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Home Sermon Notes II Kings Sermon Notes II Kings 18-19

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Calvary Chapel Kampala
  • 1 Peter 1 "Our Living Hope"
    "We all remember Peter, that disciple that opened his mouth too much with Jesus. Peter later, however, because one of the chief pillars of the early church. Peter and Paul were the two major apostles in bringing the gospel to the Jews (Peter) and Gentiles (Paul). The themes are hope, holiness, and suffering. This letter was mainly to bring encouragement and renewed motivation to live in Godliness no matter what the circumstances"
  • Nehemiah 13 "Cleaning House"
    "When you clean your house do you only have to do it once and then it remains clean? No. There is dirt around here and messy people. It takes a continual maintenance and cleaning. When you take a bath do you only have to do it the first time and then you don't have to bathe anymore? No, we get dirty living in this world. We need to keep on cleaning or we stink and become grotesque. The people had made many promises in chapter 10 of what they were going to do for God and how they were going to live. Unfortunately, when Nehemiah went back to report to the King the people had turned quickly back to the sin and impurity that they had said they would not do. Through God's Word, and spiritual leadership, God's people were going to clean house again. This chapter is about cleaning that which was rebuilt. It is a maintenance process to examine your life, family, church, and leadership to make sure they are according to the standard of purity that God has shown us in His Word. "
  • Nehemiah 11-12 "Rebuilding Together"
    "The work of rebuilding is not something we can do alone. We need God obviously, but we also need one another. There are a few lasting lessons that we can take with us about rebuilding our lives. We are given a reminder of those lessons in these final chapters. The people were now right with God, and together they continued in the day-to-day decisions that made this rebuilding last. Let us be reminded that: Rebuilding Together Needs People. Rebuilding Together Needs Praise. Rebuilding Together Needs Provisions."
II Kings 18-19

2 Kings 18-19 “Hezekiah’s Victory When the Enemy Came Against Him”

 

  1. I. Hezekiah Followed the Lord and Prospered (18:1-8)
    1. 1. He did what was right (1-3)
      1. We all have a choice to make personally. We can’t blame our problems or sinful behavior on our parents (Hezekiah’s father Ahaz did wickedly in the sight of the Lord)
    2. 2. He didn’t compromise with the high places (4)
      1. Unlike the other good kings before him he removed the high places
    3. 3. He held fast to the Lord and His word (5-8)
      1. This is the secret of his success. He trusted and followed God and obeyed His word.
  2. II. Israel Forsook the Lord and Fell (18:9-12)
    1. 1. The northern kingdom fell because they forsook the Lord
      1. Please learn this lesson: if you follow and obey the Lord you will prosper. If not, you will fall!
  3. III. The Enemy Came Against Jerusalem (18:13-35)
    1. 1. The enemy was strong and had won some battles (13-16)
      1. The fortified cities were taken, but not Jerusalem
      2. Hezekiah gave them gold and called to the Egyptians to help.
  • We don’t need to give up or turn to something besides the Lord when the enemy comes in his strength against us.
  1. 2. The enemy used fear and threatening to try and weaken Hezekiah’s faith in God (17-25)
    1. “You can’t trust in others to help you” (17-21)
    2. “You can’t trust in the high places or altars” (22)
    3. “You are not strong enough” (23-24)
    4. “God is against you” (25)
    5. 3. The enemy did not show respect, compassion, or mercy (26-27)
      1. Rather then speaking directly with the king and negotiators the enemy shouted to all the people in their Hebrew language.
    6. 4. The enemy made the people question the leadership (28-30)
      1. God has designed His church to have leaders. Satan tries to make people turn against the leaders, or against having leadership all together.
  • Heb 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
  1. 5. The enemy tempted the people with materialism (31-32)
    1. This is the lie that Satan told in the garden of Eden. He wants us to think that God is not giving us the good life that we deserve.
    2. 6. The enemy told them of all the other people that he has defeated (33-35)
      1. Even when others are falling all around us God is able to make us stand.
      2. And God will also make others stand.
  • Romans 11:3-4 "LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"?  4  But what does the divine response say to him? "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."
  1. IV. How Should We Respond When the Enemy Comes Against Us? (18:36-19:19)
    1. 1. Be quiet (36-37)
      1. The greatest temptation when the enemy attacks is to cry out in despair, or to complain. It’s best to just be quiet.
    2. 2. Go into the house of the Lord (1-7)
      1. When things seem impossible, we must go to the Lord.
    3. 3. Stop listening to the lies (8-13)
    4. 4. Pray. (14-19)
      1. He simply laid out the letter before the Lord. What’s troubling you? Lay it before the Lord!
  • God cares about it…whatever “it” is.
  1. Prayer is how we give our burdens to the Lord
  • “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer.”

V. Isaiah’s Prophecy: God Will Defend This City (19:20-37)

  1. 1. God answered when Hezekiah prayed (20)
    1. Prayer is more powerful than we think.
  • 1 John 5:14-15 “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
  • Ephesians 6:10-11,18 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”
  1. 2. God had a special message for the Assyrians: “you have messed with the wrong Guy!” (21-34)
    1. Because you came against My people
  • When the enemy persecutes us it is the same as if he were persecuting Jesus, because we are his family.
    • Acts 9:4-5 “Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
  1. Because you have reproached and blasphemed Me
  • The Lord is all powerful. He is the creator of everything (22-26)
  • The Lord is all knowing. He can find every secret thing. (27)
  • Their rage had come up to His ears, and now they would pay (28)
    • Romans 2:5-6 “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds"
    • His people would again prosper in the land (29-31)
  1. 3. The Lord can speak and do the impossible (32-37)
    1. This final word of prophecy seemed impossible, especially since the Assyrians were right outside of the city!
    2. Yet God send the angel to destroy them.
  • Matthew 26:53 “Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?”