Hezekiah paced in his palace. “How much longer are we going to be stuck inside these city walls?”
A knock on the door caught his attention. The door opened slowly.
Eliakim stood in the doorway. “Sir, there’s a message from Sennacherib.”
The king stared at him. “Is it from the Rabshakeh again?”
“No, he sent it via a messenger. Apparently he doesn’t speak great Hebrew. He gave us this letter to read.”
King Hezekiah snatched the letter out of his hands and read it. He looked at Eliakim then looked up before he carried the letter to the temple.
He went into the Holy of Holies, shoved the showbread on the floor and spread the letter out on the table.
“Dear God of Israel who dwells between the cherubim. You are the only true God who created heaven and earth. Look at this letter. Do You see what is says here. The kings of Assyria have destroyed everybody in their path. The gods have been thrown in the fire because they weren’t actual gods at all just wood and stone. But You can save us. Please rescue us from them.”
Isaiah met Hezekiah at the palace door. “Because you have prayed to God He heard you. This is what He sent me to tell you.
‘Jerusalem’s girls are laughing at you because of your taunts of the LORD.
You are striking out against the Holy One of Israel.
You feel so sure of yourself because of the victories you have won, but it is I who prepared your way. I made your enemies confused to give you success.
I am the One who made it all. I know every thought in your head before you think it. I will drive you back home like a cow and a horse.
This will be your sign Hezekiah, you will eat wild grain the next two seasons but after that you will sow and reap. Plant vineyards and enjoy the fruit of the land. Sennacherib shall not shoot even one arrow into Jerusalem. I will save this city for My sake and David’s sake.'”
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I love this section of scripture. Jerusalem is under a lockdown because the Assyrian troops are conquering every kingdom near them. The northern kingdom of Israel has already been swept away. It appears just a matter of time before Judah is next.
The Rabshakeh has been to Jerusalem to warn King Hezekiah of his fate. Then he leaves and sends someone else to taunt him again.
The prophet Isaiah has already told the king that God will protect Jerusalem, but then Hezekiah takes the letter from the messenger and lays it out in the temple for God to read for Himself.
Have you ever done such a bold thing before God?
You have a dilemma only God can solve. Maybe a financial disaster looms in your near future. A divorce is imminent. A diagnosis is grim.
Lay the paperwork out so God can read it and plead your case just like Hezekiah did. Let the tears flow as you open your heart to heaven and bleed with your tears in surrender to God’s will.
I won’t promise you there will be a positive outcome.
The divorce may still go through. Perhaps God has someone else prepared for your future that your first spouse couldn’t help you with.
You may still lose your home and have to move someplace you don’t want to be. See what God has in store for you there.
Facing death has a way of making priorities sharp. Love while you can. Pass on your love for God to everyone you can.
The simple act of displaying your fears to God is itself a tonic.
It shows your dependence on the God of the universe.
Your act of worship will be noticed and rewarded.
If God does come through for you after your act of surrender remember it well.
He’ll use it to build your faith for future tests.
This life is all about drawing us closer to God because your eternity with Him doesn’t start when you get to heaven.
No, your eternity with God began the moment you gave your heart to Jesus.
Everything is designed to bring you closer to God…even the disappointing outcomes and failures.
The Babylonians would later come and capture Jerusalem. They carried all the golden vessels in the temple away.
The wisemen brought some of that gold back to give to the child Jesus.
It all belongs to God my friend.
He has you in the palm of His hand. Your name is already engraved there, too. Don’t fret. He’s got you and your circumstances under control.
The “mighty” King Sennacherib of Assyria woke up one morning to see the power of God. While he slept God simply stopped the hearts of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers.
Judah’s King Hezekiah also slept through that night and did nothing to win that battle.
Sennacherib returned to Nineveh with his tail between his legs. While he worshiped his god two of his sons killed him…just like God said it would happen.
Who do you trust with your future?
Your outcome may not be what you want it to be, but it’s what God wants.
I remember the time I laid my life before God. I was in a motel room attempting to sleep. Since I couldn’t I got out of bed, got down on my knees and spread my hands out facing upward.
I told God the concerns I had on my heart at that moment. Then I gave Him control of everything because I trust Him with my future.
I’d like to tell you I laid back down and slept soundly but I didn’t.
When I left that motel room I drove about five miles down the road before I was involved in probably the worst accident I’ve had in my thirty year driving career when I was rear ended.
I still don’t know why that whole event took place.
I still trust God with my future.
I’ll see you later. Wade
