities of Judah were taken which was one of the important strongholds of Judah it’s in fact you have to take lakish if you’re going to see to Jerusalem because otherwise you won’t be able to do it successfully snack rooms at lakeish he um he gets a mess or yeah he gets a message from Hezekiah how could we paraphrase that message yeah I made a mistake and I’ll pay up just stop invading me withdraw your armies from my land just go away and I’ll pay whatever you ask Hezekiah is suing for peace and again submitting to Tribute the rebellion’s over I submit once again snack group demands 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold remember Talent is about 75 pounds I think it varied at different times but about 75 pounds so this is about 22 500 pounds of silver and 2 250 pounds of gold that’s a lot of wealth it’s pretty costly to be paying tribute but might be a little bit extra because he rebelled now Hezekiah is able to find enough silver in the temple and the Royal treasuries but what does Hezekiah have to do to secure enough gold that’s right remember the temple Solomon’s Temple beautiful building it’s overlaid with gold everywhere but they get enough gold or to get some gold for the king of Assyria he has to scrape off the gold from the doors the very doors of the temple and the doorposts kind of sad right so Hezekiah pays off some accurate but then verse 17 tells us that sennacherib census generals and the large Armory to Jerusalem let’s interpret a little bit now if the peace terms were I pay you and your armies leave but after receiving the wealth the armies are still coming to Jerusalem what does that mean Snapper has done he’s gone back on what he said now we’re not told everything here maybe uh Hezekiah didn’t raise enough money and snack room says therefore I’m still coming for you but it sounds like the guy did raise enough money and sanakum really not honoring the agreement he said thanks for the money but I’m still coming he’s still going to invade so Hezekiah is left in an even worse position an even worse position than he was in the first place the armies are still coming to Jerusalem but now he is without a whole bunch of wealth it’s gone over to the invading Army the beginning of chapter 18 makes a point of showing us that Hezekiah was a righteous King blessed by the Lord in whatever he did why then does God allow Assyria to invade and successfully capture the strongholds that doesn’t sound like blessing from the Lord why did God cause these events to happen because God is working to pull this out in the background and he intends to show his sovereignty and with his relationship that’s definitely I think the main answer here we don’t see in the beginning what God is doing but at the very end we’re going to see that God is going to glorify himself in what he does with Hezekiah and Assyria you’re going to say something else right destroys ah we’ll get to that there’s a claim later on made by bison Acura but you’re right he’s going to say that the Lord actually told them to come up against them we’re not told the reason why this Army was sent we know it’s part of God’s Sovereign plan it’s going to glorify myself maybe we could say this was a testing of the Lord there’s no indication that this was for evil in Israel in fact Hezekiah quite the contrary shows that he was a righteous King so this isn’t punishment for evil but it does appear to be a test and but we can say at the very least this is part of God’s Sovereign sovereignly glorifying himself was it righteous evil or neither for Hezekiah to attempt to buy peace with sennacherib foreign ER doesn’t make any comment doesn’t say and because he did this he didn’t trust in the Lord it does sound it does suggest that he’s not trusting in the Lord I mean there’s nothing in the book of God’s law when it comes to the enemy’s visual saying oh by the way sometimes when you’re attacked it’s totally fine for you to pay them off no the book of the law says whenever your enemies come against you don’t be afraid because I’m with you so I would probably I would say that he’s demonstrating a lack of trust in the Lord here by trying to pay him off you could argue that he’s just trying to be faithful with his resources and he’s trying to make wise decisions not knowing what God will do but I I think um the the suggestion here is that he’s not trusting in the Lord yeah he desecrated the temple right or he started screaming off yeah I mean that that does also I think land is part of interpretation you pointed out that to even do this he has to take away some of the gold from the temple is that really going to be what honors God to to pay off this enemy you actually have to dishonor the Lord’s Temple do you have a thought Danny before he came to town the tribute the tree the tree before he came to power it sounds like it was yeah okay uh I mentioned what you just said that this treaty was replaced this tribute to Assyria before Hezekiah came to power and maybe felt like well maybe it’s not right for me to well maybe uh I I was an error to do that I needed some Revelation from the Lord to do that and therefore I need to resubmit to the treaty but things are not going well when I tried to Rebel this this must be the Lord showing me I it was wrong for me to Rebel maybe there’s something to that again we’re not really told why he does this but it is notable that he does that and whether he did it wrongly or did it um in a way that he felt was right sure didn’t work the invasion is still going to happen so the strongholds of Judah have fallen as Syria has betrayed the terms of peace and now the Assyrian Juggernaut is marching towards Jerusalem situation is starting to look pretty bleak what are Hezekiah and Judah going to do now well let’s actually switch counts here let’s jump over to Second Chronicles second chronicles 32. so the books of Chronicles come right after the books of Kings go to Second Chronicles 32.
here’s something else about what Hezekiah does before the Assyrians reached Jerusalem Hezekiah prepares the city and the people for what’s going to happen now let’s see what those preparations consist of follow along as I read verses one to eight of second chronicles after these acts of faithfulness so describing the good thing that Hezekiah had done in Chronicles king of Assyria came invaded Judah and besieged the Fortified cities and thought to break into them for himself now when Hezekiah saw that sennacher had come and that he intended to make war on Jerusalem he decided with his officers and his Warriors to cut off the supply of water from the Springs which were outside the city and they helped him so many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed through the region saying why should the kingdom of Syria come and find abundant Hunter and he took courage and rebuilt all the wall that had broken down and erected Towers on it and built another outside wall and strengthened the Millow in the city of David and made weapons and Shields and great number yet pointed Military Officers over the people and gathered them to him anywhere at The City Gate and spoke encouragingly to them saying be strong and courageous do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria no because of all the horde that is with him for the one with us is greater than the one with him with him is only an arm of flesh but with us is Lord Our God to help us and to fight our battles the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah all right let’s make some more observations Hezekiah make some practical preparations for Jerusalem Siege what’s one of them he stops up the supply of water that could have been for the a series in the region um he doesn’t we don’t really get the all the specifics there the stop of all the springs and the Stream I’ve heard of hezekiah’s tunnel it seems to be involved with this but there was a spring that supplied water to Jerusalem and he made sure that none of that water was going to reach the people of Assyria that’s one of the things he does make sure these machines won’t have access to water and when they’re sieging what else he rebuilds the wall he rebuilt sections that were broken down he builds Towers he strengthens the city fortifications what else he made weapons he made Shields and great number he also says he appointed officers over the people and he encouraged the people now Hezekiah makes these different preparations how would you describe his attitude yeah courageous right he’s confident he’s not feeling like the fetus company he’s feeling defeated something he’s feeling confident now these preparations are practical but as you’re already alluding to bill in what or whom was zakaya actually placing his Trust the Lord he’s making these preparations he says it’s the Lord is going to deliver us the Lord will fight our battles he will give us Victory now is this mere Bravada is this just to keep the morale up or is he actually telling the truth will the Lord deliver that he will he will this isn’t like I hope the Lord delivers us this is something that God promised to do Deuteronomy 20 verses 1 to 4 says this when you go out to battle this is God speaking when you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you do not be afraid of them for the Lord your God who brought you up from the land of Egypt is with you when you’re approaching the battle the priest shall come near the people he shall say to them hear o Israel you are approaching the battle against your enemies today do not be faint-hearted do not be afraid or Panic or tremble before them for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you so God promised you trust in me if you wait on me I will deliver you I will fight your battles for you be brave trust me go out to the battle so Hezekiah is relying on the promise of God here from the law when he strengthens and the people who believe Hezekiah they rely on his words and therefore they’re believing the Lord interpreting again here we should note this Confidence from Hezekiah and Chronicles sounds a little different from the pay whatever I have to add it to you see in Kings surely the Bible is not contradicting itself how do we fit these contrasting attitudes together yeah Dwayne um right okay so you mentioned Wayne he either repented of his previous attitude that was meant to be mentioned in Kings or he started with the attitude and Chronicles and then that’s the attitude in Kings well because it sounds like in Chronicles that this is more about the Assyrians approaching Jerusalem I would say it’s probably the former that if indeed and I think there’s some suggestion that he was not completely trusting the Lord in the accountant in Kings that seems to have changed now that he sees that I have no more resources to protect myself on the Lord he says I will totally trust the Lord the Lord will Deliver Us and there seems to be a change in his attitude and can’t we do the same thing sometimes where when we seem to have means to deliver ourselves we don’t trust the Lord but when it’s clear there’s no way we can deliver ourselves then we actually trust the Lord that’s actually inconsistent I mean if if God can deliver us when we have no meaning surely he can deliver us when we have means we don’t need to be trusting in those means we’ve got to be trusting in the Lord what are you gonna say boy yeah yeah uh just repeat you said as someone said sometimes you have to be flat on your back before you can look up now we don’t have to be that way in fact the word is given to us that we’re not that way but sometimes we are that way Hezekiah and the people according to Chronicles are confident in God but sinach and that inactive is going to challenge their Faith it’s going to challenge their confidence and now let’s go to the book of Isaiah go to the book of Isaiah chapter 36.
so Isaiah the first time or I think we may have been in Isaiah a little bit last week but Isaiah is after Proverbs and Song of Solomon but before Jeremiah and Ezekiel Isaiah 36 and we’re going to also look at chapter 37. that’s where the rest of our time is going to be spent today oh you see this picture here this is a hezekiah’s tunnel a diagram tunnel the gihon spring over here and the pool Asylum over here but Isaiah 36 while the thing is mostly a book of Prophecy written in poetry form it does have some sections of narrative and we’re going to look at one of those sections right now look at verse 1 to chapter 36 and we’re going to read the entire chapter now in the 14th King has a kind snack Rib King of Assyria came up against all the Fortified cities of Judah and sees them and the king of Assyria sent rashaka from lakish to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah with a large army we stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway of the Fuller’s field then Eli came the son of hilkaya who was over the household and shivner describe and Joe at the son of ASAP the recorder came out to me or came out to him then ramshaka said to said to them say now to Hezekiah thus said the great king the king of Assyria what is this confidence that you have I say your counsel and strength of the war are only empty words knowing whom do you rely that you have rebelled against me behold you rely on the staff of this crushed read even on Egypt on which if a man leans it will go into his hand and Pierce it so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him but you say to me we trust in the Lord Our God it’s not he whose high places news altars Hezekiah has taken away and has said to Judah and Jerusalem you shall worship before this altar now therefore come make a bargain when I master the king of Assyria and I will give you 2 000 horses if you are able to put your part on your part to set writers on them how they can reports one official of the least of my master servants and rely on Egypt for chariots and for Horsemen if I now come up without the Lord’s approval against this land to destroy it the Lord said to me go up against this land and destroy it then Eli Kim and shivna and joa said to rap Shaker speak out to your servants in Aramaic for we understand it and do not speak with us in Judean in the hearing of the people who are on the wall has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words and not to The Men Who sit on the walls doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you then rap sheika stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean and said hear the words of the great king the king of Assyria thus says the king do not let Hezekiah deceive you for he will not be able to deliver you make you trust in the Lord saying the Lord will surely Deliver Us the city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria do not listen to Hezekiah for thus says the king of Assyria make your peace with me and come out to me and eat each of his Vine in each of his fig tree and drink each of the Waters of his own cistern until I come take you away to a land like your own land a land of grain new wine a land of bread Vineyards beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you saying the Lord will deliver us this is any one of the Gods in the Nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria we’re the gods of Hamas and our path where are the gods of severbane and when have they delivered Samaria from my hand who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their land from my hand that the Lord will deliver Jerusalem from my hand but they were silent and answered him not a word but the king’s commandment was do not answer him then unlike him the son of hilkiah who was over the household and shivner the Scribe and Joe was on the base after the recorder came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words around Jacob all right bigger section here let’s observe some key details where’s the king of Syria during this chapter he’s not at Jerusalem well he’s in Judah he’s at the city of lakeish I think it says back um here yeah from verse two sent up shaker from lakeish to Jerusalem so that’s where he was he sent a representative uh rap sheikah now by the way rep Shake is probably a title so it would be better the rap Shaker is probably a title for official or a general in um the king’s Corps of officials so probably not his actual name but the text calls him from Jacob he sends your shake up to Jerusalem to deliver a message on his behalf what is the overall idea of his message yeah correct you might as well surrender exactly you might as well surrender because that’s right you’re God and your king will not be able to deliver you from my hand might as well surrender now the rashaka tries to undermine the people’s confidence in God and in their King what are some of the things he says to do so yeah Eric areas and cities with their God s did exactly he brings out a track record he says look at all the other gods and all the other kingdoms that have been shamed and defeated are you gonna be any different no you’re going to be conquered just like rest what else does he say to undermine the people’s confidence Greg Hezekiah is lying to you that’s right he says your king is deceiving you you can’t trust him he’s misleading you what else yeah he makes a claim that God actually told the king of Assyria to come and invade you I mean that would be pretty disheartening right oh we thought God was on our side but maybe he’s with the Enemy maybe God told him to do this maybe this is a judgment maybe we should surrender now we don’t know if that’s actually true in fact I’d probably say it’s not true it’s best at the very end he says your God’s not gonna be able to deliver you it’s kind of like he has a mixed message there but he does say oh yeah God’s on our side not yours what else painful yeah he says if you surrender now things will be good for you you can go back to your own home enjoy for a little while and then we’ll take you to a land that’s like your own it’s a great place and you’ll enjoy it just come out now instead of suffering in the city yeah he uses some other arguments there um he says Egypt’s not going to be able to save you you’re relying on Egypt Egypt’s not going to be able to save you there’s no indication for the narrative that Israel was relying on Egypt this might again be the rap Shaker coming up with his own assessment of the situation you must be relying on Egypt if you haven’t surrendered but if you are let me tell you I’m not going to be able to help you they’re an unreliable Ally they don’t have any strength they’re not going to be able to do anything for you though Isaiah does mention earlier in the book of Isaiah he is he is um he has a number of words telling Judah don’t trust Egypt to save you so there probably was some inclination towards seeking help from Egypt that we don’t know if Hezekiah actually sought to do so you say your allies aren’t going to be able to help you you’ve actually offended your God Hezekiah has offended your God because what has he done yeah boy yeah yeah so again I think certain certain unreliability in in the messenger here it’s an Acura if he thinks that Hezekiah is taking down the altars and the breaking down the idols that were used for Yahweh throughout his show he thought that was a bad thing oh God’s gonna be offended that he’s done these things you don’t you shouldn’t believe that God’s on your side but actually probably would have been encouraging to Israel anyone who was actually a true follower of Yahweh they’d be like oh yeah he’s actually a faithful follower our King is a faithful follower of Yahweh this is a good thing but if you’re unsure that could be a little disheartening you’re like well maybe as a guy did do the wrong thing maybe that wasn’t the right thing to do and he had to defend God and that’s why God told the king of Assyria to come up against Jerusalem so he says the fact that Hezekiah has torn down high places and altars means you’re in danger he’s offended God he has this thing about offering Judah 2 000 horses this is a little unclear what’s going on with that is this a um a gift if you surrender now then you can be part of hezekiah’s army he’ll give you some horses that you can support So are not his Kai’s Army a serious Army you can be part of the Assyrian war machine or is this a taunt saying your arm is so weak I’ll give you 2 000 horses just to make it a little more even but I don’t think you’re gonna even have two thousand men to put on those horses your Army’s not pitiful whatever it is this is another way that he’s trying to undermine the confidence of people of Judah and in Jerusalem he claims that God’s on the side of the Assyrians he speaks to the people in Judean not in Aramaic so that all the people can understand and hear he wants the people on the wall to hear all these things he paints a picture of what the siege is going to look like you’re going to eat your own dung and drink your own urine I’m revolting and frightening picture claimed Hezekiah was deceiving people he promised benefit to those who surrendered and as we first noted he pointed out all the other kingdoms had fallen and their gods failed to deliver them implying that Judah and Yahweh would do the same Yahweh is not able to deliver you just like the other gods were not able to deliver their worshipers now this claim this particular plane is an assault on what parts of God’s nature his power his omnipotence he’s not able he just doesn’t have the power to do this and what else is in us all time America got promised he would deliver it real when they called on him so it’s awesome that’s all in this meaningfulness God’s not going to be able to keep his promise to you he’s just not strong enough so it’s assault on his power itself in his faithfulness and therefore what sin is an accurate committing and his messenger committing um he’s telling lies for sure he’s uh he’s being idolatrous by um starting glory and um uh certainly other gods or Syria itself being greater than God but by saying these falsits against God dishonoring God he’s blaspheming God and these are very serious sins how did Hezekiah respond to the psychological warfare Texas I don’t think anything they they follow hezekiah’s orders they don’t answer him either positively or negatively but what does officials do it that’s right they report the words that the rap Shaka gave to Hezekiah and as they do so they tear their clothes and remember chain clothes was a sign of great distress so truly Judah situation was pitiful it was the tiny Kingdom surrounded by the Assyrian Empire you may remember from our um the map from previous weeks you have this huge falling green area for Assyria and this little yellow territory in the middle that’s Judah surrounded by Assyria on all sides many other kingdoms and cities have fallen to Assyria the other strong holds in Judah have fallen to Australia many people in Judah have already been killed or taken captive why should Jerusalem be any different a Siege and Conquest to bring homers upon the people of Jerusalem too terrible to describe why should the people have any hope well let’s see what Hezekiah does in this situation and then we’ll see what God does look at chapter 37 now we’re going to read verses one to seven and when Hezekiah heard it he tore his clothes covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the Lord then he sent like him who was over the household was Sheila described and the Elders of the priest covered with sackcloth to Isaiah the prophet the son of amens they said to him thus says Hezekiah this day is a day of distress rebuke and rejection where children have come to birth and there was no strength to deliver perhaps the Lord your God will hear the words of rap Shaker whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the Living God and will rebuke The Words which the Lord your God has heard therefore offer a prayer for the remnant as so the services Hezekiah came to Isaiah they said to them thus you shall say to your master thus says the Lord do not be afraid because the word that you have heard with which the Servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me behold I will spirit in him that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land and I will fall By The Sword in his own land that’s absurd like as officials Hezekiah tears his clothes and even covers himself with sackcloth remember sackcloth is a coarse black cloth made from goat’s hair people also wore it besides tearing their clothes they would wear sackcloth as a sign of morning where does Hezekiah come he goes to the house of the Lord presumably to pray but he goes to house of the Lord he also sends Messengers to Isaiah the prophet what’s his request of Isaiah pray pray for us yes that’s kind to pray on behalf of Judah suggesting the Lord might rebuke the Blasphemous words of the rap Shaker save Jerusalem now this was quite a request there’s no indication from a human perspective that Jerusalem could be saved believed that God had the power to save that God heard the prayers that those who truly sought him and that God was zealous for his own name and his promises God they haven’t merely reproached us they’ve reproached you oh God vindicate your honor and save your people messages come to Isaiah and Isaiah brings back a message from God what is the first thing God says Don’t Be Afraid Don’t Be Afraid don’t be afraid because of the words I know about them and I know that they are blasphemous and then God has two promises about what will happen what are those promises Eric that’s right yeah snackable return to his own land and he’s going to die there now this is only round one of Santa Cruz blasophy blasphemy and God’s response because sennach group has more to say against god let’s read the rest of the chapter now in verse 8.
the rap Shaker returned we found the Kingfisher fighting against libna for you had heard that the king had left lakish when he heard them say concerning charhaka king of kush he has come out to fight against you and when he heard it he sent Messengers to Hezekiah saying this usual side Hezekiah king of Judah do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you saying Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Syria behold you have heard of the king of serious Kings of Assyria have done to all the lands destroying them completely so will you be spared did the gods of those Nations which my fathers have destroyed deliver them even gozan and haran and Reza and the sons of Eden who were in telesar where’s the king of Hamas the king of our pad the king of the city of severeign and ever then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of The Messengers and read it and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord Hezekiah prayed to the Lord saying oh lord of hosts of Israel who is enthroned above the cherubim you are the god you alone of all the kingdoms of the earth you have made Heaven and Earth incline your ear O Lord and hear open your eyes O Lord and see and listen to all the words of sacred who sent them to reproach the Living God truly oh Lord the kings of Assyria have devastated all the countries and their lands and have passed their gods Into the Fire for they were not Gods but the work of men’s hands wooden Stone so they have destroyed them oh Lord Our God Deliver Us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone Lord are God then Isaiah the son of the sent word Hezekiah saying thus says the Lord the god of Israel because you have prayed to me about sennacher of the king of Hysteria this is the word that the Lord has spoken against him she has despised you and mocked you the Virgin Daughter of Zion she has shaken her head behind you the daughter of Jerusalem whom have you reproached and blasphemed against whom have you raised your voice and oddly lifted up your eyes against the Holy One of Israel through your servants you have reproached the Lord and you have said with my many chariots I came up to the heights of the mountains to the remotest parts of Lebanon and I cut down its Tall Cedars and its choice cypresses and I will go to its highest peak its thickest Forest I dug Wells and drank Waters and with the soul of my feet I dried up all the rivers of Egypt have you not heard long ago I did it from ancient times I planned it now I have brought it to pass that you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps therefore their inhabitants were short of strength they were dismayed and put to shame they were as the meditation of the field and as the green herb as grass on the housetop is scorched before it has grown up but I know you’re sitting down and you’re going out and you’re coming in and you’re raging against me because you’re raging against me and because your arrogance has come up to my ears therefore I will put my hook in your nose and my Bridle in your lips and I will turn you back by the way which you came then this shall be the sign for you you’re easy to hear what goes of itself in the second year what Springs from the same in the third year so re plant Vineyards and eat their fruit the surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward for out of Jerusalem we’ll go forth a Remnant and out of Mount Zion survivors the Zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria he will not come to this city or shoot an arrow or shoot an arrow there and you will not come before the shield to throw up a Siege ramp against it by the way that he came by the same he will return and he will not come to this city declares the Lord for I will defend the city to save it for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake then the angel Lord went out and struck 185 000 to Camp the Assyrians and when men Rose early in the morning behold all these were dead departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh it came about as he was worshiping in the house of nisroth his God that a dramalek and shared his sons killed him with the sword and they escaped into the Ararat and Sr habit his son became king in his place it’s pretty amazing let’s make some obligations moving on from the quiche the king of Assyria is another city libna the king hears a rumor that the king of kush Ethiopia is coming out to fight against Assyria and he sent a message and Jacob sends another message to Hezekiah warning that Jerusalem will still fall this time though rather than saying that Hezekiah was deceiving as the people what even more momentous claim does an average make your God is deceiving you your God is telling you he’s going to deliver you but he is lying so before sanaka basalted God’s power and his faithfulness but now he is assaulting God’s truthfulness blasphemy God’s trustworthy nature then I got again trots forth all the gods and Nation he has defeated as proof that no God including Yahweh can save Hezekiah or Jerusalem Hezekiah takes the letter goes against the temple Express the letter before the Lord and he prays and note the parts hezekiah’s prayer Hezekiah acknowledges who God is he is the I am of hosts he is the god of Israel he is the exalted one and thrown above the cherubim the only God the Creator Hezekiah asks God to hear and pay attention to the evil boasts of synergy that are made against God Hezekiah acknowledges that Syria has indeed conquered conquered the kingdoms and shamed many gods but this is because these gods are not really Gods at all Hezekiah then requests that God delivered Judah and what is the reason do this that’s what might be the outcome Judy that’s right that all the kingdom of the earth may know that you alone are God and this is a pattern we’ve seen throughout the Bible man pray to God on the basis of who he is and the glory on the basis of the glory that he is due and they ask God glorify yourself God by keeping your promise to deliver the people who cry out to you and by shutting them out as of all who boast and blaspheme make yourself great make yourself known that you are the only God answers Hezekiah moving Isaiah to again deliver a message but this one in Poetic form and though this prophecy is given to Hezekiah to whom is the prophecy directed to Assyria specifically it’s an actor the king of Assyria he is the you of the prophecy and verses 21 to 23 God says mind and boasting and not merely been against Israel but against a Holy One of Israel God himself what connect what correction does snack lives thinking does God give in verses 23 to .
he says God ordained all these things that happened you think it was what you think it was your own power you’re like look at my chariots look at my greatness I dried up the rivers of Egypt God says I was the one who did all that I’m the one who made that happen I was in total control the whole time it wasn’t your power you think your power is giving you Conquest but it was I who allowed you to have your dream because of the Assyrian King’s arrogance and raging against God what does God promise to do in verse 29 .
thank you so they say send them back the way you came that’s right like you said before he says I’m going to turn you back your own land and that image is pretty poignant my hook in your nose I’ll put my hook in your nose and my Bridle in your lips I’ll lead you back like a tamed animal I’ve Got The Power you do not you will do whatever I want you to do and this is just as God first announced through Isaiah God is confirming his word and in verse 30 God gives a sign and again this is a little different I understand what’s this whole thing about first year second year what grows probably the best way to understand it is that this is some guarantee of miraculous food provision Syria has been ravaging the land preventing the people from planting and harvesting perhaps there’s worry about whether there will be enough enough food and this ravaging could have gone on as Jude has been invaded for about two years God says for two years you’ll have enough food even though you’re not able to cultivate and then on the third year you’re resume planting and you’ll be able to provide food for yourself note also the very specific Prophecies of verses 31-34 God promises the following Judah and Jerusalem Will Survive and flourish again it’s a neck rib will not even come up against Jerusalem he won’t set up any Shields or Siege ramp he won’t even fire and then for the third time God announces by the way snack group came by the same way he will return now look at verses 32 and 35 why will God defend Jerusalem in this way it says for the sake of my servant David and for my own sake and then in verse 32 he says the Zeal of the Lord of hosts accomplishes the Zeal for my own Glory the Zeal for my the covenants that I’ve made I think those are contained in that phrase for the sake of David and for my own sake I will deliver Jerusalem so we have all these promises but how how does God do it I mean this seems like a pretty momentous task this is a horde this is a massive Army from Assyria they’ve come up against Jerusalem how are you gonna turn them back oh God sure this is momentous task not at all how terse verses 36 and 37 are God sends his Angel the Angel kills 185 000 into Syria the people got up notice the dead and they return home what that’s ridiculous this is overwhelming play of God’s power and it only gets two sentences one verse but this was an easy thing for the Lord he says I’ll turn him back it’s very easy for me to do so and we see it was indeed God does exactly what he promised he would do even within two sentences and his later killed there it’s not immediate the action for some time before he’s killed but he is killed is killed back in Nineveh just as I prophesied poignant the king who boasted against God is killed by his own Sons and in the temple of his God as Isaiah says elsewhere God’s word does not go forth and come back void if God says something will happen it will happen because the Zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish it by the way if you’d like to hear how beautiful archeology lines up with the accounts that we’ve read today we actually did a lesson on this and you can find it on our website the lesson is part of the biblical archeology series biblical archeology 101 a lesson title is archeology of Israel’s Exile and return are part one you can hear all about how we actually see in different artifacts exactly what’s talked about here so let’s come to some different interpretive conclusions about what we’ve read and seen today and God in God’s dealings with snack group and Hezekiah what does God reveal about himself the Lord is faithful he keeps his promises he will save those who cry out to him for deliverance what else he is a God that inflicts judgment especially against what kind of people the Blasphemous and these people blasting because what kind of Parts they have no God we’ve seen again in the Old Testament God is particularly opposed to the Arrogant to the proud and snack of is obviously that that’s what else yeah Greg events are preordained yeah again so emphasize here the sovereignty and power of God everything happens according to to the way God wants it to happen that way God has ordained even Nations coming to dominance what else let’s pronounce this whole thing the Lord is for his people you know I look at snack rib and he boasts about how he was better than the gods of the other people yeah you know Harry at the very in the house credit to his own you know he gives credit for himself Jehovah Jehovah I think the encouraging thing for us as Believers you know the Lord is for his people and uh it’s like when Saul on the road there’s a why are you and the Lord takes an investment investment yeah yeah and we’ll mention that too you mentioned that the Lord has an investment in his people he takes um the Lord is for his people he he cares about them he will deliver him he will deliver them he will protect them and but why as you mentioned at the very end it’s for his own Glory we see here that God is zealous for his own Glory That’s the basis of the deal that Hezekiah makes to God for your own Glory bring him a name to this and we’ve seen that elsewhere in the scriptures God judges the crowd exalts The Humble he is the one with complete power and authority he’s completely trustworthy he declares the end before the beginning he hears the prayers of his people he responds to them and he keeps promises how is the original audience meant to respond to these accounts hear all this what’s the response supposed to be Worship the Lord what else humble yourself before the Lord trust the Lord obey the board I mean isn’t that the thing that the prophets are constantly telling the people of Israel the Lord is God his judgment is fierce but he saves those who call out to him therefore Worship the Lord trust in the Lord obey the Lord is given so that the people who hear it would believe in and obey the Lord God vindicates those who believe in him trust God during the time of testing you are not forgotten by him the arm is not too short to deliver you pray to the Lord in faith because we’ll answer humble yourself before him and instead of God’s Wrath he’ll experience his Mercy and the gods was revealed here in this account is the same God who Reigns today his character has not changed he still is a strong tower to those who trust in him and he still is that Fierce tearing line of judgment to those who ignore him or boast against him ask a few application questions as we wind down here if we follow God will God rescue us from evil in trouble the same way he rescued Hezekiah right uh not necessarily what do you mean like like even if we even let’s say you end up dying for holding your position for God and God is still faithful he doesn’t he hasn’t abandoned you or sometimes he can’t rescue you like right away it’s like whatever happens we trust them no more by e right okay so you said not necessarily uh it might not be the exact same way God might even actually die so I want to explore a couple of those things certainly what we call God do with Hezekiah and the people of Israel this time was special and miraculous and involved Judah we’re not guaranteed the exact same Deliverance nevertheless God will Deliver Us in a similar way God is the savior and protector of his people we’ve become part of this people he has sworn to provide for all the needs of his own to uphold them to work everything according to their good and His glory now God provided for Hezekiah God will do so for us even if God has to do a miracle but what about those believers who have suffered and died for Jesus did God fail to deliver or to provide for them but the answer is no we must remember that sometimes the good and necessary thing that God professors people is suffering trials grow his people and he enables people to testify the worth of God and forever long the child has gone enables his people to Bear the trial and to endure until the trial ends but even if the suffering ends in death for the Christian God has not failed to deliver because listen to what Paul says Paul says in second Timothy 4 16-18 if you know II Timothy it’s one of the last things he wrote before he died before he was martyred and he says this at my first offense no one supported me but Paul deserted me and not be counted against him but the Lord with me and strengthen me so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished and that all the Gentiles might hear and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth the Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to his Heavenly Kingdom to him May the glory forever and ever amen did you hear that Paul realized that God would rescue Paul until death and then rescue Paul through death God would bring Paul safely to heaven safe from Evil safe from Hell nothing would separate Paul from the love of Christ not even death so even in suffering and death God never fails to deliver his people we’re included in that Hezekiah and Judah experienced Devastation for as much as two years before God delivered them how long should we expect to suffer until God brings Deliverance for us as long as it takes we don’t know we don’t know the ways of God we don’t know what what he’s doing we know that he is doing good he’s being wise it’s the same thing from The Book of Job right there’s a whole debacle of that book about what is God doing and I want an explanation from God he says you don’t need an explanation and when it comes to trial some may pass quickly some may last a long time some may be for all of our Lives the rest of our lives but we know that God will Deliver Us and he will give us the strength to endorse us and is still listen to Eternity it will eventually be delivered in God’s Kingdom does using Earthly resources to provide for or deliver ourselves mean that we are not trusting God to deliver us not necessarily right it depends the situation right if we like Hezekiah make the preparations for Siege or in our situation let’s say we prepare things for ourselves or um we bring towards a certain missionary Endeavor but we say if if this doesn’t work out then we’re going to do this thing does that mean we’re not trusting in God we don’t have faith I say not necessarily because God had to make use of it God I’m trying to be wisely and you can still provide we are called to be wise but our trust must be in God not in our wise preparations we’ve seen the message how God delivered the prayerful humble and judge the boasting proud why isn’t prayer connected with humility yeah prayer is a sign of dependence and Reliance on God and a lot of people don’t resist their prayer until the last moment where they say I’ve got nothing else I might as well pray but we should be playing the whole time because that’s how we acknowledge you’re the one with the ability to deliver it’s nothing that you’ve provided me it’s you so we’re going to be humble we’re going to be praying dependent response privately when your faith is tested and the Outlook is Bleak do you find yourself quickly reproaching or abandoning God or does your faith pass the test when put into the furnace when you seemingly have means to deliver yourself do you stop trusting in God do you trust only when God takes away all other course or do you trust even as you make wise decisions with the resources God’s given you does your prayer life demonstrate that you are humbly dependent on God and that you believe he answers to worship God In Prayer will you in that area power faithfulness and accounts like this I agree that God is indeed worthy of all worship and obedience we’re out of time that’s all for today next week we look at the prophet Micah and what he prophesies regarding the Messiah if you have questions or comments come see me afterwards let’s close in prayer great word you show yourself glorious God do the work that we need to have done in our hearts so that we trust you when things are Bleak and when things are not so busy we do not rely on ourselves but we rely on you we pray we give you glory because you deserve it and we indeed have no strength in ourselves it is all on you provide people Deliver Us from Evil just as you promised in Jesus name amen