Isaiah 37-39; Psalms 76

Posted on Jul 26, 2016 in Reading the Bible in 2016 |

Tuesday                                              

I am always so amazed and incredibly grateful for the many times God comes to the rescue.

After all the evil Judah and Israel have done, God still has compassion on those who turn to him. Hezekiah takes this terrible letter from Sennacherib to God, to the only source that could save them. I can see him lying on the floor, crying out to God for help. What a beautiful picture of complete surrender to the Lord. When he calls out to the God who is, as he says, “enthroned between the cherubim” he is referring to the ark of the covenant. Hezekiah sees God in all his power and glory, the Holy One, the protector and defender. And God hears and answers. Hezekiah may have made some mistakes along the way, but He knew where his help came from.
 

Sennacherib went too far in insulting God and so he will pay for his pride. (“Who can stand before you when you are angry?” Psalm 76:7).  His sons conspire against him and kill him. I don’t know how horrible it would be to have your own children kill you. I can’t even imagine it. But Sennacherib meets his end when two of his sons cause an idol to fall on him. Interesting. Hezekiah will also battle another opponent. This one is a grave illness. Again he turns to God in prayer and God answers, instead of dying, Hezekiah is given 15 more years of life.

I noticed in his prayer of thanksgiving, that Hezekiah mentions the importance of fathers telling their children about God’s faithfulness. Knowing what we do about Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh, who did evil in the eyes of the Lord (2 Kings 21:1) I think we don’t take that message as seriously as we should. We are responsible for our children to hear the message of salvation through Jesus, but so often it seems to get lost. Let us not neglect raising our children knowing who Jesus is.

Shalom

Pastor Kathy

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