Thought for November 3

 History:

  • 1394: Jews expelled from France
  • 1493: Columbus discovers Dominica
  • 1534: Act of Supremacy makes Henry VIII and subsequent monarchs head of the Church of England
  • 1900: First automobile show--NYC
  • 1906: SOS becomes worldwide distress signal
  • 1930: Bank of Italy renamed Bank of America
  • 1930: Detroit-Windsor tunnel opens
  • 1957: Soviets launch Sputnik 2--Laika dies
  • 1970: Nixon promises gradual troop withdrawal from Viet Nam
  • 1975: Good Morning America premiers
  • 1978: Different Strokes premiers
  • 1983: Nashville Network debuts on cable TV
  • 1992: Carol Moseley-Braun becomes first African American woman in the Senate
  • 1998: "Shakespeare in Love" premiers
  • 2014: One World Trade Center opens
  • 2021: Vaccination of 5-11 year old children for Covid begins in US
  • Born: Stephen F Austin, William Cullen Bryant [Thanatopsis], Bronko Nagurski [Football HOF], Bob Feller, Charles Bronson, Dr. James Kennedy [Evangelism Explosion], Michael Dukakis, Roy Emerson, Anna Wintour [Vogue], Larry Holmes, Roseanne Barr, Dennis Miller, Kate Capshaw, Phil Simms, Dolph Lundgren, Karch Kiraly [volleyball, 3 Olympic Golds], Colin Kaepernick, Elizabeth Smart [abducted], 
  • Died: Annie Oakley, Henri Matisse, Mary Martin [Peter Pan], Paul Mauriat [Love is Blue], Sondra Locke
Thought:
Continuing to look at the story of Sennacherib and the Assyrians and Hezekiah and the southern kingdom in 2 Kings 18-19. Recall:
  • Assyria has defeated the northern kingdom and dispersed its population. At first Hezekiah refused tribute relying of the help of Egypt. [Isaiah had warned Hezekiah to rely on God and not the Egyptians]. 
  • Hezekiah then paid a tribute using silver from the Temple and gold from its doors. 
  • Assyria demands total surrender and deportation. First it sends messengers to stand at the wall and warn the people not to rely on Hezekiah, their army, or their God. Hezekiah sends for a word from Isaiah who tells him the Lord says do not fear, I will send Sennacherib home to die.
  • Sennacherib sends a letter warning Judah not to rely on its God. Now Hezekiah prays for deliverance so all the world will know that Jehovah is God.
  • Isaiah delivers God's response to Hezekiah's prayer [19:20-28]. This is amazing for the answer is directed to Sennacherib.
    • God called you and permitted you to conquer the northern kingdom as part of His judgment on that people. 
    • God did not tell you or permit you to conquer Judah. But you, Assyria, came to Jerusalem and blasphemed the Lord. You have spoken haughtily like you were acting in your power and strength. God says--I allowed you to do that as part of MY plan. 
    • Now look at 19:28--because of your arrogance, I [God] will put a hook in your nose and send you back the way you came. 
  • Look at what else God says now to Hezekiah [19:29-34]
    • The King of Assyria shall not come to Jerusalem [19:32] or even shoot an arrow or create a mound against it. 
    • He will go home the way he came. [19:33]
    • God will defend the city for His own sake and to fulfill His covenant with David [19:34]
  • That night--God sent an angel and killed 185,000 Assyrians. Sennacherib went home to Nineveh and was killed in the temple of his god---just as the Lord had promised. [19:35-37]
What does this story tell me:
  • Do not compromise. We compromise when we pay tribute to other gods---position, power, fame, wealth. 
  • Do not fear. If you are on God's side, who should you fear. The key is to make sure you are on His side. 
  • God sees and hears the enemy and he knows what the enemy is doing [19:27]. And God sees and hears His children. God is not mocked by those that lie about Him and ignore Him. God hears every blasphemy. And in His time and according to His plan, He will fulfill His promise that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father. 
  • God has a plan--often we do not understand or get it--but He is always working for our eternal good and His glory. 
  • God keeps His promises. He does it His way--amazing, miraculous, awesome. A huge army is no match for one angel of the Lord. 
  • The battle is His--I march to His commands, using His weapons and armor, trusting in His strength and relying on His promises.
Lord--increase our faith. Help me to trust in You  and Your promises alone. 
Blessings, Larry 

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