The Promise For Life

THE PROMISE FOR LIFE!

Text: II Kings 20:1 thru 6

Isaiah brought the message from the Lord to Hezekiah. It was a warning for Hezekiah to “set his house in order”, because he was not going to recover from his illness. This was the worst news anyone will ever be told.

Hezekiah was a good man but also a very sickly man. His father had also died at an early age.

Hezekiah was a very good king.

The proof of is found in 2 Kings 18:1-8:

a) He did what was right in the sight of the Lord – V3

b) He trusted in the Lord – V5

c) He held fast to the Lord –V6

d) He kept God’s commandments –V6

e) The Lord was with him – V7

g) He rebelled against the King of Assyria – V7

h) He subdued the Philistines – V8

Hezekiah was a good man & good king.

But he has become ill and about to die. Some may find it difficult to understand why bad things happen to good people.

In our text, Hezekiah’s response was immediate and he prayed with the possibility that things could be worked out with the Lord. Hezekiah did not want to end up like his father.

Some of us here, this morning, know what has happened to other people who have gone on before us. Their illnesses and/or their mistakes. We have seen (all too clearly) the mistakes that other people who are near to us have made.

We are in some ways just like Hezekiah. We don’t want what has happened to those other people to happen to us.

In spite of the bad news given to Hezekiah (by the prophet Isaiah), there were other options for him than to just give up and die.

Prayer can change things for anyone.

Obviously, Hezekiah wasn’t ready to die. He wasn’t ready to succumb to his sickness, or to just give up and die.

Earlier in his life, Hezekiah had submitted to the Lord and become a changed man. I am certain that he still had faults of his own. But Hezekiah also knew that he had many more things he had hoped to accomplish for the kingdom of God.

Hezekiah was in a place of great responsibility with God’s people. And he knew that if he were to die, there would be no one else to take over for him and take care of the children of God.

This is where I find each of us today. Whether you are healthy or not, perhaps you are frightened of (eventually) having to face the thought of death.

Nevertheless, God has given each of us THE PROMISE FOR LIFE!

Jesus is THE PROMISE FOR LIFE!

Aren’t you glad that the Lord has -

· A much better plan for your life than to just give up and die?

· Given you an option - when it comes to His eternal judgment?

The fact of the matter is that God has told all of mankind (in His Holy Word) that without Jesus Christ the sinner will be sentenced to an eternal death.

But thank God, there are other options for all sinners.

The Bible says that it is not God’s will that “any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

(II Peter 3:9)

Some have tried to turn this story of Hezekiah’s into a theological debate about the will of God.

Some have referred to this story as a case against the word and the will of God.

They question whether or not God will always do what He says He will do.

Some have argued that God’s will/can change His mind in special situations.

They say that perhaps, God isn’t always able to keep His word true.

Some have said (after reading this) that God will someday rethink His decision about judging and condemning the sinner for his/her sins.

I don’t agree with this thinking at all!

Let me tell you that there are many more scriptures to consider about the character of God than just one story.

Bottom line is what Hebrew 13:8 says. God is - “…the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Church, God never changes His mind.

He only causes you and I to change our minds.

QUESTION: How many have had God change their mind?

On the other hand - How many have ever known God to change His?

Let me share with you what the Lord has recently shown me in this story:

Many folks (this morning) are convinced they are at the end of their rope.

They say, “All is lost!”

They are convinced that they are doomed and life is almost over for them. They have lost all hope.

Perhaps, they have even been told by people they respect that their situation is completely hopeless.