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II Kings - Hezekiah Prayed

Jeremy Bowling
04/10/24 - Sunday AM Worship

Series: II Kings

 

II Kings 19:14-20

¹⁴ And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. ¹⁵ Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ¹⁶ Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. ¹⁷ Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, ¹⁸ and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. ¹⁹ Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.”

²⁰ Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.’

 

II Kings 19:14-20 – “Hezekiah Prayed”

1. Hezekiah Prayed – He went to God (He went to the right house… who you run to in trouble shows the object of your faith)
   1. V14 – “Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD
      1. Prayer start by going to God (James 4:2b; James 1:5)
      2. Staying Loyal to the LORD (II Chronicles 16:7-9)
   2. Wrong Houses
      1. House of Booze/Alcohol to forget the troubles, House of Egypt, House of Idols, House of Pleasure, House of Entertainment, etc
         1. V15 – “You are God, You alone”
2. Hezekiah Prayed – He Brought His Troubles to God
   1. V14 – “received the letter… and read it… and spread it before the LORD”
      1. Be honest in prayer (Do we really believe we can hide things from God)
      2. Be Specific in prayer
      3. Be bold in prayer (sometimes we are too polite in approaching God)
         1. I Peter 5:6-7 – “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.’
3. Hezekiah Prayed – He believed God is God & God is Able
   1. V15 – “O LORD God of Israel… You are God… You have made heaven & earth”
4. Hezekiah Prayed – He believed God is Willing
   1. V15 – “the One who dwells between the cherubim”
      1. The cherubim is a reference to the temple… God dwelt in the midst of His people in the temple in Jerusalem (the very city Assyria is coming against)… and do you know what God is sitting upon in the temple between the cherubim… THE MERCY SEAT… THE PLACE OF ATONEMENT… GOD IS WILLING!
         1. I Kings 8:28-34
         2. Exodus 34:-7
5. Hezekiah Prayed – He believed God Hears & Sees (not a distant God but a loving father)
   1. V16 – “hear… see… the living God”
      1. Psalm 34:1, 4, 8, 15, 17-22 (quoted in I Peter 3)
6. Hezekiah Prayed – He Believed God’s Name is Holy (this is centered around God, not just Hezekiah and Judah being attacked… we must have a God centered life & view of the world)
   1. V16-18 – “reproach the living God… may know that You are the Lord God, You alone”
      1. Exodus 20:7 – “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain”
      2. Matthew 6:9-10f – “Hallowed be Your name”
      3. James 4:15 – “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that”

God’s Response: v20, “Because you have prayed to Me… I HAVE HEARD”