PM Isaiah 38 & 39 Intermittent Piety?

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[4:30] In all his realm.

[5:01] That Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah. And said to him. What did these men say?

[5:15] And from where did they come to you? Hezekiah said. They have come to me from a far country. From Babylon. He said.

[5:27] What have they seen in your house? Hezekiah answered. They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses.

[5:38] That I did not show them. Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah. Hear the word of the Lord of hosts. Behold.

[5:48] The days are coming. When all that is in your house. And that which your fathers have stored up. Till this day. Shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left.

[6:00] Says the Lord. And some of your own sons. Who will come from you. Whom you will father. Shall be taken away. And they shall be eunuchs. In the palace of the king of Babylon.

[6:13] Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah. The word of the Lord. That you have spoken. Is good. For he thought. There will be peace.

[6:26] And security. In my days. Amen. And may God bless to us. That reading from his word. And to his name. Be the praise.

[6:37] Shall we come before the Lord again in prayer. Isaiah. Chapters 38 and 39. Which I'd like to look with you briefly this evening.

[6:49] Under the title. Intermittent Piety. With a question mark. Intermittent Piety.

[6:59] I enjoy reading biographies. Particularly Christian. And political biographies. The thing about a good biography.

[7:12] Is that. It helps you understand. What makes the person tick. You gain insight. Into what.

[7:23] They're really like. I recently read. A biography. Of Sir John Lane. Lane.

[7:33] Lane was a committed Christian. Who turned a small. Cumbrian building business. Into a multi-million pound. Construction company.

[7:44] During his life. He gave away. Much of the. The money. He made from the business. And to this day. The trusts.

[7:55] Which he set up. Give millions of pounds. To Christian causes. Each year. The centenary.

[8:06] Of the initial trust. Was last year. And it was reckoned. That over the past. Century. The trusts.

[8:17] Have given. Over 500 million pounds. To good causes. One reason. Or perhaps.

[8:28] The reason. For John Lane's. Success. Is that. At an early stage. In his career. career. He promised.

[8:39] The Lord. To make him. A partner. In his business. The Old Testament.

[8:50] Gives us. Potted biographies. Of the kings. Of Judah. And Israel. This evening. What I'd like to do.

[9:00] Is to look with you. At aspects. Of the life. Of one of the better kings. King Hezekiah. He was king. Of the southern kingdom. Of Judah. For some 29 years.

[9:13] Around the year. 700 BC. Unusually. Extensive information. Is found about him. In the prophecy. Of Isaiah.

[9:24] As well as in. The books of kings. And chronicles. That's because. The events. Of Hezekiah's reign. Act as a kind of bridge.

[9:35] Between the earlier. Part of Isaiah. Where the focus. Is very much. On Assyria. And the later part. Where much of the focus. Is on the future.

[9:46] Captivity. Of God's people. In Babylon. Before we look. In more detail. At the chapters. We've read.

[9:57] Let me outline. Some other aspects. Aspects. Of Hezekiah's life. And reign. Hezekiah. Inherited. The throne of Judah. From his father.

[10:08] Ahaz. At the age. Of 25. Ahaz. Had been. A bad king. The Bible. Says. That he did not. Do.

[10:19] What was right. In the eyes. Of the Lord. His God. He allied. Himself. With the powerful. Assyrian. Empire. And he.

[10:31] Was required. To be. To make Judah. A vassal kingdom. And pay tribute. To Assyria. But Hezekiah. Was very different.

[10:41] From his father. The Bible. Says of him. That he did. What was right. In the eyes. Of the Lord. He trusted. In the Lord. The God of Israel.

[10:52] So that there was. None like him. Among all the kings. Of Judah. After him. Nor among those. Who were before him. He made a very promising.

[11:02] Start as king. By removing the high places. Where unauthorized worship. Was offered. That was something. None of his predecessors.

[11:13] Had done. He also cut down. Symbols of idolatrous worship. He even broke in pieces. The bronze serpent. Moses. Had made.

[11:23] When the Israelites. Fell prey. To a plague. Of poisonous serpents. In the desert. Since it too.

[11:33] Was becoming. A focus. Of worship. Hezekiah. Demonstrated. Real faith. In God.

[11:43] Not least. When in 701 BC. The Assyrian king. Sennacherib. Launched a major assault.

[11:54] On Judah. Although Hezekiah's first response. Was to bargain with Sennacherib. He refused to be intimidated. When the Assyrian king.

[12:06] Sent an army. To Jerusalem. To pressure the city. Into surrendering. When he received a letter. From Sennacherib. He went.

[12:16] To the temple. And spread it out. Before the Lord. He prayed. Earnestly. That God. Would save his people. That all the kingdoms. Of the earth.

[12:27] May know. That you. O Lord. Are God. Alone. And his prayer. Was heard. That night. One hundred eighty five.

[12:39] Thousand men. In the Assyrian camp. Were struck down. Dead. As a result. Sennacherib withdrew.

[12:50] And went home. To Nineveh. The Assyrian. Came down. Like a wolf. On the fold. Lord Byron. Wrote. In a well-known poem.

[13:01] But the might. Of the Gentile. Unsmote. By the sword. Hath melted. Like snow. In the glance. Of the Lord.

[13:11] In answer. To Hezekiah's prayers. God saved. His people. God saved. Jerusalem. By his supernatural.

[13:22] Power. The showdown. With Sennacherib. Is recorded. For us. In Isaiah. Chapters. Thirty six. And thirty seven.

[13:32] But even. Conservative. Commentators. Are of the opinion. That the events. Of the chapters. We read. This evening. In chapters.

[13:43] Thirty eight. And thirty nine. Actually. Took place. Before. The brush. With Sennacherib. They point out. How. Following.

[13:54] His illness. The Lord. Promises. Hezekiah. In verse. Eight. Eight. I will deliver you.

[14:05] And this city. Out of the hand. Of the king. Of Assyria. Sorry. Verse six. I will deliver you. And this city. Out of the hand.

[14:15] Of the king. Of Assyria. And will defend. This city. That was a promise. That was fulfilled. When Sennacherib. Failed to take Jerusalem.

[14:26] The assumption is. That the order of events. Has been reversed. By Isaiah. For theological reasons. What I would like to do.

[14:38] Is to contrast. Hezekiah's behavior. In chapter. Thirty eight. And his behavior. In chapter thirty nine.

[14:51] Chapter thirty eight. Is taken up. With Hezekiah's illness. And subsequent. Recovery. He was not an old man. When he was struck down. By a potentially fatal illness.

[15:04] He was only thirty nine. As he lay seriously ill. The prophet Isaiah. Came to visit him. His message was apparently.

[15:16] Uncompromising. Set your house in order. Isaiah said. For you shall die. You shall not recover. In response.

[15:27] Hezekiah. Might have done. What he could. To sort out his affairs. And waited. To die. But that's not what he did.

[15:40] Instead. He turned to prayer. God had spoken. And yet. Hezekiah felt. There was at least. The possibility. Of a different outcome.

[15:53] As he pleaded. With the Lord. To show mercy. Please. Oh Lord. Remember. How I have walked. Before you. In faithfulness. And with a whole heart.

[16:05] And I've done. What is good. In your sight. Hezekiah. Didn't conclude. That Isaiah's. Pronouncement. Was necessarily.

[16:16] The last word. On his situation. Of course. There's mystery here. God. Forordains. Whatever. Comes to pass.

[16:28] And yet. He's more than. Raw will. He is sovereign. But he's also. Merciful. And he. Interacts.

[16:39] With his. Rational creatures. He doesn't. Treat us. Like. Automata. Our reactions. And choices. Matter. And they're swept up.

[16:50] In the fulfillment. Of his purposes. There's a parallel. Situation. In the book of Jonah. We looked at that.

[17:00] The last time. I was here. The message. Jonah was required. To proclaim. To the Ninevites. Was. Yet. Forty days. And Nineveh. Will be destroyed.

[17:10] Judgment. Judgment. Was inevitable. Or so it seemed. But how did the king of Nineveh react? What did his decree say?

[17:23] Let everyone turn. From his evil way. And from the violence. That is in his hands. Who knows. God may turn.

[17:34] And repent. And turn from his fierce anger. So that we may not perish. The king spoke. Wiser than he knew. In his grace.

[17:46] And mercy. God was giving the Ninevites. A window of opportunity. For repentance. They seized that window of opportunity.

[17:57] With the result. That judgment. Was averted. In a similar way. God answered. Hezekiah's. Earnest prayer.

[18:10] And granted him. Another. Fifteen years. Of life. Not only that. He graciously. Granted him. A cosmic sign. As confirmation. The sun.

[18:22] Went backwards. In the sky. The rest of chapter 38. Is taken up. With. The psalm of praise.

[18:34] That Hezekiah wrote. As he reflected. On his experience. The psalm gives us. Insight into the king's mindset.

[18:45] He acknowledges. God's sovereignty. Over life. And death. And his own dependence. It was God. Who had been about. To cut him off.

[18:57] From the room. And bring him to an end. And it was God. Who had delivered his life. From the pit. Of destruction. Hezekiah highlights.

[19:08] God's love and mercy. In love. You have delivered my life. From the pit of destruction. For you have cast. All my sins.

[19:19] Behind your back. Although. He had pleaded with God. On the basis of. His uprightness of life. Hezekiah recognizes.

[19:32] That he had no ultimate claim. On God. On his own account. It was God. Who had to cast.

[19:44] All his sins. Behind his back. This mention of sins. Is interesting. Was Hezekiah aware. Of specific sins. That were bound up.

[19:55] With his illness. Or was he simply aware. In a general sense. Of his sinfulness. In the sight. Of a holy God.

[20:07] And of the fact. That death is. The penalty of sin. It's not clear. Either way. Hezekiah.

[20:18] Hezekiah acknowledges. That the experience. He has come through. Has been good for him. Verse 17.

[20:29] Behold. It was for my welfare. That I had great bitterness. But in love. You have delivered. My life.

[20:41] Hezekiah. Hezekiah. Hezekiah. Is now resolved. To walk humbly. Before God. All his years. And to worship. The Lord.

[20:51] In his house. All the days. Of his life. The Lord. Will save me. He writes. And we will play. My music. On stringed instruments. All the days.

[21:02] Of our lives. At the house. Of the Lord. God often uses.

[21:13] Negative. And difficult. And difficult. Experiences. To bless. And refine. His people. I mentioned. Sir John.

[21:23] Laying. Earlier. While he was still. A young man. And in the process. Of taking the business. Over from his. Elderly father. He supervised.

[21:35] A public works. Contract. Which went. Badly wrong. The firm. Was probably. Stitched up.

[21:47] But there was. A real possibility. That the family. Would be. Bankrupted. It was. An extremely. Worrying time. For the young. Laying.

[21:58] There was. Uncertainty. For the contract. Itself. It looked. As if. They would lose. A lot of money. On it. But in. Addition. There were. Third. Parties.

[22:08] Threatening. To take them. To law. Because of. The way. They felt. They had been. Adversely. Affected. By the work. Carried out. The situation.

[22:19] Looked. Grim. What was. Laying. To do. He turned. To the Lord. In prayer. He committed. The matter. To the Lord.

[22:30] In prayer. And he promised. The Lord. That if only. He would get him. Out of his. Immediate. Difficulties. He would. Make him. Effectively. A partner.

[22:40] In his business. And ensure. That a sizable. Proportion. Of any profits. Made. Would be given. To the Lord's work. Well the Lord.

[22:53] Did enable. Laying. To get through. That difficulty. And John. Laying. In turn. And kept. His promise. He'd been through.

[23:04] A sore experience. That God. Used it. For good. And on account. Of the commitment. Which he made.

[23:15] And kept. Laying. Was in a position. To handle. Well. The great wealth. That later. Came.

[23:26] His way. We now move. Into chapter. 39. Hezekiah.

[23:38] Has proved. God's faithfulness. In the events. Recounted. In chapter. 38. Surely. He can be. Counted on. To cope.

[23:49] With any. Situation. In a God. Honoring. Way. Way. But that's not. Exactly. What we see. Here. Envoys.

[24:01] Come. To Judah. From. Merida. Baladan. The king. Of Babylon. The ostensible. Reason. For their coming. Is.

[24:13] To convey. The king's. Good wishes. To Hezekiah. On his recovery. From illness. And to present. Him. With a gift. But more.

[24:25] Lies. Behind the visit. Babylon. Was subject. To the Assyrian. Empire. And. Merida. Baladan. To use a phrase.

[24:36] That we often. Hear. These days. Was. On. Manoeuvres. He. Had. Begun. To goad. His Assyrian. Overlords.

[24:47] And he. Was. No doubt. Keen. To promote. A diversionary. Uprising. In Palestine. Hezekiah. Greets. The envoys.

[24:58] Warmly. He's. Flattered. That someone. As important. As. Merida. Baladan. Is paying. Court. To him. The visit.

[25:09] Boosts. His sense. Of self-worth. He. He. He. He. He. And. So. He. Let's. Down. His. Guard. He. Throws. Caution. To the winds.

[25:19] He. Takes. The envoys. Into. His. Confidence. And. Shows. Them. All. His. Stores. And. Treasures. After all. He's. Keen. To impress.

[25:30] Them. Their. Potential. Allies. Hezekiah. Doesn't. Seem. To have. Thought. That.

[25:41] There. Was. Any. Possibility. Of. The. Babylonians. Becoming. Potential. Enemies. That. Thought. Doesn't. Seem. To have. Crossed.

[25:51] His. Mind. And. Why. Would. He. Want. To. Ally. Himself. With. Them. Anyway. When. God. Was. On. His. Side. And.

[26:01] Was. Committed. To. His. People. Hezekiah. Wasn't. Just. Naive. His. Faith.

[26:12] In. The. God. Who. Had. Proved. His. Faithfulness. To. Him. So. Recently. Was. Beginning. To. Falter. The.

[26:25] Prophet. Isaiah. Pays. The. King. Another. Visit. And. Asks. Him. A. Couple. Of. Direct. Questions. What. Did.

[26:35] These. Men. Say. And. From. Where. Did. They. Come. To. You. And. It's. Interesting. That. Hezekiah. Doesn't. Attempt. To.

[26:45] Answer. That. First. Question. He. Doesn't. Tell. Isaiah. What. The. Envoy. Said. Instead. He. Simply. Answers. The. Second. Question. He.

[26:57] Says. They. Have. Come. To. Me. From. A. Far. Country. From. Babylon. His. Failure. To. Answer. That. First. Question. Suggests. That.

[27:08] He. Had. Something. To. Hide. Clearly. It. Wasn't. Just. The. State. Of. His. Health. They. Had. Been. Discussing. Concerted. Concerted. Military.

[27:18] Action. Of. Some. Kind. And. The. Answer. Which. Hezekiah. Gives. To. That. Second. Question. Reminds.

[27:29] Me. Of. The. Gibeonite. Deception. Recorded. For. Us. In. Joshua. Chapter. Eight. If. You. Remember. When. Joshua.

[27:39] And. The. Israelites. Entered. The. Promised. Land. They. Were. Under. Strict. Instructions. Not. To. Enter. Into. Alliances. With. The.

[27:49] People. Of. The. Land. They. Were. Not. To. Forge. Alliances. With. The. People. Of. Canaan. But. The. Citizens. Of. Gibeon. Resorted.

[28:00] To. A. Ruse. They. Sent. Envoys. To. Meet. With. The. Israelites. And. Their. Envoys. Pretended. To. Have. Come. From. A. Far. Country.

[28:12] They. Wore. Worn. Out. Clothes. And. Patch. Sandals. They. Had. Old. Sacks. And. Torn. Wine. Skins. They. Even. Had. Dry. Crumbly.

[28:22] Bread. Which. They. Assured. The. Israelites. Had. Been. Warm. When. They. Left. Home. They. Really. Looked. The. Part. And.

[28:34] The. Israelites. Were. Taken. In. What. Does. The. Bible. Say. The. Men. Took. Some. Of. Their. Provisions. But.

[28:46] Did. Not. Ask. Counsel. From. The. Lord. They. Tried. Eating. Some. Of. The. Dry. Crumbly. Bread. And. There. Was. No. Denying. The.

[28:56] Bread. Was. Old. But. They. Had. Been. Tricked. The. Israelites. Did. Not. Ask. Counsel. From. The. Lord. No.

[29:07] They. Relied. On. Their. Wits. And. In. Much. The. Same. Way. In. This. Situation. Hezekiah. Allowed. Himself. To. Be. Flattered. And. Deceived.

[29:20] And. He. Failed. To. Trust. God. When. Isaiah. Hears. That. The. Envoys. Have. Seen.

[29:30] All. The. King's. Treasures. He. Makes. A. Solemn. Pronouncement. Hear. The. Word. Of. The. Lord. Of. Hosts. Behold. The. Days. Are. Coming. When. All. That.

[29:40] Is. In. Your. House. And. That. Which. Your. Fathers. Have. Stored. Up. Till. This. Day. Shall. Be. Carried. To. Babylon. Nothing. Shall. Be. Left. Says. The. Lord. And.

[29:51] Some. Of. Your. Own. Sons. Who. Will. Come. From. You. Have.

[30:05] Taken. A. Shine. To. The. Babylonians. Well. One. Day. Your. Descendants. Will. End. Up. As. Slaves. In.

[30:15] The. Babylonian. Court. You. Have. Shown. The. Envoys. Everything. You. Have. One. Day.

[30:25] Everything. You. Have. Will. Be. Carted. Off. As. Booty. To. Babylon. And. Babylon. Would. In. Due. Course. Proved. To. Be. A. More.

[30:36] Potent. Threat. To. Judah. Than. Assyria. Was. Hezekiah's.

[30:46] Reaction. To. Isaiah's. Pronouncement. Is. Fascinating. Look. At. What. He says. Verse. Eight.

[30:57] Then. Said. Hezekiah. To. Isaiah. The. Word. Of. The. Lord. That. You. Have. Spoken. Is. Good. For. He. Thought. There.

[31:08] Will. Be. Peace. And. Security. In. My. Days. The. Word. Of. The. Lord. That. You. Have. Spoken. Is. Good. At. First.

[31:19] Blush. It. Seems. That. Hezekiah. Is. Humbling. Himself. Under. God's. Mighty. Hand. He. Accepts. What. God. Has. To. Say. Without.

[31:30] Complaint. Despite. Its. Negative. Implications. For. His. Family. But. Then. We. See. The. Final. Words.

[31:40] Of. The. Chapter. For. He. Thought. There. Will. Be. Peace. And. Security. In. My. Days.

[31:51] There. Will. Be. Peace. And. Security. In. My. Days. You. See. Hezekiah. Isn't. Thinking. About. His. Family. At. All. He's. Thinking. About. Himself.

[32:02] His. Focus. Is. On. Himself. As. Long. As. He. Won't. Have. To. Face. The. Upheaval. Of. War. And. Exile. He's. Content. But.

[32:13] Just. Think. How. Did. He. React. When. Isaiah. Came. To. Tell. Him. That. He. Was. Going. To. Die. He. Didn't. Accept. That. Lying.

[32:23] Down. If. You. Pardon. The. Expression. He. Instantly. Turned. To. Prayer. But. Not. Now. He. Doesn't. Intercede. For. His. Family. Even.

[32:34] Though. They. Face. Being. Eunuchs. Of. The. Babylonian. Court. With. All. The. Pain. And. Indignity. That. Would. Entail. Instead. The. Word. Of. The.

[32:44] Lord. That. You. Have. Spoken. Is. Good. So. What. Can. We. Learn. From. Hezekiah. In. These.

[32:55] Chapters. Let. Me. Highlight. Very. Briefly. Five. Things. First. We. Are.

[33:05] All. Inconsistent. At. Best. Hezekiah. Hezekiah. Was. One. Of. The. Very. Best. Kings. We. Read. About. In. The. Bible. He. Was. A. Man. Of.

[33:15] God. He. Did. Great. Things. He. Exercised. Great. Trust. In. The. Lord. But. On. Occasion. His. Will.

[33:26] Was. Fickle. Under. The. Trials. And. Temptations. Of. Life. In. Other. Words. He. Was. Inconsistent. The.

[33:37] Man. Who. Courageously. Cleared. Out. Idolatrous. Worship. Was. Open. To. Being. Flattered. By. Babylonian. Envoys.

[33:47] The. Man. Who. Pleaded. Earnestly. With. God. For. His. Own. Life. Didn't. Ask. God. To. Spare. His. Descendants. From. Slavery.

[33:59] In. A. Foreign. Land. As. Has. Often. Been. Pointed. Out. The. Best. Of. Men. Are. But. Men.

[34:10] At. Best. I. Like. John. Wesley's. Prayer. Save. Us. From. Intermittent. Piety.

[34:22] And. Make. Us. Thoroughly. Christian. Save. Us. From. Intermittent. Piety. And. Make. Us. Thoroughly. Christian. It's. A. Prayer. We.

[34:32] All. Need. To. Make. Our. Own. Of. Course. The. Davidic. Kings. Pointed. Forward. To. The. Coming.

[34:43] Messianic. King. And. How. Thankful. We. Should. Be. That. While. They. Were. All. To. Some. Degree. At. Least. A. Disappointment.

[34:55] In. Jesus. We. Have. A. King. Who. Is. Perfect. A. King. Who. Was. Prepared. To. Lay. Down. His. Life. For. Sinners.

[35:05] Like. You. And. Me. A. King. Who. Intercedes. For. His. People. At. The. Right. Hand. Of. God. The. Father. A. King. Who. Is. Willing. And. A. A. To. Guarantee.

[35:15] Each. Of. Them. Safe. Passage. To. The. Eternal. Home. He. Is. Prepared. For. Them. We.

[35:26] Are. All. Inconsistent. Secondly. We. Need. To. Be. Vigilant. Hezekiah. Reacted. Well.

[35:38] In. His. Health. Crisis. He. Acknowledged. His. Dependence. On. God. And. His. Need. Of. Mercy. He. Availed. Himself. Of. The. Opportunity. To. Pray. And.

[35:49] On. His. Recovery. He. Determined. To. Live. A. Life. Of. Grateful. Worship. But. His. Head. Was. Turned. By. The.

[36:00] Babylonian. Envoys. He. Succumbed. To. Flattery. He. Forgot. That. His. Help. Was. In. The. Lord. His. God. He. Allowed. Himself. To.

[36:10] Get. Caught. Up. In. Political. Intrigue. He. Was. Less. Than. Open. With. Isaiah. And. He. Cared. More. For. Himself. Than. For.

[36:20] His. Descendants. I. Recently. Listened. To. An. Interview. With. Stuart. Olliet. A. Retired. Minister. One.

[36:32] Of. The. Questions. He. Was. Asked. Was. What. Advice. Would. You. Give. To. Your. Younger. Self. I. Would. Say. This. Olliet. Said.

[36:44] You. Know. Already. As. A. Young. Man. You. Have. Temptations. To. Dishonesty. To. Pride. To. Immorality. And.

[36:54] To. Unbelief. Those. Temptations. Will. Get. Greater. They. Won't. Get. Less. With. The. Years. You. Have. Got. To. Guard. Your.

[37:05] Heart. And. He. Added. The. Temptations. I. Now. Face. In. My. Late. Seventies. Are. Significant. I.

[37:15] Would. Never. Have. Believed. It. Possible. An. Honest. And. Realistic. Assessment.

[37:26] We. Must. Be. Vigilant. Thirdly. We. Mustn't. Apply. Our.

[37:37] Theology. Inappropriately. We. Mustn't. Apply. Our. Theology. Inappropriately. Hezekiah's. Response. To. Isaiah's. Pronouncement.

[37:47] Regarding. The. Babylonian. Exile. Sounded. Pious. The word of the Lord. That you have. Spoken. Is. Good. His words.

[37:57] Could. Easily. Be. Construed. To. Mean. That. He. Accepted. God's. Sovereignty. In. The. Affairs. Of. His. Family. God. Is.

[38:07] Sovereign. But. It. Wasn't. God's. Sovereignty. Hezekiah. Was. Endorsing. So. Much. As. The. Quiet. Life. That. He. Thought. Would. Be. His. Own. Lot.

[38:18] In. That. Light. His. Response. Was. Much. Less. Commendable. And. We. Can. Twist. Our. Theology. Too. Nowadays.

[38:29] We. Hear. Many. People. Who. Claim. To. Be. Christians. Using. Truth. That. God. Is. Love. To. Justify. Lifestyles. That. The.

[38:39] Bible. Regards. As. Sinful. God. Is. Love. But. He's. Also. Holy. And. Then.

[38:49] There's. The. Issue. Of. Election. God. Has. Chosen. A. People. In. Eternity. Past. But. That. Doesn't. Cancel. Out. Our. Responsibility. To.

[39:01] Put. Our. Trust. In. The. Lord. Jesus. The. Gospel. Invitation. Is. Open. It's. Genuine. Whoever. Calls. On. The. Name. Of. The.

[39:11] Lord. Will. Be. Saved. We. Must. Twist. Our. Theology. Fourthly.

[39:23] We. Shouldn't. Be. Indifferent. To. The. Future. We. Shouldn't. Be. Indifferent. To. The. Future. As. Christians. We. Are. Called. To.

[39:34] Serve. Our. Generation. By. The. Will. Of. God. But. I. Think. Part. Of. That. Service. Is. To. Do. What. We. Can. To.

[39:44] Ensure. The. Maintenance. Of.

[39:57] To. To. To. How. Are. We. Seeking. To. Secure. The. Continuation. Of. A. Gospel. Witness. In. Scotland. Hezekiah. Failed.

[40:07] To. Pray. When. Isaiah. Drew. Back. The. Curtain. On. The. Future. Of. Course. We. May. Feel. There. Is. Not. Much. We. Can. Do.

[40:19] But. At. The. Very. Least. We. Can. Pray. To. The. God. Who. Holds. The. Future. In. His. Hands. We.

[40:30] Shouldn't. Be. Indifferent. To. The. Future. And. That. Brings. Me. To. My. Fifth. And. Final. Point. In. It. All. God.

[40:41] Is. Merciful. God. Is. Merciful. In. The. Tempestuous. Politics. Of. The. Ancient. World. God.

[40:52] Was. Looking. After. His. People. Judah. Was. Only. A. Tiny. Kingdom. At. The. Mercy. Humanly. Speaking. Of. Powerful. Empires.

[41:02] Like. Assyria. And. Babylon. But. The. Lord. Was. Infinitely. More. Powerful. Than. These. Great. Empires. And.

[41:13] He. Was. Merciful. Even. When. His. People. Were. Sinful. And. Inconsistent. He. Never. Gave. Up. On. Them. Even. When.

[41:23] They. Ended. Up. In. Exile. In. Babylon. And. They. Were. There. By. God's. Will. The. Lord. Never. Gave. Up. On. Them.

[41:34] We. Need. To. Remember. That. He. Is. Still. The. Same. Merciful. God. Today. And. He. Still. On. The. Throne. May.

[41:45] He. Have. Mercy. On. Us. And. Our. Inconsistencies. Too. Shall. We. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray.

[41:56] Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray.