It began as a distant, scary hum, and then grew into an earth-rattling din. Soon hundreds of tanks and thousands of enemy infantrymen came into view of the badly outnumbered soldiers in Finland. Assessing the murderous wave, one Finnish soldier gave some perspective. Courageously he wondered aloud about the enemy: “Where will we find room to bury them all?”

About 2,600 years before Finland showed such spirit in that World War II battle, the worried people of Judea reacted quite differently to their own scary situation. The Assyrian armies had trapped the people of Jerusalem inside its walls, where they faced the hopelessness of being starved out. Hezekiah, the king, nearly panicked. But then he prayed, “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth” (Isa. 37:16).

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord answered with strong words for the enemy king. “Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!” (v. 23). Then God comforted His people in Jerusalem. “I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!” (v. 35). The Lord defeated destroyed the enemy army (vv. 36-38).

No matter what dangers you might have to face today, the God of Hezekiah and Isaiah still reigns. He wants to hear from each of us and show us how powerful He is.

Author

Tim Gustafson

Topics

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