Explore the Bible Lesson Preview February 20, 2011 "Got to Have Hope" Background: 2 Kings 18:1-20:21 (2 Chron. 29:1-32:31) Lesson: 2 Kings 18:28-32; 19:5-7, 15-19 Motivation: In Judah's last days, one of her great Kings came to reign. Hezekiah had a Godless father, Ahaz, but apparently a mother, Abijan, and grandfather, Zechariah, who loved God. When things seemed most bleak, God sent Hezekiah and several miracles to provide Judah a latter golden era. In our own lives, when all seem lost, we need to remember to turn to God. I. Opposite Fates (18:1-12) A. Prosperity in Judah "The Lord was with him, he prospered wherever he went..." (7a) Because Hezekiah led a spiritual revival (4), God provided material prosperity and security (8). B. Judgment in Israel "Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away captive to Assyria " (11a) Believer's Study Bible, p. 532-33: 18: 9-11 Cf. 17:5, 6; 17:23 "This account is repeated here to contrast with Hezekiah's trust and obedience and Yahweh's blessing in vv. 3-8." 18:13 "The king of Assyria was now Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.), the less capable son of Sargon II. Hezekiah of Judah had joined with Tyre and Egypt in an alliance against Assyria (2 Chron. 32:1-8). Sennacherib, in 701 B.C., proceeded to put down this revolt and moved against the cities of Judah. Sennacherib left a record of this campaign on a prism, called the Taylor Prism, which is now in the British Museum." 1 / 10
II. Divine Deliverance (18:13-19:37) A. Satan's Plan to undermine God's People The following account of Sennacherib's siege of Judah provides insight into Satan's plan against believers. 1. The Enemy seeks to Destroy our Confidence in God (9-22) a. The Enemy Points to Past Failures "Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away captive to Assyria" (11a) b. The Enemy Tempts with Appeasement "Whatever you impose on me I will pay" (14) Believer's Study Bible, p. 533: 18:14 "One of the cities which Sennacherib besieged was Lachish. Inscriptions of this siege have been found in the king's palace at Ninevah. Hezekiah agreed to pay tribute to Sennacherib. In his inscription, Sennacherib claims that the tribute also included precious stones, inlaid couches and chairs, elephant hides, and even Hezekiah's own daughters, women of the palace and musicians." c. The Enemy Sends Discouraging Messengers "Then the king so Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army against Jerusalem to Hezekiah..." (17) Believer's Study Bible, p. 533: 18: 17 "Sennacherib, not satisfied with Hezekiah's show of submission, sent three of his lieutenants along with a large force of men to engage in psychological warfare with Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem. The names of the three lieutenants were actually titles of high Assyrian officials: Tartan', meaning commander-in-chief'; Rabsaris,' meaning chief officer'; and Rabshakeh,' meaning "chief of staff." d. The Enemy Ridicules Our Resources "But if you say to me, "We trust in 2 / 10
the Lord our God" (22) 1. Ridiculing the army - "you speak of having plans and power for war, but they are mere words" (20) The power of the Assyrian army and the inability of Judah's army was vividly depicted at Lachish, the site of these negotiations. A relief depicting this battle was discovered on a palace wall in Nineveh; the Assyrian army breached the walls of Lachish and slaughtered the inhabitants. Quite a backdrop for "peace talks!" (cf. 19:11) 2. Rejecting the Allies - "Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt..." (21) Satan seeks to isolate and destroy (John 10:10a). 3. Refuting the Almighty - "is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, You shall worship before the altar in Jerusalem?'" (22) Even when we seek to do good (18:4), Satan will try to twist it into something bad. In fact, the Assyrian envoys were trying to convince (and divide) the people by pointing out that bad things began to happen when Hezekiah destroyed the false places of worship. Undoubtedly, they implied that the king had angered somebody's god. 2. The Enemy Wants Us to Decide to Compromise "Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horsesif you are able on your part to put riders on them!" (23) Satan makes compromise appear enticing! Two thousand horses would have reconstituted the Judean cavalry (cf. 13:7 where Israel was left with only 50 horsemen). All that was asked was a return to serving Assyria (Matt. 4:9). 3. The Enemy Strives to Divide the Company "...do not speak to us in Hebrew in hearing of the people who are on the wall (20b)..." Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and spoke saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria.'" (28) Aramaic was the common tongue of international negotiation. However, the Assyrians never intended to negotiate peace, they spoke Hebrew to separate the "man on the 3 / 10
street" from his king. To this day, Satan seeks to divide the company and spoil the unity of God's people. 4. The Enemy Sets about to Deceive the Congregation "Do not let Hezekiah the king deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you from his hand" (29) a. Deception concerning God's Word "Nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying 'The Lord will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria'" (30). b. Deception concerning God's leaders "Do not listen to Hezekiah..." (31a). c. Deception concerning God's power "Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria?" (33). B. God's Plan to Deliver His People (19:1-37) 1. Choose God's House "...And so it was, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord" (31) In the midst of a crisis, Hezekiah was found in God's house seeking God's face. 2. Call God's Prophet "...So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah" (5) Believer's Study Bible, p. 534: 19:2 4 / 10
"The prophet Isaiah devoted his attention primarily to Judah and Jerusalem. He had access to the royal court, and his advice was usually heard with respect, even if in the end it was disregarded. In particular, Isaiah insisted that Judah should not rely upon aid from Egypt (Is. 19:1-22; 30:1-7; 31:1-3)." 3. Cry to God's Face "... Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord" (14). a. Hezekiah's Prayer 1. Reaction - "...Then Hezekiah prayed..." (15) 2. Request - "...Save us..." (19a) 3. Reason - "...that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you are the Lord God, you alone" (19) b. God's Answer 1. Comforts His people "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Because you have prayed to me against Senacherib king of Assyria, I have heard." (20) a. The battle belongs to the Lord (22) b. The Assyrians have reproached His name (23) 5 / 10
c. God is in charge (25) Notice that he promises to destroy the enemy (28) and save a remnant (31). 2. Commands the Enemy "Because your rage against me and your tumult have come up to My ears, therefore, I will put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way which you came" (28) Believer's Study Bible, p. 536: 19:28 "Assyrian inscriptions show that the Assyrians often led prisoners and slaves by means of hooks placed in their noses. The Assyrians were among the cruelest people in history. God said that the Assyrians would become the victims of some of their own methods of cruelty." 3. Confounds the Attackers "And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses - all dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh. " (35-36) 4. Chastises the Destroyer "Now it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place." (37) Believer's Study Bible, p. 536: 1 9:25 "Sennacherib's inscription boasts of all his mighty victories, but is silent concerning his defeat by the angel of the Lord.' Defeats and failures were invariably ignored when chronicles were being compiled by the heathen near Eastern nations. The inscription does admit, however, that rather than taking tribute with him, as usual, Hezekiah sent it later to Nineveh." III. Added Time (20:1-11) 6 / 10
A. Hezekiah's Prayer - Faced with terminal illness, Hezekiah called upon Isaiah for a word of hope. "And Isaiah...said to him Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live'" (1b) Isaiah didn't have much of a bedside manner.' There's no attempt here to comfort, only to announce the King's imminent death. "Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying..." (2) Hezekiah's prayer is heartfelt and resulted in a miracle. He doesn't pray for healing he simply reminds God of his character. 1. Integrity "...I have walked before you in truth" (3) 2. Loyalty "...with a loyal heart..." (3) 3. Obedience "...and have done what was good in your sight" (3) 4. Passion "...and Hezekiah wept bitterly" (3) B. Hezekiah's Healing (4-11) Before Isaiah could exit the palace (4), God answered Hezekiah's prayer "I will heal you" (5) The miraculous nature of the healing was confirmed with a miraculous sign (10). IV. Foolish Attitude (20:12-21) Unfortunately, Hezekiah did not use his added fifteen years well. In a fit of pride, he revealed the temple treasury to Babylonian envoys (13) resulting in a prophecy of doom (17). Even in judgment, Hezekiah accepted God's Word (19). 7 / 10
Application 1. We are commanded to pray. (2 Thes. 5:17) 2. God promises to hear our prayers. 3. Prayer taps our God-given power as Christians to change the downward spiral of circumstance. (Rev. 3:17) 4. Pride can lead to a fall. (Prov. 16:18) Leader Pack Item 18: Poster: Unit 3; Item 19: Handout: Personal Hope Index Biblical Illustrator: no article this week Notes: **You may access David's Lesson Preview in MP3 format at: www.hfbcbiblestudy.org; Dates: 2011: 1/18-3/8 - LivingProof Bible Study; 1/19-5/11 - Midlink & Meal; 2/4-5 - Charles Lowrey Marriage Seminar; 2/5 - Senior Adult Banquet; 2/6 - FBA Day in Sunday a.m. Services; 2/6 - No eve. svc. or eve. SBS; 2/11 - Parents Night Out; 8 / 10
2/12 - KHCB 20 th Anniversary Conf. & Concert; 2/13 - New Sun. PM Sched. begins; 2/13 - SPF - Be Mine! Valentine Lunch; 2/14-16 - Senior Adult Revival; 2/17-21 - Family Ski Retreat to Copper Mountain; 2/19 - Men Pray Event; 2/20 - New Member Orientation; 2/26 - KSBJ Concert w/ Tomlin, Knockels & Giglio; 2/27 - Parent Commitment; 3/11 - Summit Celebrates; 3/14-18 - Spring Break Week; 3/26 - Men's Conference; 4/1 - Parent's Night Out; 4/2 - AID Sudan 5K Run/Walk; 4/3 - SBS Leadership Lunch; 4/7 - UBA Quarterly Assn. Meeting; 4/8-10 - Mad About You Newlywed Retreat; 4/10 - New Member Orientation; 4/10 - Warren Samuels preaching 3 services; 4/14-18 - Summit Ski Trip; 4/17 - Spring Loaded; 4/21 - Broken For You; 9 / 10
4/22 - Church Offices Closed Good Friday; 4/24 - Easter Sunday svc. 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am, 5:30 pm - no SBS; 4/30 - SPF Rademacher Farm; 4/30 - Men Pray Event. 10 / 10