As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz. They said to him, "Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. It may be that the LORD your God heard all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the LORD your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left."
It was not so much that Isaiah prayed but that Hezekiah repented (v1) of his lack of trust in the arm of the LORD, God the Almighty. His decision to strip the Temple of the LORD and give the treasure to a heathen ruler was the action that brought this crisis upon Judah.
His repentance was crucial. So is ours.
Today's readings in the Psalms:
Morning: Psalm 126
Mid-day: 119:105-112
Evening: Psalm 51
Please address comments to [email protected]
Voices Together is available as an annual daily devotional and can be purchased at theFellowship Of Ailbe bookstore. A weekly edition, formatted as a bi-fold insert and suitable for distribution can be downloaded at https://www.ailbe.org/resources/item/7251-2016-voices-together-weekly-format. The next edition is available by Thursday of the prior week.
