Post by Woody Williams on Oct 4, 2010 7:01:30 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- II Kings 18:1-8, 28-36
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In the third year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, Hezekiah son
of King Ahaz of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old
when he began to reign; he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem.
His mother's name was Abi daughter of Zechariah. He did what was
right in the sight of the LORD just as his ancestor David had done.
He removed the high places, broke down the pillars, and cut down the
sacred pole. He broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had
made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to
it; it was called Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD the God of
Israel; so that there was no one like him among all the kings of
Judah after him, or among those who were before him. For he held fast
to the LORD; he did not depart from following him but kept the
commandments that the LORD commanded Moses. The LORD was with him;
wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of
Assyria and would not serve him. He attacked the Philistines as far
as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city. Then
the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of
Judah, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus
says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be
able to deliver you out of my hand. Do not let Hezekiah make you rely
on the LORD by saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city
will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.' Do not
listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: 'Make your
peace with me and come out to me; then every one of you will eat from
your own vine and your own fig tree, and drink water from your own
cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land,
a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of
olive oil and honey, that you may live and not die. Do not listen to
Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, The LORD will deliver us.
Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered its land out of the
hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?
Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they
delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who among all the gods of the
countries have delivered their countries out of my hand, that the
LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'" But the people were
silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Do
not answer him."
Devotional
----------
King Hezekiah brought renewal and cleansing to the people of Israel.
He restored worship and commitment to the covenant. He called the
people to a radical trust in God. The king of Assyria was planing to
attack Judah and was asking them to give up before the attack. The
king told the people to be silent and trust in God. They stood their
ground and did not surrender even though all other enemies of Assyria
had been soundly defeated. That is radical faith.
Prayer
---------
Fill my heart to trust my life to you today, gracious Lord. Amen
----------
In the third year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, Hezekiah son
of King Ahaz of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old
when he began to reign; he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem.
His mother's name was Abi daughter of Zechariah. He did what was
right in the sight of the LORD just as his ancestor David had done.
He removed the high places, broke down the pillars, and cut down the
sacred pole. He broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had
made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to
it; it was called Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD the God of
Israel; so that there was no one like him among all the kings of
Judah after him, or among those who were before him. For he held fast
to the LORD; he did not depart from following him but kept the
commandments that the LORD commanded Moses. The LORD was with him;
wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of
Assyria and would not serve him. He attacked the Philistines as far
as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city. Then
the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of
Judah, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus
says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be
able to deliver you out of my hand. Do not let Hezekiah make you rely
on the LORD by saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city
will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.' Do not
listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: 'Make your
peace with me and come out to me; then every one of you will eat from
your own vine and your own fig tree, and drink water from your own
cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land,
a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of
olive oil and honey, that you may live and not die. Do not listen to
Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, The LORD will deliver us.
Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered its land out of the
hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?
Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they
delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who among all the gods of the
countries have delivered their countries out of my hand, that the
LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?'" But the people were
silent and answered him not a word, for the king's command was, "Do
not answer him."
Devotional
----------
King Hezekiah brought renewal and cleansing to the people of Israel.
He restored worship and commitment to the covenant. He called the
people to a radical trust in God. The king of Assyria was planing to
attack Judah and was asking them to give up before the attack. The
king told the people to be silent and trust in God. They stood their
ground and did not surrender even though all other enemies of Assyria
had been soundly defeated. That is radical faith.
Prayer
---------
Fill my heart to trust my life to you today, gracious Lord. Amen