Sermon Central
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Why Do Bad Things Happen To People Trying To Be Faithful To God? Series
Contributed by Jim Butcher on Aug 16, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: King Hezekiah has tried to be faithful and yet a frightening attack from the Assyrians is headed his way. Why would God allow that and what can we learn from Hezekiah's response?
BUT KING HEZEKIAH WAS FAITHFUL: Why do bad things happen to people trying to be faithful to God?
- Dismiss the idea of “why do bad things happen to good people?” with a discussion of the fact that none of us are good people.
- This verse uses the word “faithfully” and that creates a more tenable question. Hezekiah had worked to be faithful to God. Why would God allow this to happen?
- The phrasing of v. 1 is particularly startling. You would expect the second half of the verse to be a statement of blessing, yet it’s not.
- There are several answers to that question and it’s well worth a sermon to list them all and unpack each, but that’s not our purpose for this evening.
- I want to start by giving what I think the answer likely is and then spend the remainder of the sermon unpacking what exactly Hezekiah does in response to this pressing situation.
- There are actual two answers that I think are likely:
a. It gave great faith to Judah.
- Seeing the grave threat right there in front of them and then seeing God’s miraculous deliverance bolsters Judah’s faith in a way that no sermon ever could.
- This is true for us as well. Feeling the weight of the struggle and desperately needing God to come through opens the door for an indelible impression on our hearts when He does come through.
b. It brought judgment on Assyria.
- We know from other sources as well as the Bible that this Assyrian king did a lot of damage. The faith of Hezekiah provides an opportunity for God to bring righteous judgment on this evil king.
- There are times when we may be the only one willing to stand up to a wrong and believe in God’s provision, so God may allow the struggle to come into our life that He might bring an answer through us.
HOW THE SITUATION PLAYED OUT WITH HEZEKIAH AND SENNACHERIB:
1. Hezekiah did what he could.
- Hezekiah knows a mighty foe is coming and so he leads his people to make the obvious preparations for impending war.
- It’s easy for us to look backward from the end of the story and say, “That was wasted effort. God just wiped them out.” It is true that God did that destructive miracle through his angel but Hezekiah had no guarantee that was how God was going to move. God could have worked through their army to bring a victory.
- This is important to understand because we sometimes sit back and do nothing, presuming that God will do all the work to bring the win.
- Examples:
a. Someone struggling with overspending but who does not cut up their credit cards.
b. A church with contention but who is unwilling to exercise church discipline.
c. The Christian who prays for direction but doesn’t read her Bible.
2. Hezekiah did what was within his power but put his confidence in God’s power.
- 2 Chronicles 32:6b-8.
- The previous point is important but not most important. What comes after that is most important.
- King Hezekiah shows his greatness in his faith in God. Even facing such a daunting challenge, he knows that God is bigger.
- His confidence is in God’s power.
- We get in trouble when we focus on our abilities or our circumstances instead of what God can do. Yet we do that all the time.
3. Hezekiah’s confidence in God was tested.
- After stating his faith, Hezekiah has that faith put to the test. The message from Sennacherib is designed to intimidate. Note how he emphasizes how futile the other gods have been in stopping.
- This is a tough moment: deliverance hasn’t come and the threat is imminent and we have hold onto our faith.
- This is where having a hard promise from God is essential. We know God keeps His promises, but we need to make sure He has promised what we’re counting on.
- For me, one of the great resources I lean on in these moments is thinking back on what God has done for me in the past. He’s been faithful. He’s come through. I need to find confidence in that.
4. Hezekiah’s confidence was on the line, but so was God’s name.
- I want you to notice in Sennacherib’s taunt how often and how directly mocks God. It’s not just a “we’re going to conquer you” statement – no, he’s going to show that he’s superior to Hezekiah’s God.
- This reminds me of a passage from the story of Moses. Look with me at Exodus 32:9-14. The golden calf story has just happened and God is ready to wipe out Israel and start over with Moses. Moses, however, tells God He can’t do that because God has attached His name to Israel. His glory is at stake.
