Take It To The LORD
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 29:14
0 ratings
· 128 viewsFiles
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good Morning. One of those best feelings I’ve been graced to experience are is I hear the word “daddy.” I know that might sound sweet. But those of you who are parents know that there are different degrees of daddy. It’s all in how the word is expressed. The word can be expressed as cheerful, playful. It can be expressed as - daddy (meaning “really” dad). It can be expressed caring - oh daddy. It can be expressed as DADDY (meaning I need you — I’ve got something on my heart and I need you NOW). Many of us have been there, when the word DADDY was used. And, I’m willing to say when that many of you dropped what you were doing to answer the call. You see it all the same word, but the phonetics attached is what gives the word daddy meaning.
When we reach out this way, we’re reaching out to someone who we know that we have comfort and trust in that can help us in our urgent time of need. We’ve gone up the ladder as far as we can. There was a king in the Old Testament named Hezekiah.
Background: The Bible tells us that Hezekiah came to the throne in when he was 25. He was dedicated to the his faith in that he worked to remove idols that were spread throughout the kingdom. He wanted them removed with dedication only to Yahweh in the temple in Jerusalem. His neighbors the Assyrians came knocking that test his faith. The test did not just come one time, and it was over. Hezekiah was tested several times. Until one day, Hezekiah had enough and lifted it to the LORD. He laid it out before him. Our passage this morning takes to Isaiah 37. Join with me as we read verses 11 through 20.
10 “Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’
11 Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?
12 Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?
12 Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?
13 Where is the king of Hamath or the king of Arpad? Where are the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah?”
14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.
15 And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: 16 “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.
17 Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.
18 “It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. 19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.
20 Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.”
Pastoral Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
There was a bit of an uprising going on, and the Assyrians were determined to deal with the rebellious cities. As the Assyrians were traveling through the area, the cities were starting to have a domino effect, they were falling one by one, until all that was left was Judah. Hezekiah was left to face the Assyrian army alone. In recent history for Hezekiah, there’s a good chance he would have recalled the siege of Samaria where the Assyrians leveled the city. Here’s the thing, Isaiah would have been similar to an advisor to Hezekiah. And in
32 “Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:
“ ‘He will not enter this city
or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
or build a siege ramp against it.
Hezekiah has assurance from God that the city would be safe. Perhaps you’ve been in that situation where your faith was tested, and maybe more than once. That’s what we have going on here. Sennacherib is testing Hezekiah’s faith with the words, “Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.” WOW can you imagine. When Satan decides to attack, he sure like to put doubt into our minds, where we can start to question the promises of God, or what He has revealed. A few verses earlier (Isaiah 37:5-7), Isaiah assures that Hezekiah that the Assyrian king would “return to his own land.” But, it didn’t stop there. Sennacherib kept trying to add fuel to the fire of doubt and worry. He wanted Hezekiah shaking in his boots. He wanted Hezekiah doubting the promises of the LORD.
[Display Verse 11]
Look at what he say’s, “Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?” This guy is something else, he keeps the pressure where he continues to strengthen his point with:
[Display Verse 12]
“Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them?” Sennacherib is saying there is not a god on this earth that can stand against the Assyrian army. That includes the One True Living God. In this breath Sennacherib is laying it out for Hezekiah that there is essentially nothing that can be done once the army roll up on his door step, Judah would not escape the fate that was coming. It would be like saying:
Look, you know what Assyrian kings have done to every other nation. They have destroyed them completely. Do you think your god can save you?
Look, you have heard how Assyrian kings have utterly destroyed every other nation. You won’t escape!
You yourself have heard what we kings of Assyria have done, destroying every other nation completely. Can your god save you?
Perhaps you’ve been there, where you received news that was less than desirable, and things are starting to mount. It can be a frustrating time sprinkled with questions from every direction. Now, for Hezekiah, he’s essentially be told twice of what was to come. He’s been told verbally, and according to verse 14, by letter.
[Display Verse 14]
Here the thing about a letter. It’s not like a voicemail, text message or email, where we can decide to either read or answer the message. Usually when something is delivered by mail, we open it. Especially after a verbal message. So when the letter comes, there is a greater probability it will be opened and read. Are you still getting information to get your 2020 census done? If you aren’t, you might be one of the lucky one. After we completed our 2020 census, we were informed that mailings could still come. Well they did. I have to say the census department is persistent. When the census reminders continued to come, what did we do? We looked at the card and opened the envelope. And, every time after that when something from the census department came, we “read it,” knowing that it was another reminder. For Hezekiah, that’s exactly what he did when he received “the letter from the messengers,” he “read it.”
Hezekiah was a king who tried to get God as the central worship figure in his kingdom. Hezekiah was also not a perfect man. He had his struggles, as we’ve exploring this morning. He had sin in his life (pride - 2 Chronicles 32:25). But, He was also a man of two attributes! The first attribute is that He was a man who took the problem to the LORD. Look at the last half of verse 14 with me, where Isaiah records, "then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.” Hezekiah has a problem that is mounting. He has no idea how large of a threat this is exactly. He knew Sennacherib was moving in the area. But! Hezekiah doesn’t delay. He goes to the temple and spreads “it out before the LORD!”
The 10th Chapter of Hebrews talks about Jesus’ sacrifice once and for all. About half way into Chapter 10 beginning at verse 19 and following:
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Just like Hezekiah, this means we can approach almighty God freely and with boldness. We can approach with what’s on our heart — we can “spread it our before the LORD.” The second attribute about Hezekiah is that he’s a man of prayer.
[Display Verse 16]
Verse 16 has a lot in it, and deserves it’s own sermon. But, faith discovers God. Verse 16 is the pulse of Hezekiah’s prayer. It’s an acknowledgement of God, who He is. Hezekiah recognizes God’s personal presence, His personal availability and His Sovereignty. Judah understood that they were no match for the Assyrian army, and Sennacherib had gone to great length to create this impression. What Hezekiah had that Sennacherib didn’t was True God! Hezekiah knew he could approach God in faith. He knew God was sovereign, and the He could be trusted with mounting matters. God could be trusted to deal with the situation.
When we look at the earth, we see huge mountain and in some places deep valleys. But from Heavenly perspective, the earth could appear as smooth as a bowling ball. Think about the pictures of earth you’ve seen from space, the mountains and valleys are all on the same plane. It begins to look like the mountains and valleys do not exist. Their all smoothed out. That’s what happens when our focus and worship changes, we’re put above the situation. When we’re looking down on the situation the big mountains don’t look to be big anymore.
[Display Verse 20]
Hezekiah’s request for deliverance can be seen as a confession of helplessness. It’s saying, that without God’s help we are defenceless, we cannot depend on ourselves. We need the LORDS help. Which means, take it to the LORD.
When Hezekiah brings his petition to God, his prayer finishes powerful. Hezekiah finished with a petition to God for deliverance from Sennacherib, not only for Judah’s sake, but ultimately “so that all the kingdoms of earth may know that” God alone truly is God. Hezekiah’s prayer is completed with a call that God is to be glorified. Hezekiah has a concern that the glory of God would be realized.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Hezekiah’s prayer serves as a model for us. Like Paul says in:
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
For Hezekiah, he could have felt like he was facing Mount Everest between the conversation and the letter. That didn’t stop from going right into the temple and spreading “it out before the LORD.” He made the decision, I’ve got to take it to the LORD. If anyone can solve this problem, it’s the LORD.
Hezekiah’s prayer finishes with the backbone of intercessory prayer for others. Hezekiah is not praying that glory and honor would come on him. But, rather that “the earth may know that you, LORD, are the only God.” That ought to be our prayer that “the earth may know that you, LORD, are the only God!!”
What do you need to spread “out before the LORD” today?
What is the letter you’ve received?
What is your Mount Everest?
This is your time to come forward to take it to the LORD!
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer