The Tests from God
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· 6 viewsEven the greatest among us need a savior. We need the King of Kings
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Some people pay a lot of money to be pushed to their limit physically at a gym by a trainer
They hire somebody who will give them physical work restrict what they are able to consume
Average cost according to google is 200-1000 per month
the Lord will push you… test you
31 When the ambassadors of Babylon’s rulers were sent to him to inquire about the miraculous sign that happened in the land, God left him to test him and discover what was in his heart.
We have looked at King Hezekiah over the last month, this being week 5
He reestablished the temple his father had closed up and kicked out the priests
He reestablished the passover celebration with people from the northern tribes like had not been done since the time of Solomon
He watched as God drove back the Assyrians when they were on the brink of taking over the city
He had been healed by God and granted 15 more years to his life
God tests his people
allowing them to go through trials, enter into temptations so that their faith grows
Pray
1 At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah since he heard that he had been sick and had recovered.
100 years before Nebuchadnezzar
they came in attempt to make an alliance against Assyria who had taken over the region
2 Hezekiah was pleased with the letters, and he showed the envoys his treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil—and all his armory, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his palace and in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.
Word had gone out around the region that Hezekiah was sick, thought he was going to die, but has been healed.
3 Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say, and where did they come to you from?” Hezekiah replied, “They came to me from a distant country, from Babylon.”
4 Isaiah asked, “What have they seen in your palace?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen everything in my palace. There isn’t anything in my treasuries that I didn’t show them.”
Obviously they are not from around here…
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of Armies:
6 ‘Look, the days are coming when everything in your palace and all that your predecessors have stored up until today will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord.
7 ‘Some of your descendants—who come from you, whom you father—will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ”
If you know the OT, you know that this is a judgment that is coming from the Lord on the people of Judah
Hezekiah, is not to worried about it
8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good,” for he thought: There will be peace and security during my lifetime.
31 When the ambassadors of Babylon’s rulers were sent to him to inquire about the miraculous sign that happened in the land, God left him to test him and discover what was in his heart.
Even the greatest among us need a savior. We need the King of Kings
they have been waiting for the one who would come sit on David’s throne
We’ve been looking at the lineage of Jesus in Matthew; written so that we know Jesus is that king.
Tell of Dr. Anderson’s tests at midwestern
When we know the questions, it’s much easier to pass the tests…
Who do we think deserves worship?
Who do we think deserves worship?
It is so easy for pride to sneak in on us…
it is sneaky… growing up in us when we least expect it
kids have a way of keeping you humble
team kid at the end of the night
Pride slays thanksgiving, but a humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grows. A proud man is seldom a grateful man; he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.
Henry Ward Beecher (Congregational Clergyman)
1 At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah since he heard that he had been sick and had recovered.
2 Hezekiah was pleased with the letters, and he showed the envoys his treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil—and all his armory, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his palace and in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them.
Hezekiah more than happy to receive praise from Babylonians
the text says that it pleased Hezekiah…
Pleased = to rejoice, be glad, happiness…
he was not rejoicing or taking these letters and gifts and praising the one who healed him
Our joy should be found in the Lord, a joy that does not fade. Hezekiah found joy in the praise of men.
the account of this event in 2 kings 20 is almost identical to the account in Isaiah
one small difference is the word heard
in v2 of Isaiah 39, he was pleased with the letters, 2 Kings 20, says that he was pleased when he heard them
these letters were not something that he took and read for himself
these were read over him… I can almost hear him tell the people… read it again, especially the part that says how strong I am to defeat death and the Assyrians
really play it out…
Hezekiah more than happy to show the Babylonians why he should be praised
He takes them all throughout his palace and shows them all the treasures that he has
look how truly great I am at all the treasurers I have
27 Hezekiah had abundant riches and glory, and he made himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and every desirable item.
28 He made warehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and fresh oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and pens for flocks.
29 He made cities for himself, and he acquired vast numbers of flocks and herds, for God gave him abundant possessions.
you can picture the king sitting on his throne, being adorned with praises from the letter and telling his servants, please go show these men what I have built here
We are quick to forget all that God has done for us
the worldly blessings are from him…
I do not care how hard you work, without his blessings, you have nothing.
he causes it to rain on the wicked and the righteous, without his rain, his sunshine, the dirt he created farming ends.
the spiritual blessings are innumerable
He has given us the church
fellow believers to do life with, called to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice
brothers and sisters in christ to do life with
he has given us his son
sacrificing his one and only son for our sins that we might be made righteous and spend eternity with him
he has given us his spirit!
His Spirit dwells inside each and every believer
he dwells within us to help and lead us
Where is our security found?
Where is our security found?
We all bow down before wealth. Wealth is that which the multitude of men pay an instinctive homage. They measure happiness by wealth; and by wealth they measure respectability. It is a homage resulting from a profound faith that with wealth he may do all things.
Saint Augustine of Hippo
Heather and I said we have become chip snobs because I want a certain brand of tortilla chips that we would never buy when we had kids a home
the kids would eat them so fast and these are more expensive
3 Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men say, and where did they come to you from?” Hezekiah replied, “They came to me from a distant country, from Babylon.”
4 Isaiah asked, “What have they seen in your palace?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen everything in my palace. There isn’t anything in my treasuries that I didn’t show them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of Armies:
Isaiah’s questions are not just gathering information
like a parent interrogating their child already knowing what has happened
I wonder if at that moment Hezekiah knew he had messed up
he does not completely answer Isaiah’s question
yet when asked what all he had shown them, he is honest
everything! Almost bragging to Isaiah
Hezekiah is planning on making an alliance with Babylon against the Assyrians
speak about the Assyrian march
100 years before the Babylonians would take over Jerusalem
they are a smaller kingdom at this time
The enemy of my enemy is my friend
they can see how wealthy I am and together we can defeat the Assyrians
This is the same Assyrians the Lord kept out of Jerusalem
why do we constantly look for worldly solutions to things that the Lord has already taken care of
5 Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you.
My security is in Christ… and that extends much farther than this world
nothing or no one can separate me from the love of God according to Romans 8,
if we are more concerned about our earthly security than our eternal security than it is not the Lord we worship
instead we worship the perceived worldly benefits
Hezekiah looked at his wealth, the strength of the Babylonians and thought he was secure
forgetting the one who healed him and gave him 15 more years
What is our greatest concern?
What is our greatest concern?
For almost everyone, our greatest concern is ourselves…
we can say that it is our family, the Lord, maybe the church
but when things hit… we are taking care of ourselves
me braking a manikin
I have no idea why I ran out of that store…
The Westminster Catechism states that “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”
6 ‘Look, the days are coming when everything in your palace and all that your predecessors have stored up until today will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord.
7 ‘Some of your descendants—who come from you, whom you father—will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ”
8 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good,” for he thought: There will be peace and security during my lifetime.
We see this play out in the book of Daniel
many believe that Daniel and his three friends were eunuchs
3 The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility—
6 Among them, from the Judahites, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
also known as Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
taken to Babylon out of the their home in Jerusalem
given new Babylonian names, taught the Babylonian customs
Babylon… the place where we see man attempt to be his own god and build the tower of babble.
Hezekiah thought this sounded great
not because his family would be eunuchs, but this would take place well after he was gone
he would not be the king who collapsed the kingdom
What a self-centered view of this prophecy… there will always be peace in my lifetime
I fear we are exactly like this in our country
we want our life to be like this… borrow more money!
I won’t be around when we have to pay that back
no care at all the future generation, the coming judgment as long as he does not have to face it
This is where we are as a church…
I have my salvation… my kids are saved
who cares about anyone else
We should be consumed with the glory of God
honoring our Lord in every situation by living out the gospel
that we live humbly knowing that only by the gospel we stand
that we live boldly know it is the gospel we proclaim
knowing our first concern should be to know him and make him known!
Conclusion
Conclusion
In the 17th century, the Puritan minister John Bunyan was imprisoned for preaching without a license. During his 12 years in jail, he penned 'The Pilgrim's Progress,' a powerful allegory of the Christian faith. His unwavering commitment to God during imprisonment is an example of how our toughest trials can become fertile ground for spiritual growth and inspiration for others. Bunyan’s faith was not only tested but refined like gold.
We do not have to go the way of Hezekiah
the way of self, the way of pride
12 So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.
13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.
