Hezekiah was as helpless against the powers arrayed against him as we are from the evil arising in this current moment.
Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.
Isaiah 37:14
As we enter what will probably be one of the most challenging moments in our nation’s history it is time to get serious about how we are to live our lives as believers in Jesus. I want to suggest what I believe ought to be the-way-forward for every believer by visiting the story Hezekiah and Sennacherib.
I want to suggest that Senechereb, as depicted here, is a type for our enemy. In this story Hezekiah is being told by the great and powerful enemy of his day that he is going to be defeated—totally destroyed. If you study the verses leading up to Isaiah 37:14 you will find Sennacherib taunting Hezekiah—what makes you think your God is going to protect you? Look at all the other nations we conquered—none of their gods were able to help them.
He even claimed that the Lord told him to do this. He tried to bribe Hezekiah and even spoke over him to his people in their own language. He warned the people not to listen to Hezekiah. Follow me and you will eat… Hezekiah would not be intimidated—the Lord already told him that Sennacherib would fall by his own sword.
I see an amazing likeness to what is happening today. Sennacherib, representing our enemy—true darkness, is attempting to intimidate you and me, believers in Jesus. He is using familiar tactics—creating doubt, what makes you think your God is going to save you. Talking over us, in the language of the unsaved, to suggest we are not looking out for their best interest. He even suggests socialism by saying if you follow me you will eat…have everything you want.
Hezekiah here is a powerful picture for our day of the proper response for the Christian man. Let’s unpack Hezekiah’s response and see if God might be teaching us something very important. The above verse, Isaiah 37:14, is one of my favorite verses to share and highlight. Here Hezekiah receives a letter outlining everything Sennacherib is threatening to do to him. It is the clear message of what his enemy is intending to do.
What did he do? He took it to the Temple and spread it out before the Lord. Of course we do not know what that physically looked like but I love our picture. It depicts the king placing his earthly crown on the ground beside him, bowing down before his Lord, and then spreading out the report from his enemy. And here is what happened next:
And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.
It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.
Isaiah 37:15-20
Wow—a lot here and a very important and timely takeaway for us during this season. I am persuaded that we are living in a Hezekiah moment right now. This month, October, 2024, may be the most difficult and dark month many will have ever experienced. There is a powerful enemy attempting to take over our country and world. I do not doubt, nor do I have anything but total respect for our duty to vote and be involved, but that is not where the battle is going to be won. We are way beyond what man can do.
It is a spiritual battle and while many of us give intellectual ascent to that, few of us are doing what Hezekiah is modeling for us. Here is what I am encouraging all who call upon the name of Jesus to do:
- Lay down your earthly crown—acknowledge that any fleshly confidence in your own giftings or authority is insufficient here.
- Literally find a place where you can kneel and prostrate yourself before the living God.
- Find news clippings or take your tablet or phone with information about all the ugliness going on around us and lay it on the ground floor in front of you.
- Then, pray Hezekiah’s prayer.
- Lord Almighty, recognizing His holiness
- God of Israel (America), acknowledging His rule in our land
- Listen to all…the enemy is doing and saying as he ridicules You
- Lord deliver us from his hand
- Let the world know that You, Lord are the only God.
May I encourage you to start today—and every day throughout this election season—to do this. God answers prayer—it is not enough to believe this—WE MUST DO IT!
Later in this story it says that the Lord added 15 years to Hezekiah’s life—is it possible that our Lord is going to add new life into our land?
Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, and those who contend with you shall perish.
Isaiah 41:11
Also please enjoy this 12-minute teaching from Vince on What Is My Motive?
