The Lord speaks like a fire in our hearts. He destroys the fear in us. He humiliates those who boast and lie against us. This can be seen in 2 Kings 18. It talks about a king who was zealous for the Lord God. He is Hezekiah. He honored God by destroying everything else that people worshipped, as worship is due to Him alone. He destroyed the bronze serpent that was made by Moses. If he had preserved it instead of destroying it, he would have been idolizing Moses. Hezekiah kept the laws given by God through Moses, but he was not a follower of Moses but of God. In this incident, the bronze serpent was destroyed because it was like an idol to the people of Israel. What clarity he had! The verses in the chapter tell us that "So the Lord was with him and he was successful in everything he did."
It really boosts our faith when we hear that the Lord blesses those who show zealousness for Him by destroying everything against Him in our lives. Hezekiah did another thing by standing against the king of Assyria (the proud-hearted man). When we read about him, it is revealed that he possessed a spirit which was proud and blasphemed the Lord, like the serpent in the Garden of Eden. He threw lies after lies at the Israelite people and asked them not to trust the Lord and their king. He was boasting about his strength and his ancestors. After he hurled insults, the news was heard by King Hezekiah. He compared his pain to birth pains. The Lord answered Hezekiah by addressing the issue and asked Hezekiah not to be afraid, as He was taking charge of the situation. The Lord answered him by saying He heard a report about him being boastful against the Lord. Wow! That's awesome, isn't it? He listens to the report of the tongues that boast. Verse 28 says, "I will put a hook through your nose and a bit in your mouth, and take you back by the same road you came."I have a wonderful testimony about the above verse here. My mom is running a restaurant which she started just before the COVID wave hit. A boastful man came and showed himself as powerful and said he would tear down the building. He said he would not let her run the business. He hurled insults at my mom. My mom had none but the same God of Israel by her side. God gave her the exact verse 28 against him. God took him far away from the city. The restaurant stands as a testament till today. I have noticed the same thing again and again in my mom's life. God is her might.
Do you know why the Lord fought for Israel and now for us? We are His. Verse 34 says, "I will defend this city and protect it for the sake of my own honor."
Hey friend, when we are insulted for doing the will of God, know that God records the insults against us. It is not against us but against Him. When He answers, He will take back the barking enemy on a leash, leaving him no choice to boast. Isaiah 11:4 says, "He is the God who defends the rights of the helpless." In Isaiah 11:16, He also says, "There is a highway out of Assyria for those of His people Israel who have survived there, just as there was for their ancestors when they left Egypt." The same God who parted the Red Sea before the Egyptians will do the same and make a way for His people before the Assyrians. May praise, honor, and glory be unto our Lord God who fights for us.
Dear God,
we adore you and praise you for your might. You are the powerful God who stands before us and protects us. Thank you for waging our war against the Assyrians and the Egyptians. You are our might, Lord. You are our mighty help in our helpless situations.
In Jesus' name, we thank you. Amen.
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