Steve Webb 0:00 Don't you know that I planned all of this? Steve Webb 0:10 One more time. This is the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I'm your OG God caster. Almost made it in one breath. Steve Webb, welcome. I hope you're doing well today. Thank you for being here. This is the daily show where we're reading through the entire Bible in a year and today we're reading Second Kings 16 through 20. I'll have some thoughts afterwards. And the show notes page for today's episode is Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 209. You can email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Let's get started. Steve Webb 0:48 Second Kings chapter 16. Steve Webb 0:51 In the 17th, year of Piqua, sent over I'm Elia Ahaz, son of Joseph King of Judah began to reign Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king and he reigned in Jerusalem 16 years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, and even sacrificed his son in the fire. Engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices in burned incense at the high places on the hilltops, and under every spreading tree. Then reason king of Aram and Pekah, son of REM Elia king of Israel, marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz but they could not overpower him. At that time, reason king of Aram recovered he left for Aram by driving out the people of Judah Edomites then moved into he laugh, and have lived there to this day. He has set messengers to say to Tiglath Pileser, king of Assyria, I am your servant and vassal, come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram, and of the king of Israel who are attacking me. And he has took the silver and gold found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace, and send it as a gift to the king of Assyria. The king of Syria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it, he deported its inhabitants to here and put reason to death. Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus incense to Uriah the priest a sketch of the altar with detailed plans for its construction. So Uriah, the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus and finished it before King a has returned. When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings on it. He offered up his burnt offering and grain offering, poured out his drink, offering and splashed the blood of his fellowship offerings against the altar. As for the bronze altar that stood before the Lord, he brought it from the front of the temple from between the new altar and the temple of the Lord, and put it on the north side of the new altar. King Ahaz then gave these orders to Uriah the priest on the large new altar offer the morning bird offering in the evening grain offering the Kings bird offering and his grain offering and the burnt offering of all the people of the land and their grain offering and their drink offering. Splash against this alter the blood of all the bird offerings and sacrifices, but I will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance. And Uriah the priest did justice King Ahaz had ordered King Ahaz cut off the side panels and remove the basins from the moveable stands. He removed the sea from the bronze bulls that supported it and set it on a stone base. He took away the Sabbath canopy that had been built at the temple and removed the royal entryway outside the temple of the Lord, in deference to the king of Assyria. As for the other events of the reign of Ahaz, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the Annals of the kings of Judah, Steve Webb 3:59 a has rested with his ancestors, and was buried with him in the city of David, and Hezekiah. His son succeeded him as king. Steve Webb 4:08 Second Kings chapter 17. In the 12th, year of Ahaz, king of Judah, whoa, Shia the son of ILA became the king of Israel in some area. He ruled for nine years. Oh, she did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord, but not as bad as the kings of Israel before him. King Shalmaneser of Assyria came up against him and who she had became his servant and pay taxes to him. But the king of Assyria found that Hosea had been making plans against him. Whoa, Shia had sent men to King Saul of Egypt instead of giving taxes to the king of Assyria. He had done this year after year, so the king of Assyria shut him up and put him in chains in prison. Then the king of Assyria came against all the land. He went up to Sumeria and kept soldiers around it for three years. In the ninth year of OCEA, the king of Assyria took some area in battle and took the people of Israel away to Assyria Steve Webb 5:00 He had them live in Halo and haber by the river of goes in and in the cities of the meets. This happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God. He had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt, but they worshiped other gods. They walked in the ways of the nations the Lord had driven out from the people of Israel. And they walked in the ways that kings of Israel had started, the people of Israel did things in secret which were not right against the Lord their God, they built high places for themselves in all their towns from the smallest town to the strongest city. They set up holy objects of the false goddess Ashran, on every high hill and under every green tree. There they burn special perfume on all the high places as the nation's did which the Lord carried away from them. They did what was bad and made the Lord angry. They worshipped false gods about which the Lord had told him, You must not do this. The Lord told Israel and Judah of the danger through all his men who told what would happen in the future. He said, turn from your sinful ways and obey my laws. Keep all the laws which I gave your father's in which I gave you through my servants and men of God, but they did not listen. They were strong willed like their fathers who did not believe in the Lord their God. They turned away from His laws and His agreement which he made with their fathers. They turned away when he told him of danger. They followed false gods and became empty. They follow the nations around them. But the Lord had told him not to act like them. They turned away from all the laws of the Lord their God, and made objects to look like false gods. They made two calves and an object to look like the false goddess Ashura, and they worshipped all the stars of heaven and worked for bail. Then they gave their sons and daughters as burnt gifts. They told the future and used witchcraft, they sold themselves to do what is sinful in the eyes of the Lord. Then they made him angry. The Lord was very angry with Israel, and put them away from his eyes. None was left except the family of Judah. Steve Webb 7:02 Even Judah did not keep the laws of the Lord their God. They walked in the ways in which Israel it started. And the Lord turned away from all the children of Israel and sent to trouble upon them. He gave them over to those who destroyed the land until he had put them away from his eyes. When he had torn Israel from the family of David, they made Jeroboam the king of the bat, king, then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the Lord. He led them into sin. And the people of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam, they did not turn away from them until the Lord put Israel away from his eyes. He spoke through all his servants who tell what will happen in the future that he would do this. So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria until this day. Steve Webb 7:48 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon Kuta, Abba, Emeth, and Sepher vam. He had them live in the cities of scenario in place of the people of Israel. So they took some area for their own and lived in its cities. At the beginning of their living there, they did not fear the Lord. So the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. They said to the king of Assyria, the nations you have carried away to the cities of Samaria do not know the way of the God of the land. So he has sent lions among them to kill them, because they do not know the way of the God of the land. Then the king of Syria told them take to scenario one of the religious leaders you brought from there, let him go and live in some area, and let him teach them the way of the God of the land. So one of the religious leaders they had taken away from Sumeria came and lived at Bethel, and he taught them how they should worship the Lord. But every nation still made gods of its own. They put them in the houses of the high places which the people of Sumeria had made. The people of every nation did this in the cities where they lived. The men of Babylon made the false god suck have been off, the men of couth made the false god Nurgle the men of Haman made the false god a Shaima. The Avolites May the false gods nib has and tar tack, and the Sefer vites burned their children in the fire to Adrem Molech and an emelec, the gods of Sepher van, they feared the Lord also and yet they chose from among themselves, the religious leaders of the high places. These leaders gave the gifts for them in the house of the high places. So the people feared the Lord, but they worshipped their own gods also, they followed the way of the nations from which they had been taken away. To this day, they follow the ways of times past, they do not follow the laws are the word which the Lord told the sons of Jacob whom he gave the name Israel, the Lord had made an agreement and told him, You must not fear other gods, you must not put your faces to the ground in front of them or worship them, or give gifts to them. But they are the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong arm. Put your faces to the ground before him and give him your gifts obey forever the laws and the word which Steve Webb 10:00 He wrote for you. Do not fear other gods. Do not forget the agreement I've made with you and do not honor other gods with fear. Fear the Lord your God, and He will save you from those who hate you. But they did not listen. They followed the ways of times past. These nations feared the Lord, but they worshiped their false gods also, their children and grandchildren did the same, and they do as their fathers did to this day. Steve Webb 10:28 Second Kings chapter 18. Steve Webb 10:31 In the third year of OCEA, the son of Isla king of Israel, Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, king of Judah began to rule. He was 25 years old when he became king, and he ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was a by the daughter of Zechariah Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done, he took away the high places, he broke down the holy pillars used in worship and cut down the Ashura and he broke in pieces, the brass snake that Moses had made. For until those days the people of Israel burned special perfume to it. It was called now Houston Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah before him or after him, for he held to the Lord and did not stop following him. He kept his laws which the Lord had given Moses, and the Lord was with him. Hezekiah did well in every place he went, he turned against the king of Assyria, and did not work for him. He destroyed the Philistines as far as Gaza and its land from the smallest town to the strongest city. In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, the seventh year of Isla Sun whoa Shia king of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria came to fight against some area is army gathered around it. At the end of three years, they took the city, some area was taken by a Syria in the sixth year of Hezekiah, and the ninth year of King OCEA of Israel. Then the king of Syria carried the people of Israel away against their will to Syria. He had them live in Halo and on the hay bore the river of goes in and in the cities of the Medes. Because the people of Israel did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, they sinned against his agreement and even all that the Lord servant Moses had told him, they would not listen or obey. Steve Webb 12:22 In the 14th year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came and fought against all the strong cities of Judah and took them. Then King Hezekiah of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria at Lake ish saying, I have done wrong, leave me, I will pay whatever you ask. So the king of Assyria had Hezekiah king of Judah pay him silver, weighing as much as 300 men, and gold weighing as much as 30 Men Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the storerooms of the king's house. Then he cut the gold off the doors of the Lord's house, he cut the gold from the sides of the door which King Hezekiah of Judah had covered with gold, and he gave it to the king of Assyria. Then the king of Assyria sent tartan Rab serous and Rabshakeh with a large army from Lake ish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. They came and stood by the ditch of the upper pool, which is on the road to the Fuller's field, when they call to the King eliaquim, the son of Hilkiah and Shebna and Joah, the son of asef came out to them. Elia Kim was the head of the house. Shebna was the writer and Joe wrote down the things of the nation. Rabshakeh said to them, say to Hezekiah This is what the great king of Assyria says, What is this strength of heart that you have? You say with empty words, I have wisdom and strength for war? On whom do you trust that you have turned against me? Look, you are trusting now in Egypt. It is a walking stick like a piece of broken river grass, it will cut into a man's hand if he rests on it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in Him? You might tell me we trust in the Lord our God. But is it not He whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away? And has he not said to Judah and to Jerusalem? You must worship in front of this altar in Jerusalem. Come now make an agreement with my ruler, the king of Assyria, and I will give you 2000 Horses if you're able to put horsemen on them. How can you fight back one Captain among the least of my rulers, servants when you trust Egypt for war wagons and horsemen? Have I come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, go up against this land and destroy it. Steve Webb 14:41 Then alike in the son of Hilkiah and Shebna and Joah said to Rabshakeh speak to your servants in the Aramaic language for we understand it. Do not speak with us in the language of Judah. The people on the wall might hear it. But Rabshakeh said to them, as my ruler sent me to speak these words to your ruler until you Steve Webb 15:00 and not to the men sitting on the wall, they're sure to suffer with you eating and drinking their own body waste. Then Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in the language of Judah, saying, hear the word of the great king of Assyria. The king says, Do not let Hezekiah lie to you, for He will not be able to save you from my power. Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord saying, The Lord will save us for sure. And this city will not be given to the king of Assyria. Do not listen to Hezekiah for the king of Assyria says, make your peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat of His own vine and fig tree, and every one of you will drink the water of his own well, then I will come and take you away to a land like your own land. It is a land of grain and new wine. It is a land of bread and grape fields and olive trees and honey, there you will live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah when he lies to us saying the Lord will save us as any one of the gods of the nation save this land from the power of the king of Assyria. Where are the gods of Hey Math in our pad, where the gods are set for vam henna and ever have they saved Sumeria from my power, who among all the gods of the lands has saved their land from my power? So how should the Lord saved Jerusalem from my power? But the people were quiet? They did not answer him a word for Hezekiah had told him Do not answer him. Then Aleichem the son of Hilkiah, who was the head of the house and Shebna, the writer and JOA, the son of a staff who wrote down the things of the nation came to Hezekiah they came with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rabshakeh Steve Webb 16:43 Second Kings chapter 19. Steve Webb 16:46 When King Hezekiah heard about it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with cloth made from hair. Then he went into the house of the Lord. He said Aleichem who was the head of the house Shebna, the writer and the head religious leaders to the man of God, Isaiah the son of Amos, they were covered with cloth made from hair. And they said to him, Hezekiah says, This day is a day of trouble, sharp words and shame. For children have come to be born, but there is no strength to give birth to them. It might be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his ruler that king of Assyria has sent to make fun of the living God, and the Lord your God might speak sharp words against what he has heard. So pray for those who are left of the Lord's people. The servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. And Isaiah said to them, tell your ruler, this is what the Lord says, Do not be afraid because of the words you have heard spoken against me by the servants of the king of Assyria. See, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a made up story and he will return to his own land, and I will have him killed by the sword in his own land. Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah for he had heard that the king had left Lake ish, the king of Assyria was told, see King caretaker of Khushi has come out to fight against you. So he sent men again to Hezekiah saying, Tell King Hezekiah of Judah Do not let your God and whom you trust lie to you by saying that Jerusalem will not be given into the power of the king of Syria. You have heard how the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the lands and you will be saved? Did the gods of those nations which my father's destroyed save them, goes in Heron resists and the people of Eden who were into Lasser were destroyed? Where are the kings of heinous Arpad in the city of Sepher van Hannah and Deva Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the men of Assyria and read it. Then he went up to the house of the Lord and spread the letter out before the Lord Hezekiah prayed to the Lord saying, Oh Lord, the God of Israel, you sit on your throne above the chair of him, you are the God and you alone of all the nations of the earth, you have made heaven and earth. Turn your ear oh lord in here, open your eyes, oh Lord and see, listen to the word snacker of his spoken against the living God. Oh, Lord. It is true that the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands made from wood and stone, so they have destroyed them. Now, oh Lord our God, I beg you to save us from His power, then all the nations of the earth may know that You alone are God, oh Lord. Isaiah, the son of Amos sent word to Hezekiah, saying, The LORD the God of Israel says, I have heard your prayer to me about snacker of king of Assyria. This is the word that the Lord has spoken against him. She has hated you and made fun of you the young daughter of Zion. She has shaken her head behind you the daughter of Jerusalem, Whom have you spoken against against him? Steve Webb 20:00 Have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes and pride against the Holy One of Israel, you have spoken against the Lord through the menu of sent. You have said with my many war wagons I have come up to the tops of the mountains to the farthest parts of Lebanon. I cut down it's tall cedar trees and it's best cypress trees. I went to its highest places where its trees are close together, I dug wells and drank the water of other lands, I dried up all the rivers of Egypt with the bottom of my feet. Have you not heard that I planned this long ago, from times long ago I planted now I've made it happen, that you should destroy Strong Cities. That is why those who live there did not have much strength. They were troubled and put to shame. They were like the plants of the field and the green grass. They were like grass on the roofs killed by the sun before it is grown. But I know when you sit down, go out and come in. And I know how you speak in anger against me. You have spoken against me in your anger and pride, and I have heard it. So I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth. And I will have you returned by the way you came. This will be the special thing for you to see. This year you will eat what grows of itself. In the second year you will eat what grows of the same. Then in the third year, you will plant seeds and gather food, you will plant finds and eat their fruit. And those who are left of the family of Judah will again take root and give fruit for those who are left will go out of Jerusalem. Those who are still alive will go out of Mount Zion, this will be done by the power of the Lord. So this is what the Lord says about the king of Syria. He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there. He will not come to it with a battle covering or build a wall around it. He will return by the way he came. He will not come to the city says the Lord for I will help the city in save it because of my honor. And because of my servant David. Steve Webb 22:05 That night the angel of the Lord went out and killed 185,000 men among the Assyrian tents. When those left alive got up early in the morning they saw all the dead bodies. Then King Sennacherib of Assyria left and returned home and lived at Nineveh as he was worshiping in the house of his god Niz rock, a Dremel ek and sharees are killed him with the sword. Then they ran away to the land of Arafat, and his son ease our Hatton became king in his place. Steve Webb 22:36 Second Kings chapter 20. In those days Hezekiah became sick enough to die. The man of God, Isaiah, the son of Amos came to him and said, This is what the Lord says, Get those of your house ready for you will die, you will not get well again. Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord saying, I beg you will Lord, remember how I have walked before you in truth and with a whole heart. I have done what is good in your eyes. And Hezekiah cried much. Before Isaiah had gone out of the center room, the word of the Lord came to him saying returned to Hezekiah, the leader of my people tell him this is what the Lord the God of your father, David says, I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. See, I will heal you. On the third day you must go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add 15 years to your life. I will save you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria. And I will help this city because of my honor. And because of my servant David. Steve Webb 23:40 Then Isaiah said, bring a loaf made of figs, have them taken lay it on the sore on Hezekiah his body, then he will be well again. And they took and laid it on the boil and he was healed. Steve Webb 23:52 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, what will be the special thing for me to see that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day. Isaiah said, this will be the special thing for you to see from the Lord to show that the Lord will do what He has said, will the shadow go 10 Steps farther or go back 10 Steps Hezekiah answered, It is easy for the shadow to go 10 Steps farther, but let the shadow turn back 10 steps. Steve Webb 24:22 So Isaiah the man of God cried to the Lord and the Lord brought the shadow back 10 steps on the steps set up by King Ahaz. At that time, a Rodak Paladin Asana Paladin, king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah. For he heard that Hezekiah had been sick as the Chi listened to them and showed them all his riches. He showed them the silver, the gold, the spices, the oil of much worth the things used in battle, and all that was found in his storerooms. There was nothing in his house or in all the places of his rule that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the man of God came Steve Webb 25:00 to Hezekiah and said, What did these men say, From where have they come to you? Hezekiah said, they have come from afar country from Babylon. Isaiah said, what have they seen in your house? And Hezekiah answered, they've seen all that is in my house, there is nothing among my riches that I have not shown them. Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, here the word of the Lord, see, the days are coming when all that is in your house, all that your father's have kept in store to this day will be carried to Babylon, nothing will be left, says the Lord. And some of your sons who will be born to you will be taken away. They will be servants in the house of the king of Babylon. Steve Webb 25:42 Hezekiah said to Isaiah, The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good, for he thought, why not if there will be peace, and people will be safe in my days. Steve Webb 25:53 Now, the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his strength are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah. He made the pool and the ditch and brought water into the city. Hezekiah died and his son Manasseh became king in his place. Steve Webb 26:10 Well, today in Second Kings 18, we read about a guy by the name of Rabshakeh, he was allowed mouth sent by kings, the neck rib, and he made some serious threats against King Hezekiah and the people and he slandered God. Well, in chapter 19, we see that when Hezekiah heard about what rapture could said, He was distraught and went to the temple. And he sent messengers to the prophet Isaiah to go to the Lord on their behalf. Well, God told Isaiah to tell them not to worry, that's the neck, a rib would not enter their city, and he would die by the sword in his own land. And God's message to Seneca ribbed through Isaiah is pretty interesting. God said, I've heard what you've said, You're boasting about your triumphs. Don't you know that I planned all of this. It is because of me that you've done these things. I know everything about you, in your anger and your pride. You have spoken against me. And now I'm putting an end to it. And then what happened that night 195,000 of Synack ribs army was killed by an angel of the Lord and he hightailed it back home, where he was killed while worshiping in the temple of the god Niz rock. Well, beloved, it was true, then, and thankfully, it is true. Now. God is patient. But there is a point where he says, Enough is enough. Steve Webb 27:35 What do you think? Let me know, leave a comment at the bottom of the page at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 209, or email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Tomorrow we'll be reading Psalms 90 through 92. Steve Webb 28:02 On this date in church history, march 29 1788, Charles Wesley died. He was a co founder of Methodism. And he wrote more than 8000 hymns including come thou long expected Jesus, when I survey the wondrous cross, over 1000 tongues to sing and Jesus lover of my soul. And it just so happens that on the Lifespring hymn stories podcast, I did an episode talking about the background for each one of those hymns. I'll have links on the show notes page, if you'd like to listen to those episodes. Steve Webb 28:44 You know, I haven't asked this question in a while. And I think that there are some new members of the Lifespring family. So what I'd like to know is how did you find the show? Did a friend tell you? Did you hear about the show on another podcast or from a social media post? Maybe we met and I told you about the show. Whatever it is, let me know how you found the show. Email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com and use the subject line. Here's where I found you. Steve Webb 29:20 Let's pray. Steve Webb 29:21 Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your patience with us, Lord, thank You that You are not quick to anger. Thank You that You love us and work with us to shape us into the people you want us to be. Help us, Lord to be pliable in your hands. I asked God that you would bless the Lifespring family today. I thank you for each one who's listening now I ask that you be with them and help each of us to walk closer with you today than we did yesterday. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. If you'd like to share your prayer requests with the Lifespring family or if God is doing something really great in your life, let us know go to prayer dot Lifespring media dot com, fill out the form you find there, which will be sent to me. I'll pray for you in my private prayer time, and I'll share your prayer requests or your praises or both on the show, prayer dot Lifespring media.com. Steve Webb 30:22 If you'd like to comment on anything I've said today, please do so at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 209. Email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com. And if the Lifespring family Audio Bible is an important part of your life, if it brings value to you, please help to support it. Go to Lifespring media.com/support. And until tomorrow may God bless you richly. Thank you for being here. My name is Steve Webb. Bye Transcribed by https://otter.ai