Hezekiahs Prayer
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Friends, last week we spoke on holiness of God.
Today I want to speak on that same note. But from another perspective.
Many in scripture have turned to prayer on the days in which seemed disaster was inevitable
In the book of Kings many kings were listed throughout the book that ruled ungodly and unjust
Many claimed the true God only to abandon Him.
Many never really showed they cared for God at all
However, There was some shining lights
One of those shining lights was Hezekiah king of Judah
Hezekiah goes down as a Godly king
you see he sought, as we spoke last week, to be holy
He was one who wanted the nation to serve the true God.
In fact scripture says of Hezekiah in chapter 18 of 2 kings that in his 29 year rule “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord”
Hezekiah was a man, he was a king, he was a leader, but most all he wanted to serve God.
And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth. Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God. Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.
Where we pick up today, Assyria was inevitably going to invade Judah.
They had sent a series of threats to Hezekiah and after conquering Jerusalem, the impending attack on Judah seemed inevitable.
So what we find Hezekiah do, is pray…
Today is the day of prayer!
You see in the darkest moment where attack was coming, Hezekiah laid these threats, which were sent in the form of letter before God
And his plan of attack was simple
He began to pray.
Brothers and sisters, you dont have to answer this out loud, but ask yourself today
Do you find that the world we live in is heading in a negative direction?
I feel many here would say yes to that.
If that be the case, is today not the day to pray?
Is today not the day in which we, like Hezekiah, must lay our concerns before God and pray.
But like Hezekiah perhaps today isn’t just any old prayer.
Perhaps today needs to be a prayer that pleads to God.
It needs to be a prayer that glorifies God.
And it needs to be a prayer that pleads for his forgiveness and mercy upon our world.
Hezekiah very importantly mentions this in his prayer.
He says (v.16)…
Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
You see Sennacherib was very important.
He was the Assyrian king and the one sending these threats to Hezekiah.
He mentions it to God this way.
Sennacherib has came to mock you oh God.
One of the guys in this church and you know who you are mentioned a few weeks ago
They are thrashing the name of Jesus
You see our world isn’t that much different than that of Judah in the rule of Hezekiah
They are thrashing his name
Making a mockery of the name of Jesus
Friends, I don’t know if you pay much attention to what is popular in this world but brothers and sisters as we look around and see those in our world and see evil.
Not only those who do not believe Jesus but they have saught to make a mockery of Him.
friends this should anger us!
Many go running to the likes of singers, and celebrities in mobs who release content everyday which mock God and his people.
In fact I may make some people upset this morning, but one of the most popular albums out right now is sung by Taylor Swift.
I have confirmed these lyrics and I want to read them to you.
This is what one of the most popular singers of our time has to say
"What if I roll the stone away?/ They're gonna crucify me anyway/ What if the way you hold me is actually what's holy."
“I just learned these people only raise you / To cage you / Sarahs and Hannahs in their Sunday best / Clutchin' their pearls, sighing, 'What a mess' / I just learned these people try and save you 'Cause they hate you."
Friends, these are just two of the lyrics from that album.
We could also add that 10 out of 32 are marked explicit and this is the junk that is filling the ears of the people
Yet we as the church still often allow it in our homes, some of us allow it in our ears, and whether we realize it or not, we tolerate it being in the ears of our children and grandchildren, and we are more than happy to participate in it as long as it isn’t near the church.
believe it or not many who are Christians still see nothing wrong with living their life following corruptness for the other 6 days a week.
Many do so through music choices, television choices, and celebrities who quit frankly no one should admire.
I pray that isn’t you today.
But if it is, today is the day to repent of that and trust in Jesus alone.
Friends like the world in Hezekiah’s day,
It’s not looking good.
The enemy is on the horizon ready to pounce.
This brings us to the question we all must ask…
What do we do?
What if perhaps instead of laying mute.
Waiting on the Lords return.
We lay wait on the Lord but we do it in prayer as though we never have prayed before.
You see as Hezekiah’s enemy sought to destroy his nation.
Our enemy is the devil himself.
He seeks to destroy the hearts, minds, ears, and soul of the people of this world.
However, Perhaps today could be the day that our God could begin to bring revival to our nation.
But he will bring it through the heart, prayer and action of His people.
Hezekiah prayed and he said…
Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
Hezekiah was praying Lord the nations Assyria have conquered their gods were destroyed.
Their Gods were lay waist and cast into the fire!
Brothers and sisters Hezekiah said this because he knew one faithful truth
These gods, they were gods made of wood, and stone, and metals
But they brothers and sisters were not the the God of all the
That title belongs to one and one alone.
Friends, we like those of the nations Assyria conquered. Have many ungodly “gods”.
Our world has worshipped falsehood, deception and lies.
So now brothers and sisters, we have an opportunity like no other
Hezekiah closed his prayer in this way…
Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.
His final plea to God was.
Save us the hands of the Assyrians
And he gives a why to God
You see Hezekiah doesn’t just ask God to do it
He tells God why he should do it.
Saying this, save us so that all will know you are God.
What better plea to our God today
Friends today, in a holy day, in a holy moment
We have the opportunity to pray to God.
Save us oh God, glorify yourself by saving us.
In a time which your return is inevitable
God you have created us for such a moment as this.
God spare your creation for a season longer that they may come to know you and be glorified.
And bring revival to our land…
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
But friends, it’s time for Gods people to pray.
It’s time for God people to humbly bow and plead to God.
Heal our land
Spare us from your wrath and be glorified oh God!