Thurs.’s Devo -God’s Deliverance

Thurs.’s Devo -God’s Deliverance 9-21-23 Read: Isaiah 37:1-38:22; Galatians 6:1-18; Psalm 65:1-13; Proverbs 23:24 We read yesterday that when Eliakim and Shebna heard the report from the Assyrians of what they were threatening to do to them, they tore their clothes and took the message to the king. When King Hezekiah heard the message he tore his clothes and went to the King of Kings. He sent Eliakim and Shebna to the prophet Isiah to let him know what was happening so he could guide them in what to do. *** Isaiah told them not to be discouraged by their blasphemous words against the Lord. The Assyrian king would receive a message that he is needed at home and return home and be killed. That is exactly what happened. He received the word and went home but before he left the told the Israelites not to think their God had delivered them because he was coming back and he was going to do to them what he had done to all the other nations. *** Hezekiah knew that what they said was true. They had destroyed other nations and thrown their gods into the fire, but Hezekiah told God that he knew He was not made of wood and stone and He could not be thrown away and gotten rid of. *** God answered Hezekiah and told him that the king of Assyria would go home and never return. He would defend the city of Jerusalem. God did. He sent his army and killed 185,000 Assyrians who had been camping around Jerusalem waiting for their king to come back and lead the attack. King Sennacherib returned to Assyria and was killed in his temple to his god, Nisroch by his own sons. *** Hezekiah became fatally ill and thought he would die. Isaiah sent a message telling Hezekiah to set his affairs in order because he would not recover. Before Isaiah could make it out of the palace, Hezekiah had cried out to the Lord reminding him of all he had done for him and begging him for more time. God sent Isaiah back in to see Hezekiah and tell him that he would live 15 more years. He told him to take some figs and make a salve and put it on his wound. As a sign that he would do what he said, he told him that the shadow on the sun dial would move back ten steps. *** Paul urged them to care for one another in love. If they knew someone who had fallen into sin and needed help getting out, then they should help them, not condemn them. Everyone was responsible for their own conduct. When they had special teachers come in they should provide for them. How and what you plant will determine how and what you reap. *** Last of all, it is not circumcision that counts but whether you have been transformed into a new creation. The people who live in God’s peace and mercy are the new people of God. *** Lord, may we walk in your peace and mercy. May we tend to others in love and also tend our own gardens. We give ourselves as an offering to You today.