Trusting the Lord, Standing our Ground--Isaiah Series

Here in Kansas, we often feel like we are immune to some of the “culture wars” that we read about in other parts of the country. When we hear about churches being refused the chance to rent public schools on Sundays or when we read about the gay rights agenda, we think of far off places like New York and San Francisco. But the front lines of the so-called “culture wars” are really much closer than we week. Within the next few weeks, the city councils of Salina and Hutchinson will be voting on changes to city ordinances that would advance the gay rights agenda in those cities. Churches that make their facilities available to the public for rental would be directly affected. They would no longer be able to decline a rental request simply on the basis of a disapproval of homosexual behavior. So, if someone asked to rent the church for a drag party, the church could not refuse simply on the basis of a disapproval of that behavior. And lest you think that such ordinances don’t have a chance of passing, similar ordinances have already been passed in Manhattan and Wichita, though they were later repealed by the actions of concerned citizens. Biblical values are under attack in many different ways today, and none of us are far from the front lines. So how can we stand our ground when the values we hold from the Bible are attacked? Or better yet, how can we place our trust in God when others attack our values? This morning, in Isaiah 36-37, we’re going to read about a literal attack that the nation of Judah faced from Assyria during the reign of King Hezekiah. This incident can teach us some important lessons about how to trust God and stand our ground when other people attack our values. How can we trust God and stand our ground when others attack our values? As I mentioned, the story we’re going to read today took place during the reign of King Hezekiah. Along with King David and King Solomon, Hezekiah was one of the godliest kings that the nation of Judah ever had. His father, King Ahaz, had put a stop to both the sacrifices and the feasts that were commanded in the Law of Moses, but Hezekiah re-instituted both of these things. He also destroyed the bronze serpent that Moses had made in the wilderness because the people had turned it into an idol. But Hezekiah’s greatest legacy was his faith in God when the armies of Assyria marched to his doorstep. Let’s take a closer look at his example. 1. By remembering that past failures do not determine today’s choices (36:1-3) Let’s read vv. 1-3, and I want you to pay particular attention to the location where this conversation took place [READ 36:1-3]. Back in chapter 7, Isaiah confronted Hezekiah’s father, King Ahaz, at this exact location and challenged him to trust in God as he was faced with aggression from the kingdom of Israel and their neighbors, the Syrians. Now, in chapter 36, we’re back in the same location with virtually the same circumstances. The previous king of Judah had chosen not to trust in God in these circumstances, but what choice would the current king make? Hezekiah would now have to make the choice for himself, and this opportunity is important to note. He didn’t have to repeat the mistakes of the past; a new circumstance presented a new opportunity to make the right choice. This lesson is true for us as well. When someone attacks our values, that situation is intimidating enough, but we can make it even more intimidating if we bring to mind our own previous failures to trust God and make ourselves think that we can’t overcome them. But each circumstance is a new opportunity to make the right choice—past failures to not determine today’s choices. I am reminded of the story of Thomas Cranmer. Bishop Cranmer was the head of the Church of England in the mid-1500’s, shortly after the Protestant Reformation. During that time, the throne of England was passing back and forth between Protestant rulers and Catholic rulers, and each change of ruler brought persecution to the members of the opposite group. Cranmer faced severe pressure from Queen Mary I—also known as “Bloody Mary”—and to save his life, he denounced his Protestant beliefs. He later publicly announced that he had been wrong to do so, and was thus sentenced to death by burning. As his executioners prepared to burn him at the stake, he asked that his right hand be burned first since it had written the statement in which he denounced his Protestant beliefs. With each new day comes a new chance to make a different choice, a better choice—the choice to trust God. 2. By remembering that those who attack our values are building on a foundation of falsehood (36:4-22) Listen to this speech from the Assyrian official and see if you can pick out the false thinking behind it [READ 36:4-22]. There are several falsehoods in this speech. First, the Assyrians had misunderstood Hezekiah’s religious reforms. They thought Hezekiah was actually limiting the worship of the God of Judah by destroying all of the altars outside Jerusalem, but Hezekiah was actually leading the people back to a pure worship of the God of Judah. Second, they claimed that Hezekiah would be deceiving the people if he encouraged them to trust in God for deliverance. As we shall see, precisely the opposite was true. Third, the Assyrians put the God of Judah on the same level as the gods of all the other nations which they had already conquered. This was the greatest falsehood of all—to mistake the living and true God for a lifeless idol, though the God of Judah had shown His power on many previous occasions. Now when people build their claims and beliefs on a foundation of falsehood, it won’t be long before reality comes calling. Beliefs that are true are those beliefs which describe the world the way it really is. Thus, false beliefs are actually denying reality, and you can only deny reality for so long before you run into major problems. So if our biblical values are true, then those who oppose them are denying reality. They are building a house on a foundation that really isn’t there, so it’s only a matter of time before the whole house comes crashing down. We, however, are building on a firm, lasting foundation in the Word of God. 3. By choosing to believe the truth about God rather than lies (37:1-20) We can’t make the same mistake as those who are attacking our values—we must cling to what is true about God and His standards. Hezekiah was challenged by the Assyrians to believe a lie about God. Let’s continue the story [READ 37:1-13]. Notice what the king of Assyria said in v. 10—“Do not let your God deceive you.” That temptation is the oldest trick in Satan’s playbook. He wants us to believe that God is actually deceiving us. Remember how Satan approached Eve in the Garden of Eden. First he asked her, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?” He deliberately misquoted God to create doubt in Eve’s mind, then he flatly contradicted what God actually said. When Eve mentioned God’s command and the punishment of death, Satan said, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Satan wants you and me to believe that God is lying to us. He wants us to believe that God can’t really help us; He doesn’t really love us; He won’t reward us for suffering in His name. Do you see how sneaky that temptation is? It all comes down to the question, “Who are you going to believe?” This strategy lies behind every temptation we face. Satan wants to create doubt about God’s Word, and he wants to convince us that God is actually a deceiver. Fortunately, Hezekiah didn’t take the bait, and he gives us a great example of how to preach the truth to yourself all over again [READ 37:14-20]. Notice how Hezekiah is reminding himself of the truth as he prays to make his request of God. He begins in v. 16 by addressing God as the “Lord of Hosts.” God frequently used this title for Himself through the prophets. It pictures God as the commander-in-chief of the angelic armies of heaven, so it reminds us that God has both the power and the resources to defend us. But then Hezekiah states that God isn’t just mighty and strong—He is also a personal God who has committed Himself to His people. God isn’t just God—He’s the “God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim.” That phrase is a reference to the Ark of the Covenant that was in the innermost room of the Tabernacle at first and then the Temple after it was built. God had told Moses that He would meet with him here, above the Ark of the Covenant, so this became regarded as the throne of the God of Israel. Thus, Hezekiah was reminding himself that the God of the armies of heaven dwells in the midst of His people. He isn’t distant; He is right there with them! Then, Hezekiah reminds himself that even though God has committed Himself to Israel, He is still Lord over all. At the end of v. 16 he says, “you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.” So to paraphrase Hezekiah’s prayer, he has said, “God, I know you are mighty and powerful and able to defend me. I know you are right here with me, and that you are Lord over all creatures and all people.” Those are precisely the truths that we must cling to when other people attack our values. Only by maintaining this mindset can we stand our ground when our values are under attack. 4. By remembering that God is in complete control—even over those who attack our values (37:21-29) Isaiah now confirms precisely what Hezekiah prayed with a message from the Lord [READ 37:21-29]. This passage is so fascinating because the Lord states that the king of Assyria is simply carrying out His plan. The king thinks that he is acting in his own power and enforcing his own will, but in reality he is simply carrying out God’s will. My friends, here is the puzzling yet reassuring truth about those who attack our values—they are under God’s complete control! He knows their every move! Nothing they do surprises Him because they are simply carrying out His plan. This boggles the mind—why God would allow such attacks—but when He does we must not think that He has lost control or that He is simply trying to stay one step ahead of some human scheme. He is working out His plan, and we must always remember that we don’t know just how God is planning to use a situation, but we can rest assured that He has a plan that never fails, and even those who oppose Him are part of it. 5. By remembering that God can turn back our attackers in ways that we cannot imagine (37:30-38) From this final section, we should learn first of all that God can provide for us in ways that are outside the norm [READ 37:30-32]. With the Assyrian army in their land, the people weren’t able to plant their crops like usual, so God promised to provide enough for them simply from the crops that grew on their own. And since they couldn’t prepare for the following year, God promised to do the same again. Then, in three years, they could return to planting and harvesting like usual. We must always remember that God is not limited by our imaginations. God is not forced to choose from the small number of solutions that we can figure out for our problems. God is a God of miracles, and He proves it again in the remainder of the chapter [READ 37:33-38]. It is interesting that secular history confirms the events of vv. 36-38. A Babylonian historian named Berossus wrote about a disease that suddenly fell upon the Assyrian army and killed—by his count—180,000 soldiers. Other documents also record the assassination of Sennacherib by his sons, just as Scripture says. So when we find our values under attack from others, let us remember these lessons of faith from Hezekiah. God is with us, and He is in complete control—even over those who oppose Him. We can choose to trust Him in those moments even if we never have in the past, and we can remind ourselves of the truth about God to counteract the lies that we might be tempted to believe. Overall, we can look forward to a great deliverance from God that He will accomplish according to His plan.