Sermon #97               Series: Isaiah</P>

 

 

Title:   ”The Writing of Hezekiah” 

 

Text:    Isaiah 38:9-20

 

Subject:  Hezekiah’s Account of God’s Work for Him

 

Date:   Sunday Evening – December 22, 1991

 

Introduction: 

 

My subject tonight is “The Writing of Hezekiah.”  In these verses we read that which Hezekiah king of Judah wrote often the Lord God had delivered him from his sickness.  He probably had many reasons for writing out his thoughts and experiences during his time of great affliction and his deliverance from it.

 

 

Hezekiah’s writing was very good.   I am sure that his intentions were good.  Yet, he soon forgot what he wrote.  In just a few years we read, “Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up:  therefore there was wrath upon him” (II Chron. 32:25).

 

What a lesson there is for us here.  Do not forget the mercies you experience in times of trouble..  And do not forget the resolutions or commitments you have made to consecrate yourself to the Lord God.

 

Yet, this writing of Hezekiah is preserved for us in the Word of God because the writing itself was inspired by God the Holy Spirit.  It certainly shows us the experiences of a believer in times of great affliction, sickness, and even utter despair; and the working of God upon the hearts of his people in such times.  Hezekiah was a true believer.  Though he failed miserably, he was humbled, broken and repentant.  And God forgave him (II Chron. 32:26).  I am also certain that this writing of Hezekiah is intended by the Spirit of God to show us the experience of grace in a sinner’s heart, when he is delivered from the pit of corruption into salvation and life in Christ.

 

Proposition:  In these verses of Holy Scripture Hezekiah shows us what a sinner feels and experiences when he is brought from death to life in Christ by the almighty grace of God.

 

Divisions:        I do not want anyone to leave here thinking “I must feel like Hezekiah before I can be saved,” and go out of here seeking a feeling.  I am not laying down conditions for you to meet.  Salvation is unconditional and free!  Yet, I do want to show you four things every sinner experiences as he comes to Christ.  If you have come to Christ, If god has saved you by his grace, you have experienced these four things.

 

 

Let me show you four things every saved sinner experiences in heart as he comes to Christ.

 

  1. The Despair of Conviction (vv. 10-13).
  2. The Dependence of Faith (vv. 14-16).
  3. The Deliverance of Grace (v. 17).
  4. The Dedication of Gratitude (vv. 18-20).

 

In these words Hezekiah expresses exactly what I experienced in conversion!  I take his words for my own.  For I think that was and is the intention of the Holy Spirit in inspiring this writing of Hezekiah.

 

I.  The Despair of Conviction (vv. 10-130.

 

When God the Holy Spirit goes to work on a sinner in real grace, the first thing he does is to bring him to the end of himself.  He brings down the proud, stubborn heart with the conviction of sin.  Nebuchadnezzar, Isaiah, Gomer, Myself.

 

This conviction of sin may be protracted, or it may be very brief in its initial experience.  But you can be sure of this- Before God grants his salvation, he will convince you of you sin!  He will bring you under the sentence of death and make you to despair of life.

 

You will never look to Christ for life until God convinces you that…

 

A.  You are dead spiritually and dying eternally without Christ and without hope (vv. 10-11).

B.  Your destruction is the work of your own hands- (v. 12).

      “I have cut off like a weaver my life.”  I deserve to die.  My condition is my own fault.

C.  You are in God’s hands and you must meet God in judgment (vv. 12-13).

 

Blessed is that man who is brought into utter despair and helplessness as a guilty sinner before the Holy Lord God!  The despair of conviction always brings sinners into…

 

II.  The Dependence of Faith (vv. 14-16).

 

When Hezekiah had no hope anywhere else, he looked to the Lord God for grace!

 

A.  Broken, he poured out his soul to God (v. 14).

B.  Oppressed, he sought a Surety – “Undertake.”  “Be Surety for me!”

C.  Hearing from God’s prophet, he looked upward in faith (vv. 15-16).

 

1.       He believed God’s word of grace.

2.       He humbled himself before the Lord- “Go softly.”

3.       He repented of his sin- “Bitterness.”

4.       He gave God the glory- (v. 16).  By these things- God’s work, God’s word, God’s Gift of Faith.  The dependence of faith is always followed by…

 

III.  The Deliverance of Grace (v. 17).

 

A.  God destroyed his peace with bitterness.

B.  God delivered him from the pit of corruption.

 

 

C.     The cause of his salvation was the love of God!

D.     God forgave his sin!

 

 

The despair of conviction leads to the dependence of faith.  The dependence of faith obtains the deliverance of grace.  And the deliverance of grace always produces…

 

IV.  The Dedication of Gratitude (vv. 18-20).

 

  1. God has saved us that we might glorify him- (v. 18).
  2. All who are saved by the grace of God gladly praise him (v. 19)
  3. Saved sinners propagate and perpetuate God’s praise and his truth (v. 19-20).

 

Constrained by the love of Christ we are…

 

    1. Dedicated to God’s Truth.
    2. Dedicated to God’s Glory- “The Lord was ready to save me!”
    3. Dedicated to God’s Worship.

 

Application:

 

Has the Lord saved you?

 

  1. Confess Him.
  2. Consecrate Yourself to Him.