The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Isaiah 38:1b,
"This is what the Lord says: Put your [King Hezekiah's] house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover."
I have to think this passage sends those to the aspirin bottle who have a bone-headed concept of the sovereignty of God. In popular theology in many evangelical churches today, it is taught that nothing can change the Lord's decisions (elections!). And, yet, over and over in Scripture, we see the Lord responding to prayers and requests that can and does bring a change with his decisions.
We know from this passage the Lord said "... you are going to die; you will not recover." This was to happen at that time, so he was told to "put your house in order". Then we read in verse 5, "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life." A change!
Recall Lot's plea with the angels about fleeing to a town instead of the mountains in Genesis 19:18-21. Remember Moses standing in the breach to plead for the Israelites when God was going to lay them all waste, Exodus 32:9-14. There the Lord said to Moses,"Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation." Exodus 32:10. Moses pleaded with the Lord. Then we read in verse 14, "Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened."
Jesus taught us the importance of prayer. He encouraged us to pray, not because it would do no good, but because we just may have an opportunity to bring an otherwise different outcome. In Luke 18:1 we read, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." There he gave a parable about persistence in prayer to bring an outcome that would otherwise not take place.
Those with the aspirin bottle in hand say that the Lord never really decided to put King Hezekiah to death, or that he wasn't really going to lay waste to the Israelites. He was just putting pressure on Hezekiah and Moses to pray and plead. That is all he ever intended. I'm sorry, but that simply cheapens these accounts to show the Lord manipulating people in a way where he really doesn't mean what he says. Nothing but a charade. I don't buy that for an instant, and you shouldn't either.
The importance is that, although through persistent prayer we may have God's ear, and that he may respond, we never see anyone changing God's mind about his purposes. We can have, although, a voice when it comes to how God brings about those purposes. Prayer is important and the Lord wants us participating!
I have to think this passage sends those to the aspirin bottle who have a bone-headed concept of the sovereignty of God. In popular theology in many evangelical churches today, it is taught that nothing can change the Lord's decisions (elections!). And, yet, over and over in Scripture, we see the Lord responding to prayers and requests that can and does bring a change with his decisions.
We know from this passage the Lord said "... you are going to die; you will not recover." This was to happen at that time, so he was told to "put your house in order". Then we read in verse 5, "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life." A change!
Recall Lot's plea with the angels about fleeing to a town instead of the mountains in Genesis 19:18-21. Remember Moses standing in the breach to plead for the Israelites when God was going to lay them all waste, Exodus 32:9-14. There the Lord said to Moses,"Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation." Exodus 32:10. Moses pleaded with the Lord. Then we read in verse 14, "Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened."
Jesus taught us the importance of prayer. He encouraged us to pray, not because it would do no good, but because we just may have an opportunity to bring an otherwise different outcome. In Luke 18:1 we read, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." There he gave a parable about persistence in prayer to bring an outcome that would otherwise not take place.
Those with the aspirin bottle in hand say that the Lord never really decided to put King Hezekiah to death, or that he wasn't really going to lay waste to the Israelites. He was just putting pressure on Hezekiah and Moses to pray and plead. That is all he ever intended. I'm sorry, but that simply cheapens these accounts to show the Lord manipulating people in a way where he really doesn't mean what he says. Nothing but a charade. I don't buy that for an instant, and you shouldn't either.
The importance is that, although through persistent prayer we may have God's ear, and that he may respond, we never see anyone changing God's mind about his purposes. We can have, although, a voice when it comes to how God brings about those purposes. Prayer is important and the Lord wants us participating!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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