THE LORD SPOKE (June 4)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: II Kings 18-19

What a refreshing breeze comes in these chapters. After a long stagnation with putrid air, King Hezekiah lets us breathe again. "He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him." ( II Kings 18:6). Take a look at what is said about Hezekiah's actions:

• "he did what was right" (18:3)
• he tore down the things that constituted an entrapment to sin (18:4)
• he "trusted in the Lord" (18:5)
• he didn't quit, even when the going got tough (18:6)
• he rebelled against those things that hurt the people of God (18:8)
• he pursued and defeated the enemy in every corner (18:8)

Note the results! "There was no one like him" (18:5) and "he was successful in whatever he undertook" (18:7). Then Hezekiah came up against a formidable enemy. The Assyrians had completely smashed the Northern Kingdom and every one else in the region (18:34). Now it was Judah's turn. Sennacherib did his homework before doing his evil:

• he studied well the battlefield and knew his enemy (18:20-22)
• he had a clear military strategy (18:17, 23-25)
• he learned Hebrew (18:26)
• he memorized some Bible verses to "support" his cause (18:31)
• he studied O.T. theology to find an argument for his case (18:22, 25; e.g. use of "Jehovah")
• he knew his Bible geography (18:32) but twisted it to fit his plan

What did Hezekiah do in response? He went straight to the Lord (19:1) and laid it out before Him. He humbled himself and led the leadership and the people to do the same (19:4-5). He sought advice from a spiritual leader (19:2, 5-7). And he prayed (19:15-19). And such a prayer it was! Then, he waited - the hardest part of all.

The Lord spoke! His word came mightily through Isaiah (19:21-34; c.f. Isa. 10:5-34). In a roaring rebuke of the Assyrian pride, God promises that Sennacherib would depart without firing a shot. It's as if He says, "just watch what I can do".

"And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword hath melted like snow in a glance from the Lord!" (Lord Byron, The Destruction of Sennacherib - 1815). How would you like to write the postcards to 185,000 widows and mothers? "Whoops, I lost my whole army!" Sennacherib crept back to Assyria with his tail between his legs, but that's not all. A short while later his own sons assassinated him (19:37). And it all started with one man who "held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him".


New Testament: II Corinthians 6

Sometimes you wonder if it’s worth it. Paul had poured himself into the ministry at Corinth in every way (see I Cor. 6:4-10 and go back to 4:8-12 also). The response had been more than disappointing. It was downright depressing and would have crushed Paul had he not retained constant trust in the Lord as an anchor for his soul.

There were some external difficulties along the way (beatings, imprisonments, and riots) but the harder issues had been the people’s response to him (dishonor, bad reports, and doubting or questioning his motives). What Paul found harder yet was the lack of response! He could handle hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger but not a lack of affection and being ignored.

Summing it up, Paul’s analysis of the Corinthian problem was that they were “receiving God’s grace in vain” (I Cor. 6:1). How can that be? How can someone turn the grace of God into emptiness? By living for yourself! By so mixing with the world that your relationship with Christ is compromised (I Cor. 6:14-15). By so dirtying your temple that God refuses to walk there (I Cor. 6:16-18).

So what’s the answer? It spills over into the next chapter:

Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (II Cor. 7:1)

How do you “perfect holiness”? Go back to chapter six:

• by not being yoked together with unbelievers
• by avoiding all forms of wickedness
• by walking in the light of God’s word and avoiding the darkness of sinful practices
• by avoiding any and every unclean thing
• by separating yourself from those who do such things

If you try to do that in your own strength, you’ll fail. That was the problem of the Corinthians - they were making up their own solutions rather than listening to Paul’s advice and following God’s Word.

The solution? “Open wide your heart to God’s grace” (II Cor. 6:13). Commit your way to Him. Trust and obey!