FRIDAY,
AUGUST 12, 2022
TEXT:
2 Kings 19:14-28
14.
Hezekiah took the letter from the envoy and read it. He went to the Temple of
God and spread it out before God.
15.
And Hezekiah prayed – oh, how he prayed! God, God of Israel, seated in majesty
on the cherubim – throne. You are the one and only God, sovereign over all
kingdoms on earth, Maker of heaven, maker of earth.
16.
Open your ears, God, and listen, open your eyes and look. Look at this letter
Sennacherib has sent, a brazen insult to the living God!
17.
The facts are true, O God: The kings of Assyria have laid waste countries and
kingdoms.
18.
Huge bonfires they made of their gods, their no-gods hand-made from wood and
stone.
19.
But now O God, our God, save us from raw Assyrian power; Make all the kingdoms
on earth know that you are God, the one and only God.
20.
It wasn’t long before Isaiah son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah:
21.
This is my response to him: The virgin Daughter of Zion holds you in utter
contempt; Daughter Jerusalem thinks you’re nothing but scum.
22.
Who do you think it is you’ve insulted? Who do you think you’ve been bad-
mouthing? Before whom do you suppose you’ve been strutting? The Holy One of
Israel, that’s who!
23.
You dispatched your errand boys to humiliate the Master. You bragged, “With my
army of chariots I’ve climbed the highest mountains, snow-peaked alpine Lebanon
mountains! I’ve cut down its giant cedars, chopped down its prize pine trees. I’ve
traveled the world, visited the finest forest retreats.
24.
I’ve dug wells in faraway places and drunk their exotic waters; I’ve waded and
splashed barefoot in the rivers of Egypt.“
25.
Did it never occur to you that I’m behind all this? Long, long ago I drew up
the plans, and now I’ve gone into action, Using you as a doomsday weapon, reducing
proud cities to piles of rubble,
26.
Leaving their people dispirited, slumped shoulders, limp souls. Useless as
weeds, fragile as grass, insubstantial as wind-blown chaff.
27.
I know when you sit down, when you come and when you go; And, yes, I’ve marked
every one of your temper tantrums against me.
28.
It’s because of your temper, your blasphemous foul temper, That I’m putting my
hook in your nose And bit in your mouth And turning you back to where you came
from.
(The
Message Holy Bible)
TOPIC:
HEZEKIAH SOUGHT HELP FROM THE LORD (II)
King Hezekiah, upon
receiving the threat letter from the Assyrian king, immediately presented it to
the Lord as a demonstration of confidence in what He will do. Note how King
Hezekiah dramatically spread the threat letter in the presence of the Lord. He never
denied the power and victories of the Assyrian kings as some would have done
today.
To acknowledge that
Satan has limited but huge powers to influence evil on earth is never a sign of
fear or unbelief. Unless you understand the extent of your enemy’s power, you
may never be able strategize to win. God’s response to Hezekiah prayer was the
beautiful psalm He gave through Prophet Isaiah which looks like a celebration
of the victory over King Sennacherib.
God will always have
the last word in every encounter. Therefore, don’t give up.
QUESTION:
Have you prayed and it seems the answer may never come?
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I am weak and may not be able to stand through to the end. I plead
for strength and courage to hold on to the end, in Jesus name, Amen.
Remain
Blessed
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