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Fifteen Years - The Books of 2 Chronicles & 2 Kings · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And I will add unto thy days
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  Speaker 1: fifteen years, and I will deliver thee and this city
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  Speaker 1: out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and
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  Speaker 1: I will defend this city for my own sake, and
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  Speaker 1: for my servant David's sake. 2 Kings 26 In the
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  Speaker 1: face of adversity, and when life seems to overwhelm me,
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  Speaker 1: I will seek comfort in knowing that, because I serve
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  Speaker 1: you with my whole heart, you will prolong my life
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  Speaker 1: and continue using me to bring praise to your name.
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  Speaker 1: As word spreads of your works in my life, I
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  Speaker 1: will be extra careful not to expose the private blessings
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  Speaker 1: that you've done for me and those who I love,
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  Speaker 1: simply because I want to show off and look good
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  Speaker 1: in the eyes of others. Help me to know what
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  Speaker 1: to show and when to show what you are doing
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  Speaker 1: in my life. Like King Hezekiah, thank you for blessing
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  Speaker 1: me with witty ideas and inventions to bless your children.
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  Speaker 1: Do more in my life in the next 15 years
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  Speaker 1: than in my former years. I'm ready for every blessing
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  Speaker 1: that's coming my way. In Jesus' name, amen. 15 years.
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  Speaker 1: In our last story, the Lord provided victory over the Assyrians.
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  Speaker 1: In this story, we learn about the continued favor of
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  Speaker 1: God on Hezekiah's.
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  Speaker 2: Life. He is blessed with the opportunity to live and
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  Speaker 2: rule for 15 more years. In this time, Hezekiah would
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  Speaker 2: build great things for the people of Judah. However, he
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  Speaker 2: would also open the gate to a rising evil, an
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  Speaker 2: evil unlike the world has ever seen. Inspired by the
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  Speaker 2: book of 2 Chronicles and 2 Kings.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, this is Jack Graham. Thank you for joining us
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  Speaker 3: once again for Today's episode of the Bible in a Year.
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  Speaker 3: In our previous reading, we learned how God protected Hezekiah
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  Speaker 3: and his armies from the Assyrians by sending his angels
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  Speaker 3: into the enemy's camp to quietly but effectively slaughter the
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  Speaker 3: Assyrian commanders. We learned of Hezekiah's faith and wisdom in
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  Speaker 3: seeking God before just rushing into battle, and how he
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  Speaker 3: gave glory to the Lord knowing it was God who
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  Speaker 3: always gives the victory. Today, We'll continue to follow Hezekiah's life,
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  Speaker 3: seeing how God is with him, granting the king favor
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  Speaker 3: and blessing, and even adding years to his life. He
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  Speaker 3: will lead Judah in a time of great prosperity. And yet,
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  Speaker 3: even amid God's blessing and Hezekiah's faithfulness, today's reading will
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  Speaker 3: show how evil can creep in and threaten peace that
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  Speaker 3: God wants for his people. So, once again, let's turn
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  Speaker 3: to God's Word.
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  Speaker 2: It was late. and the king's palace in Jerusalem was
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  Speaker 2: a grim place to be. The prophet Isaiah walked the halls.
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  Speaker 2: They were filled with the echoes of painful coughing.
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  Speaker 1: The coughs grew.
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  Speaker 2: Louder as Isaiah walked towards the king's chambers. He entered
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  Speaker 2: the room quietly. Dimly lit by candlelight, Isaiah beheld the
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  Speaker 2: pale face of King Hezekiah. The prophet narrowed his eyes.
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  Speaker 2: The bottom of his lip quivered at the sight of
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  Speaker 2: his sickly king. He was in a great deal of pain,
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  Speaker 2: and Isaiah's heart broke for his friend. He grabbed the
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  Speaker 2: king's hand and held it tightly. My king, you must
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  Speaker 2: set your house in order. Your end is near. I
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  Speaker 2: see that you will not recover. The king looked at Isaiah.
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  Speaker 2: Streams of silent tears fell down his cheeks. He turned
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  Speaker 2: his face to the wall. That was Isaiah's cue to leave.
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  Speaker 2: As Isaiah left, the king allowed himself to weep before God. Lord,
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  Speaker 2: the king said silently, I have walked with you with
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  Speaker 2: my whole heart. I have done what is good in
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  Speaker 2: your sight. Please remember me. Hezekiah's throat was heavy, and
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  Speaker 2: he began to weep bitterly. The comforting spirit of God
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  Speaker 2: was upon him. He heard his cries. Isaiah was in
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  Speaker 2: the middle court of the palace when he could hear
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  Speaker 2: the small voice of God speaking to him. Turn back
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  Speaker 2: to the king. Tell him I have heard his prayers
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  Speaker 2: and seen his tears. I will heal him, and on
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  Speaker 2: the third day he shall rise from his bed to
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  Speaker 2: worship me. I will add fifteen years to his life
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  Speaker 2: and defend the nation from the Assyrians. Isaiah was pleased
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  Speaker 2: with the news and rushed back into the king's chambers
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  Speaker 2: to tell him. Sure enough, on the third day Hezekiah
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  Speaker 2: was healed. Word spread of Hezekiah's miraculous healing. so much
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  Speaker 2: so that the prince of Babylon sent letters and presents
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  Speaker 2: with his ambassadors to Hezekiah as a congratulations. Hezekiah's heart
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  Speaker 2: beat swiftly as he read the letter from the prince.
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  Speaker 2: Babylon was one of the largest superpowers in the world.
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  Speaker 2: He was honored to receive gifts from such a strong
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  Speaker 2: nation instead of attacks. Judah was a small nation compared
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  Speaker 2: to the greatness of Babylon and Assyria. Hezekiah welcomed the
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  Speaker 2: ambassadors with a great feast and a tour of the palace.
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  Speaker 2: Although Babylon came in peace, there was another motive to
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  Speaker 2: their visit. Babylon was at war with Assyria and was
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  Speaker 2: hoping to acquire loyalty and aid from Hezekiah, something the
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  Speaker 2: king was willing to offer, given Judah's past with Assyria.
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  Speaker 2: Hezekiah was eager to showcase Judah's wealth and prosperity to
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  Speaker 2: the ambassadors of Babylon. The men followed Hezekiah as he
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  Speaker 2: proudly revealed Judah's storehouses filled with fine jewels, precious metals, weapons,
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  Speaker 2: and grain. There was nothing Hezekiah did not show the Babylons.
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  Speaker 2: He pranced around the palace halls like a child. Then,
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  Speaker 2: after a great feast in their honor, the ambassadors traveled
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  Speaker 2: back to Babylon. Hezekiah was quite pleased with the visit. However,
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  Speaker 2: when Isaiah had heard that there were men from Babylon visiting,
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  Speaker 2: he ran to the king. What did you show them?
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  Speaker 2: Isaiah asked. The king smiled and answered, Everything, of course.
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  Speaker 2: I showed them all in my house, storehouse, and the armory.
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  Speaker 2: They were quite impressed with the wealth of our small nation.
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  Speaker 2: There was nothing I did not show them. Hezekiah spoke
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  Speaker 2: with the ignorance of a small boy. Isaiah's eyes widened
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  Speaker 2: with anger. HEZEKIAH WAS CONFUSED AT ISAIAH'S REACTION. BEFORE HE
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  Speaker 2: COULD ASK ANYTHING, ISAIAH POINTED TO HEZEKIAH AND SAID, HEZEKIAH
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  Speaker 2: DID NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND ISAIAH'S WORDS. Ignorantly, Hezekiah was simply
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  Speaker 2: relieved any judgment would not take place in his lifetime. However,
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  Speaker 2: he did not understand that Babylon was a rising giant
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  Speaker 2: in the world. Hezekiah showcased Judah's wealth, and Babylon would
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  Speaker 2: see it as an opportunity. It would consume the whole
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  Speaker 2: land surrounding Judah in Israel. It would hold his people
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  Speaker 2: captive and send them scattering like sheep without a shepherd.
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  Speaker 2: The people of God would experience a fierce trail under
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  Speaker 2: the sword of Babylon. This was the great evil that
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  Speaker 2: awaited the children of God. It would provide to be
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  Speaker 2: an evil by which any others were compared. Hezekiah would
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  Speaker 2: not see its terror in his lifetime, but his children
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  Speaker 2: and children's children would. They would suffer greatly. So Hezekiah
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  Speaker 2: would rule for another 15 years. In this time, he
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  Speaker 2: would lead the nation into a new era of technology
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  Speaker 2: and wealth. Beautiful aqueducts would be placed in the city
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  Speaker 2: for fresh water, and Judah would flourish until the day
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  Speaker 2: Hezekiah died.
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  Speaker 3: We begin today's scripture with a sick king. Hezekiah knew
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  Speaker 3: that he was gravely, even deathly ill, and sins for
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  Speaker 3: the prophet Isaiah. He was hoping, of course, for good
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  Speaker 3: news from God, but Isaiah had a very startling word
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  Speaker 3: for him. Get your house in order, he says. God
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  Speaker 3: has shown Isaiah that Hezekiah would not recover and would
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  Speaker 3: die from his illness. The king, however, was not ready
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  Speaker 3: to die. The fact is, most of us are not
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  Speaker 3: ready to die, but this is a good reminder for
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  Speaker 3: each one of us that we should always live with
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  Speaker 3: our house in order, that is, our lives in order,
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  Speaker 3: along with our families. Think of the legacy that you
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  Speaker 3: are living and leaving and work towards that so that
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  Speaker 3: when your time comes, you can know that everything is
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  Speaker 3: in order. The king was very distressed with Isaiah's words.
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  Speaker 3: He could have become angry or agitated or bitter, but
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  Speaker 3: he chose a better way. Hezekiah went to God in prayer. Remember,
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  Speaker 3: prayer is not our last resort, but always our first choice.
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  Speaker 3: He was open and transparent with the Lord. begging him
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  Speaker 3: to remember his faithfulness, and that he had lived a
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  Speaker 3: life seeking the Lord all his days and doing what
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  Speaker 3: was right in his sight. This was not Hezekiah demanding
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  Speaker 3: anything of God or saying, look, God, I deserve to
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  Speaker 3: live longer. You owe me. This was not entitlement. This
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  Speaker 3: was simply the heart cry for God's favor and mercy.
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  Speaker 3: It was a righteous prayer from a godly man. And
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  Speaker 3: the Lord heard his desperate cry. And before Isaiah could leave,
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  Speaker 3: the Lord spoke again and said in 2 Kings 20
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  Speaker 3: verses 5 and 6, I have heard your prayer. I
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  Speaker 3: have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On
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  Speaker 3: the third day, you shall go up to the house
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  Speaker 3: of the Lord. I will add 15 years to your
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  Speaker 3: life and will deliver you and the city from the
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  Speaker 3: hand of the king of Assyria. And I will defend
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  Speaker 3: the city for my own sake and for my servant
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  Speaker 3: David's sake. This is such a vivid illustration of the
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  Speaker 3: power of prayer and the power of God to change
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  Speaker 3: our lives and even to heal us when we are sick.
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  Speaker 3: No more important words could be spoken than what we
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  Speaker 3: just read. I have heard your prayer, God says. And
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  Speaker 3: God promises to hear our prayers when we pray in
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  Speaker 3: the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in him.
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  Speaker 3: It's a wonderful reminder that prayer changes everything, not just us,
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  Speaker 3: but things, sometimes in big ways. But notice also what
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  Speaker 3: God says at the end. Why is he doing this?
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  Speaker 3: Not only for Hezekiah to live longer, but for his
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  Speaker 3: sake and the continuation of God's promise to David. God's
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  Speaker 3: faithfulness endures from generation to generation. Yes, indeed, Hezekiah recovered,
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  Speaker 3: and word of his miraculous healing made its way all
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  Speaker 3: the way to Babylon. The Babylonians were a rising superpower,
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  Speaker 3: and their king sent gifts to Hezekiah to congratulate him,
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  Speaker 3: and Hezekiah welcomed them into Judah. What he failed to
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  Speaker 3: realize was that he was welcoming danger. Though Babylon at
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  Speaker 3: that time seemed peaceful, Hezekiah's openness to show off the
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  Speaker 3: riches of Judah would prove disastrous. When Isaiah heard what
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  Speaker 3: he had done, the prophet spoke an ominous word from
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  Speaker 3: the Lord. A day was coming when Babylon would carry
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  Speaker 3: everything away. Nothing of Judah would survive and people would
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  Speaker 3: go into captivity and serve as slaves for the Babylonians. Unfortunately,
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  Speaker 3: the only thing that Hezekiah was hearing at this point
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  Speaker 3: was that he would live, that he would not be
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  Speaker 3: personally affected. So he wasn't overly concerned. In fact, he
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  Speaker 3: wasn't even convinced that this whole thing would happen. And
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  Speaker 3: although Hezekiah would not see the consequences of his naive
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  Speaker 3: and faithless actions with the Babylonians, everything God said would
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  Speaker 3: happen was coming to Judah. God's word is always true.
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  Speaker 3: Hezekiah was truly a great man, a good man. But he,
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  Speaker 3: like we, had blind spots, and sometimes we fail to
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  Speaker 3: see the things that we need to see because we
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  Speaker 3: lack understanding or wisdom, or we just don't want to know. Hezekiah,
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  Speaker 3: though he was righteous and walked with God, was still
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  Speaker 3: a man who needed the Lord. He was not a
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  Speaker 3: perfect king, but we know a king who is perfect.
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  Speaker 3: Our God is a righteous king, and he will always
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  Speaker 3: rescue his people. O Lord, we thank you today for prayer.
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  Speaker 3: We thank you for the opportunity always to speak to you,
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  Speaker 3: to converse, to pray. And we ask you, O God,
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  Speaker 3: that we would always be about, as we are commanded,
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  Speaker 3: the work of prayer. May we be praying people. And Lord,
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  Speaker 3: we know that you not only hear, but you answer
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  Speaker 3: our prayers according to your perfect will. Let us pray
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  Speaker 3: with confidence and certainty in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: This is Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com
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  Speaker 3: app and make prayer a priority along with Bible study
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  Speaker 3: in your life. And if you enjoy this podcast, share
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  Speaker 3: it with someone you love. If you want more resources
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  Speaker 3: as to how you can live the Christian life in
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  Speaker 3: fullness and in victory, be sure to visit JackGraham.org. Once again,
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  Speaker 3: for free resources as to how you can begin living
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  Speaker 3: the Christian life, go to JackGraham.org. God bless you.