Hezekiah’s Trials
By Mike Pence
Assyria's 1st Threat (2 Kings 18:17-35)
- Egypt cannot help you (v. 21)
- You cannot trust in God (v. 22) Cannot put riders on horses (v. 23)
- Cannot repel one captain of the least of my servants (v. 24)
- Siege means starvation (v. 27)
- Hezekiah cannot deliver you (v. 29)
- Do not listen to Hezekiah (v. 31)
- Promises if they submit to Assyria (v. 31-32)
- Other nation's gods could not deliver them (v. 33)
Hezekiah's Response (2 Kings 19:1-5)
- Tore his clothes Covered himself with sackcloth
- Went into the house of the Lord Sent for Isaiah
- "Lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left"
God's Answer (2 Kings 19:6-7)
- "Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard"
- "…he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land"
- Killed by two of his own sons (19:36-37)
Assyria's 2nd Threat (2 Kings 19:10-13)
- Do not let God deceive you (v. 10)
- Will you be delivered when everyone else has been utterly destroyed (v. 11)
- Have the gods of the nations delivered them? (v. 12-13)
Hezekiah's Response (2 Kings 19:14-19)
- Went to the house of the Lord
- Spread it before the Lord
- Prayed
- "You are God, You alone"
- "You have made heaven and earth"
- "Incline Your ear, open Your eyes"
- "…for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands."
- "Save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone"
God's Answer (2 Kings 19:20-34)
- 'He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor build up a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return; and he shall not come into this city,' says the Lord. 'For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.' (v. 32-34)
- Angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrians (v. 35)
- 2 Chronicles 32:22
Isaiah's Message (2 Kings 20:1)
- "Set your house in order, for you shall die"
Hezekiah's Response (2 Kings 20:2-3)
- Prayed
- "Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight"
- Wept bitterly
God's Answer (2 Kings 20:4-6)
- "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add to your days fifteen years."
- James 5:16
- 1 John 3:22
When given trials that seem insurmountable, Hezekiah turned to God for help.
"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. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles." (2 Chronicles 32:7-8)
"…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
