Day 205 – Times of Need

Today’s Tasting: Isaiah 37-39

Chapter 37:  King Hezekiah prays to the Lord for the protection of Jerusalem against Sennacherib, king of Assyria. “Lord our God, save us from the Assyrian army. Then all nations will know that you alone are the Lord God.’

With the Lord’s assistance, through Isaiah, Hezekiah is told, “Do not be afraid of what you have heard.”

³³ Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:

“He will not enter this city
or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
or build a siege ramp against it.
³⁴ By the way that he came he will return;
he will not enter this city,”
declares the Lord.
³⁵ “I will defend this city and save it,
for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!”

The army of Assyria is killed and Sennecherib withdraws, leaving Hezekiah and his nation unharmed.

Chapter 38 : Soon after this, Hezekiah becomes fatally ill. He prays to the Lord and the Lord says to him “I am the God of David your ancestor who served me. I, the Lord, declare that I shall let you live another 15 years. The king of Assyria will not be able to seize either you or this city. And I shall continue to defend the city.”

Chapter 39: Hezekiah receives an envoy from Babylon. He shows them all of his armory and all of his treasures. He is chastised by Isaiah.

⁵ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: ⁶ The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. ⁷ And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” ⁸ “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”

Today’s Nourishment: King Hezekiah, in his time of need, pleads and prays and listens to the Lord. He is saved from destruction by the swords of the Assyrian Army. He is also saved from his death bed and allowed to live fifteen more years. He gives thanks to the Lord and exclaims,

“The Lord will save me and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the Lord” (Isaiah 38:20).

Time passes, life is good, and he turns to worldly things; he shows off his wealth to the Babylonians. Even at the time that Isaiah tells him the future of his people, Hezekiah seems only to be concerned that he will know peace in his lifetime.

These chapters make me reflect on the times that I have turned to the Lord in my time of need. But, how easy the possibility to forget to communicate with the Lord, give thanks, and ask His guidance when His provision is so sure for me.

We need to live in relationship with the Lord, while trusting Him at all times in our lives. Earlier in Isaiah he advises, “Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are frail as breath” (Isaiah 2:22).

Let us pray that we can place our trust in the Lord. Pray that we can strengthen our relationship with Him by seeking his guidance in all things and not only when we are in need.

Tomorrow’s Delight: Isaiah 40-43

Vanessa Long