Tue.’s Devo - Deliverance

Read: 2 Kings 18:13-19:37; Acts 21:1-17; Psalm 149:1-9; Proverbs 18:8 Hezekiah had stopped paying his tribute to Assyria so they came to attack Jerusalem. Hezekiah asked what he could pay to make it right with them. They demanded more than 11 tons of silver ad one ton of gold. Hezekiah had to strip the gold from the doors of the Temple and give all the silver they had. Still the army wanted to meet with Hezekiah. *** Hezekiah sent his three top men to meet with the army commander of Assyria. He told then to tell Hezekiah that nothing they could trust in could save then from their army. He wanted them to surrender and let him take them captive like they had done to Israel. *** The army captain made sure he was speaking in Hebrew so all the men in the army could hear his threats. They said nothing because Hezekiah had told them not to talk to the Assyrians. *** When Hezekiah heard his threat, he and his officials tore their clothes and put on burlap. Hezekiah went into the Temple of the Lord. He sent his three officials to go tell Isaiah what was happening. Isaiah sent back word that Hezekiah shouldn’t be upset by his enemy’s words. God was going to move against him and he was going to receive an order to go back home. There, he will be killed by the sword. *** The Assyrians left Jersalem to consult with the king of Assyria. The king received word that the king of Ethiopia was coming to attack him so he had army return home and help them. Before he left, he sent a message to Hezekiah saying that he would return and not to let his God who he trusted deceive him. None of the gods of other nations could save them so why should they be any different. They just didn’t know Judah’s God! *** Hezekiah took this letter to the Temple and spread it out so he could talk to God about it. He explained to the Lord that part of the letter was true, no other god had been able to save their nation from the Assyrians. *** Isaiah sent Hezekiah the answer to his prayer. God says that he despises the king of Assyria and laughs at his threats. All his conquests were not because his might, but God’s plan. God used them to conquer these nations. God has heard all his blasphemy against him and would drag him back with a hook in his nose to his own land. *** To prove what he said is true, Judah would eat what grows by itself for the next two hears, then the third year, they would plant and harvest and eat the fruit from their own gardens. Those who have made it through the siege will put roots down in their own nation and will grow. *** The king of Assyria would not come back to Jerusalem. God would defend and protect Jerusalem. *** That night the angel of the Lord killed 185,000 of the Assyrian soldiers. The king took the survivors home to Nineveh. Two of his own sons killed him while he was worshipping in the temple of Nisroch. They fled to Ararat while another son, Esarhaddon became the next king. *** In Acts, Paul was making his way back to Jerusalem. All the way they stopped at places they had established groups of believers. Those who could see into the future begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem where they only saw chains and prison for him. Paul was not afraid of any of that. He had experienced that his whole life. He knew this was his destiny. So, with tears, they let Paul go. Some of the believers from Caesarea went with them. When they arrived in Jerusalem the believers welcomed them. *** Paul was ready to lay down his life for the Gospel. Lord, may we have that same mindset. May we lay down our lives daily as we choose to follow you even if it messes up our plans or disrupts our schedules. Thank you that you are delivering our nation just like you did for Judah. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem.