Our Deepest Desire
H a rd to Find
Two Completely Different Outcomes
The Beginning of the End The Story 2 Kings 16–18
Story One A. Everything is a Mess
“The king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria; for three years he besieged it. In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria captured Samaria; he carried the Israelites away Besieged to Assyria.” 17:5–6
B. The Re a son “This occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God.” 17:7
About a Person 1. H a ving other “things” determine my life 2. Doing wh a t everyone else is doing 3. Ignoring His will 4. Deciding wh a t He w a nts 5. Missing the purpose of your life 6. Doing pure evil “They had worshiped other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel… The people of Israel secretly did things that were not right against the Lord their God.” 17:7-8
Ignoring God
“…they sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence.” 17:17–18 C. God H a d Enough
“Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, ‘Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the law that I commanded your ancestors and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.’ They would not listen but were stubborn, as their ancestors had D. Gr a ce? been, who did not believe in the Lord their He W a rned Them God.” 17:13–14
“Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. He held fast to the LORD and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses. And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.” 18:5–7 Story Two Hezeki a h
“The king of Assyria sent his supreme commander, his chief officer and his field commander with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. The field commander said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? You say you have the counsel and the might for war—but you speak only empty words. On A. It Is A Mess whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?’” 18:7, 19–20
“‘Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses —if you can put riders on them!’” vs. 23 B. The Re a son Evil in this World
“Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand. Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us; Choose life and not death! “Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Has the C. Pressure from god of any nation ever delivered his land from the the World hand of the king of Assyria?” 18:28–33
“When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “LORD, 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 the D. The Response words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.” 18:14–16
“Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria. Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! By your messengers you have ridiculed the Lord. This is what the LORD says concerning the king of E. Who God Is Assyria: ‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here.’” 19:20, 22, 32
“In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, ‘Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in F. Life Continues your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” Is a i a h 38:1–3
“Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have “I h a ve he a rd heard your prayer and seen your your pr a yer…” tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria.” 20:4–6
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom a ns 5:8 A Story of Life a nd S a lv a tion for All
F a ith Recognition Obedience
Recommend
More recommend
