I often joke that if I ever have to come up with a devotional or brief ministry message on short notice, my "go-to" is Hezekiah. Given 15 extra years to live, and he pretty much wastes it, or at least he lives it for himself and not for the Lord. Easy passage in Isaiah from which to draw a teaching lesson.
But prior to that, King Hezekiah is faced with a real dilemma. I was in Isaiah 36 this morning. Assyria has been on the march throughout Israel and Judah, and now has it's mark set on Jerusalem. There is seemingly no escape from the juggernaut of King Sennacherib. Hezekiah was a Godly king, for the most part, he heard from the prophets, namely Isaiah, and he had gotten rid of most of the idolatrous worship in his land, certainly pleasing to the Lord. But now he faced a dire situation. He could not fight Assyria and hope to win. His army just did not have the resources. He needed help, and he was smart enough to know it.
Problem is, he forgot where to turn for that help. The King James Version basically says, 'Where have you put your confidence?" Sennacherib even chides him sarcastically for looking to Egypt for help. What is ironically funny is that earlier, Isaiah scolds Hezekiah for just the same thing, and he does so speaking directly for the Lord. The rest of this account is fascinating, as Hezekiah does finally petition the Lord earnestly and sincerely, and God takes care of the 185,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight, sending their king back home defeated, to be killed by his sons.
So where do we seek advice? Is Isaiah were to visit us, and get to know us, would he approve of our sources of strength and security? I can only speak for me, and I know Isaiah would have some stern reprimands if we were to chat.
What do you say we let God be as mighty as He really is? He'll never disappoint!
Holding fast to the Name of our Creator
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