Thought for September 13th. “THAT ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD MAY KNOW …”

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Our thoughts today flowed on from yesterday’s. We read King Hezekiah’s prayer and then Isaiah’s prophecy as recorded in 2 King’s 19. History continually repeats itself, human powers constantly rise, wane and fall; we have seen that with such as the British Empire.

The ‘picture’ in this chapter is how the boasting of the Assyrians would evaporate like the morning mist. Hezekiah’s prayer (v.14-19) shows his faith and commitment to the one true God. He is an example to us, to all who are in a dark situation.

In some parts of the world today, such as Pakistan and Iran, the situation is really dark for Bible believers. Hezekiah prays most earnestly, saying “LORD the God of Israel … you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear O LORD and hear …Save us … from his hand (the Assyrian King) that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone. ”[v.15,16,19]

Isaiah sends a message to Hezekiah, “Thus says the LORD … your prayer to me … I have heard … Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria. He shall not come into this city …” [v.20,32]

As we said, history repeats itself, but God’s word makes it clear that it is all leading up to a drama in these last days. Isaiah’s message includes a reference to this, “… The surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the LORD will do this.” [v.30,31]

A remnant has survived through many many centuries and have taken root again and we look for the time when they will bear fruit for God and at that time “all the kingdoms of the world” will come to realize there really is one true Creator God..

Our Ezekiel reading (ch.9) is about the time when God’s anger overflowed against Jerusalem, there was no good king like Hezekiah on the throne; but as we read on in Ezekiel we will come to remarkable prophecies which we can see are in the process of being fulfilled in our days – those who really read God’s word build their faith on these together with the prophecies of Jesus and the apostles. “For the word of God is living and active … discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” [Heb. 4 v.12] What about your heart?