“Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf”
Isaiah 36 & 37
Intro: Do you remember as kids hearing a story about three industrious little pigs? The built their own houses, and were fine until one hungry old wolf came around looking for a ham dinner! When the big, bad wolf came knocking at the door, he made a lot of threats, and did a lot that scared and intimidated those little pigs.
Sometimes we get fearful about things that we shouldn’t. I remember one night in a board meeting at another church at the beginning of the meeting as we were talking over the agenda, one man said, “I’d like to talk tonight about whether it’s okay for the pastor to take off his coat when he preaches.” We all spent the night thinking he wanted to make the pastor keep his coat on, when what he really wanted to do was to give the pastor permission to take his coat off if it got too hot.
What do you think when you walk into work after lunch and someone says, “The boss wants to see you right away”? The first thought is, “Oh, no, what now?” Or how about when the pastor calls up and says, “I’d like to come over and see you this week.” We so quickly become fearful.
How do we deal with fear? Where is our security? This week as we’ve been reading in Isaiah, we saw King Hezekiah deal with some great threats and we saw him respond with great security. Let’s look at Isaiah 36 and learn some lessons about fear.
I. Satan’s Temptation to Fear
Let’s set the stage: Under King Ahaz of Judah, the southern kingdom faced conflict with the Northern kingdom of Israel. Ahaz turned to Assyria for help. But that help had it’s price. Assyria decided it would like to conquer both the North and the South kingdoms of Israel. Following the reign of Ahaz, his son Hezekiah came to the throne. Hezekiah is a good man, a godly king. He worships the Lord. Hezekiah destroys the altars of the idol worshipers. He even destroys all the altars to worship Jehovah, the true God, except for the altar at Jerusalem where the Jews were supposed to go to worship.
Hezekiah decided he would not pay tribute to Shalmaneser, the Assyrian King. Shalmaneser doesn’t like this, so he decides to invade Judah. Hezekiah then pays him the tribute he wants, but Shalmaneser still decides to attack. The Assyrian army has destroyed the towns of Judah - 46 fortified cities have been captured, 200,000 people have been taken into captivity, and the army comes to the gates of Jerusalem. That’s enough to make anyone fearful.
Now let’s look at Isaiah 36. Read whole chapter.
Why would Hezekiah be tempted to be fearful? Let’s look at what he was facing.
Physical threats:
1. The Northern kingdom, Israel, fell to Assyria 19 years before these events. This was a nation that had defeated Israel.
2. All the cities of Judah had fallen (vs.1). Jerusalem is the only city left that hadn’t fallen.
3. The army is right outside the city (vs.2). They could look out from the city walls and see the hundreds of thousands of soldiers right outside the city.
Emotional Discouragement - Intimidation
4. Three high ranking officials have come from the enemy king. CF. 2 Kings 18:17 - The king of Assyria sent his supreme commander, his chief officer and his field commander with a large army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem.
5. vs.5 - They are accused of having no strategy or strength
6. vs. 6 - They are hoping for Egypt to help, but they are told Egypt will not help, but in fact will actually harm the Jews
7. vs. 7 - They are told even God is against them.
Do you ever feel like God doesn’t even like you?
Why would the Assyrians say God was against them? Hezekiah had torn down his altars that people had wrongly built. Did you ever have a time where you did what you knew God wanted you to do, where you did the right thing, and Satan tries to make you feel bad about it?
We have friends pastoring in Florida - their associate pastor left his wife for a woman in the church - and our friends have said this is not to be allowed. Some people in the church don’t like that: they want to keep their friendship with the associate pastor and his adulterous partner. They have complained that the pastor is being unloving because he is doing what God says is to be done. Sometimes we feel bad about doing right.
8. vs. 8 - The Jews had no skilled cavalry - The Assyrians mock them - saying they will give them horses to fight with if they could come up with the men to ride them.
9. vs. 10 - They claim that God had sent the Assyrian army - they were there in response to God’s will
10. vs. 14 - They said Hezekiah was being deceitful with the people. They said he was just giving the people a false hope.
11. vs. 16 - They were given great tempting promises if only they would give in.
Often Satan makes the wrong choice look attractive. If only we bend the rules a little. . .
12. vs. 18 - They say that God is powerless against the Assyrian army.
Peer Pressure
In vs. 13 we see them trying to incite the people of Jerusalem against Hezekiah.
Did Hezekiah have a reason for fear? We might certainly think so. But let’s look as his response.
II. Hezekiah’s Security
1. Hezekiah found strength in memorials of God’s faithfulness - As the army sends their messengers, they come to the same field where Ahaz met Hezekiah a number of years ago. Look back in Is. 7:3 READ IS. 7:3-9
Ahaz is given promise by God that God is going to win the battles for them. Isaiah met Ahaz at this same field where Hezekiah’s men meet the Assyrian army. Surely Hezekiah must have thought back to God’s faithfulness in the past and gained strength for the present.
In our lives, we need to continually remind ourselves of the faithfulness of our God. It is easy to be forgetful. I Cor. 10 tells us the events of the OT are written down for us as examples. How has God proven himself in your life before? Trust him to work again for you today and tomorrow and the next day!
2. Hezekiah finds strength in humbling himself and worshiping.
Read 37:1-4 - Hezekiah responds to the threats by immediately turning to God. So often we try to worry and fret about problems that we should be turning over to God. Casting all our cares on him, for he cares for us. He sees himself unable to win the battle. He doesn’t start with a pep talk to the troops. He falls on his face before God for help. That’s where each of us should spend much more of our time.
3. Hezekiah gains strength from the encouragement of others.
In vs. 7, we see Isaiah gives the promise that the king will leave the city and be killed at home. In verse 9 we see the king of Egypt coming to offer help. When we are struggling and turn to God, so often he gives us encouragement and hope from others.
III. Be prepared for Satan’s attacks to continue
Look at verses 9-13 - read - Even when the king sees he is losing his hold, he continues to threaten. Satan will continue to attack us, even when he knows he is fighting a losing battle. And he roars like a lion, seeking to devour us.
IV. In spite of continued attacks, God can still give the victory.
Once again Hezekiah responds to threats by turning to God. Read 14-20
He appeals to the power of God, the honor of God, the uniqueness of God, the triumph of God
As a result of Hezekiah’s faithfulness, Jerusalem is spared. read 33 - 38
The Assyrians will not come into the city
They will depart
The people of Israel will have plenty of food to eat
God provides them with a miraculous deliverance.
Concl: How do we respond to threats? Are we fearful? Or do we trust in the Lord?
Let’s learn from Hezekiah to always turn to God when we are tempted to fear. Our God is big enough to handle any problem that might come our way!
