Tuesday: Words of Defiance
Hezekiah was king of Judah when the new superpower, Assyria, conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and scattered its inhabitants across Mesopotamia (2 Kings 18:9-12) . “That which He could no longer do through them in the land of their fathers He would seek to accomplish by scattering them among the heathen. His plan for the salvation of all who should choose to avail themselves of pardon through the Saviour of the human race must yet be fulfilled; and in the afflictions brought upon Israel, He was preparing the way for His glory to be revealed to the nations of earth.”-Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 292.
Image © John Thompson from GoodSalt.com
A few years later, the Assyrian king Sennacherib turned his attention to Judah and captured all its fortified cities and exacted heavy tribute (2 Kings 18:13-15) . Although Hezekiah emptied the temple and palace treasuries, the Assyrian king was not satisfied and sent officials to negotiate the surrender of Jerusalem.
The Assyrians then taunted the people, warning that since the gods of the nations around them didn’t save them from Assyria, what made the Jews think that their God would do any better? (See 2 Kings 18:28-30, 2 Kings 18:33-35.)
Hezekiah then did the only thing possible for him-he prayed (2 Kings 19:15-19) . God had already used Isaiah to encourage Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:6) , and now God sends the prophet to him again.
Read 2 Kings 19:21-34, especially verses 22 (2 Kings 19:22) . What is God’s message to His people amid this terrible crisis?
The outcome of all this was seen when the huge Assyrian army camped around the walls of Jerusalem. The frightened inhabitants of the besieged city arose one morning, not to see the final actions of a conquering army about to rip open the defenses of a besieged city but to see soldiers lying scattered on the ground in a deathly stillness as far as the eye could see (2 Kings 19:35) . The disgraced Assyrian king went home, only to meet his end at the hands of two of his own sons (2 Kings 19:36-37) .
How can we learn, even amid the most discouraging and seemingly impossible situations, to trust in the Lord? Why must we always keep the big picture in mind, especially when things don’t always end, at least now, in such a positive manner?
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0707 Hours Western Australian time, Tuesday 26th Jan. I can receive lessons now.
We are celebrating Australia day, big fireworks by the Swan River tonight in Perth, plenty of lamb chops on the barbeque for all the meat eaters.
The more advanced the computer program the more touchy and temperamental it gets, or is it just my dinasaur mentality?
keep the flag of truth waving brothers and sisters and don't forget the rest of your armor.
We are in a spiritual battle for the minds and hearts of the people.
Do not listen to the words of the enemy, Jehovah will give you eternal life which is more than this temporary life, trust Him.
God is in control, it is something we cannot forget. He knows the end from the beginning and he wants the best for us, but he knows that only thru much tribulations we will develop the faith we need to see him as he is.
Rabeca & Gedion are reminding us today that its the Lord's battle and its not won with the sword but rather with the faith in Jesus christ.
God uses us to accomplish His purpose, he used Hezekiah to defeat the Assyrians. God is always faithful, he is waiting to give us victory when we call upon him with all our heart
Have faith in Him, trust Him, and believe in His Words.
Before we determine to walk with God, we must have tried to find out who He is, what He is capable of, how He works. It is on this background that our future trust in Him would be founded. I have learnt that God works in ways our finite minds cant fathom for example Christ's death on the cross; the pain, the awe, the frightening silence it caused in the heavenly host but it was for the good of humanity and the created world. Basically am saying whatever happens we have to trust God. God is God. He is One and none is like Him. Remember Christ's words while on the cross.
Tuesday: Words of Defiance
2 kings 19:15-16, Hezekiah did the only thing possible. He prayed. What if he had not prayed? Then we are to think that no answer would have come, and Jerusalem would have been conquered. Hezekiah's prayer really mattered.
Like Hezekiah’s prayer that brought success, let us ask ourselves how many blessings, how many victories, how many souls saved for Jesus' glory, lie unclaimed until the LORD can say, "because you have prayed to Me"? This calls for sincere prayer
When the huge Assyrian army camped around the walls of Jerusalem, the people were terrified but God was faithful and would not allow. Jerusalem is represented as a young girl rebuffing with contempt the unwelcome advances of an enemy. In v. 21- Rabshakeh thought himself the terror of the daughter of Zion, that chaste and beautiful virgin, and that by his threats he could force her to submit to him. Jerusalem could be called the virgin, the daughter of Zion for several reasons:
- She was unpolluted with the gross idolatry of the pagans
- God would defend her from the intended rape by Sennacherib and the Assyrians
- She had never been invaded or conquered by another since the days of David
God stood by his people and they were never invaded. 2 kings 19:34 - “For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake”.
Hezekiah learned to trust God in a situation like this and when God, speaking through Isaiah, simply asked Rabshakeh, "Do you know whom you are dealing with?" The Rabshakeh obviously did not know. The Assyrians all along, thought it was because of their mighty power they had accomplished so much and they boasted over this but God proved to them that indeed he is the true living God of his Israel.
Words of defiance indeed! Creature taunting the creator. This reminds me of the defiance lucifer had in heaven before being cast out heaven. His ego, self-esteem, pride, self-sufficience smeared his mind to see the big picture of who God is.
This is this the same situation we find ourselves in because of our choices we make. There is a way that seems right to man, the end of it is the way of death.
God's providences are ever before us, his counsels we despise and what we get ulitmately is what we sow. The lesson from the children of Israel should be our stepping stone to reach the promised land. their failures we must shun and hold on to their successes. There is hope to those who hold on and take at His command. Though the way might seem hazed, thorny, bumpy, as long as the Lord lead, we are assured of reaching our final destination. Heaven is our finishing line our ultimate goal. All who desire to be their must God their LEADER, bearing in mind that the great controversy is real. We are fighting against dark powers, principalities beyond our capabilities.
May the Lord help us reach the crossing line as the battle rages more fiercely in these these last days.
We might feel defeated for now, but our hold on Him should be more tighter than ever. Who knows, may be He is refining us. There is a high way prepared for the ransomed, only the righteous shall walk threin
Our minds and heart are in a spiritual battle therefore we always need to walk with our guiding angel, Jesus and God. Without their presence in our mind and hearts, we are nothing and definitely we will loose the spiritual battle.
When the Omnipotent King is Chief of the soldiers of the cross we, His people need not lift a finger at our enemies. God will NOT be taken lightly or be mocked by mere sinful mortals who rebel against His government and oppress His people. When faced with giant sized obstacles or seemingly impossible situations and it appears that God is ALL we have, than more than likely God is ALL we need.
We can trust the Eternal God who said ".. I will defend this city to save it for my own sake and for my servant David's sake" (2 Kings 19:34). We, God's present day Church can also take this promise "to the bank" and be assured of its fulfillment in our time and until Jesus returns.
Let us all be faithful!!
How often do we try to fight Assyria on our own and in our own power? We often go in places that we are unprepared for; where His Spirit has not lead us to and seek not His deliverance. In this raging controversy between Christ and Satan; one move could be a fatal error. If Hezekiah had not prayed, that could have been his end. We fail to receive that which is due to us, that which could protect us from the enemy simply because we fail to use the ladder that Jacob saw connecting heaven and earth; Jesus Christ. The enemy who is Satan is to be conquered like the soldiers that lay lifeless outside Jerusalem; the decision lies with us.
Ever since,from the garden of Eden, God has never given up on us! He is always with us,and would never and wants us to truly repent our sins which has seperated us far from Him.
This is such a wonderfu story,that we serve a real God,a God who can fight and wins a battle even without our imput! Amen!