WEBVTT 00:00:00.541 --> 00:00:01.102 Thank you, micah. 00:00:01.102 --> 00:00:03.571 Good morning church, family and friends. 00:00:03.571 --> 00:00:11.553 As you know, pastor Doug and Pastor Micah have been preaching through the prophecy of Isaiah. 00:00:11.553 --> 00:00:16.812 Pastor Doug assigned me chapters 36, 37, 38, and 39. 00:00:16.812 --> 00:00:20.088 We covered part one last week. 00:00:20.088 --> 00:00:23.725 That was Isaiah, chapter 36, verse 1, to 37, verse 7. 00:00:23.725 --> 00:00:25.687 That was Isaiah, chapter 36, verse 1, to 37, verse 7. 00:00:25.687 --> 00:00:31.756 Today we'll cover part 2, which is the remaining part of chapter 37. 00:00:31.756 --> 00:00:42.325 So turn with me to our text, chapter 37, verse 8, through the rest of the chapter. 00:00:42.344 --> 00:00:56.085 The Neo-Assyrian Empire was the final and most influential period of the Assyrian Empire and it lasted from 912 BC to 612 BC. 00:00:56.085 --> 00:01:00.194 It grew from a small kingdom to one of the most powerful empires in the ancient world. 00:01:00.194 --> 00:01:07.953 It was characterized by a ruthless military conquest and territorial expansion. 00:01:07.953 --> 00:01:30.085 Under leaders like Tiglath-Peleser III, which you can read in 1 Chronicles 6 and 2 Kings 17, assyria went to battle utilizing the most advanced siege techniques and a superior military organization, allowing them to dominate the entire Near East. 00:01:30.085 --> 00:01:42.123 One of the most disturbing aspects of Assyrian expansion was the use of terror tactics to instill fear in the peoples they were conquering. 00:01:42.123 --> 00:01:43.183 Fear in the peoples they were conquering. 00:01:43.183 --> 00:01:59.450 To maintain control and deter rebellion, they brutally treated their captives as a warning to others, which included dismemberment, beheading and impaling on wooden poles. 00:01:59.450 --> 00:02:29.282 The conquest of the northern tribes of Israel began in 740 BC by the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III I mentioned, who deported the tribes on the east side of the Jordan River to Mesopotamia, and this is found in 1 Chronicles 6, verse 22. 00:02:29.282 --> 00:02:32.967 And this whole deportation and exiling was completed by the Assyrian king Sargon II in 720 BC. 00:02:32.967 --> 00:02:37.375 He deported the remaining tribes of Israel. 00:02:37.375 --> 00:02:41.423 This is recorded in 2 Kings, chapter 17. 00:02:42.806 --> 00:02:52.587 20 years later, the Assyrian king Sennacherib led a military campaign into the kingdom of Judah in 701 BC. 00:02:52.587 --> 00:03:12.836 46 fortified cities of Judah fell very quickly to this Assyrian war machine, and the king of Judah, hezekiah, exhausted his military resources as he watched Judah slowly succumb to the Assyrian king. 00:03:12.836 --> 00:03:25.294 What remained of Judah's military forces was not even a splinter in a finger against the Assyrian war machine, against the Assyrian war machine. 00:03:25.294 --> 00:03:40.731 Having already overcome 46 fortified cities and a vast number of villages in Judah, the Assyrian king Sennacherib laid siege to the fortified city of Lachish, 35 miles southwest of Jerusalem. 00:03:40.731 --> 00:03:44.046 Lachish was the second most important city in Judah. 00:03:44.046 --> 00:03:45.009 It was second only to the capital Jerusalem. 00:03:45.009 --> 00:03:46.193 Lachish was the second most important city in Judah. 00:03:46.193 --> 00:03:48.860 It was second only to the capital, jerusalem. 00:03:48.860 --> 00:04:03.888 Sennacherib sent a massive army from Lachish to Jerusalem in order to add Jerusalem and King Hezekiah to be among his military achievements. 00:04:05.310 --> 00:04:17.086 This was one of Hezekiah's greatest crises in his life, one that revealed his vulnerability, attacked his confidence, created doubt and despair and caused him to battle anxiety. 00:04:17.086 --> 00:04:21.088 When undergoing a life crisis. 00:04:21.088 --> 00:04:28.932 Do you feel bewildered, scared, confused, maybe desperate? 00:04:28.932 --> 00:04:34.528 Do you feel helpless, overwhelmed, maybe depressed? 00:04:34.528 --> 00:04:37.497 Do you feel that you've lost control? 00:04:37.497 --> 00:04:46.815 Let me ask you how can you develop a steady heart when you navigate through life's crises? 00:04:48.117 --> 00:05:04.613 How King Hezekiah battled this crisis highlights practical steps that could help us steady and sustain our hearts when we've lost control, as well as fear and anxiety when they weigh us down in the crises we face. 00:05:04.613 --> 00:05:15.677 He demonstrates in these practical steps that, ultimately, the battle is the Lord's. 00:05:15.677 --> 00:05:20.576 So he outlines several steps First, affirm our trust in God. 00:05:20.576 --> 00:05:25.718 Second, appeal to God in prayer. 00:05:25.718 --> 00:05:35.031 Third, anchor in God's promises. 00:05:35.031 --> 00:05:36.879 And fourth, anticipate God's response. 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:45.759 So let's pray. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:46.641 Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. 00:05:46.641 --> 00:05:48.504 Open our eyes that we may see wonderful things in your word. 00:05:48.504 --> 00:05:54.473 Help us to gain insight from your word into how to remain sure and steady whenever we face life's crises. 00:05:54.473 --> 00:05:55.654 Amen. 00:05:55.654 --> 00:06:02.168 So turn with me Chapter 37, verse 8. 00:06:02.168 --> 00:06:04.305 We'll look at the first section. 00:06:04.305 --> 00:06:06.908 The first point is affirm your trust in God. 00:06:07.701 --> 00:06:15.990 As we consider our text for today, a massive Assyrian army has already positioned themselves right outside the walls of Jerusalem. 00:06:15.990 --> 00:06:27.211 King Hezekiah not only grappled with the external threat of the Assyrian invasion, but he was also processing the internal fears and doubts. 00:06:27.211 --> 00:06:43.773 Hezekiah's pride, coupled with fear and anxiety, had recently driven him to make foreign policy decisions without considering God's promises or the advice that the Lord gave him through the prophet Isaiah. 00:06:43.773 --> 00:07:00.533 He made two foreign policy decisions I reviewed last time a decision and alliance to be made with Egypt and a massive payment of tribute to Assyria from his kingdom's treasury. 00:07:00.533 --> 00:07:11.725 Hezekiah's self-reliant foreign policy decisions failed miserably to deter the Assyrians from trying to take over the kingdom of Judah. 00:07:11.725 --> 00:07:29.951 But we also saw last week in chapter 37, earlier in the verses verses 1 to 7, that Hezekiah's pride finally broke when he acknowledged by words and demeanor how he had strayed away from walking in obedience with God. 00:07:32.081 --> 00:07:36.312 Affirming your trust in God requires a heart surrendered to God. 00:07:36.312 --> 00:07:46.531 The Hezekiah who appears in chapter 37, verses 8 to 38, our text today is not the same Hezekiah we saw in chapter 36. 00:07:46.531 --> 00:07:53.242 We see in today's text, a Hezekiah who is fully trusting in the sovereignty of God and his promises. 00:07:53.242 --> 00:08:11.411 We see this in Sennacherib's second attempt to intimidate Hezekiah into surrendering, a letter communicated and hand-delivered by messengers from the king of Assyria, sennacherib, and this is contained in verses 10 to 13. 00:08:11.411 --> 00:08:27.480 So turn there Verse 10, say this to King Hezekiah of Judah don't let your God, on whom you rely, deceive you by promising that Jerusalem won't be handed over to the king of Assyria. 00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:32.972 Look, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries. 00:08:32.972 --> 00:08:35.342 They completely destroyed them. 00:08:35.342 --> 00:08:38.089 Will you be rescued? 00:08:38.089 --> 00:08:43.585 Did the gods of the nations that my predecessors destroyed rescue them? 00:08:43.585 --> 00:08:49.955 Gazan Haran, reziv and the Edomites and Telassar? 00:08:49.955 --> 00:09:00.932 Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpat, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, hina or Iva? 00:09:03.961 --> 00:09:08.032 First, why did Sennacherib need to send this follow-up letter? 00:09:08.032 --> 00:09:16.745 Wasn't the intimidation delivered by the Assyrian royal spokesman effective enough to cause Hezekiah to surrender? 00:09:16.745 --> 00:09:28.568 When we read between the lines of this letter, we gain some insight into how Hezekiah had replied to that Assyrian royal spokesman. 00:09:28.568 --> 00:09:33.986 His intimidating speeches seem not to have fazed Hezekiah. 00:09:33.986 --> 00:09:46.350 Hezekiah's reply is not recorded in the Bible, but was probably based on his affirmation of his wholehearted trust in God's promises. 00:09:46.350 --> 00:10:13.274 His reply to the Assyrian royal spokesman probably sounded something like this to the Assyrian royal spokesman probably sounded something like this I, hezekiah, king of Judah, will not and I repeat, will not surrender to the king of Assyria, and Jerusalem will not be handed over to him. 00:10:13.274 --> 00:10:17.618 Instead, hezekiah's heart was surrendered to God In humility. 00:10:17.717 --> 00:10:20.980 Hezekiah held firmly onto and trusted God's promises. 00:10:20.980 --> 00:10:23.224 They were now fresh on his heart. 00:10:23.224 --> 00:10:25.225 Isaiah 37, verse 7,. 00:10:25.225 --> 00:10:36.129 I am about to put a spirit in him, sennacherib, and he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword. 00:10:36.129 --> 00:10:41.005 And Isaiah chapter 38, which we'll cover next week. 00:10:41.005 --> 00:10:42.601 Isaiah 38, verse 6. 00:10:42.601 --> 00:10:48.745 And I will, god, I will rescue you, hezekiah, and this city from the grasp of the king of Assyria. 00:10:48.745 --> 00:10:50.562 I will defend this city. 00:10:50.562 --> 00:10:56.066 Hezekiah affirmed his trust in God's promises. 00:10:57.715 --> 00:11:02.706 Second, sennacherib detected a distinct change in the person of Hezekiah. 00:11:02.706 --> 00:11:08.947 There was a time when Hezekiah placed his primary reliance on the Egyptian army to get him out of his mess. 00:11:08.947 --> 00:11:13.440 That was the Hezekiah that Sennacherib had known. 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:19.109 But now this letter doesn't mention Egypt at all. 00:11:19.109 --> 00:11:31.173 Instead, it refers only to your God, on whom you rely verse 10. 00:11:31.173 --> 00:11:37.640 Sennacherib picked up on a palpable change in Hezekiah's heart, that Hezekiah now trusted seriously in his God, the sovereignty of his God. 00:11:39.846 --> 00:11:51.215 Hezekiah was previously branded by the Assyrian royal spokesman as a would-be deceiver of his people who used faith as a pawn for political survival. 00:11:51.215 --> 00:11:53.057 As a pawn for political survival. 00:11:53.057 --> 00:12:04.461 Isaiah, chapter 36, verses 14 and 15 say this is what the king Sennacherib says Don't let Hezekiah deceive you, for he cannot rescue you. 00:12:04.461 --> 00:12:11.782 Don't let Hezekiah persuade you to rely on the Lord. 00:12:11.782 --> 00:12:24.091 And verse 18, beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you by saying the Lord will rescue us. 00:12:24.091 --> 00:12:28.460 But look here at Sennacherib's letter, verses 10 to 13. 00:12:28.460 --> 00:12:30.686 Sennacherib mentioned no deception on Hezekiah's part at all. 00:12:30.686 --> 00:12:33.201 What changed in Sennacherib? 00:12:33.201 --> 00:12:39.327 What changed in Hezekiah's part at all? 00:12:39.327 --> 00:12:40.030 What changed in Sennacherib? 00:12:40.030 --> 00:12:40.855 What changed in Hezekiah? 00:12:40.855 --> 00:12:45.895 Well, nothing changed in Sennacherib's boastful arrogance. 00:12:45.895 --> 00:12:53.484 What changed in Hezekiah was that he now believed and was convinced of the promises of God that it was surely God alone who would deliver them. 00:12:53.484 --> 00:13:09.652 Hezekiah had come to a personal and unequivocal faith in God, and this was perceived by the Assyrian king. 00:13:09.652 --> 00:13:15.875 This is not a blind faith, a term that many people use in a negative and disparaging way to describe anyone who believes in God, the Father, or his Son, jesus Christ. 00:13:17.799 --> 00:13:28.206 Early Reformed theologians described true faith as having three parts, three elements knowledge, belief and trust. 00:13:28.206 --> 00:13:32.014 Certain information must be known and understood. 00:13:32.014 --> 00:13:35.633 Certain information must be known and understood. 00:13:35.633 --> 00:13:39.154 This is the data or content of faith. 00:13:39.154 --> 00:13:45.587 True faith requires not just knowing God, but also requires a mental assent to or belief in the truth of that information. 00:13:45.587 --> 00:13:54.205 But you know, knowledge and belief are necessary conditions for having true faith, but they're not sufficient alone. 00:13:54.205 --> 00:14:06.297 A third element must also be present before we have true faith a personal trust and reliance on the object of our faith. 00:14:06.297 --> 00:14:11.423 This involves our affections by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:14:11.423 --> 00:14:16.014 A believer sees, embraces and loves Jesus Christ, as we see in Evan. 00:14:16.014 --> 00:14:21.988 True faith involves knowledge, belief and trust. 00:14:21.988 --> 00:14:26.238 True faith can be refined through trials and questioning. 00:14:26.238 --> 00:14:36.001 Doubt can play a role in strengthening true faith, as it encourages believers to engage critically with their beliefs and seek deeper understanding. 00:14:36.001 --> 00:14:50.802 In contrast to blind faith, which might avoid questioning, true faith is a dynamic process that involves continuous reflection and growth in one's relationship with God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:14:52.927 --> 00:14:54.932 Hezekiah had a knowledge of God's promises. 00:14:54.932 --> 00:14:58.080 He knew that God was committed to the Davidic monarchy. 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:05.720 God was faithful to the Davidic line, even if Hezekiah did not fully understand its long-term implications. 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:11.750 The Lord said to Hezekiah in Isaiah 37, verse 35,. 00:15:11.750 --> 00:15:16.475 Hezekiah in Isaiah 37, verse 35. 00:15:16.475 --> 00:15:24.394 For I will defend this city to save it for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David. 00:15:24.394 --> 00:15:30.006 The narrative suggests that Hezekiah accepted this and believed this, but not until he fully trusted God and his promises did his faith in God come alive. 00:15:31.855 --> 00:15:35.361 Not trusting in God is a pride issue. 00:15:35.361 --> 00:15:46.625 God may allow circumstances that feel overwhelming or unbearable to strip away at your pride and self-sufficiency. 00:15:46.625 --> 00:15:54.046 When your pride is broken, you can then affirm your trust in God. 00:15:54.046 --> 00:16:03.947 Navigating through life's crises with a steady heart begins when your pride breaks and you affirm your trust in God. 00:16:03.947 --> 00:16:08.898 And secondly, by appealing to God in prayer. 00:16:08.898 --> 00:16:13.585 This is our second point Appeal to God in prayer. 00:16:13.585 --> 00:16:16.809 There'll be two points underneath this. 00:16:16.809 --> 00:16:26.908 Hezekiah was preoccupied with God in his prayer and Hezekiah acknowledged God's sovereignty and power over all earthly rulers. 00:16:26.908 --> 00:16:31.456 So the first one Hezekiah was preoccupied with God in his prayer. 00:16:31.456 --> 00:16:37.080 Preoccupied, hezekiah first acknowledged who God is. 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:55.732 In verse 16, isaiah writes this is the words of Hezekiah Lord of armies, god of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you are God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. 00:16:55.732 --> 00:17:01.051 You made the heavens and the earth. 00:17:01.051 --> 00:17:04.711 This is the opening verse. 00:17:04.711 --> 00:17:07.699 It positions Hezekiah as surrendered to the Lord God. 00:17:07.699 --> 00:17:09.604 I have more to say about this verse later. 00:17:15.490 --> 00:17:21.040 The second thing we see here Hezekiah honored God as a living God, which makes God distinct from all other gods. 00:17:21.040 --> 00:17:23.644 Look at verses 17 to 19. 00:17:23.644 --> 00:17:27.410 Verse 17, listen closely, lord, and hear. 00:17:27.410 --> 00:17:30.036 Open your eyes, lord, and see. 00:17:30.036 --> 00:17:35.819 Hear all the words that Sennacherib has sent to mock the living God. 00:17:35.819 --> 00:17:37.961 So they have destroyed them. 00:17:37.961 --> 00:17:40.363 They were not gods, but made from wood and stone by human hands. 00:17:40.363 --> 00:18:00.911 So they have destroyed them. 00:18:00.911 --> 00:18:07.295 Hezekiah proclaims God's uniqueness. 00:18:09.454 --> 00:18:11.786 And the third point under this and how Hezekiah appealed to God. 00:18:11.786 --> 00:18:18.455 Hezekiah sought to have God's glory revealed to the world. 00:18:18.455 --> 00:18:19.136 We see this in verse 20. 00:18:19.136 --> 00:18:27.443 Now, lord, our God, save us from his power, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, lord, are God, you alone. 00:18:27.443 --> 00:18:36.291 Hezekiah appealed to God by making his prayer all about God, not about himself. 00:18:36.291 --> 00:18:46.272 At least, not until the very end of the prayer does Hezekiah petition to God to save Judah. 00:18:46.272 --> 00:18:50.874 But pay attention to Hezekiah's purpose. 00:18:50.874 --> 00:19:01.344 The reason why he asked God to save Judah from the Assyrians is not for his own glory, but so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that the Lord alone is God. 00:19:01.344 --> 00:19:03.729 This is extraordinary. 00:19:03.729 --> 00:19:10.107 What does this tell you about our own prayers and how we should pray? 00:19:10.107 --> 00:19:18.047 Now let's take a deeper look at the opening verse of Hezekiah's prayer again, verse 16. 00:19:18.047 --> 00:19:21.965 This verse is really the heart of Hezekiah's prayer. 00:19:21.965 --> 00:19:28.327 It's not the petition but the acknowledgement of who God is. 00:19:28.327 --> 00:19:34.928 Hezekiah acknowledged God's sovereignty and his power over all earthly rulers. 00:19:36.715 --> 00:19:48.207 The first phrase, the Lord of armies, reflects the Lord's personal omnipotence and the one who is the military commander of the hosts of heaven's army. 00:19:48.207 --> 00:19:59.367 The next phrase, god of Israel, god of Israel, describes that God is connected with his chosen people, not the Assyrians. 00:19:59.367 --> 00:20:12.047 The third phrase, enthroned between the cherubim, portrays God's sovereignty, his royal kingly rule from his temple throne above the Ark of the Covenant. 00:20:12.047 --> 00:20:16.045 The cherubim were the figures at each end of the mercy seat. 00:20:16.045 --> 00:20:20.842 Looking inwards and downwards, we see that in Exodus 37. 00:20:20.842 --> 00:20:25.376 They formed the pedestal of the invisible throne of God of all. 00:20:25.376 --> 00:20:25.858 Israel. 00:20:25.858 --> 00:20:27.344 Ezekiel, chapter 1. 00:20:27.344 --> 00:20:31.506 Thus his feet rested on the mercy seat in the temple. 00:20:31.506 --> 00:20:36.936 The Lord was enthroned and present at the center of his people's lives. 00:20:40.201 --> 00:20:44.710 The phrase you are God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. 00:20:44.710 --> 00:20:52.306 This phrase presents God as the one and only true God and proclaims his worldwide dominion. 00:20:52.306 --> 00:20:57.900 And the phrase you made the heavens and the earth. 00:20:57.900 --> 00:21:09.472 This phrase declares that he is creator of the heavens and the earth and thus he owns the world and is powerful enough to make or undo what he has made. 00:21:09.472 --> 00:21:13.641 These titles are not just a way to identify who God is. 00:21:13.641 --> 00:21:15.703 They affirm trust. 00:21:15.703 --> 00:21:23.789 They affirm trust, assurance and praise. 00:21:23.789 --> 00:21:30.682 Hezekiah is calling out to the one and only true God who controls the world and who can rectify what the Assyrian king had falsely claimed. 00:21:30.682 --> 00:21:33.737 This is Hezekiah's God. 00:21:36.569 --> 00:21:40.862 Hezekiah's prayer stresses the importance of communicating with god when you face fears. 00:21:40.862 --> 00:21:43.534 Worry is a form of pride. 00:21:43.534 --> 00:21:46.619 I'll say that again worry is a form of pride. 00:21:46.619 --> 00:21:55.676 It takes some humility to go to god in prayer and admit your helplessness and entrust your concerns to him. 00:21:55.676 --> 00:22:00.823 Your earnest prayer to God helps you unload your burdens. 00:22:00.823 --> 00:22:05.813 We see this in 1 Peter 5, verses 6 and 7. 00:22:05.813 --> 00:22:21.585 Peter writes humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him because he cares for you. 00:22:21.585 --> 00:22:27.583 The manner by which you humble yourselves is by casting your cares on God. 00:22:27.583 --> 00:22:33.760 If anxiety about family finances overwhelms. 00:22:33.760 --> 00:22:37.980 You take a moment each night to pray before going to bed. 00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:46.819 Sit down with your spouse and have an open conversation about your fears, laying everything before God in prayer, like Hezekiah. 00:22:48.990 --> 00:22:54.864 During times of emotional upheaval, it's normal to feel intense fear and anxiety. 00:22:54.864 --> 00:23:04.479 Instead of isolating yourself, create a circle of support by gathering close friends for a monthly prayer gathering at your home. 00:23:04.479 --> 00:23:07.471 Share your struggles Openly. 00:23:07.471 --> 00:23:11.142 Invite them to pray specifically for your healing and clarity. 00:23:11.142 --> 00:23:23.394 Establish a routine of reading scripture together, focusing on passages that emphasize God's faithfulness and his love, which can provide comfort and strength in a difficult time. 00:23:23.394 --> 00:23:35.549 For Hezekiah to navigate through his crisis with a steady heart, it was essential for him to affirm his trust in God, to appeal to God in prayer. 00:23:37.314 --> 00:23:40.863 And now the third point to anchor in God's promises. 00:23:40.863 --> 00:23:47.650 Anchor in God's promises, To rest firmly on God's promises. 00:23:47.650 --> 00:23:55.023 Let's look at how anchoring yourself in God's promises yields several important benefits for believers. 00:23:55.023 --> 00:24:03.913 First, anchoring in God's promises keeps believers continually focused on his sovereignty and power. 00:24:03.913 --> 00:24:12.213 This strengthens trust in God's ability to fulfill his promises in spite of seemingly impossible circumstances. 00:24:13.396 --> 00:24:17.184 Listen to these words that God spoke to Hezekiah against Sennacherib. 00:24:17.184 --> 00:24:21.593 That God spoke to Hezekiah against Sennacherib, verse 23. 00:24:21.593 --> 00:24:25.240 Who is it you have mocked and blasphemed. 00:24:25.240 --> 00:24:35.684 Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? 00:24:35.684 --> 00:24:37.490 Against the Holy One of Israel? 00:24:37.490 --> 00:24:44.509 You have mocked the Lord through your servants and then go down to verse 26. 00:24:44.509 --> 00:24:45.510 26. 00:24:45.510 --> 00:24:49.672 Have you not heard? 00:24:49.672 --> 00:24:53.395 I designed it long ago, I planned it days gone by. 00:24:53.395 --> 00:25:00.464 I have now brought it to pass and you have crushed fortified cities into piles of rubble. 00:25:02.890 --> 00:25:04.353 God is speaking about Sennacherib here. 00:25:04.353 --> 00:25:11.584 Their inhabitants, the inhabitants of the fortified cities that he crushed, their inhabitants have become powerless, dismayed and ashamed. 00:25:11.584 --> 00:25:19.273 They are plants of the field, tender grass, grass on the rooftops, blasted by the east wind. 00:25:19.273 --> 00:25:26.103 But I, the sovereign God, I know you're sitting down and you're going out and you're coming in and you're raging against me. 00:25:26.103 --> 00:25:35.759 Because you're raging against me and your arrogance have reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth. 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:40.763 I will make you go back the way you came. 00:25:40.763 --> 00:25:56.462 Did you know that the way Assyrians led their prisoners, their captives, was by placing a fish hook through their nose or right even, through their lips, and then pulled them along on a leash? 00:25:56.462 --> 00:25:59.917 God is turning it back onto Sennacherib here. 00:26:02.990 --> 00:26:09.231 The second one, anchoring in God's promises, keeps believers sure and steadfast amidst doubts and challenges. 00:26:09.231 --> 00:26:28.259 God gave Hezekiah a sign that he will faithfully preserve the land and feed the people as they recover from this invasion, in order to show that his purpose, and not chance, orchestrated the entire event that is unfolding before King Hezekiah. 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:33.111 We see this in verses 30 to 32. 00:26:33.111 --> 00:26:42.325 Therefore, this is what the Lord I'm sorry this will be the sign for you. 00:26:42.325 --> 00:26:49.002 This year you will eat what grows on its own and in the second year what grows from that. 00:26:49.002 --> 00:26:53.780 But in the third year, sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 00:26:53.780 --> 00:27:08.423 The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward, for a remnant will go out from Jerusalem and survivors from Mount Zion. 00:27:08.423 --> 00:27:12.621 The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this. 00:27:15.750 --> 00:27:23.525 The third thing, the third benefit believers can get from anchoring in God's promises, is that it offers an unshakable hope. 00:27:23.525 --> 00:27:38.118 It was for God's own glory and out of his covenant faithfulness to David that God declared that he will defend the city of Jerusalem, and we see this in verses 33 to 35. 00:27:38.118 --> 00:27:40.364 Verse 33. 00:27:40.364 --> 00:27:45.492 Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria he will not enter this city. 00:27:45.492 --> 00:27:52.817 Shoot an arrow there, come before it with a shield or build up a siege ramp against it. 00:27:52.817 --> 00:27:55.317 He will go back the way he came. 00:27:55.317 --> 00:27:57.536 He will not enter this city. 00:27:57.536 --> 00:28:00.076 This is the Lord he came. 00:28:00.076 --> 00:28:00.859 He will not enter this city. 00:28:00.859 --> 00:28:02.086 This is the Lord's declaration. 00:28:02.086 --> 00:28:07.541 I will defend this city and rescue it for my sake and for the sake of my servant, david. 00:28:07.541 --> 00:28:12.050 Stop here for a moment. 00:28:13.073 --> 00:28:24.705 Have you noticed that the prayer of a believer's humble heart is a truly practical way of dealing with the harsh realities of this world? 00:28:24.705 --> 00:28:34.796 What military force and arms or diplomacy or money could not achieve? 00:28:34.796 --> 00:28:39.409 Prayer accomplished for Hezekiah, amen. 00:28:39.409 --> 00:28:44.721 The security of God's people comes from God's unfaltering commitment to them. 00:28:44.721 --> 00:28:49.642 In the New Testament, christ has given his promise to his people. 00:28:49.642 --> 00:28:54.260 In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16 and verse 18,. 00:28:54.260 --> 00:29:06.372 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 00:29:07.034 --> 00:29:11.910 Jesus Christ will take action to counter even the weakness and failure of his servants. 00:29:11.910 --> 00:29:20.858 Another example is in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 22, verses 31 to 32. 00:29:20.858 --> 00:29:28.444 This is what Jesus said at his first Lord's Supper Simon, simon, look out. 00:29:28.444 --> 00:29:36.921 Satan has asked to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. 00:29:36.921 --> 00:29:44.880 Deliverance promised to Hezekiah extended hope far beyond Hezekiah's day to the church today. 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:48.532 God will not desert those for whom Christ died. 00:29:48.532 --> 00:30:07.991 Factors that help you navigate through a crisis with a steady heart include affirming your trust in God, appealing to God through prayer, anchoring in God's promises and the fourth point and the last point, anticipating God's response. 00:30:07.991 --> 00:30:10.900 Anticipate God's response. 00:30:12.484 --> 00:30:15.991 Isaiah previously predicted the destruction of the Assyrian army. 00:30:15.991 --> 00:30:24.240 In Isaiah, chapter 14, verses 24, 25, and 27, isaiah writes the Lord of armies has sworn. 00:30:24.240 --> 00:30:28.625 As I have purposed, so it will be. 00:30:28.625 --> 00:30:32.297 As I have planned it, so it will happen. 00:30:32.297 --> 00:30:36.026 I will break Assyria in my land. 00:30:36.026 --> 00:30:39.573 The Lord of armies himself has planned it. 00:30:39.573 --> 00:30:42.238 Therefore, who can stand in its way? 00:30:42.238 --> 00:30:47.336 It is his hand that is outstretched, so who can turn it back? 00:30:47.336 --> 00:31:04.717 And then in Isaiah, chapter 30, verses 30 and 31, it says and the Lord will make the splendor of his voice heard and reveal his arm striking an angry wrath and a flame of consuming fire in driving rain. 00:31:04.717 --> 00:31:07.362 A flame of consuming fire in driving rain, a torrent and hailstones. 00:31:07.362 --> 00:31:13.950 Assyria will be shattered by the voice of the Lord. 00:31:13.950 --> 00:31:17.584 He will strike with a rod. 00:31:17.584 --> 00:31:21.599 These were promises of God Hezekiah put his faith in God's promises. 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:29.932 Now let's see how God responded. 00:31:29.932 --> 00:31:32.655 There are three general principles that we see here. 00:31:32.695 --> 00:31:37.342 In verse 26, god displays his sovereignty over human affairs. 00:31:37.342 --> 00:31:43.579 We see this in what the Lord said against the king of Assyria, speaking through Isaiah. 00:31:43.579 --> 00:31:44.622 Have you not heard? 00:31:44.622 --> 00:31:47.416 I designed it long ago. 00:31:47.416 --> 00:31:49.998 I planned it in days gone by. 00:31:49.998 --> 00:31:59.856 That Sennacherib was an instrument of judgment on Judah was by God's design and this was planned out long ago. 00:31:59.856 --> 00:32:07.824 The victories of powerful rulers like Sennacherib were part of God's preordained plan. 00:32:07.824 --> 00:32:18.015 The second thing is God displays his power and judgment against those who defy him, and this is seen in verses 36 and 37. 00:32:18.015 --> 00:32:30.605 It says then the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000. 00:32:30.605 --> 00:32:32.295 Not a small number. 00:32:32.295 --> 00:32:39.323 When the people got up the next morning they were all the dead bodies. 00:32:39.323 --> 00:32:43.179 So King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and left. 00:32:43.179 --> 00:32:45.858 He returned home and lived in Nineveh. 00:32:45.858 --> 00:32:59.596 The overnight slaughter of the Assyrian army 185,000 of the troops did not come by the hand of an enemy, but by the angel of the Lord. 00:33:00.971 --> 00:33:10.757 The narrative is brief, it's not dramatic, but remember the real drama took place in Hezekiah's prayer In verses 14 to 35. 00:33:10.757 --> 00:33:16.402 God intervened in massive proportions and ultimately settled Hezekiah's dilemma. 00:33:16.402 --> 00:33:19.134 It settled his crisis. 00:33:19.134 --> 00:33:28.140 Sennacherib returned home to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria at that time, and never returned to attack Jerusalem. 00:33:30.531 --> 00:33:41.061 The third principle we see here is that God underscores the futility of trusting in false gods and the consequences of blaspheming against the true God. 00:33:41.061 --> 00:33:45.336 We see this after Sennacherib returned to Nineveh. 00:33:45.336 --> 00:34:07.145 Isaiah says in verse 38 here one day when he that's Sennacherib when Sennacherib was worshiping in the temple of his God, nisroch, his sons, adrammelech and Sherezer, struck him, struck him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. 00:34:07.145 --> 00:34:13.822 Then his son, esarhaddon, became king in his place. 00:34:13.822 --> 00:34:23.925 Sennacherib was assassinated by two of his own sons 20 years after his failed siege of Jerusalem. 00:34:25.030 --> 00:34:26.416 But do you see the irony in this? 00:34:26.416 --> 00:34:33.244 The king who ridiculed the one true God dies in the temple of the God he worshipped. 00:34:33.244 --> 00:34:42.503 The emperor who boasted that he could subdue any nation found himself unable to guard against the treachery within his own family. 00:34:42.503 --> 00:34:55.259 There's no security apart from trusting in the one true God, and there's no escaping his control of events nor the determination of their outcome. 00:34:55.259 --> 00:35:02.775 This was God's devastating response to the king of Assyria, an embarrassing outcome for him. 00:35:02.775 --> 00:35:08.311 Hezekiah anticipated a response, but this one probably blew his mind away. 00:35:08.311 --> 00:35:16.885 This is the mighty hand of the God, who is sovereign over all. 00:35:16.885 --> 00:35:19.030 He is at work. 00:35:19.030 --> 00:35:33.983 This was one of Hezekiah's greatest crises, one that revealed his vulnerability, attacked his confidence, created doubt and despair and caused him to battle anxiety. 00:35:35.510 --> 00:35:41.023 Some of us sitting here today might be going through a personal or family crisis of our own. 00:35:41.023 --> 00:35:46.391 How can you have a steady heart when you navigate through these crises? 00:35:46.391 --> 00:35:51.300 Hezekiah's example highlights some practical steps. 00:35:51.300 --> 00:36:00.757 He demonstrated to us that we should affirm our trust in God, appeal to God in prayer, anchor in God's promises. 00:36:00.757 --> 00:36:06.485 Anchor in God's promises and anticipate God to respond. 00:36:06.485 --> 00:36:14.302 God's deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrian army can be viewed as a picture of Jesus' death and resurrection. 00:36:14.302 --> 00:36:23.280 Just as Hezekiah's Jerusalem was surrounded by enemy soldiers, jesus was surrounded by Roman soldiers at his crucifixion. 00:36:23.280 --> 00:36:34.882 However, just as the Assyrian army was defeated miraculously, jesus' followers woke up Sunday morning to find him alive. 00:36:34.882 --> 00:36:45.898 This is a picture of Jesus' victory over sin and death, which delivers those who have placed their trust in him from the power of sin and death. 00:36:46.911 --> 00:36:52.443 If you don't know Jesus, some of what I'm saying may not make sense to you. 00:36:52.443 --> 00:37:02.041 Yet you might have crises that you're facing something similar to the massive army of Assyria that Hezekiah faced. 00:37:02.041 --> 00:37:19.262 You might be swimming to keep your head above water and experiencing fear and anxiety over the uncertainties that you are facing in life, whether they are directly from your own doing or not, or your fears and anxieties are coming from other potential threats. 00:37:19.262 --> 00:37:26.179 Your greatest fear might even be wondering where you will be after you die. 00:37:26.179 --> 00:37:34.900 The Bible says, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:37.277 Romans 6.23. 00:37:37.277 --> 00:37:42.342 Jesus Christ delivers all who trust in him from sin and death. 00:37:42.342 --> 00:37:46.661 This is the victory we have in Jesus Christ. 00:37:47.650 --> 00:37:54.259 If you would like to know more about the good news of Jesus Christ, I would invite you to please come and speak with one of the church elders. 00:37:54.259 --> 00:37:59.442 Jesus Christ is the one who leads us through life's crises. 00:37:59.442 --> 00:38:02.572 Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of courage and strength. 00:38:02.572 --> 00:38:12.318 Through him we find assurance that God's promises reach its highest point in our salvation, our deliverance, our victory over sin and death. 00:38:12.318 --> 00:38:31.945 When we have seen in Hezekiah the transforming power of faith under pressure, and how reliance on God and faith in him, rather than human efforts, can turn the tide of seemingly hopeless situations, remember this. 00:38:31.945 --> 00:38:39.000 The battle is the Lord's, so let's walk with him, let's pray. 00:38:41.711 --> 00:39:04.500 I confess to you, heavenly Father, that we often live our lives apart from submitting to you, break our sinful attitudes instead, cause us to know you deeply and your promises and to trust in you fully and to rest firmly, safely and securely in you, especially when we face challenging situations in our lives. 00:39:04.500 --> 00:39:08.893 Securely in you, especially when we face challenging situations in our lives. 00:39:08.893 --> 00:39:10.197 You have reassured us not to fear, for you are with us. 00:39:10.197 --> 00:39:13.646 You told us not to be afraid, for you are our God. 00:39:13.646 --> 00:39:20.643 You said that you will strengthen us, you will help us and you will hold on to us with your righteous right hand. 00:39:20.643 --> 00:39:24.456 Thank you for your grace and mercy upon us. 00:39:24.456 --> 00:39:28.365 In Jesus' name, I pray, amen.