WEBVTT 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:07.580 Good evening everyone and a big thank you to Rachel and Lynn for bringing us these very long chapters with quite a few tongue twisters in them. 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:16.300 Not an easy reading, but well done. It was great to read, I think, the whole passage and hopefully we'll be able to get at least a bit of an overview of it this evening. 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:23.120 I wonder when you're reading prophecies in the Old Testament whether you sometimes wonder, well, how did it work out? 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:32.939 So the prophet is printing God's judgment on Moab or one of the other nations, Edom, one of the other nations around Israel or on Israel and Judah themselves. 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:37.620 And you think, well, what actually happened? Here are the prophecies, what actually happened? 00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:42.219 Now, if you have a good study Bible, it will probably tell you, at least tell you a bit about it. 00:00:42.780 --> 00:00:48.280 But it's not often that in the book, in the prophecy, you also see the fulfillment. 00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:53.660 And to some extent, that's what we're getting in these chapters of Isaiah this evening. 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:59.200 If you've been following over the last number of weeks when we've been going through the book, 00:00:59.700 --> 00:01:06.439 you undoubtedly recognize that Assyria has been the big power that Isaiah has been prophesying about. 00:01:07.260 --> 00:01:13.460 The one both which would be used as God's instrument and also would be judged by God. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:18.140 And the question then is, well, what happened to Assyria and to his king? 00:01:18.140 --> 00:01:24.579 And that is what is largely given to us in chapters 36 and 37. 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:29.000 It forms kind of the end of the first section of Isaiah. 00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:36.280 So the chapters up till now, the big power which the Israelites are having to worry about has been Assyria. 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:41.359 When we go into the second part of the book, the big power is Babylon. 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:49.359 And Isaiah is looking forward to the captivity of the Israelites and all the things that happened then and afterwards. 00:01:50.299 --> 00:01:55.560 And chapters 36 to 39 kind of act as a hinge in the middle of the book. 00:01:55.659 --> 00:01:57.359 36, 37, look back. 00:01:57.900 --> 00:02:02.620 38, 39, look forward to the exile in Babylon. 00:02:02.620 --> 00:02:12.460 And they both serve to give some kind of historical substance in the midst of all the prophecies that Isaiah gives. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:14.439 Here is what happened. 00:02:16.379 --> 00:02:18.319 These chapters have two kings. 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:23.980 I think it's worth taking just a few minutes to remind ourselves of the two kings that feature here. 00:02:24.680 --> 00:02:27.740 The first is Hezekiah, the king of Judah. 00:02:27.740 --> 00:02:33.920 Now, if you remember the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, all the kings of Israel were bad. 00:02:34.020 --> 00:02:34.879 They were all evil. 00:02:35.800 --> 00:02:41.159 Most of the kings of Judah also were evil, but there were a handful of good ones. 00:02:42.060 --> 00:02:45.860 And of the good ones, Hezekiah was arguably the best. 00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:49.140 I think only Josiah would be a rival in that. 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:53.860 Hezekiah was definitely a good, godly king. 00:02:53.860 --> 00:03:00.560 He was the one, as referred to in the passage in chapter 36, he was the one who got rid of all the shrines around the country, 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:05.080 which instead of being used to worship God, were used for idol worship. 00:03:05.900 --> 00:03:09.140 He was also the king who reinstated the Passover. 00:03:09.260 --> 00:03:15.340 The Passover, which had been neglected for many years, reminding the Israelites of the exodus from Egypt. 00:03:15.700 --> 00:03:20.360 It was in the time of Hezekiah and at his initiative that it was restored. 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:27.220 And we see quite a number of instances of Hezekiah showing a real faith in God. 00:03:27.300 --> 00:03:28.440 Now, that's not to say it's perfect. 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:29.560 We'll see that this evening. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:31.800 We'll see it again next week when I think it's great. 00:03:31.860 --> 00:03:34.140 It's taking us through the following chapters. 00:03:34.820 --> 00:03:46.740 But Hezekiah was a good, godly king, albeit king only over a relatively small nation state in terms of world powers in that day. 00:03:46.740 --> 00:03:53.540 Judah was pretty insignificant and no more powerful than half a dozen others that surrounded it in the area. 00:03:55.100 --> 00:03:59.260 Second king is this man named Sennacherib, the king of Assyria. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:07.000 A few years ago, Andrew Marr did a quite ambitious television series, which he called The History of the World. 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:11.879 And the second program in that was called The Age of Empires. 00:04:12.620 --> 00:04:15.900 And he started with the story of Sennacherib. 00:04:16.660 --> 00:04:23.439 He described him as an empire-building maniac, ruthless to the old, merciless to the young. 00:04:23.459 --> 00:04:27.740 And that is a pretty good description of the man we have here. 00:04:27.860 --> 00:04:29.800 He was a pretty nasty piece of work. 00:04:29.899 --> 00:04:30.699 He was cruel. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:32.259 He was evil. 00:04:32.259 --> 00:04:36.379 He was in many ways the total opposite of Hezekiah. 00:04:37.219 --> 00:04:40.159 But he was very, very powerful. 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:48.379 Perhaps because it's so long ago, we perhaps don't realize just how powerful Assyria was in its time and for a very long period. 00:04:48.459 --> 00:04:53.879 I think the Assyrian Empire was maybe the longest lived of all the ancient empires. 00:04:54.599 --> 00:04:58.120 And Sennacherib was a very powerful king. 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:06.879 Let me just take a second because I think there's relevant background to what we're going to be looking at this evening to talk a bit about the early years of Sennacherib. 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:08.480 So we're going to put a couple of maps. 00:05:09.780 --> 00:05:10.600 Sennacherib's campaign. 00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:14.280 So concentrate at the moment on the one on the left. 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:15.379 This is the Middle East. 00:05:15.459 --> 00:05:17.519 You probably can recognize the shapes of the land. 00:05:17.620 --> 00:05:21.379 The Middle East in about 700-odd BC. 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:32.259 I don't know how much you can read there, but the red circle up near the top is Nineveh, which was the capital of Assyria. 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:37.759 And down in the bottom left, the kind of green, is Judah and Israel. 00:05:38.620 --> 00:05:42.279 But the key point is the empire was huge. 00:05:42.939 --> 00:05:48.319 The kind of green area is what it looked like immediately after the capture of Samaria. 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:52.079 Remember, 725 BC, Samaria was captured by Assyria. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:56.860 Its people were carted away, and that was the end of the old kingdom. 00:05:57.959 --> 00:06:03.540 It then spread under Sennacherib and successors and eventually ended up down in Egypt. 00:06:05.219 --> 00:06:09.939 Sennacherib became a king in 705 BC. 00:06:09.939 --> 00:06:23.199 At that point, as well as the empire he directly controlled, there were lots of states like Judah, which weren't part of the empire, but were paying tribute to him. 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:25.980 In other words, they were paying kind of protection money. 00:06:26.759 --> 00:06:34.819 So the Israelis were saying, if you pay us regularly a large proportion of your GDP, then we won't come and attack you. 00:06:34.819 --> 00:06:37.759 And there were lots of nations like that at that point. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:43.099 King changes in the empire, and what happens? 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:48.279 The states that have been paying tribute to him think, ah, here's our opportunity. 00:06:49.159 --> 00:06:52.879 New king, he's going to have lots of things to occupy him for a while. 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:55.579 He may have some rivals in his own country. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:58.899 We'll stop paying tribute to Assyria. 00:06:59.500 --> 00:07:02.719 And that's what Judah did, and what a lot of the other nations around about did. 00:07:03.180 --> 00:07:06.360 They kind of had mutual defense treaties saying we'll help each other. 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:17.840 And they also brought in Egypt, down in the very bottom left of the map, Egypt, which was the great power in that part of the world in their day, although nothing like as great as Assyria. 00:07:19.240 --> 00:07:22.920 So what happened then was that Sennacherib fairly quickly established himself. 00:07:23.300 --> 00:07:26.300 And the first thing he did was go down to Nineveh, which is a bit below. 00:07:28.080 --> 00:07:33.680 Babylon, rather, is a bit down below Nineveh there to sort out some problems there, because that was a real threat to him. 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:38.120 And then he went on the rampage through the lands to the west. 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:46.579 And when he reached Judah, which was about 701 BC, as you'll see in the map on the right, he went down the right-hand side of the land. 00:07:47.060 --> 00:07:52.040 And as it says in our passage, he captured all the fortified cities. 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:57.120 And eventually, in the center of passage again, he came to a place called Lachish. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:06.260 Now, Lachish is significant because when Sennacherib was attacking Lachish, he got his court artists out and he said, 00:08:06.340 --> 00:08:08.259 I want you to draw what happens. 00:08:08.759 --> 00:08:15.780 In all the gory detail, I want to have what happens so we can put it up as an example to others. 00:08:15.779 --> 00:08:22.739 And so Andrew Marr, when he was talking about Sennacherib, it was the siege of Lachib that he particularly looked at, 00:08:23.019 --> 00:08:25.019 because that's what we know about. 00:08:25.099 --> 00:08:27.179 It was quite stark what happened. 00:08:27.599 --> 00:08:29.259 They built huge siege ramps. 00:08:29.619 --> 00:08:36.259 They built massive battering ramps, tore the walls down, went on the rampage through the city. 00:08:36.259 --> 00:08:41.899 The leaders of the people were killed publicly in particularly gruesome ways. 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:43.460 We won't go into detail about that. 00:08:43.860 --> 00:08:48.740 And those who were left were carted away, and then the city was burned to the ground. 00:08:49.539 --> 00:08:51.819 That was what Sennacherib did. 00:08:51.939 --> 00:08:53.120 That was the way he acted. 00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:56.340 And it's almost a kind of early form of shock and awe. 00:08:56.679 --> 00:09:01.379 If I do this to this city, then the next one I come to, maybe they'll give in more easily, 00:09:01.379 --> 00:09:04.700 and they'll realize that they can't trifle with me. 00:09:04.700 --> 00:09:10.620 And so having been to Lachish, he turns his attention to Jerusalem. 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:14.300 Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, of Judah, rather. 00:09:15.259 --> 00:09:20.820 So on one hand, we have this good, but rather powerless in the world's terms, king Hezekiah. 00:09:21.520 --> 00:09:27.500 On the other hand, we have this really powerful, really cruel king, Sennacherib. 00:09:27.980 --> 00:09:31.460 And it's a totally unbalanced contest. 00:09:31.460 --> 00:09:38.680 In human terms, there is no way that Hezekiah can stand up to Sennacherib. 00:09:39.180 --> 00:09:44.540 If he allows the city to be besieged, he is really just delaying the inevitable. 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:50.240 Sennacherib will win, and will make an example of Hezekiah and others. 00:09:50.700 --> 00:09:56.580 And then, as he's done with other cities, he'll cart everyone away into exile. 00:09:56.580 --> 00:10:00.200 And that's the background that we have in chapter 36. 00:10:00.460 --> 00:10:04.680 Sennacherib focuses attention on Jerusalem and saying, 00:10:04.920 --> 00:10:08.920 this is the next one I'm going for, and this is the big prize in terms of Judah, 00:10:09.280 --> 00:10:11.920 because this is where Hezekiah is. 00:10:13.740 --> 00:10:14.879 Now, he's a bit of a problem. 00:10:15.280 --> 00:10:18.720 Jerusalem was a lot more difficult to take than the other cities. 00:10:18.800 --> 00:10:20.480 The way it was built, it was built on a hill, 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:24.360 and it's very difficult, even with a siege, to take it. 00:10:25.779 --> 00:10:29.060 Alongside that, Hezekiah knew this was going to be coming. 00:10:29.820 --> 00:10:33.600 And Hezekiah had taken quite a lot of steps to both fortify Jerusalem 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:35.820 and to secure his water supply, 00:10:35.920 --> 00:10:39.480 the water supply being the thing that you really need if you're under siege. 00:10:39.560 --> 00:10:43.320 He built some clever tunnels and so on to make sure that was still there. 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:48.160 So this wasn't going to be a quick win for Sennacherib. 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:50.620 And it appears that he thought, 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:53.680 well, let's try and get it without having to fight. 00:10:54.520 --> 00:10:58.900 Let's see if Hezekiah and the Jews will give in. 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:00.280 They've seen what we've done elsewhere. 00:11:00.920 --> 00:11:04.040 Let's see if they'll give in, and we can just take the city, 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:05.879 and then we can head back to Babylon, 00:11:06.340 --> 00:11:09.280 to Nineveh, rather, having done our job. 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:12.300 And that's what's happening in chapter 36. 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:15.059 Sennacherib has sent his envoys, 00:11:15.500 --> 00:11:20.120 and their job is to persuade the Jews to give in without a fight. 00:11:21.579 --> 00:11:24.159 And it's very clever the way they go about it. 00:11:24.719 --> 00:11:29.039 It's a mixture of kind of half-truths and distortion of the truths, 00:11:29.459 --> 00:11:33.519 and some things which are pretty close to being blatant lies. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:40.199 But it is very much trying to persuade the Jews that they have no chance, 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:42.560 and they should give in without a fight. 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:45.780 So let's just talk about a few things that's happened. 00:11:45.920 --> 00:11:48.100 I've called it tempting voices. 00:11:49.379 --> 00:11:51.400 So Sennacherib's representatives come, 00:11:51.920 --> 00:11:55.000 and Hezekiah sends some people out to meet them, 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:57.600 and they start having a conversation. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:01.340 And Sennacherib's representatives say, 00:12:02.140 --> 00:12:04.620 Egypt, you can't rely on Egypt. 00:12:04.620 --> 00:12:08.100 Egypt is just a splintered reed of a staff. 00:12:08.220 --> 00:12:10.960 Lean on it, and all that will happen is we'll go through, 00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:13.759 and we'll pierce your hand, and we'll wound you, 00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:16.220 but it won't help you at all. 00:12:17.419 --> 00:12:18.320 Probably right. 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:20.740 I'm not sure that Egypt would have come, 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:24.700 to any great extent, to the defense of the Jews, 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:26.320 but very much trying to say, 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:29.200 you have no strong allies. 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:39.000 Second thing they said is that Hezekiah has removed the high places and altars. 00:12:39.860 --> 00:12:41.320 True, he'd done that. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:42.759 We said that earlier. 00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:44.700 But they were saying, 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:46.960 because Hezekiah's done that, 00:12:47.500 --> 00:12:49.060 your God's not going to help you. 00:12:50.180 --> 00:12:52.840 You've taken away the places where you worship Him, 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:55.040 so He's not going to be pleased with you, 00:12:55.180 --> 00:12:57.759 and He's not going to come to your aid. 00:12:57.759 --> 00:12:59.559 Not true. 00:13:00.179 --> 00:13:01.840 Hezekiah, in taking down these altars, 00:13:01.939 --> 00:13:03.600 had taken away the places of idol worship. 00:13:03.939 --> 00:13:07.059 It had been a good thing that he'd done. 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:10.220 Third thing that they said was, 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:12.039 well, we could give you lots of horses. 00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:15.039 Let's make this a bit more of a fair contest, 00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:16.299 and even at the moment, 00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:19.399 why don't we give you 2,000 horses? 00:13:20.819 --> 00:13:22.200 Only problem is, 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:24.200 you've not got any riders to go on them. 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:27.639 You're so weak, you're so inadequate, you Jews, 00:13:27.980 --> 00:13:31.120 that even if we give you an advantage in the battle, 00:13:31.460 --> 00:13:33.399 you still couldn't do it. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:35.819 You still wouldn't be able to win. 00:13:37.059 --> 00:13:39.360 And then the final thing they say at this point 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:42.200 is that the Lord has sent them. 00:13:42.259 --> 00:13:43.220 We're down to verse 10, 00:13:43.299 --> 00:13:45.419 if you're following in the passage. 00:13:45.980 --> 00:13:47.059 As Sennacherib said, 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:49.240 actually, this is God's will 00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:51.179 that I should take your city. 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:52.779 God is judging you. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:54.379 Judah, you've done lots of bad things, 00:13:54.379 --> 00:13:55.620 you've done lots of evil things, 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:58.379 and God will judge you for that. 00:13:59.019 --> 00:14:00.340 Well, there's a half-truth there, 00:14:00.659 --> 00:14:02.799 because a lot of what we've read about in Isaiah 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:05.200 was about God judging his people 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:07.439 for going against him. 00:14:08.340 --> 00:14:09.860 But he had always promised 00:14:09.860 --> 00:14:11.600 that there would be a remnant 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:14.100 who would enjoy his grace. 00:14:14.740 --> 00:14:17.659 And there was no way that God had sent Sennacherib 00:14:17.659 --> 00:14:21.379 with the purpose that Jerusalem should be destroyed. 00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:24.419 So four lies, half-truths, 00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:25.559 call of what you like, 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:28.919 said to Hezekiah's envoys 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:30.299 that had been sent out. 00:14:31.579 --> 00:14:32.500 Now, at this point, 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:34.659 the people who Hezekiah sent out 00:14:34.659 --> 00:14:37.159 are beginning to panic a little bit. 00:14:37.799 --> 00:14:40.059 Not just because of what the messengers 00:14:40.059 --> 00:14:41.559 from Sennacherib are saying, 00:14:41.559 --> 00:14:44.159 but also because they can be heard 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:45.399 by the soldiers and others 00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:47.099 who are guarding the wall. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:49.179 Because they're speaking in Hebrew, 00:14:49.359 --> 00:14:51.159 which was the language of the common people, 00:14:51.739 --> 00:14:52.759 and they were worried 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:54.599 there could be a revolt here. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:57.059 If these people on the wall hear it 00:14:57.059 --> 00:14:59.419 and are really terrified by what happens, 00:14:59.939 --> 00:15:03.500 then perhaps they will turn against Hezekiah 00:15:03.500 --> 00:15:05.899 and we will end up conceding. 00:15:05.959 --> 00:15:07.139 So they say to the messengers 00:15:07.139 --> 00:15:08.159 that come from Sennacherib, 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:09.879 look, can't you talk in Aramaic? 00:15:09.879 --> 00:15:12.019 Aramaic being the kind of trade language 00:15:12.019 --> 00:15:13.919 which the common people wouldn't know, 00:15:14.259 --> 00:15:15.879 but rulers would. 00:15:16.820 --> 00:15:19.240 And that just provokes Sennacherib's envoys 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:20.039 even further, 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:23.039 and they start speaking to the guards on the wall. 00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:24.879 And the things they say are, 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:26.439 well, Hezekiah can't deliver you. 00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:28.080 Hezekiah, he's just weak. 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:30.899 How can he possibly deliver you? 00:15:32.139 --> 00:15:32.620 Then they say, 00:15:32.700 --> 00:15:34.240 actually, you'll be much better off 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:34.899 if you give in. 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:36.659 If you give in, 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:38.379 you will get all your harvest back. 00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:40.279 You'll be able to come with us to our land, 00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:41.399 which would be exile 00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:43.879 and take away in disgrace effectively. 00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:45.519 But it'll be much better. 00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:46.439 You'll have new wine. 00:15:46.539 --> 00:15:47.200 You'll have corn. 00:15:47.580 --> 00:15:49.399 Everything will be fine. 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:51.700 In any case, they say, 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:55.439 your God can't deliver you. 00:15:56.019 --> 00:15:57.580 He's not powerful enough 00:15:57.580 --> 00:16:00.600 to stand against Sennacherib. 00:16:00.919 --> 00:16:01.960 And here's the evidence. 00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:04.159 All these nations round about, 00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:05.480 they had their own gods. 00:16:05.480 --> 00:16:07.560 And what good did it do to them? 00:16:08.060 --> 00:16:09.240 They're all destroyed. 00:16:09.779 --> 00:16:11.879 They've all been beaten. 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:13.659 So again, 00:16:13.740 --> 00:16:15.259 there's the powerful voice coming 00:16:15.259 --> 00:16:16.940 to the guards on the wall 00:16:16.940 --> 00:16:18.539 and saying to them as well, 00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:20.180 look, there's no point. 00:16:20.460 --> 00:16:22.019 Just give in. 00:16:23.060 --> 00:16:23.659 That's their credit. 00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:24.340 They don't. 00:16:24.560 --> 00:16:25.800 They all remain silent. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:29.000 And the ploy doesn't work. 00:16:30.060 --> 00:16:32.120 Let's have a bit of application for that. 00:16:32.120 --> 00:16:34.620 But doesn't that remind you 00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:38.279 of the tempter's voice of Satan tempting us? 00:16:40.039 --> 00:16:43.159 Whether it's through inward voices in us 00:16:43.159 --> 00:16:44.899 or it's through people outside 00:16:44.899 --> 00:16:46.340 who are saying things to us 00:16:46.340 --> 00:16:47.799 and arguing against us, 00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:51.539 we hear lies and half-truths all the time. 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:53.580 So people saying, 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:56.899 all religions are equally useless. 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.899 What good did any religion do? 00:16:59.899 --> 00:17:01.399 So we've got the new atheists 00:17:01.399 --> 00:17:04.019 who perhaps not quite as strong 00:17:04.019 --> 00:17:05.059 as they were a few years ago 00:17:05.059 --> 00:17:06.660 but certainly have a lot of influence 00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:08.319 over many people. 00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:10.799 And essentially their take on the world 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:12.059 is religion is bad. 00:17:12.139 --> 00:17:13.160 It just leads to war 00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:14.400 and bad things happening. 00:17:14.859 --> 00:17:16.339 Religion is useless. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:19.859 And a lot of people might say that to us 00:17:19.859 --> 00:17:22.859 if we talk to them about our faith. 00:17:24.539 --> 00:17:25.720 Or when we're tempted, 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:26.859 we might have this thought 00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:28.240 that the devil would plant in, 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:29.259 well, it'll be better. 00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:30.180 I'll enjoy it. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:32.259 I'll be happier if I do this thing 00:17:32.259 --> 00:17:33.859 even though I know it's not 00:17:33.859 --> 00:17:36.400 what God would really want me to do. 00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:38.039 After all, doesn't God want me 00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:39.099 to enjoy my life? 00:17:39.380 --> 00:17:40.400 Well, if I do this, 00:17:40.579 --> 00:17:42.400 I will enjoy it. 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:45.480 Sometimes even gets to the extent 00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:48.359 that it is an accurate messenger said, 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:49.700 almost of thinking, 00:17:50.120 --> 00:17:51.640 could this be God's will? 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:53.940 Is this what God wants? 00:17:53.940 --> 00:17:57.380 And tempting us to do something 00:17:57.380 --> 00:17:59.860 and to throw doubts into our mind, 00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:01.759 the way that Satan did with Eve, 00:18:01.820 --> 00:18:03.539 to throw doubts into people's mind 00:18:03.539 --> 00:18:05.080 about what God's will is 00:18:05.080 --> 00:18:07.340 and what God wants for us. 00:18:08.700 --> 00:18:10.299 And then the two that I think 00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:12.519 are most powerful as the devil attacks us, 00:18:12.660 --> 00:18:14.299 God can't help you 00:18:14.299 --> 00:18:17.059 and you're not strong enough. 00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:20.119 As we face temptations, 00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:21.539 at times do we feel that. 00:18:22.019 --> 00:18:24.519 I just can't cope with this. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.220 I know it's wrong. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:28.480 I know I shouldn't be doing it. 00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:30.679 But I can't help it. 00:18:31.220 --> 00:18:32.440 I'm not strong enough. 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:35.159 I will have to give in to temptation. 00:18:36.419 --> 00:18:38.639 And perhaps like the messengers here, 00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:39.700 the thought is almost, 00:18:40.159 --> 00:18:41.639 well, I could give in quickly and easily 00:18:41.639 --> 00:18:42.700 and then it'll all be over. 00:18:42.700 --> 00:18:45.120 Or I could hold out for a long time, 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:46.880 but I'll still end up giving in 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:49.660 and it will be worse for me overall. 00:18:50.620 --> 00:18:52.840 These are the kind of temptations, 00:18:53.019 --> 00:18:55.340 perhaps, that we sometimes feel 00:18:55.340 --> 00:18:56.620 in our daily lives, 00:18:56.680 --> 00:18:57.900 whether coming from outside, 00:18:58.340 --> 00:19:01.279 from people who would be attacking the gospel, 00:19:01.860 --> 00:19:03.400 or coming from inside, 00:19:03.620 --> 00:19:05.840 from the voice of the devil inside us, 00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:09.000 seducing us and wanting us to think 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:13.039 we're better off if we do what we know is wrong. 00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:16.359 But it's all lies. 00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:18.900 And as in these chapters, 00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:22.759 God very clearly made it apparent to everyone 00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:24.240 that he was powerful, 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:26.000 that he could save them 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:27.940 from the predicament they were in. 00:19:28.619 --> 00:19:32.039 So we should know that there is no temptation 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:35.880 that faces us that we shouldn't be able to overcome. 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:39.080 One of my favorite verses in the New Testament 00:19:39.080 --> 00:19:40.560 from 1 Corinthians 10, 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:42.460 God is faithful. 00:19:43.140 --> 00:19:45.020 He will not let you be tempted 00:19:45.020 --> 00:19:48.020 beyond what you can bear. 00:19:48.700 --> 00:19:52.100 And then it says he will always provide a way out. 00:19:52.820 --> 00:19:54.180 And if at times we feel, 00:19:54.600 --> 00:19:55.660 I've just got to do this. 00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:56.840 I just can't resist it. 00:19:56.900 --> 00:19:57.560 It's too strong. 00:19:57.640 --> 00:19:58.980 The temptation is too strong. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.120 I'm too weak. 00:20:00.420 --> 00:20:03.720 Not even God can protect me from it. 00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:06.339 We need to look at verses like this 00:20:06.339 --> 00:20:08.440 and say God can protect me. 00:20:09.120 --> 00:20:11.500 God is stronger than the devil. 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:13.940 And if I trust in the Lord, 00:20:14.140 --> 00:20:15.839 I can resist the temptation. 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:18.740 I can overcome in the way ultimately 00:20:18.740 --> 00:20:22.180 the people of Judah did here. 00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:24.000 Yes, we will be tempted. 00:20:24.220 --> 00:20:25.400 Yes, we will be tested. 00:20:25.880 --> 00:20:28.720 At times it will be really, really difficult. 00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:31.940 We'll almost feel I can't bear this. 00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:35.259 And yet God will not let us be tempted 00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:37.680 beyond what we can bear. 00:20:37.779 --> 00:20:39.019 There is always a way out. 00:20:39.080 --> 00:20:41.160 There is always a way to overcome 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:43.640 the wiles of the evil one. 00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:48.019 So I think it's the key lesson from chapter 36. 00:20:48.600 --> 00:20:50.320 Now chapter 37 is very long. 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:51.940 We're not going to go through it in great detail. 00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:52.920 You'll be pleased to hear. 00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:54.759 But let me just talk through 00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:57.140 a few of the key points from it. 00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:59.120 I've called it take it to the Lord. 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:00.840 Take it to the Lord in prayer, of course, 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:03.639 from the old hymn, 00:21:03.740 --> 00:21:06.240 What a Friend We Have in Jesus. 00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:10.259 And that's what happens in chapter 37. 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:13.579 In chapter 36, we have the devil at work 00:21:13.579 --> 00:21:16.019 trying to persuade the people of Jerusalem 00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:17.559 that they can't win. 00:21:18.459 --> 00:21:21.619 In chapter 37, Hezekiah realizes 00:21:21.619 --> 00:21:23.639 the only way he can overcome 00:21:23.639 --> 00:21:26.220 is through the Lord's strength. 00:21:26.779 --> 00:21:28.059 And he does a number of things. 00:21:28.059 --> 00:21:30.759 The first thing is he sends people 00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:32.279 to consult Isaiah. 00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:34.259 Now Isaiah, for many years, 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:36.879 had been Hezekiah's advisor, 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:38.319 confidant, 00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:40.700 someone who he knew he could go to 00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:42.359 and could trust. 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:45.279 So in this time of greatest difficulty, 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:46.339 of greatest trial, 00:21:46.779 --> 00:21:48.960 he sends to Isaiah. 00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:53.019 And gets a very positive message back. 00:21:53.019 --> 00:21:54.579 Don't be afraid. 00:21:54.579 --> 00:21:55.359 This is verse 6. 00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:58.180 Don't be afraid of what you have heard. 00:21:59.079 --> 00:22:00.819 These words with which the underlings 00:22:00.819 --> 00:22:03.099 of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 00:22:04.180 --> 00:22:07.019 Listen, when he hears a certain report, 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:09.720 I will make him want to return to his country 00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:13.379 and then I will have him cut down with the sword. 00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:15.039 So they go to the prophet, 00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:16.700 they go to the spiritual advisor, 00:22:16.700 --> 00:22:18.819 and God speaks through him 00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:22.279 and speaks a very positive message. 00:22:23.340 --> 00:22:24.380 Good listen there for us. 00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:27.340 If we're really struggling with something, 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:29.400 if we're not sure what to do, 00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:31.779 if we think things are going to be too strong, 00:22:32.100 --> 00:22:34.380 too powerful for us to cope with, 00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:37.539 one of the things we definitely should be doing 00:22:37.539 --> 00:22:39.840 is finding someone we can trust 00:22:39.840 --> 00:22:43.580 and seeking their help and their guidance. 00:22:43.579 --> 00:22:45.199 Perhaps an older Christian, 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.679 perhaps someone who we know is particularly godly, 00:22:48.980 --> 00:22:50.720 perhaps someone who's been through difficult times 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:54.679 themselves and can help us in our situation. 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:57.199 But when things are hard, 00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:58.500 when times are bad, 00:22:58.919 --> 00:23:00.339 it's good that we can know 00:23:00.339 --> 00:23:02.159 that there are others round about us, 00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:04.539 in our church, possibly elsewhere as well, 00:23:04.899 --> 00:23:06.619 who can give us wise guidance 00:23:06.619 --> 00:23:08.439 and can pray for us 00:23:08.439 --> 00:23:10.439 and can help us to know 00:23:10.439 --> 00:23:13.000 what is the best way ahead. 00:23:13.579 --> 00:23:16.699 So Hezekiah consults God's servant. 00:23:18.919 --> 00:23:20.039 Secondly, it happens 00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:24.059 is that Hezekiah very directly seeks God's help. 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:26.659 So yes, here and in the past, 00:23:26.740 --> 00:23:27.699 he's gone to Isaiah 00:23:27.699 --> 00:23:30.759 and looked for Isaiah to pray for him. 00:23:31.439 --> 00:23:33.399 But actually, in this dire circumstance 00:23:33.399 --> 00:23:34.759 that he finds himself, 00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:38.480 he decides he needs to really get before God 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:40.720 and to pray himself. 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:44.279 So we're at the beginning of this section of the chapter. 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:47.180 We have Sennacherib, 00:23:47.259 --> 00:23:48.500 or through his commanders, 00:23:48.660 --> 00:23:50.900 coming back and saying, 00:23:51.059 --> 00:23:53.039 well, no point resisting. 00:23:53.900 --> 00:23:55.259 We're going to beat you. 00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:57.759 Let's just, you give in 00:23:57.759 --> 00:24:00.279 and things will be much better for you. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:02.180 How can you prevail 00:24:02.180 --> 00:24:04.380 when all the other nations round about 00:24:04.380 --> 00:24:07.060 and their gods have proved powerless? 00:24:07.060 --> 00:24:09.560 So a bit of a repetition of some of the stuff 00:24:09.560 --> 00:24:11.740 from chapter 36. 00:24:12.620 --> 00:24:14.300 But then the key verses in the chapter 00:24:14.300 --> 00:24:18.580 are verses 16 through to 20. 00:24:19.540 --> 00:24:20.820 Hezekiah's prayer. 00:24:22.120 --> 00:24:24.600 And this is one of the great prayers, 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:26.540 I think, of the Old Testament. 00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:27.920 It's a prayer of desperation, 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:29.820 and at the same time, 00:24:29.880 --> 00:24:31.640 it's a prayer that really recognizes 00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:34.340 how great God is. 00:24:35.140 --> 00:24:36.340 So verse 16, 00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:39.100 Hezekiah recognizes God, 00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:40.120 the God of Israel, 00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:41.920 enthroned between the cherubim. 00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:43.680 You alone are God 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:45.500 over all the kingdoms of the earth. 00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:49.240 You have made heaven and earth. 00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:51.640 And whenever we come before God, 00:24:51.640 --> 00:24:53.820 the first thing that we need to know 00:24:53.819 --> 00:24:58.679 and realize is just how great our God is. 00:24:59.439 --> 00:25:01.339 To recognize that before Him, 00:25:01.679 --> 00:25:02.299 all of us, 00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:05.000 even the most powerful people in our world, 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:08.419 are absolutely helpless and weak. 00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:09.939 He is the God of heaven. 00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:14.139 He is the maker and the sustainer of our world. 00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:16.039 He is the one who raises up kings 00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:19.039 and who takes them down again. 00:25:19.419 --> 00:25:21.179 And in our own personal circumstances, 00:25:21.180 --> 00:25:23.940 He is the one who is powerful to help us. 00:25:24.460 --> 00:25:27.420 So we need to recognize God's greatness. 00:25:28.779 --> 00:25:30.940 Second thing in Hezekiah's prayer, 00:25:31.299 --> 00:25:34.519 I've called we need to guard God's reputation. 00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:38.360 Verse 17, 00:25:38.560 --> 00:25:40.180 Give ear, O Lord, and hear. 00:25:40.360 --> 00:25:42.220 Open your eyes, Lord, and see. 00:25:42.980 --> 00:25:45.640 Listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent 00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:48.840 to ridicule the living God. 00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:52.059 Hezekiah shows that he is jealous 00:25:52.059 --> 00:25:53.559 for God's reputation 00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:55.359 and that people should know 00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:58.099 just how great God is. 00:25:59.339 --> 00:26:01.099 I wonder sometimes whether that's something 00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:02.819 perhaps we are lacking a bit in 00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:05.579 as we live as Christians. 00:26:06.179 --> 00:26:08.480 Yes, we recognize God's greatness. 00:26:09.079 --> 00:26:11.079 But there are so many things going on 00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:12.079 around about us 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:14.059 that we seek to belittle God 00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:15.519 or to say He's insignificant 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:16.779 or He doesn't exist 00:26:16.779 --> 00:26:18.139 or He doesn't matter. 00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:19.940 We should be jealous 00:26:19.940 --> 00:26:21.379 for God's reputation 00:26:21.379 --> 00:26:23.160 and we should be praying, 00:26:23.539 --> 00:26:25.980 Hallowed be your name. 00:26:26.639 --> 00:26:27.619 That is really what 00:26:27.619 --> 00:26:30.799 that bit of the Lord's Prayer is about. 00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:32.440 It is about God's reputation 00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:34.940 and how that is maintained 00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:36.700 in our world. 00:26:37.299 --> 00:26:38.279 So that's verse 17. 00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:40.480 Verses 18 to 19 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:43.619 is proclaiming God's uniqueness. 00:26:43.619 --> 00:26:45.619 So he said, 00:26:45.939 --> 00:26:46.919 Yes, it's true, Lord. 00:26:47.399 --> 00:26:48.899 The Assyrian kings have laid waste 00:26:48.899 --> 00:26:50.339 all these people on their land. 00:26:50.439 --> 00:26:51.299 They've thrown their gods 00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:52.199 into the fire. 00:26:53.399 --> 00:26:54.659 But they were only gods 00:26:54.659 --> 00:26:55.959 of wood and stone 00:26:55.959 --> 00:26:58.979 fashioned by human hands. 00:27:00.119 --> 00:27:00.839 And Hezekiah said, 00:27:00.959 --> 00:27:03.039 I know that you are not a god 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:04.019 like that. 00:27:04.179 --> 00:27:05.419 Their gods were powerless. 00:27:05.539 --> 00:27:07.159 It was no good them trusting in them 00:27:07.159 --> 00:27:09.199 because they didn't really exist 00:27:09.199 --> 00:27:10.339 except in a way 00:27:10.339 --> 00:27:11.199 that had been made 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:13.059 into an idol. 00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:15.460 You, God, are unique. 00:27:15.600 --> 00:27:17.740 You're the only true God. 00:27:17.819 --> 00:27:19.380 And again, as we come to God in prayer, 00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:21.240 we need to recognize God's uniqueness 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:22.660 and how much he sits above 00:27:22.660 --> 00:27:24.400 everything in this world 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:26.920 that he is all powerful. 00:27:27.900 --> 00:27:29.580 And then finally, in verse 20, 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:33.240 Hezekiah seeks God's glory. 00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:34.580 Now, Lord, our God, 00:27:34.700 --> 00:27:35.960 deliver us from his hand 00:27:35.960 --> 00:27:37.539 so that all the kingdoms 00:27:37.539 --> 00:27:38.700 of the earth may know 00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:39.539 that you, Lord, 00:27:39.900 --> 00:27:42.380 are the only God. 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:44.700 When we pray, 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:46.980 is our primary objective 00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:49.660 that God may be glorified? 00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:51.640 Yes, there are things 00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:52.860 we would love God to do. 00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:53.660 Yes, there are things 00:27:53.660 --> 00:27:54.880 we need in our lives 00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:56.340 and our Heavenly Father 00:27:56.340 --> 00:27:57.380 wants us to come 00:27:57.380 --> 00:27:59.580 and to ask for them. 00:28:00.200 --> 00:28:02.640 But what is our key motivation 00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:04.240 as we ask? 00:28:05.100 --> 00:28:06.500 It shouldn't be our comfort 00:28:06.500 --> 00:28:08.160 or our ease. 00:28:08.779 --> 00:28:09.779 Rather, it should be 00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:11.440 that God will be glorified 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:13.019 as he works among us, 00:28:13.059 --> 00:28:14.380 as he works in our lives, 00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:15.539 that people will see 00:28:15.539 --> 00:28:16.519 what God does 00:28:16.519 --> 00:28:19.380 and will give glory to him. 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:21.119 And ultimately, 00:28:21.299 --> 00:28:23.099 Hezekiah says, 00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:24.839 that is why I am praying 00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:26.000 this prayer. 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:27.579 Yes, it's so that Jerusalem 00:28:27.579 --> 00:28:28.359 can be spared, 00:28:28.359 --> 00:28:29.940 so that my life can be spared, 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:31.440 which is in great danger. 00:28:32.299 --> 00:28:33.140 But ultimately, 00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:35.000 it is so God may be recognized 00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:38.240 as the only true God. 00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:39.920 Now, it's worth taking 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:41.039 a few minutes with that prayer. 00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:42.019 It's such a great prayer. 00:28:42.460 --> 00:28:43.240 We're taking time 00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:44.400 to walk through it. 00:28:44.420 --> 00:28:45.259 We're not going to walk through 00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:46.140 the rest of the chapter 00:28:46.140 --> 00:28:47.019 in any detail. 00:28:48.299 --> 00:28:49.640 21 to 35, 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:51.700 our God speaking through Isaiah, 00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:53.720 speaking first to Sennacherib 00:28:53.720 --> 00:28:55.960 and pointing out the futility 00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:57.000 of what he's doing. 00:28:57.559 --> 00:28:59.039 Speaking also later on 00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:00.160 to Hezekiah 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:02.660 and saying to him 00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:05.420 that things are going to be okay. 00:29:05.980 --> 00:29:07.100 You will be preserved 00:29:07.100 --> 00:29:08.519 and more than that, 00:29:08.580 --> 00:29:09.300 there will be a sign 00:29:09.300 --> 00:29:10.519 you will even have enough food 00:29:10.519 --> 00:29:11.860 to eat despite the great 00:29:11.860 --> 00:29:13.100 siege that's been going on, 00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:14.580 despite the Assyrians 00:29:14.580 --> 00:29:15.500 and all they've done. 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:16.640 There will be, 00:29:17.080 --> 00:29:18.040 in the first couple of years, 00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:19.160 wild food to eat 00:29:19.160 --> 00:29:20.840 and after that food 00:29:20.840 --> 00:29:21.960 that you've sown. 00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:24.440 And the key message here 00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:25.900 is that Hezekiah 00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:27.700 needs to trust God's word 00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:29.080 and to believe 00:29:29.080 --> 00:29:31.440 what has been told to him. 00:29:33.319 --> 00:29:34.880 And then finally at the end, 00:29:35.319 --> 00:29:36.059 I put this, 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:38.100 recognize God's work. 00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:39.900 So we have what finally happened. 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.940 Get there in the end. 00:29:43.420 --> 00:29:44.120 There's a plague 00:29:44.120 --> 00:29:45.200 in the Assyrian camp. 00:29:45.299 --> 00:29:46.100 The angel of the Lord 00:29:46.100 --> 00:29:46.720 goes out 00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:47.900 and puts to death 00:29:47.900 --> 00:29:49.539 185,000. 00:29:49.940 --> 00:29:50.920 Sennacherib at that point 00:29:50.920 --> 00:29:51.680 gets really discouraged 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:52.019 and thinks there was 00:29:52.019 --> 00:29:53.100 no point going on 00:29:53.100 --> 00:29:54.700 and he heads back home 00:29:54.700 --> 00:29:57.400 and the city is saved. 00:29:57.700 --> 00:29:59.380 And then the final verse 00:29:59.380 --> 00:30:01.279 is about 10 years later 00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:02.460 that Sennacherib 00:30:02.460 --> 00:30:04.140 was killed by his sons 00:30:04.140 --> 00:30:06.940 as Isaiah had prophesied. 00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:08.900 So as Hezekiah 00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:10.100 took it to the Lord, 00:30:10.620 --> 00:30:11.420 the Lord acted, 00:30:12.019 --> 00:30:13.200 the city was saved 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:14.400 and ultimately 00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:15.380 the evil one 00:30:15.380 --> 00:30:17.279 was done away with. 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:19.940 So a good outcome 00:30:19.940 --> 00:30:22.740 to a very difficult situation 00:30:22.740 --> 00:30:24.519 for Israel. 00:30:25.380 --> 00:30:26.860 But just to finish, 00:30:26.859 --> 00:30:28.319 let me reflect 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:29.599 on what has happened 00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:31.899 over the longer period. 00:30:32.939 --> 00:30:34.099 Why was Israel, 00:30:34.199 --> 00:30:35.059 why was Jerusalem 00:30:35.059 --> 00:30:37.059 and Hezekiah 00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:38.539 in such a mess? 00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:41.000 And the answer is 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:42.000 because they had tried 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:43.959 lots of different things 00:30:43.959 --> 00:30:45.779 to break free 00:30:45.779 --> 00:30:47.119 from the Assyrians 00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:49.219 and all of them had failed 00:30:49.219 --> 00:30:50.959 and it wasn't until 00:30:50.959 --> 00:30:52.000 right at the end 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:53.699 when Hezekiah prayed 00:30:53.700 --> 00:30:55.360 that God acted. 00:30:56.880 --> 00:30:58.279 So Hezekiah for many years 00:30:58.279 --> 00:30:59.120 had paid tribute 00:30:59.120 --> 00:31:00.500 to the Assyrians. 00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:02.340 He stopped that for a while 00:31:02.340 --> 00:31:03.759 but then when Sennacherib 00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:04.640 came and attacked, 00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:05.940 Hezekiah offered 00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:07.120 to restart 00:31:07.120 --> 00:31:08.680 paying the tribute. 00:31:09.640 --> 00:31:10.620 I think at that point 00:31:10.620 --> 00:31:11.140 Sennacherib 00:31:11.140 --> 00:31:12.160 wasn't very impressed 00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:12.940 and wanted to make 00:31:12.940 --> 00:31:14.500 an example of him. 00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:17.799 Hezekiah tried to form 00:31:17.799 --> 00:31:19.299 an alliance with Egypt. 00:31:19.460 --> 00:31:20.400 Now Isaiah had warned 00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:21.180 against that 00:31:21.180 --> 00:31:22.519 but Hezekiah 00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:23.440 in an attempt 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:24.220 to bolster 00:31:24.220 --> 00:31:25.299 his position 00:31:25.299 --> 00:31:25.859 and to give him 00:31:25.859 --> 00:31:26.880 some kind of defence 00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:27.759 against Assyria 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:28.940 had tried to form 00:31:28.940 --> 00:31:30.119 an alliance with Egypt 00:31:30.119 --> 00:31:31.839 and as Sennacherib's 00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:33.059 messenger said rightly, 00:31:33.519 --> 00:31:34.339 Egypt turned out 00:31:34.339 --> 00:31:35.420 to be a broken reed. 00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:36.660 It was no good 00:31:36.660 --> 00:31:37.640 at all. 00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:39.039 Hezekiah, 00:31:39.160 --> 00:31:39.480 as I said, 00:31:39.539 --> 00:31:40.720 prepared for a long siege. 00:31:40.839 --> 00:31:41.980 He got things in place 00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:43.599 so the city could hold out 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:45.319 for a reasonable period. 00:31:46.420 --> 00:31:46.940 Now to be honest, 00:31:47.059 --> 00:31:47.799 unless Sennacherib 00:31:47.799 --> 00:31:48.779 got a bit fed up 00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:49.559 and went away, 00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:50.480 there was no way 00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:52.200 ultimately they could hold out 00:31:52.200 --> 00:31:53.220 but Hezekiah 00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:54.240 had done these things 00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:54.680 and thought 00:31:54.680 --> 00:31:56.140 by doing this 00:31:56.140 --> 00:31:57.140 I can maybe 00:31:57.140 --> 00:31:59.099 make things okay. 00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:01.120 And then he tried 00:32:01.120 --> 00:32:01.700 to negotiate 00:32:01.700 --> 00:32:02.360 a settlement. 00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:03.420 I think that's what's happened 00:32:03.420 --> 00:32:04.680 in chapter 36 00:32:04.680 --> 00:32:05.960 when his people go out 00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:06.720 to meet with 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:07.660 Sennacherib's people. 00:32:08.019 --> 00:32:08.420 They're hoping 00:32:08.420 --> 00:32:08.839 they'll be able 00:32:08.839 --> 00:32:09.519 to negotiate 00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:10.839 some kind of settlement 00:32:10.839 --> 00:32:12.159 that the Assyrians 00:32:12.159 --> 00:32:13.419 will withdraw. 00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:16.159 And all of these 00:32:16.159 --> 00:32:17.019 fail. 00:32:18.119 --> 00:32:18.659 And it's only 00:32:18.659 --> 00:32:19.819 at the last minute 00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:21.039 when Hezekiah 00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:21.959 is in absolutely 00:32:21.959 --> 00:32:23.159 dire straits 00:32:23.159 --> 00:32:24.500 that he turns 00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:25.519 to God in prayer 00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:26.839 and he sees 00:32:26.839 --> 00:32:27.819 the answer 00:32:27.819 --> 00:32:29.119 to his prayers. 00:32:30.099 --> 00:32:30.659 You wonder 00:32:30.659 --> 00:32:31.459 what would happen 00:32:31.459 --> 00:32:32.720 if right at the beginning 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:33.579 Hezekiah 00:32:33.579 --> 00:32:34.379 had brought it 00:32:34.379 --> 00:32:35.559 to the Lord. 00:32:36.039 --> 00:32:37.299 Perhaps none of this 00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:38.579 would be in our Bibles 00:32:38.579 --> 00:32:39.419 because God 00:32:39.419 --> 00:32:40.899 would have acted. 00:32:42.019 --> 00:32:42.439 And I think 00:32:42.439 --> 00:32:43.299 it's quite significant 00:32:43.299 --> 00:32:44.339 that God 00:32:44.339 --> 00:32:45.439 allows Hezekiah 00:32:45.439 --> 00:32:46.299 to come right 00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:47.179 to the edge 00:32:47.179 --> 00:32:48.480 before he acts. 00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:50.439 To get to that point 00:32:50.439 --> 00:32:51.439 of desperation 00:32:51.439 --> 00:32:52.779 when Hezekiah 00:32:52.779 --> 00:32:53.500 recognizes 00:32:53.500 --> 00:32:54.659 there's nothing 00:32:54.659 --> 00:32:55.259 he can do 00:32:55.259 --> 00:32:56.279 in this situation 00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:57.619 but throw himself 00:32:57.619 --> 00:32:58.359 on the Lord 00:32:58.359 --> 00:32:59.419 and seek 00:32:59.419 --> 00:33:01.139 the Lord's help. 00:33:01.899 --> 00:33:02.819 If Sennacherib 00:33:02.819 --> 00:33:03.460 had been killed 00:33:03.460 --> 00:33:04.659 in one of the other battles 00:33:04.659 --> 00:33:05.720 or if he'd been killed 00:33:05.720 --> 00:33:06.500 back in his own 00:33:06.500 --> 00:33:07.919 city of Nineveh, 00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:08.820 then that might have 00:33:08.820 --> 00:33:09.360 been a cause 00:33:09.360 --> 00:33:10.279 for rejoicing 00:33:10.279 --> 00:33:11.660 for the Israelites. 00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:13.500 But it wouldn't have 00:33:13.500 --> 00:33:14.620 strengthened their faith 00:33:14.620 --> 00:33:15.380 in the Lord 00:33:15.380 --> 00:33:17.000 or their understanding 00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:18.400 of the importance 00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:19.940 of bringing things 00:33:19.940 --> 00:33:20.580 to God 00:33:20.580 --> 00:33:22.140 in prayer. 00:33:22.779 --> 00:33:23.440 And what a really 00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:24.180 important lesson 00:33:24.180 --> 00:33:25.200 that is for us 00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:27.480 when things are difficult 00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:29.740 when times are hard 00:33:29.740 --> 00:33:31.259 what do we do? 00:33:32.259 --> 00:33:33.360 Do we look for 00:33:33.360 --> 00:33:34.340 lots of solutions 00:33:34.340 --> 00:33:35.140 of our own? 00:33:35.560 --> 00:33:36.660 Do we try to work 00:33:36.660 --> 00:33:37.100 things out 00:33:37.099 --> 00:33:37.379 and think, 00:33:37.459 --> 00:33:37.619 yes, 00:33:37.639 --> 00:33:38.259 if I do this 00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:38.879 and I do that 00:33:38.879 --> 00:33:39.679 and I do the other, 00:33:39.679 --> 00:33:40.899 that might work 00:33:40.899 --> 00:33:42.219 and that might make 00:33:42.219 --> 00:33:43.159 things better 00:33:43.159 --> 00:33:44.259 for me? 00:33:45.199 --> 00:33:46.119 Or is the first 00:33:46.119 --> 00:33:46.919 thing we do 00:33:46.919 --> 00:33:48.480 to come and to bring 00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:49.539 it before the Lord 00:33:49.539 --> 00:33:50.159 in prayer 00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:51.219 and to seek 00:33:51.219 --> 00:33:51.879 His help 00:33:51.879 --> 00:33:52.819 recognizing that 00:33:52.819 --> 00:33:53.879 only with Him 00:33:53.879 --> 00:33:55.539 and through His power 00:33:55.539 --> 00:33:57.299 can we really prevail, 00:33:57.459 --> 00:33:58.079 can we find 00:33:58.079 --> 00:33:58.759 the solutions 00:33:58.759 --> 00:34:00.500 to all the issues 00:34:00.500 --> 00:34:01.819 in our lives? 00:34:03.059 --> 00:34:03.339 I, 00:34:03.419 --> 00:34:03.799 and I'm sure 00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:04.819 you as well, 00:34:05.220 --> 00:34:05.879 can think back 00:34:05.879 --> 00:34:06.659 in situations 00:34:06.659 --> 00:34:08.420 where if the first 00:34:08.420 --> 00:34:09.380 thing had been prayer 00:34:09.380 --> 00:34:09.719 and yes, 00:34:09.759 --> 00:34:10.259 after prayer 00:34:10.259 --> 00:34:10.880 there may all be 00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:11.719 actions that the Lord 00:34:11.719 --> 00:34:12.500 directs us in, 00:34:12.719 --> 00:34:13.579 but if the first 00:34:13.579 --> 00:34:15.059 thing is prayer 00:34:15.059 --> 00:34:16.960 then God will bless 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:18.320 us much more quickly 00:34:18.320 --> 00:34:19.599 than if we wait 00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:20.300 till we're in a dire 00:34:20.300 --> 00:34:20.960 situation 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:22.400 and almost as a last resort 00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:24.000 we bring it to God 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:25.179 in prayer. 00:34:26.179 --> 00:34:27.079 As the hymn says, 00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:27.880 Oh what peace 00:34:27.880 --> 00:34:29.119 we often forfeit 00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:30.940 Oh what needless 00:34:30.940 --> 00:34:31.880 pain we bear 00:34:31.880 --> 00:34:33.219 all because 00:34:33.219 --> 00:34:34.579 we do not carry 00:34:34.579 --> 00:34:35.739 everything 00:34:35.739 --> 00:34:37.099 to God 00:34:37.099 --> 00:34:38.360 in prayer. 00:34:38.860 --> 00:34:39.659 Let's go away 00:34:39.659 --> 00:34:40.400 with that thought 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:41.860 in our minds. 00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:43.920 It's a 00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.920 kind of strange 00:34:44.920 --> 00:34:46.179 passage in many ways 00:34:46.179 --> 00:34:46.920 in some ways 00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:47.679 quite interesting 00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:48.539 but in some ways 00:34:48.539 --> 00:34:49.799 quite foreign to us 00:34:49.799 --> 00:34:51.139 and yet it has 00:34:51.139 --> 00:34:52.319 these very important 00:34:52.319 --> 00:34:52.920 lessons 00:34:52.920 --> 00:34:54.360 lessons about 00:34:54.360 --> 00:34:55.179 how we deal 00:34:55.179 --> 00:34:56.059 with temptation 00:34:56.059 --> 00:34:57.460 and make sure 00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:58.340 we don't 00:34:58.340 --> 00:34:59.440 give in 00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:00.920 to the tempter's voice 00:35:00.920 --> 00:35:02.219 but particularly 00:35:02.219 --> 00:35:03.019 lessons about 00:35:03.019 --> 00:35:04.079 how when we are 00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:04.739 in any kind 00:35:04.739 --> 00:35:05.460 of difficulty 00:35:05.460 --> 00:35:06.799 we should bring it 00:35:06.799 --> 00:35:07.380 to the Lord 00:35:07.380 --> 00:35:08.360 and we should 00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:09.299 leave it with him 00:35:09.299 --> 00:35:10.519 knowing that he is 00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:11.519 much more powerful 00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:12.880 than we are. 00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:14.159 Let's pray together. 00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:16.340 Father we thank you 00:35:16.340 --> 00:35:17.099 for your word to us 00:35:17.099 --> 00:35:17.539 this evening. 00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:18.099 We thank you 00:35:18.099 --> 00:35:19.639 for this account 00:35:19.639 --> 00:35:20.840 of your dealings 00:35:20.840 --> 00:35:22.199 with your ancient people 00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:23.400 and of how you 00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:24.019 demonstrated 00:35:24.019 --> 00:35:25.039 how much greater 00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:25.619 you are 00:35:25.619 --> 00:35:26.639 than even the 00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:27.480 greatest powers 00:35:27.480 --> 00:35:28.739 in our world. 00:35:29.219 --> 00:35:29.819 We thank you 00:35:29.819 --> 00:35:31.199 that when Hezekiah 00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:31.579 prayed 00:35:31.579 --> 00:35:32.900 you answered 00:35:32.900 --> 00:35:34.079 in wonderful ways 00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:35.420 and you rescued 00:35:35.420 --> 00:35:35.799 him 00:35:35.799 --> 00:35:37.099 and your people. 00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:37.980 Help us 00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:38.779 in our lives 00:35:38.779 --> 00:35:40.159 not to give in 00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:40.900 to the snares 00:35:40.900 --> 00:35:41.819 of the tempter 00:35:41.819 --> 00:35:43.980 not to be taken in 00:35:43.980 --> 00:35:45.199 by the deceiving 00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:46.519 words that we may hear 00:35:46.519 --> 00:35:48.039 but when we face 00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:49.219 difficult situations 00:35:49.219 --> 00:35:50.759 to know that 00:35:50.759 --> 00:35:51.500 you are able 00:35:51.500 --> 00:35:52.480 to protect us 00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:52.960 through them 00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:54.099 and to bring 00:35:54.099 --> 00:35:54.860 them to you 00:35:54.860 --> 00:35:55.900 in prayer. 00:35:56.220 --> 00:35:57.139 Thank you for your word. 00:35:57.220 --> 00:35:57.619 We thank you 00:35:57.619 --> 00:35:58.519 for the privilege 00:35:58.519 --> 00:35:59.220 of meeting together 00:35:59.220 --> 00:35:59.980 as your people. 00:36:00.599 --> 00:36:01.300 We commit ourselves 00:36:01.300 --> 00:36:01.980 to you now 00:36:01.980 --> 00:36:03.480 in Jesus name. 00:36:04.380 --> 00:36:04.820 Amen. 00:36:04.820 --> 00:36:04.900 Amen.