Remembering God's Promises

 Remembering the Promise to David

 Book of Psalms: Psalm 132

 This is another Psalm that was sung as the Israelites traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast’s days as commanded by God.

They had begun to remember the promises of God and it brought joy to them just as it does to each of us.

 If we take a look into David's past, we will see all the pains, the trouble, and anxiety he underwent in his lifetime for the cause of God, especially in the establishing a sanctuary in Jerusalem and making preparation for the building of the Temple.

 David was building God's special dwelling place on this Earth, a place where God would meet with His people.

 If you do not have a longing to meet with God, then you cannot be a Christian!

 You cannot be a Christian because the Holy Spirit will not come to live within you!

 Every Christian is a sanctuary for God to dwell in!

 If we look at the very first word of this Psalm, we see the word LORD, this is the Almighty God Himself, Jehovah.

 David had accomplished what no lowly shepherd could accomplish.

David rose from a lowly shepherd to become King of Israel.

 Except we do know of another man who was a shepherd who came to save His people, and His name is Jesus the Christ, the Messiah.

 We know that special days are set aside to honor special people and some of the heroes of our nation.

 In fact, almost every nation has set days to remember their national heroes.

 For the Israelites, David was a hero and in fact, David is still honored as one of the Jews greatest heroes.

 The Star of David is the national flag of Israel today.

 The "Sling of David" is the name of one of the air defense systems of Israel.

 This Psalm was probably written for the dedication of the Temple built by Solomon.

 We know that David had spent many years gathering the wealth to build a magnificent Home for God, when He would come to visit this planet, but we know that God is everywhere, and He even abides in every "Born Again" child of God.

 He lives in every person who has their name written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.

 Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

 Rev 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. 

 David was now dead and gone, we know He is with the Lord, but the Jews had a great fondness for King David.

 By remembering the hardships David faced before he was made king, it inspired the Jews to face their own hardships!

 It has never been easy to live in this world since the sin of Adam, and it is not always easy to be a Christian.

 We do still live in a cursed world!

 The word cursed is used seventy-two times in the Bible.

 We know that the Serpent who was Satan is cursed:

 Gen_3:14  And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

 Gen_3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

 If you look up the word cursed in the Bible, you will see that many of our leaders of today are cursed by their actions.

 Deu_27:25  Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

 We know we have been sold out by our leaders for riches, they will never spend.

 We know that every doctor who is paid to end the life of an innocent baby is also cursed.

 God has also placed a curse on all those who reject any part of the Scriptures:

 Deu_27:26  Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

 And to all those so-called churches that have left the truth of the Bible, God says:

 Jer_11:3  And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,

Jer_17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

 God is very serious about the words He has given us to live by.

 Let's begin.

 *****Psa 132:1  A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions: 

Psa 132:2  How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob; 

Psa 132:3  Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; 

Psa 132:4  I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, 

Psa 132:5  Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

 The Psalmist who wrote this Psalm reminded the Lord how David was devoted to Him.

 We all say these things such as, “Lord remember me”.

 The truth is that God only forgets when He decides to forget.

His memory is perfect!

 He has forgotten our sins, and it is He that said we are covered by the blood of Jesus that has washed away our sins.

 Rev_1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

 We know that King David had made a vow to find a place for the Almighty God to dwell in Jerusalem.

 David was determined that He was going to build a House for God for God to dwell in Jerusalem.

 This was David's vow.

 David had endured much suffering at the hands of Saul.

David had endured much suffering in finding a neutral place to worship God.

David had not yet taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites so, this too had to be done.

David had to transport the "Ark of the Congregation “ to this new House of God, but it was not in his hands at this time.

David had to also defend Jerusalem from the attacks of the Philistines two times, while all these other things were going on.

 These things may have hindered David in completing his vow to God, but it did not stop Him.

 In fact, David said; I'm not going to rest until I build a House for the Lord.

 David said it was not right that he was living in a beautiful palace and worshiping God in a tent.

 We can see that David's devotion to God provides a worthy example for us to follow.

 Many missionaries today have this same vision as David, to build a house for the worship of our God.

 I believe Nathan had this vision and I believe Scott David had this vision.

 These were church planters as David wanted to be.

 *****Psa 132:6  Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood. 

Psa 132:7  We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. 

Psa 132:8  Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength. 

Psa 132:9  Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy. 

Psa 132:10  For thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of thine anointed. 

 Though this Scripture is hard to understand, what we do know is that David found the Ark of the Covenant and moved it to Jerusalem where it would remain until 70 AD when Titus destroyed Jerusalem.

 At this time nobody really knows the whereabouts of the Ark!

 These people recalled the passion of David to obtain the Ark and bring it to Jerusalem where he intended to build a House for God.

 The Ark had been gone so long that many people had forgotten about it.

It was David who had to remind the people:

 1Ch 13:2  And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us: 

1Ch 13:3  And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul. 

1Ch 13:4  And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. 

 The people thought the Ark was in Ephratah, but Bethlehem and Kirjath-Jearim were both known as Bethlehem at this time.

 There is the city of Bethlehem but there is also the region which was called Bethlehem.

It was Bethlehem Ephratah that provided the sheep for the Temple.

 Rth 4:11  And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

 Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 

 Kirjath-Jearim would be the place that was in the woods!

 We know that David failed the in his first attempt to retrieve the Ark, but he succeeded when He retrieved it according to the Word of God.

 We will always fail if we do not do things according to the proven ways of God!

 It is easy to see how this Scripture can be applied to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 If King David did not have the zeal for the Lord that he had, we do not know if anyone would have remembered the Ark of God.

 David challenged the people to get back to the worship of Jehovah God.

 David referred to the Ark as the Lord's footstool.

 1Ch 28:2  Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: 

1Ch 28:3  But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. 

 Psa 99:5  Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. 

 The world knows nothing about the Holiness of God and many in the Church have also.

 Rom 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 

 David built a tent for the Ark of the Covenant, but he must have also built a place where the people could gather to worship though many of them and the priests still went to the Tabernacle that was in Gibeon, but did not have the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy Place.

 The reality of these things is that God will sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem.

 1) The Ark is not only a symbol of God's presence, but it is also a symbol of God's power!

 2) The priests that serve the Lord will be godly servants and agents of righteousness!

 3) The saints of God will be a happy people.

 4) God would not reject David's anointed successor. Solomon would be the next king, but these things also make reference to God's truly anointed which is the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Today we worship together in a building set up for worship.

 It is the people that are the Church.

 The building or the place that we worship is just that, a building or a place.

 We should never defile our bodies with the sins of the flesh.

We must obey the commands of God which say we are to separate ourselves from all unrighteousness and ungodliness.

 2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 

2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 

 Today, God is still searching for people like David who love to worship Him.

 Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 

Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 

 We must be wholly devoted to the Lord!

 Next we will see some of the promises made to David.

 *****Psa 132:11  The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. 

Psa 132:12  If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

 There is no greater promise of the Lord Jesus Christ than this.

 This verse points to the Messiah and His Kingdom!

 Psa 89:3  I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, 

Psa 89:4  Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. 

 Psa 89:35  Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

 2Sa 7:28  And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 

2Sa 7:29  Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever. 

 The thing we know is true is, that a descendant of David will occupy the throne in Jerusalem.

 That throne is the government, and that government will be located in Jerusalem and the Messiah will rule the world from Jerusalem.

 There were some conditions to be met for each descendant of David.

 We should clearly understand that our unfaithfulness cannot defeat God's purpose and neither could those sons of David who rejected the truth of God.

 We know that God will keep His oaths, and He expects us to keep ours!

 It is Jehovah God who chose Jerusalem when He could have chosen anywhere.

 King Jesus will rule from Jerusalem.

 *****Psa 132:13  For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. 

Psa 132:14  This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. 

 We know that some of the descendants of David turned from God and He had to discipline them.

 The Israelites would be singing this Psalm as they traveled toward Jerusalem.

 We know for a time there was no son of David sitting on the throne in Jerusalem, the fulfillment of the promises had been interrupted and it will stay that way until King Jesus takes control of the governments that remain in this world from Jerusalem.

 God's promise will be fulfilled, and the world is moving toward that moment when the Messiah will return.

 The promise will be fulfilled in two stages:

 1) Jesus Christ returns and rules the entire earth from Jerusalem for one thousand years.

 Jer 3:17  At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. 

 2) When Christ Jesus takes us to New Jerusalem and reigns from there forever and ever.

 Rev 22:3  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 

Rev 22:4  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

 God promises to provide abundantly for those who are now His people.

 *****Psa 132:15  I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. 

Psa 132:16  I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. 

 I believe this speaks of the point when the Jews will join the Church.

 God will provide any and all needs to His children.

 The poor will not lack food and necessities as they had on Earth. These are material needs.

 Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

 Then God will supply their Spiritual needs.

 In verse nine we see that it was a prayer that asked the Lord for the priests be clothed in righteousness.

 Psa 132:9  Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy. 

 We see in verse sixteen that God has answered that prayer.

 I still believe that this is the Jews as they have now joined the Church, and all the saints will shout with joy for the Church is now complete and the Bride of Christ can join with the Bridegroom.

 *****Psa 132:17  There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. 

Psa 132:18  His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish. 

The Lord promised to make the horn of David to sprout.

To sprout means to bud to spring forth and grow.

The “horn” is a symbol of power.

This phrase means that a powerful ruler will come forth from the line of David and this ruler will fulfill all the promises made to David.

He will be a lamp or a light to all the world!

The “lamp” and that “horn” mean the Messiah.

1) Zec 6:13  Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 

2) Jer 33:15  In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 

3) Isa 49:6  And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. 

Zacharias the father of John the Baptist said: 

Luk 1:69  And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. 

Luk 1:79  To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 

We know what is going on in Israel today is turbulent times for them.

We need to remember these promises of God to David, and they will be fulfilled.

As far as the Church, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem which will take place at the return of Jesus Christ.

We know that the conclusion of God's plan may be nearing its end, and we will live forever in the presence of the Mighty God!

All evilness and wickedness will be gone, and we will finally be at peace on New Earth and the New Jerusalem. 

Amen

Zion the City of God

The Praise of Mount Zion

Book of Psalms Chapter 48

As we watch what is going on in Israel today, we might ask ourselves how many times have efforts been made to destroy Israel and annihilate the Jewish people but they have failed every time.

We know that Hitler had six million Jews slaughtered.

God has made certain promises to Israel and God has never broken a promise He has made to anyone!

One man wrote, that the story of Mount Zion in the Bible is both miraculous and awe-inspiring. 

The events that took place on and around this mountain shaped the course of history and the development of Christianity. 

In the Bible, this mountain is mentioned numerous times, and the importance of Zion should not be underestimated.

That word Zion is used one hundred and fifty-three times in the Old Testament.

Many times it is called the city of the Lord in both the New and the Old Testaments

In most countries one city will stand out as the grandest and the most important.

When we mention Zion, we can be talking about the city of Jerusalem, or we can be talking about Mount Zion which is a hill just outside the gates of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is the city in Israel where people would travel to to worship God.

In fact, Jerusalem was called the city of God.

Psa_46:4  There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

Psa_87:3  Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

Since God does not change then Jerusalem is still the city of God because God chose Jerusalem.

Isa_60:14  The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

In this Psalm we will see the greatness of Jehovah and the glory of His city Zion

*****Psa 48:1  A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 

Psa 48:2  Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

The most common use for the word Zion was to refer to the city of God in what some call the New Age.

The Book of Isaiah says: Isa 1:27  Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. 

Isa 1:28  And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

This verse in the Book of Isaiah is referring to the return of the Lord.

Isaiah also writes of the birth of Christianity: Isa 28:16  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 

Psalms two says: Psa 2:6  Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 

Psa 2:7  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 

Psalms 132:13 says  For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. 

Psa 132:14  This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. 

We can see that some of these verses refer to New Jerusalem and some the Old Jerusalem, but they both say Zion.

The proof is seen in the Book of Hebrews: Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 

Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 

Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 

We see the Church is not a building, but is the general assembly of those who are Born Again.

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 

In Isa 33:5 it says: The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.

This will take place at the return of the Lord. 

Zion stood for the capital of Judah: Amo 6:1  Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came! 

 We should clearly understand that Jerusalem will be the capital of this world just as it is the capital of Israel.

Psa 87:1  A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. His foundation is in the holy mountains. 

Psa 87:2  The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 

Psa 87:3  Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

Psa 87:5  And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.

We can see that God has some major plans for Jerusalem or Zion.

God's presence on this mountain made it a special place in the time of Jesus and when Jesus returns, He will first put His feet down on the Mount of Olives and then He will establish Jerusalem as His capital city as He will rule the world from Jerusalem for one thousand years.

King Jesus will be praised in the city of our God!

Jerusalem will be remade into a beautiful city.

*****Psa 48:2  Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 

I have never been to Israel so I have never seen the city of Jerusalem except in pictures, but I will see it one day because I am listed as a resident of the New Jerusalem where my home is located.

Jerusalem is a lovely sight to behold.

It is the fact that God spent some time in Jerusalem that makes it a special place, and the fact that when the Living God returns, He will set His throne in Jerusalem for one thousand years.

It is this same fact that makes Jerusalem to be a holy city.

Lam 2:15  All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth? 

Jerusalem will one day soon become the city of peace and a most beautiful place when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.

Jerusalem will then become the joy of the whole earth.

Few today believe these things but this does not make it any less true. I know I believe.

Zec 14:9  And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. 

Zec 14:10  All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.

Isa 2:1  The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 

Isa 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 

Isa 2:3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

Isa 2:4  And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 

There is only one Great King and that is King Jesus.

Just to the north of the city will be the citadel of King Jesus.

*****Psa 48:3  God is known in her palaces for a refuge. 

When Israel was on the side of Jehovah, He defended Jerusalem.

When Israel was going the ways of the world, then Jehovah allowed the destruction of Jerusalem.

We know that Jerusalem was destroyed two times.

First by Nebuchadnezzar and once by Rome.

The Gentiles have ruled Jerusalem far too long and King Jesus will soon sit on His throne and there will be no more destruction of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem's palaces will be defended by God Himself.

On May 14, 1948, God proved to the world that he was not done with Israel.

The enemies of Israel were taken aback by this happening and they immediately tried to drive Israel into the Mediterranean Sea. 

They have failed every time they have tried because God is known in her palaces. 

Jehovah is Zion's Protector and the world is finding this out, just as the enemies of Israel found this out many times.

Here in America today, our government has forgotten that it is not the nation that makes the people but the people who make the nation.

When God is honored in the palace, He will be worshipped in the home.

When the Atheist make the laws there will be masses who rise up against those laws as we see in America today.

That big push to get America into socialism is a push for the downfall of America.

America stands as the last wall to conquer so the world will have a one world government.

Less than fifty percent of those who say they are Christians believe in our Divine Creator and these are the same ones who regularly attend Church services.

These are the ones in the family of God and will be welcomed into Heaven.

All the rest believe in some form of evolution and these are those who rarely attend Church.

These are the goats who will be separated from the sheep and will hear the words of Jesus when He says. "I never knew you."

*****Psa 48:4  For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. 

Psa 48:5  They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. 

Psa 48:6  Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. 

The nations of this world will come against the Church and this is in its beginning.

The nations of this world will come against Israel and we see this at its beginning.

God will protect His children from this wicked world.

It will be similar to the time of Sennacherib when one hundred and eighty-five thousand men of the Assyrian Army went to sleep and never woke up again upon this earth but woke up in Hell.

2Ki 19:35  And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 

Sennacherib's problem was that he was so full of pride he thought he could defeat God.

This is the same problem that Satan has; he is so full of pride that he will challenge God.

In the days of Armageddon these things will be similar but it will be on a much larger scale!

The protective hand of God will remain on Jerusalem and the things that are allowed to happen to Jerusalem will be just as the Bible describes.

In this instance described in Verse five, they will look upon the defenses of Israel and decide to leave without firing a shot, out of fear.

Isa 33:3  At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered. 

Most all of us know that when that mother begins delivering her child, she can do nothing else but endure the pain.

*****Psa 48:7  Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. 

Tarshish was seaport on the coast of Spain about twenty-five hundred miles west from Israel.

There were mighty merchant vessels located here than could sail in almost any storm but the winds from the East coming across the Mediterranean would wreak havoc on these ships.

Just as the largest, and strongest ships were no match for those storms from the east, the most powerful militaries of this world are no match to the power of God.

Job 27:21  The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place. 

Isa 27:8  In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind. 

I believe the United States Navy got a taste of the East wind when they tried to set up a temporary dock to unload those ships trying to bring aide to Gaza. They were no match for those same east winds.

A news source wrote:[O]n May 25, heavy sea states caused four US Army vessels operating in support of that pier operations to become beached. Two vessels were beached in Gaza near the base of the pier and two were beached near Ashkelon in Israel,” Singh said in a statement on Wednesday. “US personnel on those vessels were evacuated.

That pier cost 320 million tax payer dollars, but it could not hold up to those east winds on the Mediterranean Sea.

I believe that God had something to do with it!

Jer 18:17  I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity. 

The most powerful navy in this world had only one answer for this wind and it was to retreat.

*****Psa 48:8  As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. 

The world has seen God's defense of Jerusalem many times and the truth of God's Word teaches us God's relationship with this Holy City of Jerusalem.

We know that God never changes and He gives us His warnings in the Books of the Prophets and the Book of Revelation.

1) The city of the Lord, "Elohim" speaks of God's unlimited power and when Jehovah is used, God is teaching us of His protection of Jerusalem because of His covenant with Israel.

Those covenants will be fulfilled!

2) The city of the Lord of Hosts teaches us that our God is the Commander of a mighty army of angels that no man can overcome.

l2Ki 6:16  And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 

2Ki 6:17  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 

This is when the enemy of Israel came to stop Elisha as Elisha represented the Church.

3) The city of God teaches us that Jerusalem is the city where God had His Temple, the place where He met with the people of Israel.

We know that in the Middle East, the city of Jerusalem was a great prize and many nations have tried to take it away from Israel just as they are doing today.

The fact remains that spiritually speaking, Jerusalem is a picture of the true Jerusalem in Heaven and we will see this great city one day soon.

And Israel will be saved.

Heb 8:8  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 

Heb 8:9  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 

This scripture is in the process of beginning today.

*****Psa 48:9  We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. 

If you know the Lord in your heart then you have felt His Love.

I would not be here today if God had not thought of me.

I know that God loves me because He created me and He is still working on me.

We know these words were sung by the sons of Korah.

They could not sing about the love of God unless they had felt the love of God.

God's "grace" comes to us because of His loving kindness.

God's "mercy" comes to us because of His loving kindness.

I can praise and glorify God because He has shown me His loving kindness.

God Himself says all those who do not believe that He exists are fools and worthless.

Psa 14:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

If you know the loving kindness of God then you will praise Him.

*****Psa 48:10  According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. 

Psa 48:11  Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. 

God's name is Elohim.

Elohim is in the plural form because God is a Trinity which is better said Triunity.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit show the divine nature of God.

It is because of God's name that we can praise Him.

When we understand that God is One in essence we can praise Him unto the ends of the earth.

Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 

There are still some in the Church that do not accept the Triunity of God.

These three persons are equal in authority, but God the Father is recognized as supreme yet each person stand equal in every respect.

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 

1Co 8:7  Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

While Sennacherib could not over power and take Jerusalem, he had already taken over many of the unwalled cities.

If he defeated Jerusalem, he would have defeated all the nation of Israel.

These would be the daughters of Judah. These daughters of Judah could certainly rejoice because God had executed His "judgment" on the Assyrians.

They could now walk around without worrying about being captured by the enemy.

*****Psa 48:12  Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. 

Psa 48:13  Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. 

Now we get to a theme of our lesson which is deliverance.

Jerusalem had been delivered from her enemy without firing a shot.

A person could not walk around Jerusalem without noticing that Jerusalem was a well-fortified city.

1) Towers were the tallest structures in the city and were placed in prime locations so the watchmen could see for miles and the warriors were protected against the enemy.

2) Bulwarks were steep embankments outside the walls of Jerusalem. The enemies had to first get by them before they could attack the city.

There would be some of the military located there.

3) Palaces: For the devout Jews there was one thing only that made Zion glorious and it was that Jehovah dwelt there.

One of those palaces would be the Temple in that day and Zion's hill was the mountain of God's holiness.

When the Jews were faithful to Jehovah no enemy could overcome them and Jehovah would keep His covenant with them.

*****Psa 48:14  For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. 

Because God is our God forever, He will guide us through this life until our death.

Of all the people upon this earth God is the God of the Jew and the God of the Church.

We should understand the Lord's unfailing love God has for His people; it is never ending!

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Amen 

God Against The World

God and the Gentile Nations

Isaiah 37

In our last lesson we saw that King Hezekiah of Judah's greatest threat was the destruction of Jerusalem.

We saw a general over view of these things. In this lesson we will see the things that happened to evil King Sennacherib were executed and planned buy the Lord.

We may not always understand God's plan but we can be sure it is only God's plan that will win the most souls.

It should be clear to us that God's hand has been in the history of this earth since creation!

God's eyes are upon all men, those that love Him and those that do not!

God's ears are open to their counsel and anything they say!

God is well aware of every thought that goes through the mind of every human being on this earth!

At the proper time and at the proper place, God will frustrate all the combinations of evil and bring to pass His purpose in righteousness!

We must clearly understand as Christians, we can never triumph over our spiritual enemies or have victories, without the almighty arm of God.

We already know that Jerusalem and King Hezekiah were under the threat of a ruthless king of Assyria.

Hezekiah has tried everything in his own power to buy peace, which never works!

Nothing can stop a foolish man seeking world domination except the Lord!

All of us should also understand that the children of God are never powerless to resist the evil in this world, as long as they have "faith" in the One True God, Jehovah!

And a special note: Isaiah was God's scribe for the Book of Isaiah but he also was God's scribe for he Books of 1st and 2nd Kings and some of the same information appears in all these books.

When God says things once that should be enough but when God repeats what He says then we certainly need to pay attention!

Let's begin:

*****Isa 37:14  And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 

Isa 37:15  And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, 

The truth is, God knows our needs before we even ask but He will certainly delights when we get specific an unfold them with the confidence that He can solve any problem!

Nothing is to hard for God!

Jer 32:17  Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: 

If God can but just speak things into existence, how can anything be to hard for Him to accomplish.

BUT, Prayers require our "Faith" to be answered!

We should understand the thoughts of King Sennacherib. He was seeking to dominate Egypt and the only obstacle left in his path was Jerusalem. If Jerusalem withstood him it would show his weakness and it would also leave an enemy to his rear as he attacked Egypt.

Military commanders do not like such things as this.

It seems the world we live in today still think that the way to control the Jews is to deny them the city of Jerusalem. We still live in a foolish world that is determined to go against the Word of God and will certainly fail!

Sennacherib's ambition not only threatened the Jews but also threatened the whole world.

We see this in Iran who desire to dominate all Muslim countries and then the world.

We see this in North Korea.

I believe this is Russia's goal and also China's but I also believe they respect equal or greater power, unlike Iran and certainly unlike North Korea, who has lived in denial so long that he really has no knowledge of this world because he rejects it.

We should clearly understand as Christians, that if we have something that is bothering us and constantly on our mind, then it is important enough to take to the Lord!

We will see the Hezekiah knew that God cared for him as an individual.

We will see that Hezekiah knew that God was his only help.

We will see that if we are identified with God then God will identify with us!

God's treatment of His children will tell the world that the Lord is faithful, the Lord is loving, and our Lord is very strong!

We should see how one single prayer from one individual can affect the lives of so many people!

Jas_5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much".

One man's prayer of "faith" can set a lot of things in motion that are in the will of God!
Of course that includes the faithful prayers of dear ladies also.

The keys being that prayer must be a prayer of "faith" and that prayer must be for the will of God!

So Hezekiah prayed.

*****Isa 37:16  O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.

**We first see that Hezekiah declared God's greatness. Hezekiah prayed to Jehovah God, the Holy God of Israel, the God who was enthroned between the Cherubim on the Ark of the Testimony in His Shekinah Glory. He alone is the Supreme Creator of this world!

Jesus Christ teaches us all how to pray!

Mat 6:5  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 

Mat 6:8  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 

Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 

**Hezekiah had also gone to the house of the Lord to make this supplication to the Lord.

We can pray anywhere and at any time when we know the Lord but there is simply something special about praying in the house of God, the place where we also worship Him and Him alone!

**Hezekiah also took the confidence he had in the power of God with him.

If we do not believe the Lord is the answer to our problems and that nothing is out of reach of His right arm, then no prayer will be answered!

In most cases we make our own plan and then ask God to approve our plan and it simply does not work that way. We must pray for God's plan and then abide by God's plan! God gives us the knowledge and the examples of what He has already done in His Word and God does not ever change. We should be able to plan our prayers around these things!

**We next see Hezekiah explained in detail the problems he faced and his nation faced.

God does not want some wishy washy prayer at any time but when we have a sincere need, we need to to do our best to explain that need. God already knows, so He wants to see if we really understand what we are asking Him to do.

*****Isa 37:17  Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. 

Isa 37:18  Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, 

Isa 37:19  And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. 

Notice Hezekiah first praises Jehovah, the great "I Am" of the Scriptures, the self-existing God!

Jesus teaches:

Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 

Mat 6:11  Give us this day our daily bread. 

Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 

Note: Hezekiah next ask to Lord to take into consideration the insults of Sennacherib had said against Him.

We are wrong when we are in a group setting with saved and lost people and someone insults our Lord and we do nothing!

Certainly we should not attack them with our fists but we should inform them that we serve a Holy God who will not stand for such things before we walk away from such things. If we are Christian then we must not be ashamed to be a Christian!

Rom_10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

I also know that there are circumstances in some foreign lands where this could result in death and the death of the family.

We must use all our means to protect our family and if that means quietly walking away, then God will understand if we are walking away tall and not hanging our heads in submission!

**True prayer must always make reference to the "Glory of our God" and requires all our "Faith"!

It was certainly true that the armies of Sennacherib had laid waste to many nations and had cast their false gods into the fire.

Aren't you glad we do not worship some idol that we can sit upon a shelf, that needs dusting and someone can take away from you and destroy!

**Even Hezekiah had realized that idols are only the work of men's own hands!

Psa 115:3  But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. 

Psa 115:4  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 

Psa 115:5  They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 

Psa 115:6  They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 

Psa 115:7  They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 

Psa 115:8  They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. 

It was also true that many of those nations were much stronger than Judah and they had not been able to stand up to this ruthless king but they also did not know Jehovah God.

We immediately see that our "Faith" does not have to ignore our difficulties!

Our "Faith" must include the fact that nothing is to hard for the Lord to accomplish!

God is able to overcome any and every obstacle in our path if He so chooses!

We must also realize that when our prayer seems to go unanswered in such situations, it is not a lack of God's power but that problem may fulfill some purpose that the Lord has and we will still remain safe in the arms of God no matter the situation!

1Pe 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 

1Pe 3:13  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 

**Before Isaiah closes his prayer he gets down to his greatest request.

*****Isa 37:20  Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.

Hezekiah had already admitted that his enemy was very powerful but then he adds that the power Sennacherib had over other nations was great and their gods had proved to be nothing but false gods. Sennacherib's power over their gods proved nothing because they were not gods at all but only idols made of wood and stone and metal.

Hezekiah was calling on the Lord to make this truth apparent to these Assyrians, that they also worshipped false gods and only Judah worshipped the only true God.

**He then prayed "save us from his hand".

Notice that King Hezekiah did not dictate how and he did not dictate the nature of this salvation!

We must never ask God to submit to our plan!

**AND, What we see is sometimes the most effective prayers are the shortest such as this example of the sinners prayer:

Luk_18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner".

It can be as simple as "Lord save me"!

Mat_14:30  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, "Lord, save me".

**Hezekiah ends his prayer glorifying God: he said "that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only".

If we are Christians as we say we are, then we must also long for all others to know our God, even our enemies!

We need to long for all this earth to come to know the saving knowledge of the truth!

Luk_11:2  And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

So how did God answer this prayer? And notice how quickly God answered.

*****Isa 37:21  Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria:

As most all of Judah had denied God's prophets, God again sent His answer by the Prophet Isaiah.

Note: Isaiah could not have known these things of Hezekiah's closet prayer if the Lord had not told him!

**Hezekiah had woke up to the fact that he could not save himself, nor could he save Judah by his own strength, it would take the strength of God!

What did God say?

*****Isa 37:22  This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. 

Isa 37:23  Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. 

Isa 37:24  By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.

Jerusalem, the daughter of Zion, like a virgin maiden, who herself was weak and helpless would stand in defiance of these Assyrians.

Sennacherib would not violate the city of Jerusalem in any way!

The people of Jerusalem would laugh at the feeble attempt of this enemy as they fled from the long arm of God!

It is a fact that no enemy had defiled the city of Jerusalem from the time of King David and God was not going to allow it at this time.

The the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, it would be rebuilt with the money of King Cyrus and it would remain the capitol city of Israel until the Messiah's First Coming and this could not be changed by some arrogant ruler in a foreign land!

AND, King Sennacherib would be severely punished for lifting up his voice against the Holy One of Israel, Jehovah!

We should know that the Lord will not tolerate insults and rejection for any length of time.

Psa 74:18  Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. 

This should remind us of that day during the Great Tribulation when the antichrist claims that he is the Most High God.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 

2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

We see that King Sennacherib was in fact a "type" of the antichrist and will also suffer the humiliation of defeat.

What had Sennacherib desired in his heart?

1) That his overwhelming forces would cause Jerusalem to just surrender.

2) He would show that the land of Palestine, with it's mountainous terrain deserts, was no great obstacle to overcome.

3) He had visioned of stripping the land of Palestine of all it's resources.

4) He had envisioned a complete domination of the land of Israel.

His desires were that of a monarch but he would see a complete defeat of his mighty army in a way that could only be understood as by the "hand of God".

And the Lord continues:

*****Isa 37:25  I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places. 

Isa 37:26  Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps. 

Isa 37:27  Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.

Sennacherib had bragged about all the things that he had done and would do.

He said he could dig wells and drink the water of Palestine because no one could stop him.

He had said he had the power to dry up any river in any besieged place, (which means he would destroy all their defenses).

He was saying, no one and nothing on this earth and certainly not some invisible God, had the power to stop him and his mighty army and his false gods.

And now the Lord speaks of his demise.

God then said, you Sennacherib are a fool!

The Lord says:

1) Have you not looked back on history of the Jews from the ancient times and seen what the Lord has already done?

In other words God said do you not know the truth of recorded history, and the truth of creation and the history of Israel?

The leaders of today, refuse to look back on the history of our world, and the same mistakes are made over and over again and it is the people who suffer the most and not those leaders.

And today the world refuses to look back on the history of the Jews and see the mistakes that foreign powers have already made against these Jews.

The truth is:

Gen_12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

This is the promise that God made to Abraham and we know that this promise would continue to through the family of Isaac and not through Ishmael.

Gen 17:19  And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 

God says that there is no excuse for anyone not to realize who is in control of our world!

Rom_1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

**Sennacherib should have realized that all conquerors are just instruments in God's hands!

**All that Sennacherib had done he had done as God's instrument and by God's permission.

And God will one day use these same Jews for such a purpose in this world:

Jer 51:20  Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; 

Jer 51:21  And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; 

Jer 51:22  With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid; 

Jer 51:23  I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers. 

Jer 51:24  And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.

We are just as foolish as Sennacherib if we do not believe these things!

The world is much more foolish because they missed the great light that shined when the Messiah came the first time!

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 

Joh 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 

Joh 1:6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 

Joh 1:7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 

Joh 1:8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 

Joh 1:9  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 

Joh 1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

God had given the Assyrians power but only by making making the other nations weak, they were as the grass of the field.

In this area of Judah the delicate grass of the spring will whither within a few weeks and becomes yellow and parched and this would be the same for these Assyrians.

We should all realize that there is nothing that the Lord does not know know about us, the saved and the lost!

*****Isa 37:28  But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. 

Isa 37:29  Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. 

God knows where we all live and He placed us in that place for a purpose and in actuality, we should stay there unless God calls us to do something else.

God knows our coming out and our going in, which means God knows what we are doing at all times, the saved and the lost.

God knows those who love Him and those who hate Him as Sennacherib did. Sennacherib had a rage against God that he refused to quench.

These are things brought his downfall!

The Assyrians were in the habit of passing hooks or rings through the noses or even the lips of certain prisoners to lead them into the presence of the Assyrian king.

God promised Sennacherib that He would use His own methods to turn him back to the direction from which he had come, much like the bridle is used on a horse.

And again Isaiah turns to Hezekiah.

*****Isa 37:30  And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof. 

Isa 37:31  And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: 

Isa 37:32  For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this. 

Isa 37:33  Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. 

Isa 37:34  By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. 

Isa 37:35  For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

This sign would be a series of events that come together in a period of 2 years.

To me, the Lord has given us a similar sign. The complete Word of God is a sign of a series of events over 7000 years that will end with God's people in the New Heaven and the New Jerusalem and everything will be new.

Rev_21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

We see that the regular operations of agriculture would be suspended for this period of 2 years, which means God would provide while the land of Israel recovered from the destruction caused by the invasion of Assyria.

This would give the people of Judah time to repair or rebuild their homes and repair their wells!

The remnant of Israel, which was those left of Judah would take root and blossom and again there would be a growth in population.

Israel has always grown in population through adversity!

Again Judah would be given the opportunity to return to the Lord and they would for a short period of time but they would rebel again as we all know.

But one day in the future all these things would change at the return of the Messiah, when again another remnant would return to the Lord and remain with Him forever!

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 

As for the armies of Assyria they would never enter the city of Jerusalem. In fact this army would never get close enough to shoot an arrow into the city, nor lay siege to Jerusalem.

Those that plan all these things now should take note, by the way this army came they would return to their homeland, at least those that remained because this to would only be a small remnant, because God wanted these people to explain what happened, which was the God of Israel is just to strong to fight against! They could not explain the unexplainable!

What had the Lord said: For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

God will defend His name when he desires but God will fulfill the promises He made to David, at the proper time.

In most cases God would use some human or a group of humans to do the task He has assigned but this would not be the case on this day, God sent an angel and He even had a purpose for sending this angel.

King Sennacherib needed to know who he was dealing with and so must this world we live in!

*****Isa 37:36  Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 

In perfect silence and at night time while this army slept and even with guards posted, 185,000 soldiers met their death at the hand of the Lord.

We see that the "judgment of God" is harsh and without pity! This is an example of Armageddon.

Those that remained were in total shock as they awoke that next morning!

They then broke camp and returned to Assyria and they did this in a hurry leaving behind all the things they had stolen from the people of Judah.

Who is strong enough to to fight against the Lord when one angel can do such a thing, the Lord has an innumerable number of angels but also remember that when the Lord speaks things just happen, without the need of angels.

*****Isa 37:37  So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. 

Isa 37:38  And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead. 

This army remained in Nineveh and they were never a threat to Judah again!

Even King Sennacherib was later assassinated by two of his own sons and was succeeded by a third son Esarhaddon.

The truth is deliverance from sin is the greatest promise of God, if we just acknowledge the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The deliverance from the obstacles that we face on this earth can take place after a fervent prayer of faith!

In fact without a prayer of faith we can have no contact with God.

Heb_11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

With faith, our prayers are the most powerful tool we have in this world!

Jas_5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

When we call on the Lord for deliverance, God will just deliver us in what may even seem as a miracle or He will give us the power to overcome that obstacle!

King Hezekiah had faith but not always. Like ourselves, his faith centered on if he could see a way to over come obstacles himself.

True faith means that when we can see no way out of our problems but God always knows a way and we can depend on Him!

No matter what confronts us, God promises to deliver those who love Him!

2Ti 4:18  And the Lord "shall" deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord will never forsake His people!

When the Apostle Paul wrote this wonderful Scripture, he was looking at his death from prison but he knew he could be delivered and he was. Because the Lord will preserve all His children forever in His Heavenly Kingdom.

So give the glory to God!

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Questions?

Let's Pray!