2 Kings 18

WEEK  8                                         2 Kings 18

MONDAY  Reflections

In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.) 2 Kings 18:1-4

 

Hezekiah is one of those people in the Bible that makes me want to cheer and cry. Cheer when he does right and cry when he messes up.

 

Here at the very beginning of his rule, he not only destroys all of the foreign gods, but he destroys an ancient relic from the days of Moses because the people of Israel have turned it into an idol. This was clearly an act of courage and an act of wisdom. There could have been all kinds of justifications to keep it, but Hezekiah knew it would be a stumbling block for his people. It was a tough call, but he did it. The question is, are we willing to do the same?

 

What does the Bible say about Hezekiah because of these actions? “Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.” WOW! What a comment.

2Ki 18:1-37

(1)  Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

(2)  Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

(3)  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.

(4)  He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

(5)  He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

(6)  For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.

(7)  And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.

(8)  He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

(9)  And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.

(10)  And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

(11)  And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:

(12)  Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

(13)  Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.

(14)  And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.

(15)  And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.

(16)  At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

(17)  And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.

(18)  And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.

(19)  And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?

(20)  Thou sayest, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

(21)  Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

(22)  But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?

(23)  Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

(24)  How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

(25)  Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

(26)  Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

(27)  But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?

(28)  Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:

(29)  Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:

(30)  Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

(31)  Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:

(32)  Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.

(33)  Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

(34)  Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?

(35)  Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?

(36)  But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

(37)  Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.

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Ezekiel 13

WEEK  7                                                Ezekiel 13

SATURDAY  Reflections

Ezekiel and the prophets of God weren't the only voices speaking during this time. There were other prophets both claiming to come from God and some claiming to speak by false gods. Whether men or women, those who spoke false prophecies are going to face judgment. God, specifically, says he will remove them from the land of Israel never to return.

 

The statement that grabbed my attention is when Ezekiel says that the prophets know they aren't speaking on God's behalf, but they still think what they are saying will happen. How can someone who knows they are making stuff up believe what they say is going to happen? The answer is easy: it is by self-delusion and pride.

Eze 13:1-23
(1)  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(2)  Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;
(3)  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
(4)  O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
(5)  Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.
(6)  They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
(7)  Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
(8)  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.
(9)  And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
(10)  Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:
(11)  Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
(12)  Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?
(13)  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.
(14)  So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
(15)  Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;
(16)  To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.
(17)  Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
(18)  And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
(19)  And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
(20)  Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.
(21)  Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
(22)  Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
(23)  Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

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Nahum 3

WEEK   7                                          Nahum 3

FRIDAY  Reflections

"Nothing can heal you; your wound is fatal. All who hear the news about you clap their hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?" (Verse 19). This ends the prophecy against the Assyrians and their capital city, Nineveh. There is no hope, no promise of reconciliation. There is no good news for these people (without God). I think the answer to why is found in the rhetorical question asked in the end: Who haven't you hurt? Are there some nations or groups (not single individuals) for whom there is no redeeming value? To me, it seems there are, but God is the judge. For them, relief and joy follow in their destruction.  

Nah 3:1-19
(1)  Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;
(2)  The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.
(3)  The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:
(4)  Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
(5)  Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
(6)  And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.
(7)  And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?
(8)  Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?
(9)  Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
(10)  Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.
(11)  Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy.
(12)  All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater.
(13)  Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars.
(14)  Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.
(15)  There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.
(16)  Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and flieth away.
(17)  Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.
(18)  Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them.
(19)  There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?

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2 Corinthians 3

WEEK 7                                           2 Corinthians 3

THURSDAY  Reflections

Paul says that people can read the Old Testament with a veil that keeps them from seeing Christ. Christ, Paul explains, is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Paul also makes clear that the New Covenant in Jesus isn't just a written law but written in our hearts. This change in our hearts doesn't just save us (implied) but transforms us into the image of Christ. Paul sees our relationship with Jesus as something that is transformational and ongoing. The question we need to ask is this: Is our relationship with Jesus transforming us? If it isn't, maybe we don't have a relationship. 

2Co 3:1-18
(1)  Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
(2)  Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
(3)  Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
(4)  And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
(5)  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
(6)  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
(7)  But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
(8)  How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
(9)  For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
(10)  For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
(11)  For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
(12)  Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
(13)  And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
(14)  But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
(15)  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
(16)  Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
(17)  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
(18)  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

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Psalm 100

WEEK  7                                            Psalms 100

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

Psalm 100 is a psalm that I often preach during Thanksgiving week in the USA. The psalm is a favorite for many a generation. I can't help but wonder if it might not have been read on that first Thanksgiving. Yes, there is much debate on the morality of the settlers coming to the New World, but on that day Native Americans and Settlers celebrated together.

 

Whatever the past, Thanksgiving and every day is a day to enter the gates of God with thanksgiving.

Psa 100:1-5
(1)  A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
(2)  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
(3)  Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
(4)  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
(5)  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

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