Tag: Hezekiah

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Which coach are you following?

Is 34-37 In Football, sometimes a player fumbles the ball, and the touchdown is given to the opposing team. When Sennacherib tried to get Hezekiah to fumble the ball, he had no idea of the outcome! In Psalm 2, we see how God handles fumbles! “the one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them,” Then he sends in another team and scores a victory just like he did with Sennacherib! God sent an angel and took the lives of 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers and sent him packing back to Assyria, where he was killed by his own sons. 

“Don’t mess with God!” was the message, and unbelievers should take note. But, as Paul noted, the adversary blinds the minds of the unbeliever lest they see the holy God. [2Cor 4:4]

We tend to make light of this story, but if truth be known, God uses things like this to get our attention. While Sennacherib was busy planning to score, Hezekiah took it to God and let God take care of the problem. We should do the same, but we often try to solve the problem using human methods. Take a lesson from Hezekiah and learn that God can better handle our adversaries than we can. 

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God and Our Problems

God and our problems

Is 34-37 The Day I “Lost it”

I don’t know how I would have handled Sennacherib’s taunts, but I do know that when I am frustrated, I lose it and do it in spades, as I did today. Sennacherib is the king of Assyria, and he sent his right-hand man to taunt King Hezekiah. Wisely, Hezekiah kept his cool and did not answer him. Instead, he took the problem to God—I should take a page out of Hezekiah’s book.

Sennacherib had been successful up and down Israel, and he thought he could take one last prize in the city of Jerusalem. He tried to get Hezekiah to fumble the ball and give the victory to him, but he had no idea who he was dealing with! That is the way it is with unbelievers. Read Psalm 2 and see how God handles taunts! “the one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them,” Then he sends in the artillery and takes them down just like he did with Sennacherib when He sent an angel and took the lives of 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers; sent him packing back to Assyria where he was killed by his own sons. What a tragic ending, all because he refused to honor God.

“Don’t mess with God!” was the message, and unbelievers and believers as well should take note. But, as Paul noted, the adversary blinds the minds. God allows a test to see how we will respond, and Hezekiah responded correctly, but this author did not!

We tend to make light of this story, but if truth be known, God uses things like this to get our attention. When Sennacherib taunted King Hezekiah, he took it to God and let God take care of the problem. We/I should do the same, but we/I often try to solve the problem using human methods. Take a lesson from Hezekiah and learn that God can better handle our adversaries than we can. 

Stand still and see the salvation from the Lord. Did I learn yet what to do? Stay tuned, I am a work in progress A.G.A.I.N.!

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Parenting Tough Kids

If you have raised a godly child, consider yourself blessed. Do you know of a parent that needs some godly counsel? Why not disciple them?

2kings 20 dads sonsa

2Kings 20-24  Although Hezekiah was a good king, he was not a faithful father. His son Manasseh was the worst of the worst! The Chronicle writer tells us however that after being captured by the Babylonians, he repented and God returned him to his homeland. His story is just what is needed when you face a hardened sinner who has done just about the worst sin you can think of and feels that there is no hope for him/her. Tuck that away for such a time as that. Manasseh is the story of us all: sinners saved by His grace.

Manasseh’s son Amon followed in his footsteps but never repented.  Manasseh’s grandson Josiah was the model king; faithful, obedient and godly. He obeyed the Law to the letter, cleansing and rebuilding the Temple. He cleansed the land and its people. God blessed him in many ways. Yet, as godly as he was, his son Jehoahaz returned to the ways of his grandfather and uncle.

There are some lessons here for parents who are discouraged because of their children’s choices. God was gracious to Josiah that he never saw the ultimate rebelliousness of his son. Sometimes that happens to us as well. Even when you raise them correctly, children make choices; some good and some bad. Tuck that lesson away when you are facing an uphill battle.

Parenting is the toughest job given to a person. We need to remember that and pray and disciple these young parents.   Come alongside them; encourage them; listen to them.

Who is in your life that you need to disciple?

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