06/24/2024 – For Every Evil, there is a Godly Response
2 Kings 18: 13 And in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. 14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me I will pay.” And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 16 At that time Hezekiah stripped 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.
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The king of Assyria is recognized in history as one of the most evil and ruthless leaders the world has known. He had a powerful, devastating army. He had many victories under his belt. He had conquered great nations and he conquered the northern tribes of Israel. Senaquerib surrounded Jerusalem and demanded surrender. He wrote letters to king Hezekiah in which he defied God. He openly denied the promises of God. He provides examples of his victories. Examples are not evidence. Because many have fallen you don’t have to fall. Psalm 91 promises that one thousand may fall, but as long as you remain in submission to the Most High God, no evil can destroy you.
Hezekiah’s initial reaction was fear. His natural response to Senaquerib was appeasement. He began to give away the precious items from the temple. The world will not be appeased. Do not throw your pearls to the pigs! Do not seek friendship with the world by giving away the sacred in your life! The enemy does not need to invest in a frontal attack if we are willing to give away the treasures in God’s house.
The more we give the enemy, the more he demands. He wants it all! God will turn up the heat until we have to respond spiritually. Hezekiah was surrounded. He had no other option now but to cry out to God. Senaquerib made a grave mistake: he defied the God of heaven.
Hezekiah brought the letters to the presence of God! There is a Godly response to overcome every evil action! God responded! He always responds! He has promised that when we cry out to Him, He will respond!