May 25, 2025 • 39 mins
Ever felt completely overwhelmed, with danger pressing in from all sides? King Hezekiah's showdown with the seemingly unstoppable Assyrian Empire offers a profound blueprint for facing life's most crushing crises.
The Neo-Assyrian Empire wasn't just another ancient kingdom—it was the most terrifying military machine of its day. Their psychological warfare included brutal public displays of mutilated captives. After conquering Israel's northern tribes and decimating 46 fortified cities in Judah, 185,000 Assyrian soldiers now surrounded Jerusalem. King Hezekiah's military resources were exhausted, his allies had abandoned him, and his previous strategies of political alliances and appeasement had catastrophically failed.
This sermon explores the remarkable transformation that occurred when Hezekiah finally broke through his pride and anxiety to discover four timeless principles for finding stability in seemingly hopeless situations: affirming trust in God, appealing to God in prayer, anchoring in God's promises, and anticipating God's response.
What's particularly fascinating is how Hezekiah's prayer reveals the secret to steady-heartedness. Rather than focusing on his desperate circumstances, his prayer begins with extended recognition of God's sovereignty, only briefly mentioning his own needs at the end. Through this God-centered approach, Hezekiah demonstrates that "worry is a form of pride" while prayer represents the humility that attracts divine intervention.
The dramatic overnight destruction of Sennacherib's army—followed years later by his assassination in his false god's temple—creates a powerful contrast between the futility of human solutions and the reliability of divine promises. Just as Jerusalem experienced supernatural deliverance when surrounded by enemies, Jesus offers victory over the spiritual forces that threaten to overwhelm us.
Whether you're facing financial ruin, relational breakdown, health crises, or spiritual doubt, these ancient principles offer surprising relevance. They remind us that sometimes our greatest crises become our most profound opportunities to discover what it means to trust that "the battle is the Lord's."
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thank you, micah.
Good morning church, family andfriends.
As you know, pastor Doug andPastor Micah have been preaching
through the prophecy of Isaiah.
Pastor Doug assigned mechapters 36, 37, 38, and 39.
We covered part one last week.
That was Isaiah, chapter 36,verse 1, to 37, verse 7.
(00:23):
That was Isaiah, chapter 36,verse 1, to 37, verse 7.
Today we'll cover part 2, whichis the remaining part of
chapter 37.
So turn with me to our text,chapter 37, verse 8, through the
rest of the chapter.
The Neo-Assyrian Empire was thefinal and most influential
(00:45):
period of the Assyrian Empireand it lasted from 912 BC to 612
BC.
It grew from a small kingdom toone of the most powerful
empires in the ancient world.
It was characterized by aruthless military conquest and
(01:06):
territorial expansion.
Under leaders likeTiglath-Peleser III, which you
can read in 1 Chronicles 6 and 2Kings 17, assyria went to
battle utilizing the mostadvanced siege techniques and a
superior military organization,allowing them to dominate the
(01:29):
entire Near East.
One of the most disturbingaspects of Assyrian expansion
was the use of terror tactics toinstill fear in the peoples
they were conquering.
Fear in the peoples they wereconquering.
To maintain control and deterrebellion, they brutally treated
their captives as a warning toothers, which included
(01:53):
dismemberment, beheading andimpaling on wooden poles.
The conquest of the northerntribes of Israel began in 740 BC
by the Assyrian kingTiglath-Pileser III I mentioned,
who deported the tribes on theeast side of the Jordan River to
(02:17):
Mesopotamia, and this is foundin 1 Chronicles 6, verse 22.
And this whole deportation andexiling was completed by the
Assyrian king Sargon II in 720BC.
He deported the remainingtribes of Israel.
(02:37):
This is recorded in 2 Kings,chapter 17.
20 years later, the Assyrianking Sennacherib led a military
campaign into the kingdom ofJudah in 701 BC.
46 fortified cities of Judahfell very quickly to this
(02:58):
Assyrian war machine, and theking of Judah, hezekiah,
exhausted his military resourcesas he watched Judah slowly
succumb to the Assyrian king.
What remained of Judah'smilitary forces was not even a
splinter in a finger against theAssyrian war machine, against
(03:24):
the Assyrian war machine.
Having already overcome 46fortified cities and a vast
number of villages in Judah, theAssyrian king Sennacherib laid
siege to the fortified city ofLachish, 35 miles southwest of
Jerusalem.
Lachish was the second mostimportant city in Judah.
It was second only to thecapital Jerusalem.
(03:45):
Lachish was the second mostimportant city in Judah.
It was second only to thecapital, jerusalem.
Sennacherib sent a massive armyfrom Lachish to Jerusalem in
order to add Jerusalem and KingHezekiah to be among his
military achievements.
(04:05):
This was one of Hezekiah'sgreatest crises in his life, one
that revealed his vulnerability, attacked his confidence,
created doubt and despair andcaused him to battle anxiety.
When undergoing a life crisis.
Do you feel bewildered, scared,confused, maybe desperate?
(04:28):
Do you feel helpless,overwhelmed, maybe depressed?
Do you feel that you've lostcontrol?
Let me ask you how can youdevelop a steady heart when you
navigate through life's crises?
How King Hezekiah battled thiscrisis highlights practical
(04:52):
steps that could help us steadyand sustain our hearts when
we've lost control, as well asfear and anxiety when they weigh
us down in the crises we face.
He demonstrates in thesepractical steps that, ultimately
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, the battle is the Lord's.
So he outlines several stepsFirst, affirm our trust in God.
Second, appeal to God in prayer.
Third, anchor in God's promises.
(05:35):
And fourth, anticipate God'sresponse.
So let's pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you foryour word.
Open our eyes that we may seewonderful things in your word.
Help us to gain insight fromyour word into how to remain
sure and steady whenever we facelife's crises.
Amen.
(05:55):
So turn with me Chapter 37,verse 8.
We'll look at the first section.
The first point is affirm yourtrust in God.
As we consider our text fortoday, a massive Assyrian army
has already positionedthemselves right outside the
walls of Jerusalem.
(06:15):
King Hezekiah not only grappledwith the external threat of the
Assyrian invasion, but he wasalso processing the internal
fears and doubts.
Hezekiah's pride, coupled withfear and anxiety, had recently
driven him to make foreignpolicy decisions without
(06:37):
considering God's promises orthe advice that the Lord gave
him through the prophet Isaiah.
He made two foreign policydecisions I reviewed last time a
decision and alliance to bemade with Egypt and a massive
payment of tribute to Assyriafrom his kingdom's treasury.
(07:00):
Hezekiah's self-reliant foreignpolicy decisions failed
miserably to deter the Assyriansfrom trying to take over the
kingdom of Judah.
But we also saw last week inchapter 37, earlier in the
verses verses 1 to 7, thatHezekiah's pride finally broke
(07:23):
when he acknowledged by wordsand demeanor how he had strayed
away from walking in obediencewith God.
Affirming your trust in Godrequires a heart surrendered to
God.
The Hezekiah who appears inchapter 37, verses 8 to 38, our
text today is not the sameHezekiah we saw in chapter 36.
(07:46):
We see in today's text, aHezekiah who is fully trusting
in the sovereignty of God andhis promises.
We see this in Sennacherib'ssecond attempt to intimidate
Hezekiah into surrendering, aletter communicated and
hand-delivered by messengersfrom the king of Assyria,
(08:06):
sennacherib, and this iscontained in verses 10 to 13.
So turn there Verse 10, saythis to King Hezekiah of Judah
don't let your God, on whom yourely, deceive you by promising
that Jerusalem won't be handedover to the king of Assyria.
(08:27):
Look, you have heard what thekings of Assyria have done to
all the countries.
They completely destroyed them.
Will you be rescued?
Did the gods of the nationsthat my predecessors destroyed
rescue them?
Gazan Haran, reziv and theEdomites and Telassar?
(08:49):
Where is the king of Hamath,the king of Arpat, the king of
the city of Sepharvaim, hina orIva?
First, why did Sennacherib needto send this follow-up letter?
Wasn't the intimidationdelivered by the Assyrian royal
(09:13):
spokesman effective enough tocause Hezekiah to surrender?
When we read between the linesof this letter, we gain some
insight into how Hezekiah hadreplied to that Assyrian royal
spokesman.
His intimidating speeches seemnot to have fazed Hezekiah.
(09:33):
Hezekiah's reply is notrecorded in the Bible, but was
probably based on hisaffirmation of his wholehearted
trust in God's promises.
His reply to the Assyrian royalspokesman probably sounded
something like this to theAssyrian royal spokesman
probably sounded something likethis I, hezekiah, king of Judah,
(09:57):
will not and I repeat, will notsurrender to the king of
Assyria, and Jerusalem will notbe handed over to him.
Instead, hezekiah's heart wassurrendered to God In humility.
(10:17):
Hezekiah held firmly onto andtrusted God's promises.
They were now fresh on hisheart.
Isaiah 37, verse 7,.
I am about to put a spirit inhim, sennacherib, and he will
hear a rumor and return to hisown land, where I will cause him
to fall by the sword.
And Isaiah chapter 38, whichwe'll cover next week.
(10:41):
Isaiah 38, verse 6.
And I will, god, I will rescueyou, hezekiah, and this city
from the grasp of the king ofAssyria.
I will defend this city.
Hezekiah affirmed his trust inGod's promises.
Second, sennacherib detected adistinct change in the person of
(11:02):
Hezekiah.
There was a time when Hezekiahplaced his primary reliance on
the Egyptian army to get him outof his mess.
That was the Hezekiah thatSennacherib had known.
But now this letter doesn'tmention Egypt at all.
Instead, it refers only to yourGod, on whom you rely verse 10.
(11:31):
Sennacherib picked up on apalpable change in Hezekiah's
heart, that Hezekiah now trustedseriously in his God, the
sovereignty of his God.
Hezekiah was previously brandedby the Assyrian royal spokesman
as a would-be deceiver of hispeople who used faith as a pawn
for political survival.
(11:51):
As a pawn for politicalsurvival.
Isaiah, chapter 36, verses 14and 15 say this is what the king
Sennacherib says Don't letHezekiah deceive you, for he
cannot rescue you.
Don't let Hezekiah persuade youto rely on the Lord.
(12:11):
And verse 18, beware thatHezekiah does not mislead you by
saying the Lord will rescue us.
But look here at Sennacherib'sletter, verses 10 to 13.
Sennacherib mentioned nodeception on Hezekiah's part at
all.
What changed in Sennacherib?
(12:33):
What changed in Hezekiah's partat all?
What changed in Sennacherib?
What changed in Hezekiah?
Well, nothing changed inSennacherib's boastful arrogance
.
What changed in Hezekiah wasthat he now believed and was
convinced of the promises of Godthat it was surely God alone
who would deliver them.
(12:53):
Hezekiah had come to a personaland unequivocal faith in God,
and this was perceived by theAssyrian king.
This is not a blind faith, aterm that many people use in a
negative and disparaging way todescribe anyone who believes in
(13:13):
God, the Father, or his Son,jesus Christ.
Early Reformed theologiansdescribed true faith as having
three parts, three elementsknowledge, belief and trust.
Certain information must beknown and understood.
Certain information must beknown and understood.
(13:35):
This is the data or content offaith.
True faith requires not justknowing God, but also requires a
mental assent to or belief inthe truth of that information.
But you know, knowledge andbelief are necessary conditions
for having true faith, butthey're not sufficient alone.
A third element must also bepresent before we have true
(14:00):
faith a personal trust andreliance on the object of our
faith.
This involves our affections bythe power of the Holy Spirit.
A believer sees, embraces andloves Jesus Christ, as we see in
Evan.
True faith involves knowledge,belief and trust.
(14:21):
True faith can be refinedthrough trials and questioning.
Doubt can play a role instrengthening true faith, as it
encourages believers to engagecritically with their beliefs
and seek deeper understanding.
In contrast to blind faith,which might avoid questioning,
true faith is a dynamic processthat involves continuous
(14:45):
reflection and growth in one'srelationship with God, the
Father, the Son and the HolySpirit.
Hezekiah had a knowledge ofGod's promises.
He knew that God was committedto the Davidic monarchy.
God was faithful to the Davidicline, even if Hezekiah did not
fully understand its long-termimplications.
(15:05):
The Lord said to Hezekiah inIsaiah 37, verse 35,.
Hezekiah in Isaiah 37, verse 35.
For I will defend this city tosave it for my own sake and for
the sake of my servant David.
The narrative suggests thatHezekiah accepted this and
(15:26):
believed this, but not until hefully trusted God and his
promises did his faith in Godcome alive.
Not trusting in God is a prideissue.
God may allow circumstancesthat feel overwhelming or
unbearable to strip away at yourpride and self-sufficiency.
(15:46):
When your pride is broken, youcan then affirm your trust in
God.
Navigating through life'scrises with a steady heart
begins when your pride breaksand you affirm your trust in God
.
And secondly, by appealing toGod in prayer.
(16:08):
This is our second point Appealto God in prayer.
There'll be two pointsunderneath this.
Hezekiah was preoccupied withGod in his prayer and Hezekiah
acknowledged God's sovereigntyand power over all earthly
rulers.
So the first one Hezekiah waspreoccupied with God in his
(16:31):
prayer.
Preoccupied, hezekiah firstacknowledged who God is.
In verse 16, isaiah writes thisis the words of Hezekiah Lord of
armies, god of Israel,enthroned between the cherubim,
(16:51):
you are God, you alone, of allthe kingdoms of the earth.
You made the heavens and theearth.
This is the opening verse.
It positions Hezekiah assurrendered to the Lord God.
I have more to say about thisverse later.
(17:15):
The second thing we see hereHezekiah honored God as a living
God, which makes God distinctfrom all other gods.
Look at verses 17 to 19.
Verse 17, listen closely, lord,and hear.
Open your eyes, lord, and see.
Hear all the words thatSennacherib has sent to mock the
living God.
(17:35):
So they have destroyed them.
They were not gods, but madefrom wood and stone by human
hands.
So they have destroyed them.
(18:00):
Hezekiah proclaims God'suniqueness.
And the third point under thisand how Hezekiah appealed to God
.
Hezekiah sought to have God'sglory revealed to the world.
We see this in verse 20.
Now, lord, our God, save usfrom his power, so that all the
(18:23):
kingdoms of the earth may knowthat you, lord, are God, you
alone.
Hezekiah appealed to God bymaking his prayer all about God,
not about himself.
At least, not until the veryend of the prayer does Hezekiah
(18:45):
petition to God to save Judah.
But pay attention to Hezekiah'spurpose.
The reason why he asked God tosave Judah from the Assyrians is
not for his own glory, but sothat all the kingdoms of the
earth may know that the Lordalone is God.
This is extraordinary.
What does this tell you aboutour own prayers and how we
(19:09):
should pray?
Now let's take a deeper look atthe opening verse of Hezekiah's
prayer again, verse 16.
This verse is really the heartof Hezekiah's prayer.
It's not the petition but theacknowledgement of who God is.
Hezekiah acknowledged God'ssovereignty and his power over
(19:33):
all earthly rulers.
The first phrase, the Lord ofarmies, reflects the Lord's
personal omnipotence and the onewho is the military commander
of the hosts of heaven's army.
The next phrase, god of Israel,god of Israel, describes that
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God is connected with his chosenpeople, not the Assyrians.
The third phrase, enthronedbetween the cherubim, portrays
God's sovereignty, his royalkingly rule from his temple
throne above the Ark of theCovenant.
The cherubim were the figuresat each end of the mercy seat.
(20:16):
Looking inwards and downwards,we see that in Exodus 37.
They formed the pedestal of theinvisible throne of God of all.
Israel.
Ezekiel, chapter 1.
Thus his feet rested on themercy seat in the temple.
The Lord was enthroned andpresent at the center of his
(20:36):
people's lives.
The phrase you are God, youalone, of all the kingdoms of
the earth.
This phrase presents God as theone and only true God and
proclaims his worldwide dominion.
And the phrase you made theheavens and the earth.
(20:57):
This phrase declares that he iscreator of the heavens and the
earth and thus he owns the worldand is powerful enough to make
or undo what he has made.
These titles are not just a wayto identify who God is.
They affirm trust.
They affirm trust, assuranceand praise.
(21:23):
Hezekiah is calling out to theone and only true God who
controls the world and who canrectify what the Assyrian king
had falsely claimed.
This is Hezekiah's God.
Hezekiah's prayer stresses theimportance of communicating with
god when you face fears.
Worry is a form of pride.
I'll say that again worry is aform of pride.
(21:46):
It takes some humility to go togod in prayer and admit your
helplessness and entrust yourconcerns to him.
Your earnest prayer to Godhelps you unload your burdens.
We see this in 1 Peter 5,verses 6 and 7.
Peter writes humble yourselves,therefore, under the mighty
(22:10):
hand of God, so that he mayexalt you at the proper time,
casting all your cares on himbecause he cares for you.
The manner by which you humbleyourselves is by casting your
cares on God.
If anxiety about familyfinances overwhelms.
(22:33):
You take a moment each night topray before going to bed.
Sit down with your spouse andhave an open conversation about
your fears, laying everythingbefore God in prayer, like
Hezekiah.
During times of emotionalupheaval, it's normal to feel
intense fear and anxiety.
(22:54):
Instead of isolating yourself,create a circle of support by
gathering close friends for amonthly prayer gathering at your
home.
Share your struggles Openly.
Invite them to prayspecifically for your healing
and clarity.
Establish a routine of readingscripture together, focusing on
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passages that emphasize God'sfaithfulness and his love, which
can provide comfort andstrength in a difficult time.
For Hezekiah to navigatethrough his crisis with a steady
heart, it was essential for himto affirm his trust in God, to
appeal to God in prayer.
(23:37):
And now the third point toanchor in God's promises.
Anchor in God's promises, Torest firmly on God's promises.
Let's look at how anchoringyourself in God's promises
yields several importantbenefits for believers.
First, anchoring in God'spromises keeps believers
(24:00):
continually focused on hissovereignty and power.
This strengthens trust in God'sability to fulfill his promises
in spite of seeminglyimpossible circumstances.
Listen to these words that Godspoke to Hezekiah against
Sennacherib.
That God spoke to Hezekiahagainst Sennacherib, verse 23.
(24:21):
Who is it you have mocked andblasphemed.
Against whom have you raisedyour voice and lifted your eyes
in pride?
Against the Holy One of Israel?
You have mocked the Lordthrough your servants and then
(24:43):
go down to verse 26.
26.
Have you not heard?
I designed it long ago, Iplanned it days gone by.
I have now brought it to passand you have crushed fortified
cities into piles of rubble.
God is speaking aboutSennacherib here.
(25:04):
Their inhabitants, theinhabitants of the fortified
cities that he crushed, theirinhabitants have become
powerless, dismayed and ashamed.
They are plants of the field,tender grass, grass on the
rooftops, blasted by the eastwind.
But I, the sovereign God, Iknow you're sitting down and
you're going out and you'recoming in and you're raging
(25:25):
against me.
Because you're raging againstme and your arrogance have
reached my ears, I will put myhook in your nose and my bit in
your mouth.
I will make you go back the wayyou came.
Did you know that the wayAssyrians led their prisoners,
(25:46):
their captives, was by placing afish hook through their nose or
right even, through their lips,and then pulled them along on a
leash?
God is turning it back ontoSennacherib here.
The second one, anchoring inGod's promises, keeps believers
sure and steadfast amidst doubtsand challenges.
(26:09):
God gave Hezekiah a sign thathe will faithfully preserve the
land and feed the people as theyrecover from this invasion, in
order to show that his purpose,and not chance, orchestrated the
entire event that is unfoldingbefore King Hezekiah.
We see this in verses 30 to 32.
(26:33):
Therefore, this is what theLord I'm sorry this will be the
sign for you.
This year you will eat whatgrows on its own and in the
second year what grows from that.
But in the third year, sow andreap, plant vineyards and eat
(26:53):
their fruit.
The surviving remnant of thehouse of Judah will again take
root downward and bear fruitupward, for a remnant will go
out from Jerusalem and survivorsfrom Mount Zion.
The zeal of the Lord of armieswill accomplish this.
(27:15):
The third thing, the thirdbenefit believers can get from
anchoring in God's promises, isthat it offers an unshakable
hope.
It was for God's own glory andout of his covenant faithfulness
to David that God declared thathe will defend the city of
Jerusalem, and we see this inverses 33 to 35.
(27:38):
Verse 33.
Therefore, this is what theLord says about the king of
Assyria he will not enter thiscity.
Shoot an arrow there, comebefore it with a shield or build
up a siege ramp against it.
He will go back the way he came.
He will not enter this city.
This is the Lord he came.
(28:00):
He will not enter this city.
This is the Lord's declaration.
I will defend this city andrescue it for my sake and for
the sake of my servant, david.
Stop here for a moment.
Have you noticed that the prayerof a believer's humble heart is
a truly practical way ofdealing with the harsh realities
(28:24):
of this world?
What military force and arms ordiplomacy or money could not
achieve?
Prayer accomplished forHezekiah, amen.
The security of God's peoplecomes from God's unfaltering
commitment to them.
(28:44):
In the New Testament, christhas given his promise to his
people.
In the Gospel of Matthew,chapter 16 and verse 18,.
And I also say to you that youare Peter, and on this rock I
will build my church, and thegates of Hades will not
(29:05):
overpower it.
Jesus Christ will take action tocounter even the weakness and
failure of his servants.
Another example is in theGospel of Luke, chapter 22,
verses 31 to 32.
This is what Jesus said at hisfirst Lord's Supper Simon, simon
(29:28):
, look out.
Satan has asked to sift youlike wheat, but I have prayed
for you that your faith may notfail.
Deliverance promised toHezekiah extended hope far
beyond Hezekiah's day to thechurch today.
God will not desert those forwhom Christ died.
(29:48):
Factors that help you navigatethrough a crisis with a steady
heart include affirming yourtrust in God, appealing to God
through prayer, anchoring inGod's promises and the fourth
point and the last point,anticipating God's response.
Anticipate God's response.
(30:12):
Isaiah previously predicted thedestruction of the Assyrian army
.
In Isaiah, chapter 14, verses24, 25, and 27, isaiah writes
the Lord of armies has sworn.
As I have purposed, so it willbe.
As I have planned it, so itwill happen.
I will break Assyria in my land.
(30:36):
The Lord of armies himself hasplanned it.
Therefore, who can stand in itsway?
It is his hand that isoutstretched, so who can turn it
back?
And then in Isaiah, chapter 30,verses 30 and 31, it says and
the Lord will make the splendorof his voice heard and reveal
(31:00):
his arm striking an angry wrathand a flame of consuming fire in
driving rain.
A flame of consuming fire indriving rain, a torrent and
hailstones.
Assyria will be shattered bythe voice of the Lord.
He will strike with a rod.
These were promises of GodHezekiah put his faith in God's
(31:21):
promises.
Now let's see how God responded.
There are three generalprinciples that we see here.
In verse 26, god displays hissovereignty over human affairs.
We see this in what the Lordsaid against the king of Assyria
(31:41):
, speaking through Isaiah.
Have you not heard?
I designed it long ago.
I planned it in days gone by.
That Sennacherib was aninstrument of judgment on Judah
was by God's design and this wasplanned out long ago.
The victories of powerfulrulers like Sennacherib were
(32:05):
part of God's preordained plan.
The second thing is Goddisplays his power and judgment
against those who defy him, andthis is seen in verses 36 and 37
.
It says then the angel of theLord went out and struck down
185,000 in the camp of theAssyrians 185,000.
(32:30):
Not a small number.
When the people got up the nextmorning they were all the dead
bodies.
So King Sennacherib of Assyriabroke camp and left.
He returned home and lived inNineveh.
The overnight slaughter of theAssyrian army 185,000 of the
(32:52):
troops did not come by the handof an enemy, but by the angel of
the Lord.
The narrative is brief, it's notdramatic, but remember the real
drama took place in Hezekiah'sprayer In verses 14 to 35.
God intervened in massiveproportions and ultimately
(33:14):
settled Hezekiah's dilemma.
It settled his crisis.
Sennacherib returned home toNineveh, the capital of Assyria
at that time, and never returnedto attack Jerusalem.
The third principle we see hereis that God underscores the
futility of trusting in falsegods and the consequences of
(33:38):
blaspheming against the true God.
We see this after Sennacheribreturned to Nineveh.
Isaiah says in verse 38 hereone day when he that's
Sennacherib when Sennacherib wasworshiping in the temple of his
God, nisroch, his sons,adrammelech and Sherezer, struck
(34:02):
him, struck him down with thesword and escaped to the land of
Ararat.
Then his son, esarhaddon,became king in his place.
Sennacherib was assassinated bytwo of his own sons 20 years
after his failed siege ofJerusalem.
(34:25):
But do you see the irony in this?
The king who ridiculed the onetrue God dies in the temple of
the God he worshipped.
The emperor who boasted that hecould subdue any nation found
himself unable to guard againstthe treachery within his own
family.
There's no security apart fromtrusting in the one true God,
(34:49):
and there's no escaping hiscontrol of events nor the
determination of their outcome.
This was God's devastatingresponse to the king of Assyria,
an embarrassing outcome for him.
Hezekiah anticipated a response, but this one probably blew his
mind away.
This is the mighty hand of theGod, who is sovereign over all.
(35:16):
He is at work.
This was one of Hezekiah'sgreatest crises, one that
revealed his vulnerability,attacked his confidence, created
doubt and despair and causedhim to battle anxiety.
Some of us sitting here todaymight be going through a
(35:39):
personal or family crisis of ourown.
How can you have a steady heartwhen you navigate through these
crises?
Hezekiah's example highlightssome practical steps.
He demonstrated to us that weshould affirm our trust in God,
appeal to God in prayer, anchorin God's promises.
(36:00):
Anchor in God's promises andanticipate God to respond.
God's deliverance of Jerusalemfrom the Assyrian army can be
viewed as a picture of Jesus'death and resurrection.
Just as Hezekiah's Jerusalemwas surrounded by enemy soldiers
, jesus was surrounded by Romansoldiers at his crucifixion.
(36:23):
However, just as the Assyrianarmy was defeated miraculously,
jesus' followers woke up Sundaymorning to find him alive.
This is a picture of Jesus'victory over sin and death,
which delivers those who haveplaced their trust in him from
(36:44):
the power of sin and death.
If you don't know Jesus, some ofwhat I'm saying may not make
sense to you.
Yet you might have crises thatyou're facing something similar
to the massive army of Assyriathat Hezekiah faced.
You might be swimming to keepyour head above water and
(37:06):
experiencing fear and anxietyover the uncertainties that you
are facing in life, whether theyare directly from your own
doing or not, or your fears andanxieties are coming from other
potential threats.
Your greatest fear might evenbe wondering where you will be
after you die.
(37:26):
The Bible says, for the wagesof sin is death, but the gift of
God is eternal life in ChristJesus, our Lord.
Romans 6.23.
Jesus Christ delivers all whotrust in him from sin and death.
This is the victory we have inJesus Christ.
(37:47):
If you would like to know moreabout the good news of Jesus
Christ, I would invite you toplease come and speak with one
of the church elders.
Jesus Christ is the one wholeads us through life's crises.
Jesus Christ is the ultimatesource of courage and strength.
Through him we find assurancethat God's promises reach its
highest point in our salvation,our deliverance, our victory
(38:11):
over sin and death.
When we have seen in Hezekiahthe transforming power of faith
under pressure, and how relianceon God and faith in him, rather
than human efforts, can turnthe tide of seemingly hopeless
situations, remember this.
(38:31):
The battle is the Lord's, solet's walk with him, let's pray.
I confess to you, heavenlyFather, that we often live our
lives apart from submitting toyou, break our sinful attitudes
instead, cause us to know youdeeply and your promises and to
(38:55):
trust in you fully and to restfirmly, safely and securely in
you, especially when we facechallenging situations in our
lives.
Securely in you, especiallywhen we face challenging
situations in our lives.
You have reassured us not tofear, for you are with us.
You told us not to be afraid,for you are our God.
You said that you willstrengthen us, you will help us
(39:17):
and you will hold on to us withyour righteous right hand.
Thank you for your grace andmercy upon us.
In Jesus' name, I pray, amen.
Thank you, micah.
Good morning church, family andfriends.
As you know, pastor Doug andPastor Micah have been preaching
through the prophecy of Isaiah.
Pastor Doug assigned mechapters 36, 37, 38, and 39.
We covered part one last week.
That was Isaiah, chapter 36,verse 1, to 37, verse 7.
(00:23):
That was Isaiah, chapter 36,verse 1, to 37, verse 7.
Today we'll cover part 2, whichis the remaining part of
chapter 37.
So turn with me to our text,chapter 37, verse 8, through the
rest of the chapter.
The Neo-Assyrian Empire was thefinal and most influential
(00:45):
period of the Assyrian Empireand it lasted from 912 BC to 612
BC.
It grew from a small kingdom toone of the most powerful
empires in the ancient world.
It was characterized by aruthless military conquest and
(01:06):
territorial expansion.
Under leaders likeTiglath-Peleser III, which you
can read in 1 Chronicles 6 and 2Kings 17, assyria went to
battle utilizing the mostadvanced siege techniques and a
superior military organization,allowing them to dominate the
(01:29):
entire Near East.
One of the most disturbingaspects of Assyrian expansion
was the use of terror tactics toinstill fear in the peoples
they were conquering.
Fear in the peoples they wereconquering.
To maintain control and deterrebellion, they brutally treated
their captives as a warning toothers, which included
(01:53):
dismemberment, beheading andimpaling on wooden poles.
The conquest of the northerntribes of Israel began in 740 BC
by the Assyrian kingTiglath-Pileser III I mentioned,
who deported the tribes on theeast side of the Jordan River to
(02:17):
Mesopotamia, and this is foundin 1 Chronicles 6, verse 22.
And this whole deportation andexiling was completed by the
Assyrian king Sargon II in 720BC.
He deported the remainingtribes of Israel.
(02:37):
This is recorded in 2 Kings,chapter 17.
20 years later, the Assyrianking Sennacherib led a military
campaign into the kingdom ofJudah in 701 BC.
46 fortified cities of Judahfell very quickly to this
(02:58):
Assyrian war machine, and theking of Judah, hezekiah,
exhausted his military resourcesas he watched Judah slowly
succumb to the Assyrian king.
What remained of Judah'smilitary forces was not even a
splinter in a finger against theAssyrian war machine, against
(03:24):
the Assyrian war machine.
Having already overcome 46fortified cities and a vast
number of villages in Judah, theAssyrian king Sennacherib laid
siege to the fortified city ofLachish, 35 miles southwest of
Jerusalem.
Lachish was the second mostimportant city in Judah.
It was second only to thecapital Jerusalem.
(03:45):
Lachish was the second mostimportant city in Judah.
It was second only to thecapital, jerusalem.
Sennacherib sent a massive armyfrom Lachish to Jerusalem in
order to add Jerusalem and KingHezekiah to be among his
military achievements.
(04:05):
This was one of Hezekiah'sgreatest crises in his life, one
that revealed his vulnerability, attacked his confidence,
created doubt and despair andcaused him to battle anxiety.
When undergoing a life crisis.
Do you feel bewildered, scared,confused, maybe desperate?
(04:28):
Do you feel helpless,overwhelmed, maybe depressed?
Do you feel that you've lostcontrol?
Let me ask you how can youdevelop a steady heart when you
navigate through life's crises?
How King Hezekiah battled thiscrisis highlights practical
(04:52):
steps that could help us steadyand sustain our hearts when
we've lost control, as well asfear and anxiety when they weigh
us down in the crises we face.
He demonstrates in thesepractical steps that, ultimately
(05:14):
, the battle is the Lord's.
So he outlines several stepsFirst, affirm our trust in God.
Second, appeal to God in prayer.
Third, anchor in God's promises.
(05:35):
And fourth, anticipate God'sresponse.
So let's pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you foryour word.
Open our eyes that we may seewonderful things in your word.
Help us to gain insight fromyour word into how to remain
sure and steady whenever we facelife's crises.
Amen.
(05:55):
So turn with me Chapter 37,verse 8.
We'll look at the first section.
The first point is affirm yourtrust in God.
As we consider our text fortoday, a massive Assyrian army
has already positionedthemselves right outside the
walls of Jerusalem.
(06:15):
King Hezekiah not only grappledwith the external threat of the
Assyrian invasion, but he wasalso processing the internal
fears and doubts.
Hezekiah's pride, coupled withfear and anxiety, had recently
driven him to make foreignpolicy decisions without
(06:37):
considering God's promises orthe advice that the Lord gave
him through the prophet Isaiah.
He made two foreign policydecisions I reviewed last time a
decision and alliance to bemade with Egypt and a massive
payment of tribute to Assyriafrom his kingdom's treasury.
(07:00):
Hezekiah's self-reliant foreignpolicy decisions failed
miserably to deter the Assyriansfrom trying to take over the
kingdom of Judah.
But we also saw last week inchapter 37, earlier in the
verses verses 1 to 7, thatHezekiah's pride finally broke
(07:23):
when he acknowledged by wordsand demeanor how he had strayed
away from walking in obediencewith God.
Affirming your trust in Godrequires a heart surrendered to
God.
The Hezekiah who appears inchapter 37, verses 8 to 38, our
text today is not the sameHezekiah we saw in chapter 36.
(07:46):
We see in today's text, aHezekiah who is fully trusting
in the sovereignty of God andhis promises.
We see this in Sennacherib'ssecond attempt to intimidate
Hezekiah into surrendering, aletter communicated and
hand-delivered by messengersfrom the king of Assyria,
(08:06):
sennacherib, and this iscontained in verses 10 to 13.
So turn there Verse 10, saythis to King Hezekiah of Judah
don't let your God, on whom yourely, deceive you by promising
that Jerusalem won't be handedover to the king of Assyria.
(08:27):
Look, you have heard what thekings of Assyria have done to
all the countries.
They completely destroyed them.
Will you be rescued?
Did the gods of the nationsthat my predecessors destroyed
rescue them?
Gazan Haran, reziv and theEdomites and Telassar?
(08:49):
Where is the king of Hamath,the king of Arpat, the king of
the city of Sepharvaim, hina orIva?
First, why did Sennacherib needto send this follow-up letter?
Wasn't the intimidationdelivered by the Assyrian royal
(09:13):
spokesman effective enough tocause Hezekiah to surrender?
When we read between the linesof this letter, we gain some
insight into how Hezekiah hadreplied to that Assyrian royal
spokesman.
His intimidating speeches seemnot to have fazed Hezekiah.
(09:33):
Hezekiah's reply is notrecorded in the Bible, but was
probably based on hisaffirmation of his wholehearted
trust in God's promises.
His reply to the Assyrian royalspokesman probably sounded
something like this to theAssyrian royal spokesman
probably sounded something likethis I, hezekiah, king of Judah,
(09:57):
will not and I repeat, will notsurrender to the king of
Assyria, and Jerusalem will notbe handed over to him.
Instead, hezekiah's heart wassurrendered to God In humility.
(10:17):
Hezekiah held firmly onto andtrusted God's promises.
They were now fresh on hisheart.
Isaiah 37, verse 7,.
I am about to put a spirit inhim, sennacherib, and he will
hear a rumor and return to hisown land, where I will cause him
to fall by the sword.
And Isaiah chapter 38, whichwe'll cover next week.
(10:41):
Isaiah 38, verse 6.
And I will, god, I will rescueyou, hezekiah, and this city
from the grasp of the king ofAssyria.
I will defend this city.
Hezekiah affirmed his trust inGod's promises.
Second, sennacherib detected adistinct change in the person of
(11:02):
Hezekiah.
There was a time when Hezekiahplaced his primary reliance on
the Egyptian army to get him outof his mess.
That was the Hezekiah thatSennacherib had known.
But now this letter doesn'tmention Egypt at all.
Instead, it refers only to yourGod, on whom you rely verse 10.
(11:31):
Sennacherib picked up on apalpable change in Hezekiah's
heart, that Hezekiah now trustedseriously in his God, the
sovereignty of his God.
Hezekiah was previously brandedby the Assyrian royal spokesman
as a would-be deceiver of hispeople who used faith as a pawn
for political survival.
(11:51):
As a pawn for politicalsurvival.
Isaiah, chapter 36, verses 14and 15 say this is what the king
Sennacherib says Don't letHezekiah deceive you, for he
cannot rescue you.
Don't let Hezekiah persuade youto rely on the Lord.
(12:11):
And verse 18, beware thatHezekiah does not mislead you by
saying the Lord will rescue us.
But look here at Sennacherib'sletter, verses 10 to 13.
Sennacherib mentioned nodeception on Hezekiah's part at
all.
What changed in Sennacherib?
(12:33):
What changed in Hezekiah's partat all?
What changed in Sennacherib?
What changed in Hezekiah?
Well, nothing changed inSennacherib's boastful arrogance
.
What changed in Hezekiah wasthat he now believed and was
convinced of the promises of Godthat it was surely God alone
who would deliver them.
(12:53):
Hezekiah had come to a personaland unequivocal faith in God,
and this was perceived by theAssyrian king.
This is not a blind faith, aterm that many people use in a
negative and disparaging way todescribe anyone who believes in
(13:13):
God, the Father, or his Son,jesus Christ.
Early Reformed theologiansdescribed true faith as having
three parts, three elementsknowledge, belief and trust.
Certain information must beknown and understood.
Certain information must beknown and understood.
(13:35):
This is the data or content offaith.
True faith requires not justknowing God, but also requires a
mental assent to or belief inthe truth of that information.
But you know, knowledge andbelief are necessary conditions
for having true faith, butthey're not sufficient alone.
A third element must also bepresent before we have true
(14:00):
faith a personal trust andreliance on the object of our
faith.
This involves our affections bythe power of the Holy Spirit.
A believer sees, embraces andloves Jesus Christ, as we see in
Evan.
True faith involves knowledge,belief and trust.
(14:21):
True faith can be refinedthrough trials and questioning.
Doubt can play a role instrengthening true faith, as it
encourages believers to engagecritically with their beliefs
and seek deeper understanding.
In contrast to blind faith,which might avoid questioning,
true faith is a dynamic processthat involves continuous
(14:45):
reflection and growth in one'srelationship with God, the
Father, the Son and the HolySpirit.
Hezekiah had a knowledge ofGod's promises.
He knew that God was committedto the Davidic monarchy.
God was faithful to the Davidicline, even if Hezekiah did not
fully understand its long-termimplications.
(15:05):
The Lord said to Hezekiah inIsaiah 37, verse 35,.
Hezekiah in Isaiah 37, verse 35.
For I will defend this city tosave it for my own sake and for
the sake of my servant David.
The narrative suggests thatHezekiah accepted this and
(15:26):
believed this, but not until hefully trusted God and his
promises did his faith in Godcome alive.
Not trusting in God is a prideissue.
God may allow circumstancesthat feel overwhelming or
unbearable to strip away at yourpride and self-sufficiency.
(15:46):
When your pride is broken, youcan then affirm your trust in
God.
Navigating through life'scrises with a steady heart
begins when your pride breaksand you affirm your trust in God
.
And secondly, by appealing toGod in prayer.
(16:08):
This is our second point Appealto God in prayer.
There'll be two pointsunderneath this.
Hezekiah was preoccupied withGod in his prayer and Hezekiah
acknowledged God's sovereigntyand power over all earthly
rulers.
So the first one Hezekiah waspreoccupied with God in his
(16:31):
prayer.
Preoccupied, hezekiah firstacknowledged who God is.
In verse 16, isaiah writes thisis the words of Hezekiah Lord of
armies, god of Israel,enthroned between the cherubim,
(16:51):
you are God, you alone, of allthe kingdoms of the earth.
You made the heavens and theearth.
This is the opening verse.
It positions Hezekiah assurrendered to the Lord God.
I have more to say about thisverse later.
(17:15):
The second thing we see hereHezekiah honored God as a living
God, which makes God distinctfrom all other gods.
Look at verses 17 to 19.
Verse 17, listen closely, lord,and hear.
Open your eyes, lord, and see.
Hear all the words thatSennacherib has sent to mock the
living God.
(17:35):
So they have destroyed them.
They were not gods, but madefrom wood and stone by human
hands.
So they have destroyed them.
(18:00):
Hezekiah proclaims God'suniqueness.
And the third point under thisand how Hezekiah appealed to God
.
Hezekiah sought to have God'sglory revealed to the world.
We see this in verse 20.
Now, lord, our God, save usfrom his power, so that all the
(18:23):
kingdoms of the earth may knowthat you, lord, are God, you
alone.
Hezekiah appealed to God bymaking his prayer all about God,
not about himself.
At least, not until the veryend of the prayer does Hezekiah
(18:45):
petition to God to save Judah.
But pay attention to Hezekiah'spurpose.
The reason why he asked God tosave Judah from the Assyrians is
not for his own glory, but sothat all the kingdoms of the
earth may know that the Lordalone is God.
This is extraordinary.
What does this tell you aboutour own prayers and how we
(19:09):
should pray?
Now let's take a deeper look atthe opening verse of Hezekiah's
prayer again, verse 16.
This verse is really the heartof Hezekiah's prayer.
It's not the petition but theacknowledgement of who God is.
Hezekiah acknowledged God'ssovereignty and his power over
(19:33):
all earthly rulers.
The first phrase, the Lord ofarmies, reflects the Lord's
personal omnipotence and the onewho is the military commander
of the hosts of heaven's army.
The next phrase, god of Israel,god of Israel, describes that
(19:55):
God is connected with his chosenpeople, not the Assyrians.
The third phrase, enthronedbetween the cherubim, portrays
God's sovereignty, his royalkingly rule from his temple
throne above the Ark of theCovenant.
The cherubim were the figuresat each end of the mercy seat.
(20:16):
Looking inwards and downwards,we see that in Exodus 37.
They formed the pedestal of theinvisible throne of God of all.
Israel.
Ezekiel, chapter 1.
Thus his feet rested on themercy seat in the temple.
The Lord was enthroned andpresent at the center of his
(20:36):
people's lives.
The phrase you are God, youalone, of all the kingdoms of
the earth.
This phrase presents God as theone and only true God and
proclaims his worldwide dominion.
And the phrase you made theheavens and the earth.
(20:57):
This phrase declares that he iscreator of the heavens and the
earth and thus he owns the worldand is powerful enough to make
or undo what he has made.
These titles are not just a wayto identify who God is.
They affirm trust.
They affirm trust, assuranceand praise.
(21:23):
Hezekiah is calling out to theone and only true God who
controls the world and who canrectify what the Assyrian king
had falsely claimed.
This is Hezekiah's God.
Hezekiah's prayer stresses theimportance of communicating with
god when you face fears.
Worry is a form of pride.
I'll say that again worry is aform of pride.
(21:46):
It takes some humility to go togod in prayer and admit your
helplessness and entrust yourconcerns to him.
Your earnest prayer to Godhelps you unload your burdens.
We see this in 1 Peter 5,verses 6 and 7.
Peter writes humble yourselves,therefore, under the mighty
(22:10):
hand of God, so that he mayexalt you at the proper time,
casting all your cares on himbecause he cares for you.
The manner by which you humbleyourselves is by casting your
cares on God.
If anxiety about familyfinances overwhelms.
(22:33):
You take a moment each night topray before going to bed.
Sit down with your spouse andhave an open conversation about
your fears, laying everythingbefore God in prayer, like
Hezekiah.
During times of emotionalupheaval, it's normal to feel
intense fear and anxiety.
(22:54):
Instead of isolating yourself,create a circle of support by
gathering close friends for amonthly prayer gathering at your
home.
Share your struggles Openly.
Invite them to prayspecifically for your healing
and clarity.
Establish a routine of readingscripture together, focusing on
(23:15):
passages that emphasize God'sfaithfulness and his love, which
can provide comfort andstrength in a difficult time.
For Hezekiah to navigatethrough his crisis with a steady
heart, it was essential for himto affirm his trust in God, to
appeal to God in prayer.
(23:37):
And now the third point toanchor in God's promises.
Anchor in God's promises, Torest firmly on God's promises.
Let's look at how anchoringyourself in God's promises
yields several importantbenefits for believers.
First, anchoring in God'spromises keeps believers
(24:00):
continually focused on hissovereignty and power.
This strengthens trust in God'sability to fulfill his promises
in spite of seeminglyimpossible circumstances.
Listen to these words that Godspoke to Hezekiah against
Sennacherib.
That God spoke to Hezekiahagainst Sennacherib, verse 23.
(24:21):
Who is it you have mocked andblasphemed.
Against whom have you raisedyour voice and lifted your eyes
in pride?
Against the Holy One of Israel?
You have mocked the Lordthrough your servants and then
(24:43):
go down to verse 26.
26.
Have you not heard?
I designed it long ago, Iplanned it days gone by.
I have now brought it to passand you have crushed fortified
cities into piles of rubble.
God is speaking aboutSennacherib here.
(25:04):
Their inhabitants, theinhabitants of the fortified
cities that he crushed, theirinhabitants have become
powerless, dismayed and ashamed.
They are plants of the field,tender grass, grass on the
rooftops, blasted by the eastwind.
But I, the sovereign God, Iknow you're sitting down and
you're going out and you'recoming in and you're raging
(25:25):
against me.
Because you're raging againstme and your arrogance have
reached my ears, I will put myhook in your nose and my bit in
your mouth.
I will make you go back the wayyou came.
Did you know that the wayAssyrians led their prisoners,
(25:46):
their captives, was by placing afish hook through their nose or
right even, through their lips,and then pulled them along on a
leash?
God is turning it back ontoSennacherib here.
The second one, anchoring inGod's promises, keeps believers
sure and steadfast amidst doubtsand challenges.
(26:09):
God gave Hezekiah a sign thathe will faithfully preserve the
land and feed the people as theyrecover from this invasion, in
order to show that his purpose,and not chance, orchestrated the
entire event that is unfoldingbefore King Hezekiah.
We see this in verses 30 to 32.
(26:33):
Therefore, this is what theLord I'm sorry this will be the
sign for you.
This year you will eat whatgrows on its own and in the
second year what grows from that.
But in the third year, sow andreap, plant vineyards and eat
(26:53):
their fruit.
The surviving remnant of thehouse of Judah will again take
root downward and bear fruitupward, for a remnant will go
out from Jerusalem and survivorsfrom Mount Zion.
The zeal of the Lord of armieswill accomplish this.
(27:15):
The third thing, the thirdbenefit believers can get from
anchoring in God's promises, isthat it offers an unshakable
hope.
It was for God's own glory andout of his covenant faithfulness
to David that God declared thathe will defend the city of
Jerusalem, and we see this inverses 33 to 35.
(27:38):
Verse 33.
Therefore, this is what theLord says about the king of
Assyria he will not enter thiscity.
Shoot an arrow there, comebefore it with a shield or build
up a siege ramp against it.
He will go back the way he came.
He will not enter this city.
This is the Lord he came.
(28:00):
He will not enter this city.
This is the Lord's declaration.
I will defend this city andrescue it for my sake and for
the sake of my servant, david.
Stop here for a moment.
Have you noticed that the prayerof a believer's humble heart is
a truly practical way ofdealing with the harsh realities
(28:24):
of this world?
What military force and arms ordiplomacy or money could not
achieve?
Prayer accomplished forHezekiah, amen.
The security of God's peoplecomes from God's unfaltering
commitment to them.
(28:44):
In the New Testament, christhas given his promise to his
people.
In the Gospel of Matthew,chapter 16 and verse 18,.
And I also say to you that youare Peter, and on this rock I
will build my church, and thegates of Hades will not
(29:05):
overpower it.
Jesus Christ will take action tocounter even the weakness and
failure of his servants.
Another example is in theGospel of Luke, chapter 22,
verses 31 to 32.
This is what Jesus said at hisfirst Lord's Supper Simon, simon
(29:28):
, look out.
Satan has asked to sift youlike wheat, but I have prayed
for you that your faith may notfail.
Deliverance promised toHezekiah extended hope far
beyond Hezekiah's day to thechurch today.
God will not desert those forwhom Christ died.
(29:48):
Factors that help you navigatethrough a crisis with a steady
heart include affirming yourtrust in God, appealing to God
through prayer, anchoring inGod's promises and the fourth
point and the last point,anticipating God's response.
Anticipate God's response.
(30:12):
Isaiah previously predicted thedestruction of the Assyrian army
.
In Isaiah, chapter 14, verses24, 25, and 27, isaiah writes
the Lord of armies has sworn.
As I have purposed, so it willbe.
As I have planned it, so itwill happen.
I will break Assyria in my land.
(30:36):
The Lord of armies himself hasplanned it.
Therefore, who can stand in itsway?
It is his hand that isoutstretched, so who can turn it
back?
And then in Isaiah, chapter 30,verses 30 and 31, it says and
the Lord will make the splendorof his voice heard and reveal
(31:00):
his arm striking an angry wrathand a flame of consuming fire in
driving rain.
A flame of consuming fire indriving rain, a torrent and
hailstones.
Assyria will be shattered bythe voice of the Lord.
He will strike with a rod.
These were promises of GodHezekiah put his faith in God's
(31:21):
promises.
Now let's see how God responded.
There are three generalprinciples that we see here.
In verse 26, god displays hissovereignty over human affairs.
We see this in what the Lordsaid against the king of Assyria
(31:41):
, speaking through Isaiah.
Have you not heard?
I designed it long ago.
I planned it in days gone by.
That Sennacherib was aninstrument of judgment on Judah
was by God's design and this wasplanned out long ago.
The victories of powerfulrulers like Sennacherib were
(32:05):
part of God's preordained plan.
The second thing is Goddisplays his power and judgment
against those who defy him, andthis is seen in verses 36 and 37
.
It says then the angel of theLord went out and struck down
185,000 in the camp of theAssyrians 185,000.
(32:30):
Not a small number.
When the people got up the nextmorning they were all the dead
bodies.
So King Sennacherib of Assyriabroke camp and left.
He returned home and lived inNineveh.
The overnight slaughter of theAssyrian army 185,000 of the
(32:52):
troops did not come by the handof an enemy, but by the angel of
the Lord.
The narrative is brief, it's notdramatic, but remember the real
drama took place in Hezekiah'sprayer In verses 14 to 35.
God intervened in massiveproportions and ultimately
(33:14):
settled Hezekiah's dilemma.
It settled his crisis.
Sennacherib returned home toNineveh, the capital of Assyria
at that time, and never returnedto attack Jerusalem.
The third principle we see hereis that God underscores the
futility of trusting in falsegods and the consequences of
(33:38):
blaspheming against the true God.
We see this after Sennacheribreturned to Nineveh.
Isaiah says in verse 38 hereone day when he that's
Sennacherib when Sennacherib wasworshiping in the temple of his
God, nisroch, his sons,adrammelech and Sherezer, struck
(34:02):
him, struck him down with thesword and escaped to the land of
Ararat.
Then his son, esarhaddon,became king in his place.
Sennacherib was assassinated bytwo of his own sons 20 years
after his failed siege ofJerusalem.
(34:25):
But do you see the irony in this?
The king who ridiculed the onetrue God dies in the temple of
the God he worshipped.
The emperor who boasted that hecould subdue any nation found
himself unable to guard againstthe treachery within his own
family.
There's no security apart fromtrusting in the one true God,
(34:49):
and there's no escaping hiscontrol of events nor the
determination of their outcome.
This was God's devastatingresponse to the king of Assyria,
an embarrassing outcome for him.
Hezekiah anticipated a response, but this one probably blew his
mind away.
This is the mighty hand of theGod, who is sovereign over all.
(35:16):
He is at work.
This was one of Hezekiah'sgreatest crises, one that
revealed his vulnerability,attacked his confidence, created
doubt and despair and causedhim to battle anxiety.
Some of us sitting here todaymight be going through a
(35:39):
personal or family crisis of ourown.
How can you have a steady heartwhen you navigate through these
crises?
Hezekiah's example highlightssome practical steps.
He demonstrated to us that weshould affirm our trust in God,
appeal to God in prayer, anchorin God's promises.
(36:00):
Anchor in God's promises andanticipate God to respond.
God's deliverance of Jerusalemfrom the Assyrian army can be
viewed as a picture of Jesus'death and resurrection.
Just as Hezekiah's Jerusalemwas surrounded by enemy soldiers
, jesus was surrounded by Romansoldiers at his crucifixion.
(36:23):
However, just as the Assyrianarmy was defeated miraculously,
jesus' followers woke up Sundaymorning to find him alive.
This is a picture of Jesus'victory over sin and death,
which delivers those who haveplaced their trust in him from
(36:44):
the power of sin and death.
If you don't know Jesus, some ofwhat I'm saying may not make
sense to you.
Yet you might have crises thatyou're facing something similar
to the massive army of Assyriathat Hezekiah faced.
You might be swimming to keepyour head above water and
(37:06):
experiencing fear and anxietyover the uncertainties that you
are facing in life, whether theyare directly from your own
doing or not, or your fears andanxieties are coming from other
potential threats.
Your greatest fear might evenbe wondering where you will be
after you die.
(37:26):
The Bible says, for the wagesof sin is death, but the gift of
God is eternal life in ChristJesus, our Lord.
Romans 6.23.
Jesus Christ delivers all whotrust in him from sin and death.
This is the victory we have inJesus Christ.
(37:47):
If you would like to know moreabout the good news of Jesus
Christ, I would invite you toplease come and speak with one
of the church elders.
Jesus Christ is the one wholeads us through life's crises.
Jesus Christ is the ultimatesource of courage and strength.
Through him we find assurancethat God's promises reach its
highest point in our salvation,our deliverance, our victory
(38:11):
over sin and death.
When we have seen in Hezekiahthe transforming power of faith
under pressure, and how relianceon God and faith in him, rather
than human efforts, can turnthe tide of seemingly hopeless
situations, remember this.
(38:31):
The battle is the Lord's, solet's walk with him, let's pray.
I confess to you, heavenlyFather, that we often live our
lives apart from submitting toyou, break our sinful attitudes
instead, cause us to know youdeeply and your promises and to
(38:55):
trust in you fully and to restfirmly, safely and securely in
you, especially when we facechallenging situations in our
lives.
Securely in you, especiallywhen we face challenging
situations in our lives.
You have reassured us not tofear, for you are with us.
You told us not to be afraid,for you are our God.
You said that you willstrengthen us, you will help us
(39:17):
and you will hold on to us withyour righteous right hand.
Thank you for your grace andmercy upon us.
In Jesus' name, I pray, amen.
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