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Borisovka Ecclesia, Russia |
| Gospel News |
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May / June 2004
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Borisovka Ecclesia, Russia |
| Articles |
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"Set thine house in
order; for thou shalt die, and not live" (2 Kings. 20:1). What a disaster!
Hezekiah was 39, yet he had no heir to the throne and now he was sick unto
death.Trouble on trouble. To make matters worse, the
Assyrians were invading the nation. He had known that would happen; in
fact, he had provoked the action by rebelling against Assyria in refusing
any longer to pay tribute (2 Kings 18:7). His trust was in the God of
Israel and in the word of assurance received through Isaiah the prophet. Assyria would invade. They would take many towns, but they would not overthrow Jerusalem. Then they would be destroyed on the mountains of Israel (Isa. 7:17; 8:7-8; 10:12; 14:25). Hezekiah’s whole strategy was based on reliance on the word of the Lord. Since Jerusalem would not be taken, it was prepared as a haven of refuge for any whose towns were overrun. Walls were repaired, towers built, water courses altered and the army organized to withstand any siege. More importantly, the people were prepared spiritually: "Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him...With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah" (2 Chr. 32:2-8).
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