Sermon Tone Analysis

How many times have you heard or been told something to this effect, “you just need to trust the Lord”?

How many times does God tell us to do this very thing in the Scriptures?

It is one of the great themes of Scripture!

We know what the words “trust the Lord” mean, but how well do we understand what it means to trust the Lord in real life?

“Doctrinal Statements are like skeletons—bare bones, but absolutely essential to give form and order and interconnection to the body of revealed truth.

Stories flesh out that skeleton, incarnate that truth, demonstrate how the doctrine looks and moves and acts in the real world of flesh and blood.”

—Layton Talbert (Not By Chance Learning to Trust a Sovereign God, 64)

This morning I want us to consider what it means (in real life) to trust the Lord from the story of a man named Hezekiah.

Hezekiah was a king of Judah during the tail end of a period of history known as the divided kingdoms.

Hezekiah was king of Judah right around the time of the fall of the Norther Kingdom—Israel.

In fact, Hezekiah and the people of Judah (Southern Kingdom) are contrasted with the Hoshea and the people of Israel (Northern Kingdom).

In 2 Kings 17 we read about the fall of Samaria.

After hundreds of years of sin and wickedness God brings judgement on the Northern Kingdom because they did not fear the Lord.

The word “fear” or “feared” is used 12x’s in ch. 17.

Israel didn’t fear and therefore didn’t trust in the Lord.

But their lack of trust was not due to God’s negligence!

Yet in vv.

9-18 we see that Israel feared other gods, they did secretly against the Lord, they were involved in every kind of idolatry, they would not listen, they were stubborn, they did not believe, they despised God and his covenant, they became false, they followed the sin of the nations around them, and they ultimately abandoned the Lord!

So we read this about God’s judgement on Samaria,

In stark contrast to this was Hezekiah and the nation of Judah.

In 2 Kings 18 vv.

1-4 we are told that Hezekiah began to rule when he was 25 and he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord just like his father David had done.

He removed every form of idol worship from the kingdom, even destroying the bronze serpent that Moses had made because it was being worshiped by the people.

And in v. 5 we read this about Hezekiah:

Hezekiah is set forth as a shinning example of what it means to trust the Lord!

There were no other kings of Judah before him or after him who trusted the Lord like Hezekiah did.

What can we learn from Hezekiah?

I think we can learn what it looks like to trust the Lord in the daily activities of our lives.

How did Hezekiah trust the Lord?

How can we be like him and learn to trust the Lord the way he did?

Proposition: The Lord acts on behalf of those who put their trust in Him.

What does it mean to trust the Lord?

Trusting the Lord means:

I.

You do not allow danger to keep you from doing right

Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

We do not have the time to look at this in detail, but in 2 Chronicles 29-31 we are given a detailed description of how Hezekiah did right.

He restored proper worship to Judah.

He cleansed the temple, he restored temple worship, he celebrated passover, and he organized the priests.

Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

In vv.

7-8 we are told of another step of obedience that Hezekiah took.

It is very important to note in v. 7 that Hezekiah rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him.

Why did Hezekiah rebel against Assyria?

Was it a genius political move?

Was it an astute economical move that would bring peace and security to his people?

Was it a wise military move that would strengthen his kingdom?

NO!

In fact in the next few verses, vv.

9-12, we are given an account of how the king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it and after three years he defeated the city and took its people into captivity.

The impression we are left with is if Assyria can mop the floor with Samaria, they should have no problem taking out Jerusalem!

So why does Hezekiah rebel?

Remember Hezekiah trusted the Lord.

He held fast to the Lord.

He did not depart from following Him, but he kept the Lord’s commandments.

How could Hezekiah serve the Lord and at the same time maintain ties with such a wicked nation like Assyria?

But Assyria is so powerful!

They conquered Samaria!

What was Hezekiah thinking!

The writer of Kings reminds us why Samaria was overcome by Assyria.

What was the fundamental reason that Samaria was conquered and its people carried away into captivity?

So Hezekiah has a choice.

He can choose the follow the path of Hoshea king of Israel, or he can follow the Lord.

If he follows the Lord he must rebel against Assyria.

The text is setting us up.

We are meant to ask this question- Can Hezekiah serve the Lord, disobey Assyria, and survive?

Hezekiah believes the answer the that question is YES.

But, he doesn’t know it for sure.

He simply trusts the Lord.

He does not allow the potential for danger to keep him from doing what is right.

That is what it looks like to trust the Lord.

What kind of danger do we face?

How does that danger keep us from doing the right thing?

I cannot obey Jesus in this area of my life because my family might reject me!

Trusting the Lord means you don’t allow danger to keep you from doing right.

I cannot obey Jesus in this area of my life because I might be rejected and hated!

Trusting the Lord means you don’t allow danger to keep you from doing right.

In what areas of your life do you need to be like Hezekiah?

How do you need to put into action what it means to trust the Lord?

Trusting the Lord means:

II.

You remain loyal even if God allows your efforts to fail

As we read the story of Hezekiah we might be tempted to think- wow God is really going to bless Hezekiah because of his obedience!

We are even told in v. 7 that wherever Hezekiah went out he prospered because the Lord was with him.

So everything is going to go right in Hezekiah’s life.

He will never face any problems or defeats, right?

Wait, what?

How can it be that God allows Sennacherib to conquer ALL of the fortified cities of Judah?

Didn’t Hezekiah obey?

Didn’t Hezekiah do right in the face of danger?

How can it be that God allowed the Assyrians to come into Judah and conquer all of their fortified cities? Militarily significant cities!

Not only that, but Judah is all alone.

They have no allies, they have no friends, and now their land is swarming with the armies of the most powerful nation in the world.

So what does Hezekiah do?

In desperation Hezekiah attempts to make peace before the armies reach Jerusalem.

So he sends a plea deal to Sennacherib and says whatever you want from me I will pay it, just done invade Jerusalem.

So Sennacherib demands an enormous amount of money and Hezekiah literally has to strip the gold from the doors of the temple to try and meet these high demands.

In the parallel account in 2 Chronicles 32 we find out that Hezekiah at the same time sets about repairing Jerusalem’s walls and dealing with the water for the coming seige.

So even though he sent the payment, he was not confident that Assyria would stop the invasion of Jerusalem.

Even though his obedience seemed to be leading his nation into ruin, Hezekiah did his part.