Today’s Devotion
Topic: When The Enemy Threatens (Part 5)
(Self Assessment 190)
Background:
So we know that the Lord promised Judah through Isaiah that He was going to let Sennacherib hear a certain report which would make him stop the siege and return to his own country, and there HE (the Lord) will cut him down with the sword. (Isaiah 37: 7)
Well, this came to pass in Isaiah 37: 9, when Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the Cushite king [of Egypt], was marching out to fight against him so he decided to return and face him. However, before he left, he wrote a letter to Hezekiah still demanding their absolute surrender.
Hezekiah received the letter and spread it before the Lord in prayer. But what were his concerns or fears? What exactly did he pray about? And what can we learn from this? For answers to these and many more, let us delve straight into today’s discussion.
Text: Isaiah 37: 15- 20
15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: 16″O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.
18″It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands.19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.
20 Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God.” Amen
Questions:
1. According to verse 16, before any petitions or requests, Hezekiah decided to begin his prayer by exalting the Lord in humble adoration. Why do you think this was typical of almost all prayers said in the Bible? Why is it necessary to adore the Lord before pertitioning Him?
2. What do you think Hezekaih was implying by asking the Lord to “Give ear and hear; to open His eyes and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult (HE) the living God”?
3. In verse 18- 19, Hezekiah admits his personal thoughts about Sennacherib’s threats. The king of Judah lays to bear what he knows of the Assyrian army and how dangerous they are according to his person assessment:
a) Why do you think it is important to open up our thoughts of a situation to God in prayer and not pretend to be stronger than we are?
b) Does opening up and pouring our hearts, anxieties and fears to God in prayer imply that we are faithless?
4. Kindly read verse 20 again:
a) what was Hezekiah’s specific request, and why?
b) What does this request reveal to be Hezekiah’s knowledge and perception about our God?
c) How does this request go to confirm or contradict your answer for question 3b.
5. Before we discuss, next week, to know how the Lord responded to Hezekiah’s prayer, from all that we have been discussing so far, give a summary report of why you believe the Lord will deliver Judah from Sennacherib’s grip.
6. What have you learnt from today’s Bible study?
Kindly reply us through this same social media platform (WhatsApp/ Facebook). We learn so much from the answers you provide.
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