How Could God Do That?

 

2 Chronicles 32:1 After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah.

What?  After all King Hezekiah had done to serve and honor God, even calling on Him first when the Assyrian army was threatening him and his nation,  after his actively putting his trust and faith in God, the enemy invaded. How could God allow such a thing to happen? Why would He do that?

Being faithful to God does not always mean total lack of conflict or trouble in my life.  Nor does trouble mean God is punishing me for some sin I may have committed.  

Hezekiah was a good, godly, honest king.  2 Chronicles 31:21 tells us he “did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God.”  He did not deserve the troubles that came from the king of Assyria.  So why did that trouble come his way?

As we continue the story of the Assyrian invasion, we get a glimpse of possible reasons God allowed those difficulties even though they had been loyal to God.   

Part of the reason God allowed this trouble with Sennacherib may have been to strengthen the resolve of Hezekiah and his people to trust God, to not let troubles affect their resolve to "keep on keeping on." The account of what happens tells us that "Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven" (v.26). The king had already spread out the letter from the Assyrians as he prayed for wisdom and assistance from God, but now he and Isaiah prayed again. they demonstrated resolve to continue trusting God even though it may have seemed like God was not answering their cry for help.

It also was meant to teach the Assyrians a lesson about the power of the God of Israel. Those enemies were mocking the God of Israel, and God is not to be mocked.  Later in the story we read of what happened. Verse 27 tells us: "And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the might warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned, with shame of face to his own land."

When they were defeated without a single battle it became clear of everyone that Hezekiah’s God was obviously far greater than any other god the Assyrians had encountered.  Now not only Hezekiah and his people knew this.  Now all the surrounding nations recognized the greatness of God as well.  

 Sometimes the reason for our troubles may be more than meets the eye. It may be for more than just our ultimate spiritual benefit.

I want to be Hezekiah-like in how I face my own difficulties, and trust God to use those experiences however He can.

Just Spread It Out

 

2 Kings 19:14 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.

There may not be any need of prayer in heaven when we get there but that certainly does not mean we do not need it while here on earth.

When I read this story of Hezekiah’s response to the bad news that the enemy army was planning to invade his country, I am reminded of the benefit of leaving my circumstances in God’s hands.   

The Assyrian army was known for its strength and brutality and Hezekiah knew he was no match to them. Without God’s intervention there was no hope for Israel.   

So Hezekiah turned to God.  I love the picture of Hezekiah spreading the letter out before the Lord.  It was not as though God did not know what the letter said.  The act of spreading that letter out in God’s presence was an act of surrender of the situation to God.   

When I spell out my issue to God in prayer, it is my way of surrendering it to God.  In that act, I am saying, “Lord, this is the situation.  I am helpless in it.  I don’t know what to do or say, but You can take care of it.”  

 In Hezekiah’s situation, God sent words of encouragement through a prophet, and then took care of the invading army without Hezekiah’s army having to do anything. 

God will take care of my situation if I trust Him. Just spread out the situation before God and trust.

 

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No Prayer in Heaven

                                        

Isaiah 65:24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.

 I have always thought of this verse in terms of prayer during my life here on earth.  In fact, that was the context in which I first learned this verse in Sunday school.  Of course, many other verses in the Bible tell us that is indeed true that God hears our prayers and answers them, sometimes almost before we finish praying.   

As I read this verse in its context in this chapter, however, I realized that there is another powerfully encouraging and exciting meaning to this verse as well.   

This passage is telling us about the future in heaven, in the new heaven and new earth that God has said He is going to create for those who follow Him.  God tells us through Isaiah that in the newly created heaven and earth "no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress" (v.19). In the new heaven and the new earth God's "chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands" (v.22).  "The wolf and the lamb shall graze together ... they shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain" (v.25). 

Right in the middle of that context, this verse comes up: "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."  I will be “right there” in heaven with God.  No prayer will be necessary because I will be having constant, direct interaction with Him.  I guess you could say there will be no prayer in heaven!