Sermon: Whom Do You Now Trust

As we meet right now, we get together around the very words of the one true and living God. Well a privilege. It may seem strange. We sit here. We sing a couple songs with one guitar. We pray we read a book. We listen to Somebody talk and yet there is nowhere that I would rather be than together together with God's people around God's word. And so as we do this, would you join me in praying? And then asking that he would speak through that word

tonight.

Father would you be true to your word? in Psalm 119 to help us to love your law. You help us to meditate on your law all day. You help your Commandments to make us wiser than our enemies. It is always with us. Would you give us understanding do you help your testimonies to be our meditation? You help us to keep your precepts. To hold back our feet from every evil way. in order to keep your word Would you help us to not turn aside from your rules for

you have taught us? How sweet are your words to our tastes sweeter than honey to our mouth? For your precepts we get understanding therefore. We hate every false way Lord. Would you make those things true in our hearts and Minds tonight as we hear? Your words the name of your son Christ The Living Word we pray. amen

Tonight we're going to you guys hear me does everything been resolved? All right tonight. We're going to continue a series where we're looking at the life of Hezekiah We Begin this a couple weeks ago. As we come tonight to Second Kings 18. Let's remember where we are in the history of the Old Testament Hezekiah is the 13th King. After of Judah after Israel was divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom.

Of Judah the main superpower on the scene these days is the nation of Assyria. Hezekiah's father ahaz had paid a Syria to save Judah from some other enemies and had submitted Judah to the service of this foreign power. In the opening verses of Second Kings 18, we learned that Hezekiah did not continue this practice, but he rebelled against the king of Assyria and he would not serve him. in the meantime a Syria continued their

conquest and they destroyed the nation of Israel the northern kingdom That brings us to our passage tonight. So if you would open your word. In a read Second Kings starting 18 starting in verse 13 through the end.

In the 14th year of Hezekiah. Sinacharib king of Assyria came up against all the Fortified cities of Judah and took them. And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at lakish saying I have done wrong. Withdraw from me whatever you impose on me. I will bear. And the king of Assyria required of Hezekiah king of Judah 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold and Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the King's house.

At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the Temple of the Lord and from the doorpost that has a kaya king of Judah had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria set the tartan. the RAB saris and the RAB shekha with a great Army from lakish two King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem and when they arrived they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which

is on the highway to the washers field. And when they called for the king there came out to them a liar came the son of hilkaya was over the household of shebna the secret and shebnah the secretary and joa the son of asaph the recorder. And the RAB Shaka said to them say to Hezekiah thus says the great king the king of Assyria on what do you rest this trust of yours. Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war in whom do you now trust that

you have rebelled against me? Behold you are trusting now in Egypt that broken Reed of a staff which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it such as Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. But if you say to me, we trust in the Lord our God is it not he whose high places and Alters Hezekiah has removed saying to Judah and to Jerusalem you shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem. Come now make a wager with my master the king of Assyria. I

will give you 2,000 horses if you are able on your part to set Riders on them. How then can you repulse a single Captain among the least of my Master's servants when you trust in Egypt for chariots and for Horsemen? Moreover it is is it without the Lord that I have come up against this place to destroy it. The Lord said to me go up against this land and destroy it. Then Elijah Kim the son of hilkaya and shebnah and joah said to the RAB Shaka.

Please speak to your servants in Aramaic for we understand it do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall. But the rep check us said to them has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you and not to the men's sitting on the wall who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and to drink their own urine. Than the revcheka stood and called out in a loud

voice in the language of Judah here the word of the great king the king of Assyria. Thus says the king. Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. For he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand. Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying the Lord will surely Deliver Us in this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah for thus says the king of Assyria make your peace with me and come

out to me. And each one of you will eat of his own Vine and each one of his own fig tree and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern until I come and take you away to a land like your own land a land of grain and wine a land of bread and Vineyards a land of olive trees and honey that you may live and not die. Do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads You by saying the Lord will deliver us as any of the

Gods of the nation's ever delivered this land out of the hands of the king of Assyria. Where are the gods of hammuth and arpad? Where are the gods of safarim henna and Eva have they delivered Samaria out of my hand. Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand. But the people were silent. And answered him not a word for the King's Command was

do not answer him. And Elijah Kim the son of hilkaya who was over the household and shebnah the secretary and joah, the son of asaph the recorder came to Hezekiah with their closed torn and told him the words of the rub shekha.

the long Passage My plan tonight is to walk through this narrative quickly. We have an understanding of what is going on. And then I want us to consider. reprinciples that can be drawn out of this event First let's just make sure we understand what is going on. As we mentioned when Hezekiah became king. He had stopped paying tribute to the king of Assyria. And now we jump into the story 14 years later. The king of Assyria has come calling. He is

defeated the Fortified cities of Judah. We saw last week or two weeks ago. The last thing Legacy of Hezekiah is one who trusted in the Lord the god of Israel, but in the face of this threat, it didn't take long for him to change course offers to pay whatever Seneca would impose on Judah to once again be a subject of a Syria. In order to pay the required amount Hezekiah uses the Treasures of the temple of God. Verse 7 of chapter 13 tells us that

Hezekiah had rebelled against the king of Assyria, but now we see that he repents to the king of Assyria. And in the process he Rebels against God.

Whatever reason this settlement isn't sufficient in the eyes of sennacherib. So he sends his armies to Jerusalem. In the Assyrian records, it is recounted this way Hezekiah is shut up in Jerusalem like a bird in a cage. This is what the armies are doing. They're coming. Surrounding the king of Judah. And caging him inside of his own City. As the Army gathers outside of Jerusalem, they bring a message for the king and for the people of Judah. The message

is delivered by three emissaries of the king of Assyria, and it's received by three representatives of the king of Judah when they call for the king. He doesn't come out he sends three of his Representatives. And the the rub sheikha military leader in Assyria. Is the one that is going to do the speaking. And first he addresses Hezekiah the theme of his address to the king of Judah. Is is clearly? one of trust That the word trust appears six times.

And this question is asked rhetorically on what do you rest your trust? In whom do you now trust with the implied answer you have no? where to turn In verse 21, he's explicit. You can't trust Egypt. It's unclear whether seeking help from Egypt was an option that has a kaya had actually pursued or simply one that would be naturally considered. But either way it is dismissed as a possibility in verse 22. Is clear you says you you can't trust God.

and here's an Acura shows an impressive knowledge of what's Happening inside Judah although Not as much of an accurate knowledge of theology. He argues in verse 22 that God will not be on their side because Hezekiah has torn down the high places. Either doesn't know or doesn't care. This was an act of obedience rather than disobedience. In verses 23 and 24 he argues you can't trust in yourself. And hear the Assyrians are openly mocking the

people of Judah. Will give you horses, but you can't even provide people to sit on them. How do you possibly expect to defeat even the most insignificant of our forces? Egypt can't save you. Your God won't save you you can't save yourselves. And then he goes a step further and he claims special Revelation from God directing him to destroy the people of Judah. The message is clear. You have no hope your defeat is inevitable.

You have no trust to turn to.

It's a believable message. So believable that the representatives of the king Hezekiah asked that they might kindly communicate in a different language. So as not to discourage the people who are overhearing

the rabshacka refuses and instead turns his attention to speaking directly to the people. Having established the desperate state in which Judah now finds themselves. The message turns to the need for deliverance. He undermines confidence in the King by blatantly stating that the king hasakiah will not be able to deliver you and his God will not be able to deliver you and this might seem a little bit strange. It did to me.

when when Hezekiah did not seem to place his trust in God to deliver the people in the first place, however, I remember that the summary of his life is that he is one who has trusted in the god of Israel. And it appears he has remembered his God and has turned back to him. This story is recounted in second chronicles 32 and here we get a little bit more of a glimpse of hezekiah's preparations as a Syria approaches. He does a number of things. He makes it

harder for the Assyrians to find water. He reinforces the walls of the city makes weapons in abundance. But he also rallies the people and he rallies them with these words. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him. For there are more with us than with him. With him as an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord Our God to help us. and to fight our battles

we are told that the people took Confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. So despite his acquiescence to the Assyrians initially. It appears that Hezekiah has returned to his Trust. And is called the people to do the same. Just as a as a as an aside. It's isn't encouraging. That even one who trusted in the Lord in a manner that set him apart from all who would come before him. From all who would come after him.

Sometimes fear gets the best of him and yet when it does he repents. He turns back to his Trust.

So the king of Assyria says don't listen to what your king is saying. Don't listen to his talk about this God who will deliver you. Listen instead to me. And then Seneca makes anekarib. I always want to put an extra all week. I want to put an extra end in there somewhere, but He makes an offer. He says I will deliver you. Make peace with me and you will live.

I was like a good offer. And not only will you live but you will live comfortably each with your own Vine and fig tree and cistern until I take you to a land of bread and wine and olive trees and honey.

Sure, sounds better than the graphic picture painted so vividly in verse 27 of what they will eat and drink. If they don't look to a Syria for deliverance.

What's interesting here about this enticement by the king of Assyria is it is a mimicking of what God has already promised to his people in Deuteronomy 6 God promises a land flowing with milk and honey where the people will have houses full of good things cisterns Vines and olive trees where they will eat and be full and Deuteronomy 8. This land is described as a land of Wheat and barley of vines and fig trees and pomegranates a land of olive trees.

and honey reminds me of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness where Satan is offering him all the kingdoms of the world kingdoms that already Belong To The Sovereign reigning God Assyria is promising to give God's people if they will turn from God and subject himself to this foreign Nation. God has already promised to give them. The entire message to the people is designed to scare and to entice them. into a rebellion against their King

and to a rebellion against their God. To a willingness to subject themselves to the king of Assyria. To trade their trust in God for their trust in Assyria and in their serious King. final word to the people in

verses 33 through 35 is a historical interpretation.

In all the history of Assyria, there is no nation whose gods have delivered them from us is what the king says. and your God no different.

the words of rep shekha of the revshaka delivered on behalf of the king of a Syria. We can see clearly. They're an attempt to psychologically demoralize to so doubt in their King and in their God to threaten inevitable destruction to promise ease and comfort if the people will just give in make it easy on themselves make it easy on the Assyrians and make peace. with each other

and before we move on I want you to notice how often the words of this message are actually true words. The Egyptians were not going to be able to save the people of Judah. Hezekiah had removed the high places Judah didn't have enough men to be a serious. Threat to the Assyrian army. None of the Gods of the other nations had been able to stand up to the Assyrians. Yeah, one thing we'll notice is that even with all of these true statements

piled on top of each other? They come to false conclusions in the Assyrian camp.

They interpret wrongly what they see in front of them.

The Israelites thankfully in response to the speech of the rabshaka. They're faced with a choice. They're faced with a choice to either trust God and die. Trust the Assyrians and live. Thankfully they choose to trust God they choose to side with their King who has told them don't answer. They don't answer they honor the king and they side with him. They side with his God. So this message is brought to the king and the

people do not answer. So that's the story. a Syria threatens Judah Judah tries to bribe to get out of the situation A Syria comes anyway with an army. the message that mocks and demoralizes the king and the people of Judah this time the king is back to trusting God and the people follow him. in light of that story Want us to consider three principles, but ourselves and God in the world that we see in this story. First wants to see that conflict is inevitable.

In the verses immediately proceeding our text we see that Disobedience to God is dangerous. Is the northern Kingdom's Disobedience to God that ultimately leads to their destruction. However, we see here. It obedience is also dangerous. godliness provokes the world between The Godly and the world there will always be conflict. God made this clear in the curses of Genesis 3 when he tells the woman that he will put enmity between the

seed of the serpent. and the seed of the woman there will be an ongoing battle between the followers of God and the enemies of God. Cannot Escape it. This plays out throughout The Narrative of scripture. It plays out throughout The Narrative of church history. It's the same thing that Paul writes to Timothy as he seeks to encourage him in his Labor's plainly stating all who desire to live a Godly life. Will be persecuted.

While evil people and imposters Will Go On from bad to worse deceiving and being deceived. The conflict is not always immediate. Hezekiah and Judah had lived peacefully for 14 years since Hezekiah had rebelled against the Assyrians, but now the animosity has come to the surface.

Striking how relevant this experience is to our day. Many years Christians in the west were allowed to live in relative. Peace. That is changing. We don't face an army surrounding our city, but you face many of the same realities live a life for God. You will run into conflict with the world. You don't have to go looking for it. In fact, you can seek to live at peace with everyone as far as it is in your power conflict will find you in your

workplace. In your friendships your family your neighborhoods or your schools godliness provokes the world. So how will you respond when that inevitable Collision comes you and I are tempted to compromise or to capitulate. like Hezekiah did Were tempted to respond in our own wisdom or strength and to forget to seek the wisdom and strength of God? Notice what Hezekiah does not do? He does not seek the Lord in his trouble in

this stands in stark contrast to many many examples in scripture from Ezra to Nehemiah to many of the judges and Kings response. So differently think of King Jehoshaphat in second Corinthians, second chronicles 20, he finds himself in a similar situation. He calls for a day of fasting. And he sets his face to seek. God how often fear and conflict can cause God's people to forget God and to seek to save themselves. Conflict is inevitable when it comes will you

set your face to seek the Lord or will you seek to resolve matters on your own?

gonna recommend the former brings us to our second point. Conflict is inevitable compromise is impossible.

Seeking to resolve matters in your own power and wisdom is not really an option. There is no faithful path forward that involves compromise. as a kaya learned that he tried to resolve the situation. He tried to find a happy medium.

But neither the enemies of God nor God himself. Will settle for anything less than full devotion. The enemies of God will not settle for anything less than the subjugation and destruction of the people of God and God will not settle for anything less than the total submission and Devotion to him. The enemies of God, they will use the same strategies the king of Assyria used with Hezekiah and the nation of Judah. They will tell you that resistance is futile. They're Triumph

is inevitable. That you can't trust in God and you have nowhere else to turn but to them give in and join them. The world will seek to demoralize. divide and so doubt in God's people to scare with threats and to entice with promises which they are not capable of or do they intend to keep? The seed of the serpent will say the right things and come to the wrong conclusions, but they will sound so true at times. The world will seek to confuse the truth with partial truths and

outright lies. It will even at times claim they are actually doing on God's behalf, but he has called them to do. The enemies of God will do anything and everything to get the people of God to place their trust in anything other than the one true and living God.

You've heard this you've felt this you're on the wrong side of History. You're vastly outnumbered you're isolated and alone. Only hateful people would believe what you believe God is a loving God, which is true who would never reject someone because of something so little as Sin just false. Given even just a little and you can stop fighting we'll leave you alone and life will be so much more comfortable and easier look at all the people who get it and have come to

our side stop making things so difficult for yourself and follow their lead.

The world will seek to entice you. It does the world will seek to threaten you. It will ask the right question and they will come to the wrong answer. Synacra asked a great question. On what do you rest your trust?

It's a question all of us. I want to consider tonight on what do we rest our trust? But he misjudged the conclusion. The answer to that question because he misjudged the god. of Judah brings us to our third principle conflict is inevitable compromise is impossible. Christ is infinite. You can substitute God in there if you want. I know Christ doesn't appear in this text, but the Seas helped me to remember it. So. The mistaken logic of the Assyrians was that the

god of Judah was like the gods of the other nations. He's not. He is no generic finite Regional deity. He is no God formed by the hands or minds of men. He is the infinite Eternal and unchangeable God of the universe.

Syria perhaps can be given a pass on knowing this they might be excused for thinking that he was just like every other God of every other nation that they had overrun. But the Israelites knew better. They had the record of the scriptures. They knew that this was The God Who created the heavens and the Earth? a new this was The God Who had judged the world with the flood and delivered Noah and his family through an ark

they had the history of God's superiority over the so-called gods of Egypt in the time of Moses of God's Deliverance in dividing the Waters of the Red Sea of feeding them for 40 years where their shoes didn't wear out in the wilderness wanderings defeating the nations in the promised land and have delivering from enemies over and over and over again in the history the judges and now the Kings this God is not like other gods.

This is a God on whom you can rest your trust. Even when things look bleak.

And if the Israelites had every reason to trust in God how much more have we? On top of everything that they knew which set him apart and above all the gods of all the other nations. We know more. We know this God is the one who so loved the world that He Sent His only begotten son into the world to save his people. From their sins Jesus Christ. The Eternal Son of God has come into the world lived a spotless life died a sacrificial death and has

been raised victoriously to New Life. No other God has done that. No other God can deliver from sin and death.

But what I want us to realize and I think what the Assyrians missed that just because no other God can do that. Doesn't mean that there is no God who can. The one true and living God he is able and he is worthy. He alone is worthy to be praised. And he alone is capable. Of upholding your trust. defeat looked certain in our passage frankly as we come back next week for the rest of the story as we leave this passage tonight defeat still looks

certain But in reality, what is absolutely certain beyond the shadow of any doubt. Is that God? And his purposes will prevail. And that nothing. Can stand in his way?

I just want to leave you for a minute with a question in whom do you now trust?

Conflict is inevitable. It doesn't mean that God has abandoned you. Failed in his promises God is God no matter what your circumstances may be. He sits on the throne. Don't lose heart.

But also don't compromise don't listen to the world. Listen instead to God. seek him you must choose aside in this conflict. God or his enemies. Rest your trust in the one true and living God Father Son and Holy Spirit. The one who is able to deliver not only from armies. But deliver as we heard this morning into an eternal salvation. No matter what comes our way. Whoever places their trust in him will never be put to shame.

pray with me

father as we consider your people thousands of years ago who looked to you in Conflict with the world. Would you encourage our hearts? Would you give us eyes to see what is true and right. Would you give us hearts that turn to you? If you help us to place our trust firmly on you to find. That you are capable of upholding us. These things in the name of your son Christ. Amen.