Spread it Before the Lord

"In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army... Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD by saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” Do not listen to Hezekiah... Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you by saying, “The LORD will deliver us.” Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’...

Isaiah 36

In this life, we encounter all sorts of problems, trials and battles, especially as Christians. That is a fact, and there isn't anything we can do to change that. Even Jesus tells us in John 16 that, "In the world you will have tribulation." The real question is though: what do we do when that tribulation comes?; Who do we turn to?

In this passage, we are told of the Assyrian King's invasion of Judah, and how he sends the Rabshakeh (the name of a high-ranking military officer) to go up to Jerusalem with a great army who then proceed to mock and taunt not only the people but more importantly their God, the Holy One of Israel. The situation for Hezekiah and his people looks bleak, but what is the first thing that Hezekiah does?

"As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD." Isaiah 37:1

Hezekiah's first instinct is to come before the Lord in prayer. He knows that God is the only one who can save them and on whom they can depend. What is our first reaction to crisis? I know I'm always tempted to go for a tub of ice cream and a film (typical girl or what!) and call my Mum. Why is it that we're always tempted to go for other methods or to other people before God? He is the only one who understands us and our situations completely and the only one who can win the battle for us; we need to trust Him and save time by going straight to Him in our hour of need, whatever it may be!

God answers Hezekiah through the prophet Isaiah and says to him: "Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land." (Isaiah 37:6-7)

The King of Assyria the hears a rumour concerning another king who has set out to fight against his land, but the he and his army continued to jeer and ridicule Hezekiah and his God. Another account in 2 Chronicles 32 says:

"And his servants said still more against the LORD God and against his servant Hezekiah. And he wrote letters to cast contempt on the LORD, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, “Like the gods of the nations of the lands who have not delivered their people from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from my hand.” And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city. And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands." (v16-19)

There will always be people who believe our hope in the Lord for deliverance is in vain. They may mock, jeer, and taunt but it does not change the fact that our God is faithful. Sometimes Satan tries to put those very thoughts and doubts into our heads: Can you really trust God? Nobody can save you from this. It's hopeless. God can't help you. 

Despite this, yet again:

"Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire. For they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD.”

Isaiah 37:14-20

And the Lord is faithful to answer him yet again. He sends out an angel that kills 185,000 of the Assyrian army and they return to their home, and the king is killed by two of his own sons while worshipping in the temple of their god.

We can come to God when crisis strikes - indeed we can come to Him with anything! We have an almighty and powerful God whose eyes "run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him." (2 Chronicles 16:9) Whatever battle we're fighting, whatever trial or tribulation we are facing, whatever heartbreak we are feeling, God wants us to come to Him and "spread it out before Him". Give it to Him. The second part of that verse from John where Jesus is talking about having trouble in this world is:

"But take heart; I have overcome the world."

The Bible is full of verses that talk about the help we have from God!

"Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth." Psalm 124:8

"The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into is and is safe." Proverbs 18:10

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2

"I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies." Psalm 18:1-3

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." 2 Peter 5:6-7

So, whatever you're facing today, humble yourself on your knees and spread it out before the Lord. He is ready to strongly support, help, strengthen, protect, give refuge, uphold, heal and exalt you, because He cares for you.