Sermon
# 94 Series: Isaiah
Title: ”This Day is a Day of Trouble”
Text: Isaiah 36:1 - 37:7
Subject: Lessons from Rabshakeh’s
Blasphemy and Hezekieh’s Faith
Date:
Sunday Evening – November 24, 1991
Introduction:
When
Sennacherib had invaded the land of Judah and surrounded the city of Jerusalem,
he sent his ambassador Rabshakeh with a great army to Hezekiah to demand the
surrender of the city and the kingdom.
The Assyrian army had the city surrounded all supplies had been cut off,
and the infamous barbarities of the Assyria were well known. All the people of Jerusalem sat upon the
walls of the city to hear what Rabshakeh would say. Hezekiah sent Eliakim Shebna, and Joah out to receive his
message. When Rabshakeh began to speak,
he refused to speak in his own native tongue.
He wanted to put terror into the people. He wanted to force Hezekiah to surrender the city by turning the
people against him. So he spake in the
language of the Hebrews, blaspheming God, taunting the people of the city, and
scandalizing Hezekiah their King, as he threatened to destroy Jerusalem and
Judah, if Hezekiah refused to surrender to Sennacherib. Hezekiah’s servants held their peace, and
answered him not a word, as the King had commanded them.
When
these three loyal ambassadors came back into the city, they rent their clothes
and gave their report to king Hezekiah.
When Hezekiah heard their report “he rent his clothes, and covered
himself with sack cloth, and went into the house of the LORD. “The he sent for Isaiah the prophet,
seeking a word of instruction and direction from the man of God. This is the message that Hezekiah sent to
Isaiah- “This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to birth, and
there is not strength to bring forth” (37:3).
1.
“This
day is a day of trouble.”
·
For
The Church of God.
·
For
Many of Our Brethren.
·
For
You and Your Family.
2.
How
can I find peace and help and strength in my day of trouble. That is what I want to show you tonight.
Proposition: In the day of trouble we will be wise, like Hezekiah,
to seek the Lord our God, believe his Word, and obey his will.
Divisions:
I. Here are Some Lessons we need to learn from this portion
of Holy Scripture.
Hezekiah was a godly man. This king was working hard to reform the church of his day, trying to re-establish the true worship of God. He had torn down the altars and high places of idolatrous worship and demanded that Judah worship only at the altar of the Lord God in the house of God. Yet, he suffered much from the Assyrians. Here are 7 lessons we need to learn from this story.
A.
Faithfulness
to Christ does not secure God’s saints from trouble, distress, and sorrow in
this world.
B.
God
sometimes permits godless men to prosper in their wicked pursuits against his
people for a while.
·
Sennacherib
had his way against Hezekiah for a while.
·
The
Pharisees had their way against Christ.
·
The
Jews had their way against Paul.
·
But
in all God has his way (Rom. 8:28).
(Acts 4).
C.
Those
who oppose God’s church, God’s truth, God’s people, and God’s servants often do
so in the name of God himself (v. 10).
(See John 15:20-21;16:1-2).
D.
Those
who saw discord among brethren, seek to divide the church of God, and try to
turn the hearts of the people away from God’s appointed, faithful servants are
sinister men, inspired by satan, with wicked designs (vv. 11-16 – “Hearken not
to Hezekiah!”) “Beware lest Hezekiah
persuade you.”
Illus: Moses and the sons of Korah-(Num. 16:3).
“Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no
harm!” “Obey them.” “Whose faith follow.”
E.
Satan
often tempts men and women to acts of unbelief and disobedience by promising
them better circumstances (vv. 16-17).
“Believe them not, though they speak fair words unto
thee.” (Jer. 12:6).
Illus: J.D.B. – Dwight and Sheretta
F. Wise men leave it to God to stop the mouths of his enemies. (v. 21).
“Answer not a fool according to his folly.” God will take care of your enemies and of his. To answer railing with railing is carnal and fleshly. It never serves a useful purpose. The way to answer railing accusations is with quiet confidence in God.
G.
Our
trials, troubles, distresses, and sorrows ought to drive us to our Lord (37:1).
Matthew Henry wrote, “when pains are most strong, let prayers be most lively. When we meet with the greatest difficulties, then is a time to stir up ourselves to take hold of God. Prayer is the midwife of mercy that helps to bring it forth.
II. Here is a Question that must
be Answered in The Day of Trouble. (36:5).
“On whom dost thou trust?” This question was raised by Rabshakeh, to
belittle the faith of the Jews. It is
as if he said, like the heathen did to David, “Where is thy God?” Let us answer like David, “Our God is in the
heavens; he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased!” Should any ask, “On whom dost thou trust?” We have a ready answer- “I trust the living
God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
·
Some
trust themselves.
·
Some
trust their church.
·
Some
trust a priest.
·
Some
trust blind fate.
We
trust the one true and living God! “Our
Father!”
A. I trust God, my Heavenly
Father.
If God is my Father, all is well. Believing that he has chosen me before the foundation of the world. I trust him to care for me as my Father, to provide for me in providence, to teach me, to guide me, to feed me, to correct me, to clothe me, to protect me, and to bring me safely home to his house- (Rom. 8:32).
B. I trust God the Son, The Lord
Jesus Christ, my Divine Savior.
Very God of very God is he – the man Christ Jesus. I trust him with all things. Because of who he is, what he has done, what he is doing, and what he has promised to do, I rely upon him, the incarnate God. “The Lord is my Shepherd- I shall not want.”
C. I trust God the Holy Spirit –
My Comforter!
He subdues my will, enlightens my understanding, checks my passions, strengthens me in weakness, preserves me in trouble, comforts me in sorrow, and guides me in his way.
“On
whom dost thou trust?” – Trust in The Lord – (Pro. 3:5-6).
III. Here is A Cause that must be
Maintained in Good Times and Bad.
(v. 7) “Ye shall worship before this
altar!” (II Chron. 30:13-15).
Hezekiah
was interested in one thing, only one thing – The Altar of God! That altar, he knew, represented Christ and
his great sacrifice for sin (Heb. 13:10).
Hezekiah sought to maintain the worship of God, according to the Word of
God, for the glory of God! He seems to
have had no other great concern – (II Kings 18:1-7).
Like
David, Hezekiah’s cause in this world was the glory of God – “Is there not a
cause?”
There
is something more important than you and me, something more important than our
comforts or our troubles, something more important than my name, my ambitions,
my family and my cares. The Altar of
God, the glory of God in Christ is more important! And I promise you this – If we make God’s cause our cause, he
will make our cause his cause. Honor
God and God will honor you, as he did Hezekiah – (I Sam. 2:30).
IV. Here is An Example we would be
wise to Follow in the Day of Trouble (37:1-5).
Hezekiah
had many things that concerned him. He
had many troubles to face. But the
thing that grieved his heart and crushed his soul was the fact that God’s name
was blasphemed and the church and people of God appeared to be in great danger,
without any strength to overcome their enemies. What did he do?
A. Broken, humble, and needy, Hezekiah went to the House of God (II Kings 19:1).
B.
He
called for God’s prophet, Isaiah, to seek the will of God and the Word of God,
and show it to him. “Lift up prayer foe
the remnant!” “Thank God, there is
always a remnant.”
C.
He
called upon the Lord God in prayer (II Kings 19:14-19).
1.
He
offered praise to God.
2.
He
spread his case before the Lord.
3.
He
asked for God’s deliverance.
4.
He
gave an argument that God could not resist (v. 19).
V. Here is a promise to Sustain
and Comfort us in the Day of Trouble.
(37:6-7).
·
Be not afraid!
·
I will deliver you! (II Kings 19:35-37; Isa. 43:1-5).
Application:
In
the Day of your Trouble…
1.
Answer
this question – “On whom dost thou trust?”
2.
Set
your heart upon Christ, his Word, his Worship, his Glory.
3.
Worship
God.
·
Come
to the House of God.
·
Enlist
the aid of God’s People.
·
Seek
a Word from God.
·
Call
upon the Name of God.
·
Wait
for the Lord to fulfill his Promise.