Victory Against Enemy Siege
Notes
Transcript
1 After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him. 4 Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?” 5 And he strengthened himself, built up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired the Millo in the City of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. 6 Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying, 7 “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him.
July 4th - Our True Freedom is in CHrist.
Background - Assyrian army , Israel carried captive
Our true enemies are spiritual.
Lessons from today’s scripture text:
1. Faithfulness to God makes you a target of the enemy.
2. We have a part in putting up our defenses.
3. Ultimately, God fights the battles for us.
1. Faithfulness to God makes you a target of the enemy.
1 After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself.
After these deeds of faithfulness...
Faithfulness does not make us immune to attacks..
Questions arise, why? This is not the answer we expect when we are faithful to God..
Another perspective is that God showed His grace to let Hezekiah complete the reformations he started before (from last week).. cleansed the nation from idolatry, he sent runners across the land to invite people to Jerusalem, and he re-established true worship and the people’s covenant with the Lord.
2. We have a part in putting up our defenses.
2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem,
3 he consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him.
4 Thus many people gathered together who stopped all the springs and the brook that ran through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?”
Hezekiah’s Tunnel.
Picture of Hezekiah’s Tunnel here.
We must deny the enemy his source of strength.
The sinful nature.. how do we feed it? cutoff the supply of the natural man and redirect it to the spiritual man.
Hezekiah’s Wall - 7 meters thick
“The Assyrian Battering Rams”
Ultimately it is the Lord Who gives us the means of our defense. — “the hedge of protection”
The full armor of God.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
After cutting off water from the enemy, Hezekiah fortified their defenses:
5 And he strengthened himself, built up all the wall that was broken, raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside; also he repaired the Millo in the City of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance.
God has made available the defense systems, don’t wander away from the defenses of God.. don’t go behind enemy lines!
3. Ultimately, God fights the battles for us.
Hezekiah gave like a battle speech, but it is actually a proclamation of the greatness of God.
6 Then he set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement, saying,
7 “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him.
8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
The people are strengthened...
Let me state what is true but sometimes not obvious:
“Jesus is victorious once for all. Satan is a defeated foe.”
This is where Christians make a mistake:
“We no longer fight for victory. We fight from victory!”
Wall of Prayer
Sennacherib’s threats — I won’t have to read it anymore.. (2 Chronicles 32:9-19)
Who do you trust? Hezekiah? Your God?
Don’t you know what I have done to the people of other lands? Their gods were not able to deliver them from my hand..
Do not believe Hezekiah, do not believe His God.
Sennacherib also sent messengers to speak these things in Hebrew.
Beware of Satan’s propaganda campaign.
Satan is like a roaring lion — all he can do is make noise, he cannot touch us if the defenses of God are up..
Hezekiah asked God for help.. the humility, he did not trust in his fortification..
20 Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven.
In the account of 2 Kings 19, there is something so profound and powerful that Hezekiah did:
14 Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord.
Bring your fight, your frustrations, your fears before God!
THE FINAL VICTORY!!
21 Then the Lord sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.
22 Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter.
Psalm 46 - written by Hezekiah after this massive victory.
Let’s all stand and recite.
1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
10 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah