By Trevor Bradley
Every day he goes around like a roaring lion seeking who he might devour… so Peter tells us. Peter encourages us to be alert and to have our wits about us. (1 Peter 5 vs 8 & 9)
In Isaiah 36 & 37 it starts off with these words “And then it came about”. Hezekiah is sitting in his palace and the King of Assyria decides to make a move on the kingdom of Judah, to attack it. The Assyrian king first sends his representative to meet with Hezekiah’s reps to warn them that they are about to get attacked. He taunts them with the fact that no army or other god can withstand the King of Assyria’s onslaught. Listen to his words “where will you find the wisdom and strength to fight us..on whom will you rely?”
Isn’t it incredible that when the evil one comes to attack us, his first weapon is always to get us to doubt our God? Will God… can God… does God want to… is He able in this situation to rescue? Are you not asking a bit to much of Him? Hezekiah’s reps go back and report this to the King. Hezekiah’s response is to go into the house of God – that is his first port of call. How unlike mine at times, trying to figure a way out in and through my own earthly wisdom. Hezekiah then goes to the one who carried the word of God at that time and asks Isaiah ‘What now…where to from here?”
Hear the words out of Isaiah’s mouth “FEAR NOT”
Wow that’s so difficult in the heat of the battle, but this is where the embedded word of God comes through and is brought to mind by the Holy Spirit. Verses like:-
- Romans 8 vs 31 ” If God is for us( and He is) who can be against us”
- Isaiah 54 vs 17 ” No weapon formed against you will prosper”
- Psalm 91 vs 16 “Then you will call upon me and I will answer you. And I will be with you in your trouble. I will rescue you”.
God told Isaiah to tell Hezekiah not to be afraid of “their words”. Why? “For my word is more powerful than any other word on the face of this planet. In fact it is eternal and nothing can stand against my word”. (Isaiah 37 vs 6)
And here is the crux- verse 37- “FOR I WILL”.
My dear brother and sister, let me remind you today, as I did myself, that He will never leave you exposed, defenseless, vulnerable. He will show up in the heat of your battle and He will deliver you, as He did with Hezekiah. The battle belongs to the Lord (Exodus 14 vs 13 & 2 Chronicles 20 vs 15).
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