| Yesterday we read that Hezekiah had received a letter from the King of Assyria threatening to destroy the city of Jerusalem. Do you remember how Hezekiah dealt with it? He took the letter and spread it out before the Lord asking God to answer it himself. Now God sent Isaiah to Hezekiah with the answer to the letter and to Hezekiah's prayer. We could call this the 'Deliverance of Faith'. How was God going to answer? How was his power to be sent? Firstly God judged the King of Assyria's pride and the fact that he dared to speak against the city of Jerusalem, God's own chosen place. God mentions in verses 24,25 how the king thought he had done everything himself, not realising that God had been using him to accomplish God's purposes (v. 26, 27). Now because the king had become arrogant and full of pride, God was going to deal with him. God made two promises-one to his people and one to the king of Assyria. Both were remarkably fulfilled. God promised his people that he would watch over them and care for them and provide every need (v. 30, 31). There is a beautiful picture in verse 31. Israel would 'take root downward and bear fruit upward'. Isn't that still our need today? Don't we need to take root more and more deeply in Christ and the things of God and then see the results in the fruit of the Spirit showing itself in our lives? What a great example that is for us. Then God promised that the King of Assyria would never enter Jerusalem (v. 33). He would go back along the road that he came and would never be allowed to attack the city because God was defending it. God's honour and his name were at stake. God will always defend his name. It is still the same today. We can claim victory from God on the basis of his name and the fact we bear that name as his children. The final fulfilment of God's judgment on the heathen king did not come for a few years-possibly even 20-but God's Word is always fulfilled. Hezekiah found help in God, while the King of Assyria found only defeat. | 
沒有留言:
張貼留言