1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,600 Let's turn to our Bibles now in Second Kings chapter 19. 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,840 And as you turn there, I want to ask you, what do you do when 3 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:12,640 you're caught in a dilemma that seems to have no way out, when 4 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,960 you are confronted with a circumstance that does not 5 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:19,720 provide any visible door to escape? 6 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:27,320 Does the Word of God provide any kind of counsel, wisdom for the 7 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:33,640 most righteous Christ honoring and profitable outcome for 8 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:38,520 suffocating threats or dead end situations? 9 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,080 I'm here to tell you from the beginning it does. 10 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,080 And what we have before us in this chapter is a blueprint 11 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,560 given to us by the Holy Spirit through the example of Hezekiah 12 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:56,840 that shows us how each of us in this place can receive divine 13 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:00,920 intervention. I'm talking about heavenly 14 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:05,720 invasions in our lives for a variety of predicaments that are 15 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:11,560 outside of our control. And so being here tonight, I can 16 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,880 guarantee you this, that you will have your faith built up, 17 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:21,040 that your heart will be prepared for those cloudy days, that you 18 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:26,200 will hopefully know what to do when you are surprised by an 19 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,440 attack. And if we remember, hopefully 20 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:33,200 from last week, we concluded with Hezekiah's three 21 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:39,320 representatives returning to the king with torn clothes and the 22 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:43,680 awful report of a serious, blasphemous intimidation. 23 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:50,920 And Hezekiah in this new chapter is going to give us a play by 24 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:58,440 play of how we can respond to things that overwhelm us, not 25 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,000 things that we've created for ourselves necessarily, though 26 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,080 this still works for such situations, but for anything, 27 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,120 but for really anything, especially those things that we 28 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:13,960 did not expect. And this obstacle, though it is 29 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:19,600 unique to this man, provides principles that are timeless. 30 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:25,880 Hezekiah's actions are driven by convictions that you and I can 31 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:31,440 share and possess and live by. And with that, expect the same 32 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:35,800 kind of results if we implement them by faith. 33 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:39,480 And so we're not going to complete this chapter, but I 34 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:44,360 want us to look at Second Kings 19 verses 1 to 13. 35 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:48,040 But we'll read in one sitting the 1st 7 verses. 36 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:53,040 Let's do that. As soon as King Hezekiah heard 37 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:57,480 it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth 38 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,520 and went into the House of the Lord. 39 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,560 And he sent a like him who was over the household, and Shebna 40 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,040 the secretary, and the senior priest, covered with sackcloth 41 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:09,600 to the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amos. 42 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,800 They said to him. Thus says Hezekiah, this day is 43 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:18,160 a day of distress, of rebuke, and a disgrace. 44 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,000 Children have come to the point of birth, and there is no 45 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,960 strength to bring them forth. It may be that the Lord your God 46 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,520 heard all the words of the Rapsheke, whom his master, the 47 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,080 king of Assyria, has sent to mock the living God, and will 48 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,520 rebuke the words of the Lord your God has heard. 49 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:39,280 Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left. 50 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:44,680 When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, Isaiah 51 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:46,760 said to them, Say to your master. 52 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,880 Thus says the Lord, Do not be afraid because of the words that 53 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,120 you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria 54 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,840 have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in 55 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,200 him so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own 56 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:05,720 land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land. 57 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:12,560 O righteous Father, we believe with all of our hearts that we 58 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,320 are handling the very oracles of God. 59 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:21,360 We tremble at Your word. This is Your book. 60 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:27,640 We believe that, but we need Your help to understand it, and 61 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,200 we need Your help for it to burn in our hearts. 62 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,640 And so, Lord, the same grace that you gave to your disciples 63 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:37,880 in Luke 24, where you open their minds to understand the 64 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:41,880 Scriptures. We pray that Your sweet guidance 65 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:47,080 would be felt tonight as we look at every verse with 66 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:53,640 intentionality and great hunger. So Lord, we submit every faculty 67 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:58,400 of our beings and we trust that You will reward us in Your word. 68 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,360 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 69 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:10,240 It's no surprise that Hezekiah imitates the grief and the 70 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,880 sorrow of his servants concerning the ordeal that 71 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:17,960 surrounds them. And we can take comfort to know 72 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:24,680 that we have liberty to feel the weight of such things of a 73 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:31,720 situation that may overwhelm us with honesty and in integrity. 74 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:38,000 However, Hezekiah in this moment teaches us something very vital 75 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,440 that we should never allow our emotions to dictate or to 76 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:47,840 paralyze us from making the necessary steps to discovering a 77 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:52,560 solution. So although he rends his 78 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,800 garments here, he does not stay in that state. 79 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:03,440 He actually picks himself up and as a reflex, almost 80 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:08,200 instinctively, he makes his way toward the House of the Lord. 81 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,400 Now, it would be wrong to assume that Hezekiah, in his 82 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,920 desperation, went into the holy place or the most Holy Place. 83 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,000 Those areas were designated for the priest alone. 84 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,760 What he did do, though, was enter into the courts, the 85 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,600 courts of the temple that were available for any worshipper. 86 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:32,440 And here's the wisdom of Hezekiah's initial steps in 87 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,440 response to this news that was devastating, life threatening. 88 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,880 He planted himself in an atmosphere of faith. 89 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:46,240 When his faith was challenged, he planted himself in an 90 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,920 atmosphere of faith. And that place is so obvious, 91 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:55,160 the House of God. Even in the old covenant, we 92 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:59,320 learned that something powerful happens within the walls of 93 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:03,440 God's dwelling place. And what we see over and over 94 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:08,840 again by way of promise and example is that when we enter 95 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:16,840 and when we participate in the corporate gathering, we receive 96 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,120 either an awakening or a strengthening for our faith. 97 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,640 And I wonder when I was reading this the other day, I wonder if 98 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:33,120 the words of the psalmist Asaph came through in Hezekiah's mind, 99 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,880 because Asaph, Psalm, Psalm 73, presents his own personal crisis 100 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:43,120 of faith, but it also tells us the turn around, where it went 101 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:48,240 from misery to revelation of hope. 102 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,200 And something that's offering to you and me. 103 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:59,080 Look at Psalm 7316 and 17. This is very famous, very well 104 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:01,040 known to us. But when I thought how to 105 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:05,720 understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went 106 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:10,840 into the sanctuary of God. Then I discern their end, that 107 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:14,520 precious word. Until something happened to 108 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:19,560 Asaph's faith the moment he stepped foot into the courts of 109 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,680 God. And the same thing happens with 110 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,920 Hezekiah. Understand this, both in the old 111 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,720 and in the New Covenant, the Lord designed His dwelling place 112 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,480 to be a channel of clarity and confidence for His struggling 113 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:37,000 people. Listen, where you are sitting 114 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:43,960 tonight carries the power for doubts to dissolve. 115 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:51,960 Where you are tonight and where you go every Sunday has so much 116 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:58,800 potency, so much promise for things that try to sabotage our 117 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:06,720 hope and our vigor and our joy and to reverse it at the place 118 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:12,320 our feet on a solid rock within a a small time frame of just 119 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:17,440 being exposed to where God calls us to be as His people can do 120 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:22,200 wonders. So I want you to tuck this truth 121 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:27,360 deep in your soul for times like this. 122 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,240 Like Hezekiah, though, yes again, his predicaments are very 123 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:35,440 peculiar, but the idea of being surrounded, as we just saying, 124 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,880 do not discount for a moment the rich remedy of standing with 125 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:45,680 God's people and singing the truths of God, of sitting under 126 00:09:45,680 --> 00:09:48,760 the washing of God's Word as it is expounded and as it is 127 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,360 preached and as it is taught, even when it is read. 128 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:58,800 Do not dismiss what can take place as you park your weary 129 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:03,120 soul in the midst of the sweet fellowship of Spirit filled 130 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:07,120 believers. It absolutely breaks my heart 131 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:14,600 when I look at Christians who do not consider the gift of the 132 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:20,280 church for the hurting. Now, we studied the Old 133 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:24,440 Testament and in great detail. I believe there are a lot of 134 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:27,560 differences between the Tabernacle and the Temple. 135 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:33,560 Does anybody remember the names of the two pillars that were 136 00:10:33,560 --> 00:10:37,080 placed at the porch of the Temple of Solomon? 137 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:39,320 Because we studied this in First Kings. 138 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:42,200 If you know what, you can say it out loud. 139 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:49,360 Two names for these two pillars. One was you can say it louder. 140 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:52,760 Oh, I know. People whisper because they're 141 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,080 worried. Well, let's turn there. 142 00:10:55,880 --> 00:11:06,270 First King 7/21, because this is what Hezekiah would have been 143 00:11:06,270 --> 00:11:10,030 confronted with when he entered the courts of God. 144 00:11:10,270 --> 00:11:14,750 First king 7/21, he set up the pillars at the vestibule of the 145 00:11:14,750 --> 00:11:16,790 Temple. He set up the pillar on the 146 00:11:16,790 --> 00:11:21,030 South and called its name Jakin. And he set up the pillar on the 147 00:11:21,030 --> 00:11:25,920 north and called its name Boaz. And on the tops of the pillars 148 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,280 were Lily work. Thus the work of the pillars was 149 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,120 finished. So we have Jacob and Boaz. 150 00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:39,600 Jacob means he will establish and most believe that Boaz 151 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:49,360 implies in him is strength. And so this is designed by God. 152 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:54,320 These pillars are testifying of God's faithfulness in one 153 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:59,840 establishing His house and sustaining the temple along with 154 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,320 the dynasty of David. That's what the people would 155 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,040 have been confronted with as they walked in the shadows of 156 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,560 those pillars. God is faithful. 157 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:14,040 He created this place, He will maintain this place, and He will 158 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,280 be faithful. But I believe there's a personal 159 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:21,240 application that as these worshippers made their way into 160 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,520 this place, they would have also understood that true 161 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:30,120 fortification comes from God experience in God within the 162 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:34,280 House of God. There's a level of impartation 163 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:41,040 that can only be realized there. You know, as I was just speaking 164 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:43,680 from my heart to the Lord before the Bible study, another passage 165 00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:46,400 came to mind. And again, it's another famous 166 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:47,360 one. But sometimes with these 167 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,840 familiar Psalms, we, we miss the the application. 168 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,960 So you don't have to turn that. But listen, Psalm 92 and verse 169 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:58,040 12 and 13, we read about the righteous flourishing, 170 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,560 flourishing like a palm tree and growing like the cedar of 171 00:13:01,560 --> 00:13:04,760 Lebanon and flourishing in the courts of God. 172 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,840 So in Psalm 9212 and 13 you have the word flourish appearing 173 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,440 twice, but there's something in between. 174 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:18,400 If we're going to flourish, we have to be planted in the House 175 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,120 of the Lord. That's what it says in those two 176 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,520 verses. The righteous will flourish like 177 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,760 the palm tree. The righteous will flourish in 178 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,680 the courts of our God. But in between the flourishing 179 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:34,880 there is the requirement of us being planted where God calls us 180 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,880 to be planted. I'm afraid people do not know 181 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:40,200 great heights in their faith because they don't have the 182 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:44,240 discipline or the conviction to live in God's house. 183 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:49,280 Being planted mean that's where your roots are, that that's 184 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:51,880 where you get life, that's where you get your nutrients. 185 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:58,760 And so for those who have a light attitude towards God, how 186 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:03,680 God's house, they will not know the fragrance and the 187 00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:05,600 flourishing that can come from there alone. 188 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,680 Well, let's now come back to our main text and look at verse 2 189 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,200 because this is not the only thing that Hezekiah did. 190 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:15,640 This particular trial would require more spiritual 191 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:17,680 reinforcement. So in verse 2 it says that he 192 00:14:17,680 --> 00:14:20,400 sent a like him who is over the household and Shebna the 193 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:25,000 secretary and the senior priest covered with sackcloth to the 194 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,880 prophet Isaiah. So the next thing that this man 195 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,920 does is he sends a message to this nobleman of God. 196 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,440 And while gathering publicly with the priest and fellow 197 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:44,320 worshippers was valuable, having a personal confident was just as 198 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,640 essential. Now you hear that? 199 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:49,040 You think that's common sense. Unfortunately, it's not so 200 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:53,000 common. Unfortunately, many believers 201 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:58,800 lack the wisdom of choosing the right counselors in their lives. 202 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:06,080 They often gravitate towards ill informed advisors, but not 203 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,960 Hezekiah. Hezekiah makes the choice to go 204 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:14,720 to a man who walked with God. Here's my question for you. 205 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:19,000 Was this, was this something that Hezekiah did immediately 206 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:22,200 when learning that he was surrounded by Syria or is this 207 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,600 an afterthought? Any idea? 208 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:30,200 Think about last week's study that Hezekiah have a lapse of 209 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:36,040 faith in Second Kings 18. He did one, we know that he 210 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,760 entertained partnership with the nation of Egypt, which went 211 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,600 against what Isaiah preached about in his very book. 212 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,560 Woe to those who go down to Egypt. 213 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,600 Secondly, what it What did Hezekiah do to try to appease 214 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,120 Assyria? Anybody remember? 215 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:56,160 It had to do with the House of God. 216 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:57,760 He didn't go to the House of God to see God. 217 00:15:57,760 --> 00:15:59,520 He stripped the gold from the doors. 218 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,480 He took the treasures from God's house and he laid it at the feet 219 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:10,160 of this enemy of God. Better late than never, sure. 220 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:15,480 But before we read Hezekiah humbling himself and coming to 221 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,640 this man who had a special relationship with the Lord, 222 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:22,160 That's why he says in his inquiry, it may be that the Lord 223 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,560 your God. He's not saying that Isaiah's 224 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:26,640 God is not his God. He's just acknowledging that 225 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,040 Isaiah has a special relationship with God. 226 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,960 But before he does this, he trusted in the flesh. 227 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,360 Before he does this, who knows what kind of advice he received 228 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:41,360 from others? And it makes us wonder. 229 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:46,200 It raises the question, how many problems could this man have 230 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,480 avoided if he had gone to Isaiah first? 231 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,280 And here's my question for you. Can you identify someone, a man 232 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:59,080 or a woman, who clearly walks with the Lord, offering sound 233 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:04,079 counsel because their life overflows with the wisdom of 234 00:17:04,079 --> 00:17:07,720 God? And if you can identify such a 235 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:13,200 person, let me ask you this. Is your relationship to them 236 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,880 something that is reliant upon you getting yourself in trouble? 237 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:26,680 Do you seek counsel and correction and instruction after 238 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,120 only after you find yourself in a mess? 239 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:31,360 Or is it a pre emptive conviction? 240 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,880 Is this something that you look for before you make any 241 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:39,040 significant decisions? Learn from this man's example. 242 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,480 Yes, it's better late than never, but he could have avoided 243 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,760 many issues if he had just believed that in the in the 244 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:52,320 counsel of many there is safety. So now he reaches out to the 245 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:53,960 prophet. But what does he ask of the 246 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,440 prophet? Look at verse 4 at the end of 247 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:02,040 it. Therefore, lift up your prayer 248 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:08,120 for the remnant that is left. There are times in life where 249 00:18:08,120 --> 00:18:10,800 the most needed thing is biblically grounded practical 250 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,640 advice. There are some people who just 251 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:17,560 need to be told what to do and not have to really pray about 252 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,680 it. There's some people who pray to 253 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:24,920 the degree where they disobey. Prayer does not replace 254 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,720 practical obedience. But there are also other times 255 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:32,600 where a situation demands something of you, where the only 256 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:35,040 thing and the only thing you can do is pray. 257 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:40,040 This is one of those situations. But Hezekiah was not just a man 258 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:42,400 who prayed. He was a man who believed in the 259 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,040 power of others praying for him. Do we? 260 00:18:49,360 --> 00:18:53,560 I've learned something in my study of God's Word that 261 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:59,360 righteous men and women of God not only pray, they covet the 262 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:05,200 prayers of others. You see here with Hezekiah, he 263 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,560 asked Isaiah to partner with him in this way, and you see it 264 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:13,080 throughout the New Testament, notably with the apostle Paul in 265 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:17,040 2nd Corinthians 111. He tells the Corinthian Church 266 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:23,520 of all the churches, come on the Corinthian church, so you must 267 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:29,800 also help us by prayer. Then he goes on to say, so that 268 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,360 many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted 269 00:19:32,360 --> 00:19:36,800 us through the prayers of many. It is generally agreed upon that 270 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:40,960 the Corinthian church is one of the most troubled assemblies in 271 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,760 Paul's day. They had a lot of problems. 272 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:48,160 I actually think if any of us walked into the Corinthian 273 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,360 church today, we would think you guys aren't believers. 274 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:55,400 There's no way. Imagine, imagine a majority of a 275 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:57,240 church that doubted the resurrection. 276 00:19:57,960 --> 00:19:59,160 That's what we're talking about here. 277 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:05,280 And that's just one slice of the problem that was going on in 278 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,120 this congregation. But listen, as imperfect as they 279 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:12,720 were, the apostle still asked them to intercede on his behalf. 280 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:20,160 That's staggering to me. Because he's not just saying 281 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:21,520 this to be courteous. He's not. 282 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:23,120 He's not saying this to seem humble. 283 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:27,960 He actually believed that even with struggling Christians who 284 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,360 genuinely pray, they can touch God. 285 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:37,560 Think about this. Be moved with this, that you 286 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:41,320 have one of the greatest Christians who've ever lived, a 287 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:48,160 giant in the faith, requesting a bunch of troubled Christians to 288 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:52,720 help him in prayer, sincerely believing that through their 289 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:58,400 prayers heaven will send help. And so, so many things come to 290 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:03,720 my mind when I meditate on this. God will honor even the prayers 291 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:08,680 of such weak Saints. We just take the time to bend 292 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:14,040 the knee, call out to him and ask, Lord, you must do something 293 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,720 for our brother Paul. You must do something for our 294 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:22,080 church. Paul had this understanding, and 295 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:24,360 he shares it with us so that we can believe the same thing. 296 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,360 But listen, you cannot arrive to this conviction unless you're 297 00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:29,720 first convinced of something deeper. 298 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:33,080 Do you know why so many people don't pray? 299 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:35,000 Can I tell you why I'm talking about Christians? 300 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:36,600 Nevermind the world. You know why so many Christians 301 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,120 don't pray? Because they don't believe how 302 00:21:38,120 --> 00:21:43,080 weak they are. They don't understand just how 303 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:47,800 needy they are if there's going to be anything lasting and 304 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:51,200 genuine to come through in their lives or in their situations or 305 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:53,040 in their ministries, or whatever it may be. 306 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:56,560 We see it with Hezekiah. Did we miss it? 307 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,160 Go back to Second Kings 19 and look at the end of verse 3. 308 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,040 Let's just read the whole verse they said to him. 309 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:07,080 Thus says Hezekiah, this day is a day of distress, of rebuke, 310 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,160 and of disgrace. Children have come to the point 311 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,080 of birth and there is no strength to bring them forth. 312 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,360 That's just a parabolic way of saying we're at our wit's end. 313 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:23,040 There is nothing left within ourselves to produce any good 314 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:26,120 results. Anything valuable, anything that 315 00:22:26,120 --> 00:22:28,200 will deliver us from this crisis, we have no more 316 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:29,680 strength. We need something outside of 317 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:36,400 ourselves to bring a solution. Weak people pray, and I'm not 318 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,040 talking about weakness in in terms of falling into sin, A 319 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:44,600 revelation of your absolute dependency on a good and 320 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:49,640 powerful God. And this mighty man of God 321 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:53,600 understood that. And so he asked this prophet to 322 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:58,120 pray. And what I find so glorious 323 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:02,040 about this truth is that this appeal is not strictly about his 324 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,720 own preservation. Look at verse 4 again. 325 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:08,720 He mentions God three times, does he not? 326 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,320 It may be that the Lord your God then Scroll down. 327 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,920 The king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God and again 328 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,040 and we'll rebuke the words that the Lord your God. 329 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,920 What is this man consumed with the glory of God, the glory of 330 00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:28,720 God. I say I'm asking you to part of 331 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:32,360 me in prayer because God's name is at stake here and not just 332 00:23:32,360 --> 00:23:35,320 God's glory, but look at the last part of verse 4. 333 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,080 Therefore, lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left. 334 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:41,040 This is how this verse convicted me. 335 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,560 How much of my praying is motivated for God's glory and 336 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:48,280 the good of others. That's what I thought. 337 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,480 There is nothing wrong and asking God to come through for 338 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:57,200 us personally, but we got to broaden our understanding of 339 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,600 what prayer can do. We got to understand what it is, 340 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,040 what are the ingredients that invites greater testimonies of 341 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,440 answer prayer in our lives. And one of them certainly is for 342 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,680 the glory of God. And surely the Lord will honor a 343 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,560 person who has enough love for a precious St. to say God. 344 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:15,720 I'm praying for the remaining remnant. 345 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:22,600 Hezekiah inspires me. And so yes, he goes to the House 346 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:28,240 of God, but he also goes to a man of God, a friend, and he 347 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:31,360 believes that as they both pray, God will do something. 348 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:34,120 Now look at this. Hezekiah is immediately rewarded 349 00:24:34,120 --> 00:24:38,840 for his faith in verse 5, when the servants of king Hezekiah 350 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,800 came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, say to your master. 351 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,200 Thus says the Lord, do not be afraid because of the words that 352 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,800 you have heard with which the servants of the king of Assyria 353 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:52,480 have reviled me. So Isaiah was ready with a 354 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,640 prophecy. That's not to say that he 355 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:59,160 disregards the call to prayer. Next week we're going to see 356 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,360 that both Isaiah and Hezekiah are going to pray. 357 00:25:02,360 --> 00:25:06,120 They're going to pray. But the the purpose of this 358 00:25:06,120 --> 00:25:09,360 section is to show how God wanted to provide immediate 359 00:25:09,360 --> 00:25:15,800 relief to his Servant, and he does so on the basis of his 360 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:19,640 word. He he wields and presents them 361 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:23,600 His precious word. Thus says the Lord. 362 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:28,360 Yes, I'm aware that this is a personalized declaration, but 363 00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:31,720 there's something about this peculiar prophecy that can 364 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:35,240 comfort us as well. I understand that this is unique 365 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:38,240 to the story and to this man, but what's the essence of the 366 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,240 message? What is Isaiah saying to 367 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:45,440 Hezekiah? The main thing is God is fully 368 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:49,480 aware of the evils committed by your enemies. 369 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:56,120 In fact, if you read back, Hezekiah admits that he's 370 00:25:56,120 --> 00:25:58,800 doubting. Look again. 371 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,360 Look at verse 4. It may be that the Lord your God 372 00:26:02,360 --> 00:26:03,800 heard all the words of the rapture. 373 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:06,600 So what was the concern of Hezekiah? 374 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:09,400 I hope God really heard what we heard. 375 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:15,240 Isn't it freeing to know that you can come into God's presence 376 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:22,520 stumbling in doubt with imperfect faith and He'll still 377 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:25,800 answer you? Because the very approach, the 378 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:28,320 very act of prayer is a demonstration of faith in 379 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:31,160 itself. So God will honor that. 380 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:35,360 So here, imagine, here's here's the guy saying it may be that 381 00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:38,040 God hurt. I'm hoping that God heard. 382 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:41,520 I'm hoping he saw what we saw and the Lord reassures him. 383 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:44,760 I did hear it. I heard the words of the 384 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:48,400 servants of the king of Syria, the words that reviled me. 385 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,960 What's the take away from this? I believe 1 main take away is 386 00:26:54,960 --> 00:27:01,360 that there is a flood of peace awaiting those who believe that 387 00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:05,880 God sees and knows absolutely everything taking place in your 388 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:09,440 life, especially the source of your pain and turmoil. 389 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:15,760 In fact, that is one of the introductory revelations of the 390 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,560 nature and character of God that the Scripture provides us. 391 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:25,480 Do we remember what Hagar called the name of the Lord when she 392 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:28,040 was visited by the Angel of the Lord in the wilderness? 393 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:34,520 The God who sees? But there's something deeper in 394 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:36,800 that message. Go to Genesis 16. 395 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:40,640 When I was looking at this, it made me so excited to do a study 396 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:44,040 in the book of Genesis. We will do so very, very soon. 397 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,720 I think. Genesis 16. 398 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:57,160 Look at verse 13, this is when Hagar was mistreated by Sarai 399 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,600 and she flees into the wilderness and the Angel of the 400 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:06,960 Lord, a pre Incarnate manifestation of Christ comforts 401 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,000 her with a promise and this is how she reacts. 402 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:12,360 And Genesis 16 verse 13 So she called the name of the Lord who 403 00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:16,240 spoke to her. You are a God of seeing, for she 404 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:20,520 said truly here I have seen Him who looks after me. 405 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:23,800 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Royi. 406 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:26,320 It lies between Kadesh and Bered. 407 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:33,120 And before I say anything, I find it so encouraging that the 408 00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:36,960 first theophany, which is a manifestation of God in a very 409 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:41,760 tangible way, the first manifestation of God for a woman 410 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:46,960 in the Bible is here. This is the first time a woman 411 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:50,960 experiences God in such a way. And why that should move us is 412 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:55,520 because who Hagar is, she's a servant. 413 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,960 She she's not in direct covenant with God like Abraham and his 414 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:04,400 wife were. In fact, they were mistreated by 415 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,080 those who had this covenant with God. 416 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:13,720 And yet the Lord honors Hagar with a special experience and a 417 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:18,480 promise, even though in our estimation she is unworthy. 418 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:22,440 She she's not a likely candidate to know this and to experience 419 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:24,560 this. And this so moved this woman 420 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:28,280 that there's a well where it happened and she names it. 421 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:33,760 She she, she creates this monumental thing and she calls 422 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:36,400 it beer. Lahoy Roy, meaning what it 423 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:40,560 means. You are a God of seeing, and 424 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:42,600 this was not just a personal reference for her. 425 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,200 It was a public, public testimony so that if anybody 426 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,400 would come to this well and realize its name, it would be 427 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,960 associated with a refreshment of a deep well filled with crisp 428 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:58,240 water. You are a God of seeing. 429 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:05,520 And this monument for public testimony worked. 430 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,840 Does anybody know the next time that this name, the name of this 431 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:14,280 well, appears in the Bible? It only appears a total of three 432 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:16,520 times. This is the first one. 433 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:23,840 Any idea when it appears next? It's in Genesis. 434 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:37,320 Somebody said it, I think Isaac go to Genesis in chapter 24. 435 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:43,720 This is when the servant of Abraham looks for a wife for his 436 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:48,080 master's son Isaac, and Rebecca's on her way to her new 437 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:52,440 husband. And we read this in Genesis 2461 438 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:55,760 and 62. Then Rebecca and her young woman 439 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:59,040 arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. 440 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,080 Thus the servant took Rebecca and went his way. 441 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:07,760 Now Isaac had returned from Beer Lahai Roy and was dwelling in 442 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:12,600 the Nugget. Why do we need to know that 443 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:20,160 Isaac was at this? Well, now we don't have concrete 444 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:22,360 evidence. Can I tell you what I believe? 445 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:29,800 I believe he wanted to plant himself by the revelation that 446 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:34,880 God is the one who sees. Why do you need to find comfort 447 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,560 in that truth? I think you find the answer in 448 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:41,680 verse 67. Then Isaac brought her into the 449 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:45,320 10th of Sarah, his mother, and took Rebecca, and she became his 450 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:49,560 wife and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his 451 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:54,240 mother's death. This man was struggling with the 452 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:59,640 loss of his mother, and I believe that he was at the well 453 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:03,320 that was named. You are the God of seeing. 454 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:11,600 To just receive that truth for his own hurt, his own grief. 455 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:21,280 Isn't it amazing that where Hagar names us well, God 456 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:27,360 provides an answer beforehand. And mending her heart, How did 457 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:30,160 He do it? He appeared to her in a very 458 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:32,320 real and powerful supernatural way. 459 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:35,600 Now fast, for the next time this well is brought up, you have 460 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:37,120 Isaac. And we learned that he was 461 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:39,600 struggling with the loss of his mother. 462 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:44,840 And could it be that the Lord who saw comforted Isaac not with 463 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:52,440 a theophany, but with a wife, a companion, a new relationship? 464 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:56,960 Now let me give you the third time it is mentioned. 465 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:00,400 It's also with Isaac very nearby. 466 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:10,120 Come to Genesis 25, verse 11. After the death of Abraham, God 467 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:16,040 blessed Isaac his son and Isaac settled at Beer Lahai Roy. 468 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:20,560 So why does he go back to the well again? 469 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:26,520 Because now he loses his dad and I believe Isaac needed to return 470 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:29,880 to that truth. You are the God of seeing. 471 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:37,760 So collecting these these three unique references, is it 472 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:42,360 coincidental that each time the name you are the God who sees 473 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:45,720 you are the God of seeing appears in in relation to 474 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:50,560 relational pain? With Hagar, it was the hurt and 475 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:56,800 betrayal of those that brought her into their home and and and 476 00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:01,040 because of their lack of faith set her up only for her to 477 00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:05,640 experience the brunt and the rejection of the whole thing 478 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:11,840 abandoned. And then you come to Isaac and 479 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:17,199 the loss of both his parents is in connection with this well 480 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:22,080 that carries this revelation, the peace that comes with the 481 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:26,840 knowledge. God sees me and he doesn't look 482 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:29,960 upon me with indifference with with just it's not just his 483 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:31,639 omniscience that's an operation here. 484 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:37,159 He he sees with his heart. He sees with the preparation of 485 00:34:37,159 --> 00:34:42,920 bringing a solution to bring some kind of relief to you. 486 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:50,080 So how much do you believe that that as you're trying to manage 487 00:34:50,159 --> 00:34:56,159 the suffering, God sees and he doesn't leave us there. 488 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:03,200 He's ready to do something to rescue us, to bring us some kind 489 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:08,440 of level of hope and and sanity. That's what we see with Isaiah's 490 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:13,040 message to Hezekiah. God knows you're not in this 491 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:16,200 thing alone. He is aware and not not just 492 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:18,360 aware. He is your partner and He is 493 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:21,120 going to bring a solution. That's what he says in verse 494 00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:23,560 seven of our main tax. Behold, I will put a spirit in 495 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:26,760 him so that he shall hear a room and return to his own land, and 496 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:28,480 I will make him fall by the sword in his own land. 497 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:31,120 We'll see that next week, but let's complete the study 498 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:33,760 together with the last five verses here. 499 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:37,960 Once Hezekiah received this promise of victory, everything 500 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,120 began to shift in a new direction. 501 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:42,160 Look at verse 8. Let's read it down to verse 13. 502 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:44,960 The rapture could return and found the king of Assyria 503 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:48,240 fighting against Libna, for he heard that the king had left 504 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:51,520 Lahish. Now the king heard concerning 505 00:35:51,760 --> 00:35:55,320 Tirhaka, king of Kush. Behold, he set out to fight 506 00:35:55,320 --> 00:35:58,320 against you. So he sent messages again to 507 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:01,360 Hezekiah, saying, Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah, king of 508 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:03,560 Judah. Do not let your God, in whom you 509 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:07,560 trust, deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given 510 00:36:07,560 --> 00:36:09,000 into the hand of the king of Assyria. 511 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:12,080 Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to 512 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:14,280 all the lands, devoting them to destruction. 513 00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:17,560 And shall you be delivered? Have the gods of the nations 514 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:20,160 deliver them? The nations that my father's 515 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:24,640 destroyed, Gozen, Haran, Rezaf, and the people of Eden who are 516 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:28,120 in Telesar. Where's the king of Hamath, the 517 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:32,360 king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharbaim, the king of 518 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:37,880 Hina, or the king of Eva? So what's happening here? 519 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:41,720 This is so important to to note, we read that the Rap Shakur 520 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:43,720 returns. He's reunited with the king of 521 00:36:43,720 --> 00:36:46,560 Assyria because of a new scrimmage that takes place at 522 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:49,200 Libna. So this is another city of 523 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:51,280 Judah, right? Originally they were there at 524 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:54,280 Lahish, and now something happens at a new city. 525 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:57,080 So they go there and the Rap Shakur, the spokesperson for the 526 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:59,440 Kingdom of Assyria, joins the king. 527 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:02,560 And at the same time, they received news that the king of 528 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:06,560 Kush, a foreign enemy, is approaching the Assyrians, ready 529 00:37:06,560 --> 00:37:11,880 to fight them. So the Rap Shaka, now in 530 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:17,680 desperation as a last ditch effort, sends a message to 531 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:21,680 Hezekiah in Jerusalem saying it's time to surrender. 532 00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:28,320 It's this final attack to try to get them to give up. 533 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:33,480 But here's what's different. The Rap Shaka is not nearby to 534 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:35,920 speak with his voice. He sends a letter. 535 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:37,760 How do we know that? Look at the beginning of verse 536 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,480 14. Hezekiah received the letter 537 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:42,440 from the hand of the messengers and read it. 538 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:48,720 So now it comes in the mail. And there are a couple of 539 00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:53,280 important insights regarding this that can help us understand 540 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:55,840 how the enemy operates. Remember last week we looked at 541 00:37:55,840 --> 00:38:00,600 how the enemy wars against our minds and, and the seven lies, 542 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:03,920 at least seven of the lies of the father of lies that we 543 00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:06,920 should expect. So we're we're here again, we're 544 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:11,600 looking at how Satan works. And one way that we know he 545 00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:14,480 works is that if he can't keep you from being exposed to God's 546 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:18,840 word like you are here tonight, if he can't keep you from 547 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:25,160 receiving God's word, he is ready to assault you after you 548 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:30,240 receive it. Notice the timing of Seneca reps 549 00:38:30,240 --> 00:38:33,080 threats. It came shortly after the 550 00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:37,600 comforting ministry of the prophet Isaiah, the message of 551 00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:43,680 victory that was guaranteed. And almost immediately, Hezekiah 552 00:38:43,680 --> 00:38:47,400 receives another voice saying, don't believe it. 553 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:52,600 It's not going to happen. Come on. 554 00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:55,040 Look at look at this and look at that. 555 00:38:56,080 --> 00:39:00,040 And so he is revisited with the same lies that we looked at last 556 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:02,600 week. And here's what you have to 557 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:04,360 understand. I see so many Christians, they 558 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:09,240 miss this in the same way that the king of Assyria did not 559 00:39:09,240 --> 00:39:14,520 easily give up to discourage and lie to the servant of God. 560 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:19,920 You and I should be ready always for the same kind of approach 561 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:24,920 and at the same time the same relentlessness to stand up 562 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:29,880 against those lies. So people who struggle, they 563 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:33,240 come, they're like, you know, I barely have any strength to even 564 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:35,920 show my face anywhere, but I'll do it. 565 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:40,360 So they come to the House of God and they walk out and go, well, 566 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:42,120 that didn't really do much for me. 567 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:45,560 They call the man of God. They call a friend who's a woman 568 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:47,640 of God. And they and they receive prayer 569 00:39:47,640 --> 00:39:49,640 and nothing seems to change right away. 570 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:51,880 So what do they do? They just give in. 571 00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:55,000 They just surrender. They just wallow. 572 00:39:56,880 --> 00:39:59,200 Is that what we see Hezekiah doing even though there's a 573 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:01,560 second attempt from the king of Assyria? 574 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:04,920 No, look again at verse 14. Hezekiah received the letter 575 00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:08,480 from the hand of the messengers and read it, and Hezekiah went 576 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:11,200 up to the House of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. 577 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:13,480 Almost a copy paste of what we read earlier. 578 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:19,480 So he is attacked again. And what did you do? 579 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:21,160 All right, fine, I'm going. I'm going to the House of the 580 00:40:21,160 --> 00:40:25,400 Lord again. He's assaulted again. 581 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:27,520 His faith is being challenging. What did you do? 582 00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:31,560 I'm going to pray again. I'm going to keep my head in the 583 00:40:31,560 --> 00:40:33,040 word. I'm going to, I'm going to still 584 00:40:33,040 --> 00:40:35,760 fellowship with the Saints. I'm not just going to give up. 585 00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:40,480 This is a war. Scripture tells us we're 586 00:40:40,480 --> 00:40:46,880 wrestling against these things. And so be reminded that Satan 587 00:40:46,880 --> 00:40:49,520 will not give up. Why do you give up so easily? 588 00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:54,200 This man's a wonderful example not to give up. 589 00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:59,360 Here's the second thing. Although the goal of Snack Reb 590 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:02,520 was the same, his method slightly changed. 591 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:08,080 Remember the first time he amplified his voice and he spoke 592 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:11,920 in the language of the citizens of Jerusalem, the people of 593 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:13,840 Judah. I'm here for you. 594 00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:18,200 You're all coming with me to Syria. 595 00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:22,400 Now he's at a distance, so he sends a letter. 596 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:29,880 The enemy is very creative and he has different methods of 597 00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:36,600 messing with us, different avenues, different means, 598 00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:43,560 different servants, and so there are times where Satan will 599 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:48,400 inspire and implant a lie directly into your heart. 600 00:41:50,240 --> 00:41:51,920 Do you know, do I know how I know he can do that? 601 00:41:51,920 --> 00:41:55,680 I may not explain, be able to explain how that works. 602 00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:58,600 All I know is that it happens. Let me give you a New Testament 603 00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:00,480 example. Look at John 13 verse 2. 604 00:42:04,240 --> 00:42:08,480 This is in the upper Room discourse, at least in 605 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:12,480 preparation for it in John 13. Two, what do we read during 606 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:16,640 supper when the devil had already put it into the heart of 607 00:42:16,640 --> 00:42:20,280 Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him? 608 00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:25,000 Now you read later on this chapter that Satan entered into 609 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:27,600 Judas. So this is not the devil working 610 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:30,720 in Judas's heart because he abided in Judas. 611 00:42:30,720 --> 00:42:34,640 No, that would come later. This, I believe, is evidence 612 00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:43,560 that Satan can put things in our hearts, and the way we make room 613 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:48,680 for that is through sin, disobedience, sometimes fear, 614 00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:51,640 unbelief. There are footholds that we can 615 00:42:51,640 --> 00:42:53,600 give to. Satan is not what we read in 616 00:42:53,600 --> 00:42:57,800 Ephesians that we should not go to bed before the sun comes down 617 00:42:57,800 --> 00:43:00,320 in our anger, lest we give a foothold to the devil. 618 00:43:02,320 --> 00:43:07,000 So one of the ways where Satan can meddle with us is directly 619 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:10,800 the mechanics of that. I may not be able to explain. 620 00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:16,640 I just see that it's possible sometimes Satan can lie to us 621 00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:20,640 and discourage us through other people, people that we know and 622 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:24,200 people that we don't know. Can anybody provide evidence for 623 00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:29,080 that in the New Testament? Good. 624 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:32,880 I heard it. Peter and Jesus, Matthew 1623. 625 00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:36,040 Get behind me. What Satan? 626 00:43:39,120 --> 00:43:44,800 And why was Peter in that moment a tool for Satan? 627 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:47,320 Because his mind was set on the things of men and not on the 628 00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:50,480 things of God. His thinking was not in 629 00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:53,360 alignment with the truth, so Satan could take advantage of 630 00:43:53,360 --> 00:43:55,440 that. And how was Satan going to try 631 00:43:55,440 --> 00:43:59,160 to get to the Son of God through one of his closest friends? 632 00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:04,280 I wouldn't use as an excuse for you to call people Satan, by the 633 00:44:04,280 --> 00:44:05,480 way. Be very slow to do that. 634 00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:15,520 Satan can also use seemingly innocent, even charming things 635 00:44:16,880 --> 00:44:21,040 to persuade us. I think of Genesis 31, the 636 00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:26,520 serpent being the craftiest of all the animals approached Eve. 637 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:31,440 There are so many Christians who lack discernment. 638 00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:34,720 They don't even understand how the things that they entertain, 639 00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:37,680 the things that they keep as pets, and I'm not talking about 640 00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:44,640 actual pets, entertainment, things that they allow here and 641 00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:49,600 then here, and they are being discipled into unbelief. 642 00:44:51,600 --> 00:44:58,640 They are being aroused to sin, failing to understand that the 643 00:44:58,640 --> 00:45:03,040 Prince of the power of the air is in charge of this evil world, 644 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:11,640 and he is clever enough to use clever things to clutch us and 645 00:45:11,640 --> 00:45:16,200 to create fogginess in our thinking and to weaken us in our 646 00:45:16,200 --> 00:45:22,240 fight against his lies. Despite all the weapons that the 647 00:45:22,240 --> 00:45:27,160 enemy may wield, we possess 1 weapon that defends against them 648 00:45:27,160 --> 00:45:30,080 all, the written word of the living God. 649 00:45:33,240 --> 00:45:34,960 And even in this very battle, what do we see? 650 00:45:34,960 --> 00:45:38,960 A clash of two messages. One message from God who says 651 00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:43,960 I'm going to give you victory, Hezekiah, and a message from the 652 00:45:44,040 --> 00:45:46,040 enemy who says don't believe him. 653 00:45:48,200 --> 00:45:51,840 Which one will Hezekiah believe? That is really the essence of 654 00:45:51,840 --> 00:45:55,680 spiritual warfare, by the way. Every single day you and I have 655 00:45:55,680 --> 00:45:58,920 to muster up the strength, and the strength is really given by 656 00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:00,800 God if we receive it from Him humbly. 657 00:46:00,960 --> 00:46:04,840 But we try to find the strength in God to believe Him. 658 00:46:07,160 --> 00:46:08,720 It really boils down to that, right? 659 00:46:10,240 --> 00:46:13,480 Why do people sin? Because they believe the lie of 660 00:46:13,480 --> 00:46:16,680 that temptation. Why do people sin? 661 00:46:16,680 --> 00:46:19,360 Because in that moment where they give in to that temptation, 662 00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:24,560 they don't believe God. They believe this will satisfy 663 00:46:24,560 --> 00:46:26,640 me, where God says no, this will hurt you. 664 00:46:27,120 --> 00:46:29,080 They believe that this will prosper me. 665 00:46:29,080 --> 00:46:31,040 When God says no, this will poison you. 666 00:46:32,720 --> 00:46:34,200 They believe that this will bring purpose to me. 667 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:36,760 When God says no, this will deform you. 668 00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:42,760 And so the essence of spiritual warfare on a daily basis is 669 00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:45,280 choosing to believe God. That's how we know victory. 670 00:46:47,320 --> 00:46:50,920 And when you and I say no to lies, whether it's in the form 671 00:46:50,920 --> 00:46:59,200 of a temptation for a lust or to fear, when we choose to believe 672 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:05,320 God, that's one step of V1 step closer to knowing all that God 673 00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:09,440 has for us and to being the ones who have Satan underneath our 674 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:12,360 feet. Well, I think this is a good 675 00:47:12,360 --> 00:47:14,000 place to pause before we continue. 676 00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:25,330 Will we choose to believe God? Is there anything in your life 677 00:47:25,410 --> 00:47:43,110 where you are not trusting God? Lay your unbelief. 678 00:47:44,990 --> 00:47:49,590 Lay the lies that have bombarded you all week, all month, maybe 679 00:47:49,590 --> 00:47:53,310 even all year. Lay them at the feet of the 680 00:47:53,310 --> 00:47:56,350 Lord, as you now find yourself in the House of the Lord. 681 00:47:57,520 --> 00:48:01,960 Spread it before God. And even if your faith is not 682 00:48:01,960 --> 00:48:07,080 complete, trust that your very act of surrender is enough to 683 00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:17,400 move God to move on your behalf. Finally, let's ask God to help 684 00:48:17,400 --> 00:48:20,160 us believe that He sees everything. 685 00:48:24,240 --> 00:48:26,520 We tend to believe that for our accountability. 686 00:48:26,520 --> 00:48:28,320 No, let's believe that for our good. 687 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:33,920 Believe it for your comfort. Believe it for your future, 688 00:48:33,920 --> 00:48:39,000 believe it for your pain. Lord, tonight we've heard your 689 00:48:39,080 --> 00:48:53,270 voice so loud and clear. Help us believe every part of 690 00:48:53,270 --> 00:49:05,480 it. We pray for any discouragement, 691 00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:12,480 any overpowering temptation. Any recurring lie seems to never 692 00:49:12,480 --> 00:49:17,480 be able to go away. We asked by your divine 693 00:49:17,480 --> 00:49:22,160 intervention that today would be the turning point and that the 694 00:49:22,160 --> 00:49:25,680 struggling one tonight would have the same testimony as Asaph 695 00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:30,120 until I went to the sanctuary of God and discern their end. 696 00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:36,040 Lastly, Lord, we asked for Maranatha Bible Church that 697 00:49:36,040 --> 00:49:40,280 whenever these doors are opened and people choose to come in, 698 00:49:43,280 --> 00:49:49,360 they would know greater clarity and confidence and that we would 699 00:49:49,360 --> 00:49:55,040 have your perspective imparted for our predicaments. 700 00:50:00,160 --> 00:50:02,800 And it's it's very possible, Lord, that as we even walk out 701 00:50:02,800 --> 00:50:08,760 of here, the enemy is waiting to cause us to doubt. 702 00:50:11,800 --> 00:50:15,240 So even though we may not feel the inspiration that we sense in 703 00:50:15,240 --> 00:50:18,840 this very moment tonight or even tomorrow morning, help us not 704 00:50:18,840 --> 00:50:25,000 give up and go to war and show up here on Sunday and stay on 705 00:50:25,000 --> 00:50:28,880 our knees and make those phone calls until we overcome. 706 00:50:32,560 --> 00:50:34,760 We worship you tonight. We say thank you for this Bible 707 00:50:34,760 --> 00:50:37,440 study. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 708 00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:40,840 Let's stand, let's worship the living God together. 709 00:50:40,840 --> 00:50:43,120 He sees us, He knows us. I 710 00:51:15,620 --> 00:51:21,220 want to offer you maybe a tip to recalibrate your prayer life. 711 00:51:21,740 --> 00:51:25,340 A tip that's helped me since I first came to Christ. 712 00:51:26,980 --> 00:51:29,780 We've all been there where you try to be intentional to pray 713 00:51:29,780 --> 00:51:37,120 and you're instead visited by a mental reminder of your laundry 714 00:51:37,120 --> 00:51:40,880 and the things that you got to do and maybe situations and 715 00:51:40,880 --> 00:51:43,040 instead of praying about them, you're just thinking about them. 716 00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:52,000 In those times I I stop and I sometimes even will say this out 717 00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:59,120 loud. I am talking to Jesus Christ of 718 00:51:59,120 --> 00:52:05,480 Nazareth who walked this earth 2000 years ago, died, was 719 00:52:05,480 --> 00:52:12,160 buried, rose from the grave and is seated at the right hand of 720 00:52:12,160 --> 00:52:19,160 God and promised me that if I ask anything in his name, He not 721 00:52:19,160 --> 00:52:21,040 only hears me but will answer me. 722 00:52:22,560 --> 00:52:31,200 Jesus Christ sees me in this very moment and it never fails 723 00:52:31,200 --> 00:52:33,840 to help me get back into real praying. 724 00:52:36,480 --> 00:52:43,720 And I can tell you over a cup of coffee about the times we're 725 00:52:43,720 --> 00:52:47,080 leaving that kind of a room, that kind of a moment in my car 726 00:52:47,080 --> 00:52:50,040 or a long walk where he showed me. 727 00:52:50,040 --> 00:52:54,680 I, I heard you and I see you and it's no different for you. 728 00:52:56,600 --> 00:52:58,960 So we're going to end this time tonight. 729 00:52:58,960 --> 00:53:03,640 But after hearing all that, I'll be remiss not to make an 730 00:53:03,640 --> 00:53:07,520 invitation. If you need a miracle from God, 731 00:53:08,600 --> 00:53:11,960 if you need somebody to partner with you in prayer for anything, 732 00:53:12,480 --> 00:53:17,080 I'm here. Nothing spectacular, no 733 00:53:17,080 --> 00:53:22,200 spectacle, just simple prayer between two siblings in Christ 734 00:53:23,080 --> 00:53:26,320 to believe in all powerful God, to help you where you might feel 735 00:53:26,320 --> 00:53:27,920 surrounded. Amen. 736 00:53:28,640 --> 00:53:30,120 Well, we thank you for the study. 737 00:53:31,200 --> 00:53:35,200 We thank you that we don't just study these truths, we can live 738 00:53:35,200 --> 00:53:38,720 and experience them. We pray that we would be a 739 00:53:38,720 --> 00:53:41,840 people of the book, not just in knowledge, but with testimonies 740 00:53:42,280 --> 00:53:47,040 of how what we've studied we can also experience and say it's 741 00:53:47,040 --> 00:53:51,200 true, it's true, it's true. Lord, go with us. 742 00:53:51,680 --> 00:53:53,800 We set you before us and you're our right hand. 743 00:53:53,800 --> 00:53:56,880 Therefore, we will not be shaken and we pray for your protection 744 00:53:56,880 --> 00:53:58,840 over every baptism candidate for this Sunday. 745 00:53:58,840 --> 00:54:02,240 We pray for your name to be exalted this upcoming Sunday and 746 00:54:02,240 --> 00:54:05,760 that there will be great praise and honor for your name. 747 00:54:06,440 --> 00:54:09,960 We love you and we we are privileged to serve you. 748 00:54:10,480 --> 00:54:12,600 In Jesus name we pray, Amen.