Good morning and happy Monday, friends!
I have slowly been making my way through the Old Testament. I started the year with a plan to read through the Bible in three months, then six months, now I'll be lucky to make it through in the year. And here's why - I get so wrapped up in a story, it takes me days to finish one chapter! For example, I spent three days in 2 Kings 18 and 19, reading, re-reading, checking commentaries, taking notes - just really trying to understand this story of Hezekiah and his conflict with the king of Assyria.
Hezekiah became king of Judah when he was 25 years old. He was the son of Ahaz, one of the most wicked kings of Judah. Yet, Hezekiah "trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was non like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses." (2 Kings 18:5,6)
There was much unrest in both the northern kingdom of Israel and southern kingdom of Judah at that time. When Hezekiah had been king for three years, the king of Assyria attacked Israel and after a three-year siege, took over Israel and dispersed its people. Several years later, the new king of Assyria, likely emboldened by the successful conquest of the previous king, attacked the kingdom of Judah and took control of its outlying towns, outposts, and garrisons. Hezekiah, fearing for his kingdom (rather than courageously trusting in God), offered to pay King Sennacherib a ransom to withdraw his troops from Judah and to ensure peace. King Sennacherib agreed and King Hezekiah paid him a vast sum of money. To raise the money, Hezekiah had to empty his treasury and strip the gold plates from the doors of the temple to give to King Sennacherib. Unfortunately for the kingdom of Judah, King Sennacherib soon went back on his word and instead sent three of his top generals to the city of Jerusalem to call for King Hezekiah's surrender of the city.
"Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh from Lachish, with a great army against Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they went and stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, which was on the highway to the Fuller's Field. And when they had called to the king. Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to them. Then the Rabshakeh said to them, 'Say now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this in which you trust? You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh kinng of Egypt to all who trust in him."
Can't you just picture this tense situation?! The Jewish people watching and listening, preparing for war, despairing due to the words of the Rabshakeh - certain they will be wiped out. The Rabshekah's end goal, and certainly his orders from King Sennacherib, was to discourage and demoralize the Jewish people so they would surrender the city without a fight.
Satan often attacks us in this same way. Often, even when he tells the truth ("You are such a rotten sinner!"), he never does it to lead us to a firm trust in the Lord our God ("Jesus died for sinners, so if I am a rotten sinner, Jesus died to forgive and free me!"). Instead, Satan's strategy - even if he tells us the truth - is always to demoralize us and drive us to despair. (Guzik)
The Rabshakeh's plan was to destroy their trust in God, and talk them into giving up before one spear was thrown.
"The enemy of our souls uses the exact same approach. Many of us picture Satan as always 'itching for a fight,' but really, Satan doesn't want to do battle with you. First of all, there is a strong change you will win. Second of all, win or lose the battle can draw you closer to the Lord. Thirdly, what the Lord does in your life through the battle can be a great blessing to other people. No, Satan would much rather talk you into giving up!" (Henry)
His plan seemed to be working until he directly attacked the sovereignty of the Lord God.
"But do not listen to Hezekiah, lest he persuade you, saying, 'The Lord will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim and Hena and Ivah? Indeed have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among the gods of the lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?'" (2 Kings 18:35)
For anyone who had the spiritual understanding to see it, Judah could have started planning the victory party right then. It is one thing to speak against Judah, its people and leaders. It was another thing all together to mock the Lord God of Israel this way, and count Him as "just another god." (Guzik)
In response to the Rabshakeh's speech, Hezekiah immediately went to the house of the Lord and sought the word of the Lord through His prophet. He didn't allow his mourning and grief spin him into a rejection of the Lord's power and help. He knew this was more necessary time than ever to seek the Lord.
"Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: 'O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands - wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone." (2 Kings 19:15-19)
I hate to spoil the ending, but I can tell you that God hears the prayer of Hezekiah and rescues Judah from certain defeat. Go read 2 Kings 18 and 19 for yourself and see!!
Page Details
I was inspired to create this page after watching some process videos from my friend, Deeds @mercies_journaled. She has a fantastic YouTube channel where she shares truth from God's Word as well as creative techniques.
I first tried this page with gelatos, but really didn't like the looks, so went back over it with Distress Oxides. I am not good with gelatos, it's definitely something I need to practice! I did put two layers of Art Basics gesso down first. Once I had the gelatos/distress oxides down, I sprayed the page with water, then splattered with watered down white acrylic paint. I then stamped using a few different stamps sets from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, colored with Tombow dual brush markers, and finally added my white highlights using a uni-ball Signo white gel pen. I like how the page turned out in the end, but it was not one of my easiest pages! I had to just keep working through it (while I was listening to a Mike Winger podcast on the theology of the Holy Spirit 😉).
Take a page from Hezekiah's book and go to the Lord in prayer. You can trust Him. 💜
Much love in Christ,
Much love in Christ,
Janelle
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