Isaiah 39:6-8
Introduction
An Ally is
an associate, a partner or one to whom you seek favor. World leaders love to
ally with stronger or richer nations in order to have either protection, peace,
wealth and to develop. In Cameroon we’ll hear of a “win-win relationship.” But
most nations do not look at the implications of the alliance. King Hezekiah
also sought for alliance with Babylon in order to escape the hand of the
Assyrians. Many people today and Kings forget where they come from and so get
lost in the choices for allies.
a) From where are you coming?
Isaiah 38
tells us how king Hezekiah was very sick to the point of death and prophet
Isaiah prepared him for his death. “Thus says the Lord, set your house in
order, for you will die and not live.” (Isaiah 38:1b)
i)
God
always listen’s to His faithful children
Hezekiah
turned towards the wall and prayed and cried to the Lord; “Lord can the death glorify you?”
Is 38:18. He was like saying, you allow me to live so that I can praise you. So
that I can celebrate you, so that I will continue to hope in your truth
(faithfulness).
Sometimes in our problems, we
list a lot of things we’ll do to God if He answers our prayers. I remember as a
child when I lost something I’ll ask God to make me see it and that when I’ll
grow I’ll refund. In almost all of those situations, God will make me find my
lost item. I’m sure it worked for you too but today many of us have failed in
our promises to God. We do not give our time to God, our money, our services
and life to God.
Hezekiah prayed in hope of
glorifying God as a living being and God answered his prayer. God added 15
years to his life (Isaiah 38:5). He did to Hezekiah as he requested. To Boko,
and to you sitting here God has given you life, a job, children, wealth, you do
not lack. You have good health while others are in the hospitals with pain now.
You have forgotten your promises to God, though He has been faithful to you in
everything you need. I’m thankful to God that we have our pastor here with us.
It has been my desire, your desires. Did you ever ask yourself what you’ll do
top God when He provides a shepherd for His church? In your prayers for a
pastor, what promises did you give to God? Are you willing and ready to fulfil
those promises? That is where we are coming. From a point where God has been so
good to us and is taking us from glory to glory. But what do we give back to
God?
ii)
When
God answers we may become happy and carried by pride
When
Hezekiah received the word from Isaiah he could not believe and requested for a
sign (2 Kings 20:9-11, Isaiah 38:8, 2 Chr 32). Isaiah said time will go forward
10 steps more or faster. Hezekiah like some of us today said NO; it is too easy
for time to run faster but I want time to instead go backward 10 steps in the
dial of Ahaz. It happened and today science accepts that some time in history,
time was lost to the order of 10 degrees (equivalent to 40 minutes) including
23hrs 30 min at Jushua’s time.
Hezekiah was happy, and God
blessed him with riches as you can see in 2 chr 32. In Isaiah 39:2 Hezekiah
showed all his riches to the people sent by the king of Babylon because of his
pride in the riches of Judah. This is what will bring the Babylonians 100 years
after his death. Well, not because Hezekiah showed then riches but because God
will render judgment for their apostasy through it.
The King of Babylon sent them to
be spies but Hezekiah thought he was making good allies. He did not trust in
the power of God to save Judah from the Assyrians. In Is 38:6 God said “I will deliver you and
the City from the hand of the King of Assyria.” But in Isaiah 39, King Hezekiah
was looking for favor, for help, for support from Babylon.The Babylonians
wondered on the great thing God had done in Judah to heal king Hezekiah and
turning back the clock of time 10 steps behind on the dial of Ahaz. But
Hezekiah was seeking their favour rather than the favour of God.
Many of us are like that today.
God does mighty things in our lives but we seek favour elsewhere. In fellow men
rather than God. We create allies that will not glorify God, just because of
pride and worst still in the things God has given us. You maybe carried by
pride in your riches, your intelligence, your success, even in discerning God’s
word. All these come from God and He has given you these for His glory and
nothing else. Can you for ones trust God?
b) Where are you going?
Are you
allying with God or with man? If you do with man, then you’ll fail. You’ll lose
all that God has given you. Hezekiah’s alliance deal with Babylon to play
politics for deliverance of Jerusalem was a big failure. He did not trust
totally in the Lord of Armies, and so Judah will pay the price. Isaiah then
gives king Hezekiah the judgment of God in verse 6-7 of our text. If you are
still trusting in a brother, a sister, a pastor or a deacon rather than in God,
then you have failed. No prophet can save you from the hand of God. God only
wants your trust. Seek His favour alone and from no other man. See verse 6 of
our text. A time is coming when everything will be taken to Babylon.
You may
think you are comfortable now, or that you have prepared for your family or
your retirement already. You may have a life insurance in a company, but if
your trust is shifted away from the prince of peace, the one we’re celebrating,
the King of the universe, do not be shock when the enemy carries your wealth
away. Your goods, your health, your peace, etc can be carried away from your
palace. Those things you treasure so much.
Perhaps
your father kept you some property – land, house, money, cars or whatsoever as
inheritance. All what your predecessors stored up for you will also be lost, if
you shift your trust from God. Can we learn from the life of Hezekiah?
c) What is your answer? Verse 8
When
Hezekiah heard God’s judgment he was instead happy. Pride has not yet finished
in his life. He says “Good is the word of the Lord that you have
spoken… For there will be peace and truth in my days.”
What a terrible selfishness and
resignation. He only thought of himself and his days. Some Christians today are
like that. There can be problems in the world, in the church even in the
families as long as they will not touch us. Hezekiah thought to himself:
-
In
my lifetime, I’ll not experience calamity
-
I’ll
have male offspring- of sons to sit upon my throne, so
-
I’ll
be saved from the curse of childlessness.
-
We’ll
have a tranquil time, a breathing space (Ezra 9:8), a quiet resting place
(Isaiah 32:18)
Is like a
man who wants to live his life regardless of how his children will be or feel.
Enjoying his life and keeping nothing for the children or the future.
Everything can be consumed in his life time and the rest can go to hell.
You maybe
happy today that things are going well with you and in your days. But you are a
loser. Great soldiers of the Lord are people who continue to the end. They are
never happy in the failures of others before or after them. They love to have
everything go well even in their absence. God knows they are present because He
sees the human heart and intentions.
Illus: Some
10 months ago we’ve been praying for my Dad who was sick. I remember around
June he was almost dead and was carried to Mbingo Baptist Hospital. My sister
and brothers had called me early that morning at 3:30 am that he will not
arrive the hospital. My sister told me she had called Rev. T Genesis asking
that we prepare the man for his death. So, when the man arrived we prayed with
him reminding ourselves of what God did to Hezekiah and God showed him mercy.
The man who was coming to the Hospital half dead, left the Hospital on his legs
with no medication. Today, my Dad who had been passing off without even knowing
is very strong and we do not think he will leave us soon. God has not changed, he has never failed me
and we shared from the preacher of last Sunday that God has never failed him
too. What can make me loose trust in Him? Nothing!
You need to repent from your
pride and selfishness and make an alliance with Jesus. He’ll make a sure and
lasting relationship with you. Surrender your life, pride and humble yourself
to serve the king of the universe whom we started celebrating since 2 days ago.
The time is now because the grave cannot praise God. Hezekiah had the chance
that God gave him 15 more years. You may not have that opportunity. You may not
even see the 1st January 2016. It will not surprise me.
But what will you tell God if
you find yourself before Him this night? What makes you think He can allow you
into His kingdom when you are carried in pride, you trust your friends rather than
God, you live in fornication even on days we’re celebrating Christ. Whom do you
think you are fooling? Make the correct alliance today with Christ and it shall
be well with you else you are heading for a swimming. Swimming into the lake of
fire. It shall not be in a fresh water like the one we saw last Sunday as our
brother and sisters were baptizing. Make a decision now!
Shalom!
