Sermon # 1: A Lesson on Faith Tolerance "Going with Your Gut Instead of Your God" 2 Kings 18:1-22 by Samuel E. Ward Introduction Have you ever wondered how some people who have manifested such a deep spirituality and love for God could by all appearances suddenly lay that love aside to pursue a course of action that would bring dishonor to God's name? I do not think that their intent is always at the outset to bring dishonor to God's name. Rather, I think that Satan and his cohorts have found a weak spot in their faith and he decides to take advantage of it. In Hezekiah's case, Satan had discovered that Hezekiah could be easily intimidated if he were suddenly confronted with imminent danger. Seeing the army of Assyrian roll through his countryside right up to the gates of Jerusalem placed him in immediate "panic mode." He could see his enemy but he could not see his God. Isn't this the situation we find ourselves in at times? We can see the threat immediately before us and forget that God has a way out for us. Too soon we give in to the enemy before we even try to believe God and obey His word to trust Him and protect His name at all costs. At that point, either our own desires become god or we give to the enemy of God the fear and reverence that God only deserves. Satan is always lurking about looking for the weak spots in our faith. By observation he can tell where we are vulnerable and design a plan to ambush and then destroy not only us but those who are close at the time.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) (8) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
I. At Twenty-five, Hezekiah Did Right in the Sight of the Lord,
2 Kings 18:1-8 2 Kings 18:1-3 (NIV) (1) In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. (2) He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. (3) He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. A. He Had Zeal for the LORD, 2 Kings 18:4. 1. He dealt with the problem of false gods that Judah had come to tolerate, 2 Kings 18:4a. 2 Kings 18:4a (NIV) (4a) He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. 2. He dealt with the problem of apostasy which had crept into the worship of the true God, 2 Kings 18:4b. 2 Kings 18:4b (NIV) (4b) He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.) B. He Had Faith in the LORD, 2 Kings 18:5-8. 1. His faith was indicated by his trust in the LORD, 2 Kings 18:5. 2 Kings 18:5 (NIV) (5) Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 2. His faith was indicated by his commitment to the commands of the LORD, 2 Kings 18:6. 2 Kings 18:6 (NIV) (6) He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses. 3. His faith was indicated by his stand against the enemies of the LORD, 2 Kings 18:7b. 2 Kings 18:7b (NIV) (7b) He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 4. His faith was indicated by his persistence in removing the enemies of the LORD, 2 Kings 18:8.
2 Kings 18:8 (NIV) (8) From watchtower to fortified city, he defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.
5. His faith was rewarded by the LORD with success in whatever he undertook, 2 Kings 18:7a. 2 Kings 18:7a (NIV) (7a) And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. II. At Twenty-Nine until Thirty-One, He Saw the Demise of His Brother Kingdom, Israel, 2 Kings 18:9-12. 2 Kings 18:9-10 (NIV) (9) In King Hezekiah's fourth year, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and laid siege to it. (10) At the end of three years the Assyrians took it. So Samaria was captured in Hezekiah's sixth year, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel. They became victims on two fronts: A. They were victims of Assyria, 2 Kings 18:11. 2 Kings 18:11 (NIV) (11) The king of Assyria deported Israel to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in towns of the Medes. B. They were victims of their own disobedience, 2 Kings 18:12. 2 Kings 18:12 (NIV) (12) This happened because they had not obeyed the LORD their God, but had violated his covenant—all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded. They neither listened to the commands nor carried them out. III. He Had Weak Spot in His Faith that Satan Exploited, 2 Kings 18:13-16. A. He Was Attacked by the Enemy of God, 2 Kings 18:13. 2 Kings 18:13 (NIV) (13) In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah's reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. B. He Was Intimidated by the Enemy of God, 2 Kings 18:14. 2 Kings 18:14 (NIV) (14) So Hezekiah king of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: "I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me." The king of Assyria exacted from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. C. He Capitulated to the Enemy of God, 2 Kings 18:15-16. 2 Kings 18:15-16 (NIV) (15) So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace. (16) At this time Hezekiah king of Judah stripped off the gold with which he had covered the doors and doorposts of the temple of the LORD, and gave it to the king of Assyria. D. What Belonged to God Was Given to the Enemy of God,
2 Kings 18:15-16. 2 Kings 18:15-16 (NIV) (15) So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace. (16) At this time Hezekiah king of Judah stripped off the gold with which he had covered the doors and doorposts of the temple of the LORD, and gave it to the king of Assyria. E. He Feared the Power of the Enemy of God than Had Faith in Power of God. IV. Satan Found His Opportunity to Destroy God's People, 2 Kings 18:17-22. 2 Kings 18:17-19 (NIV) (17) The king of Assyria sent his supreme commander, his chief officer and his field commander with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They came up to Jerusalem and stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman's Field. (18) They called for the king; and Eliakim son of Hilkiah the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went out to them. A. What Is the Basis of Your Confidence?, 2 Kings 18:19.
2 Kings 18:19 (NIV) (19) The field commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah:
"'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? B. What Is the True Nature of Your Professed Strength?
2 Kings 18:20-22 1. You say you're strong enough on your own, but you know better, 2 Kings 18:20a. 2 Kings 18:20 (NIV) (20) You say you have strategy and military strength—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? 2. You think you have allies that will stand with you, but they are no stronger than you, 2 Kings 18:20-21.
2 Kings 18:21 (NIV) (21) Look now, you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces a man's hand and wounds him if he leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.
3. You say that you are depending on the LORD, but haven't you already incurred His anger, 2 Kings 18:22.
2 Kings 18:22 (NIV) (22) And if you say to me, "We are depending on the LORD our God"—isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, "You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem"?
Application: What will you do now? How will you strengthen your faith tolerance, i.e., what it takes to cause you set aside God's prescribed methods for dealing with crises and opting to go with your gut rather than with your God. 1. First, don't bargain with the enemy.
2 Kings 18:23-25 (NIV) 23"'Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them! 24How can you repulse one officer of the least of my master's officials, even though you are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 25Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the LORD? The LORD himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.'"
Be careful of the lies that he hides in his proposals: a. My way is better than God's way. b. You can't survive any other way. c. God agrees with me that giving in to me is the best way. This sounds very similar to Satan's strategy against Eve in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:4-5 (NIV) 4"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 2. Second, don't give in to the enemy.
James 4:6-7 (NIV) 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 3. Third, defeat the enemy with the application of God's Word. This was Jesus' method when He was tempted in the wilderness. See Mat 4:1-11 and note the times Jesus replied to the temptations of Satan with. "It is written . . ." 4. Fourth, deny the enemy's purpose to "divide and conquer" God's people. Promote unity rather than cause division and discord. Romans 15:5-6 (NIV) (5) May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, (6) so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV) (1) As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. (2) Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (3) Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (4) There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— (5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism; (6) one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV) (12) Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (13) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (14) And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (15) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (17) And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 5. Fifth, discard the acts of the sinful nature.
Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV) (19) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; (20) idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions (21) and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
6. Sixth, display the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV) (22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self–control. Against such things there is no law. (24) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (25) Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (26) Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
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