These notes accompany the sermon found here.

The Challenge

• How will Hezekiah move forward?
• How shall we move forward?

The People of God Respond to a Crisis.

• The people of God should be most concerned with the reputation of God.
• The people of God should move toward God in times of trouble.
• The people of God should band together in times of trouble.
• The people of God should pray in times of trouble.

The LORD Responds to His People

• The Lord acts on the behalf of his people according to His Word.
• The people of God continue to pour out their concerns to God.
• And God continues to answer His people by His Word.
• About Sennacherib: Jerusalem will now mock you. You have mocked the Lord.  In your pride, you thought you had achieved all this on your own, but it was I the LORD who did it. It is what I planned long ago.  I know everything including your rage against me.  I brought you to this point, and I will turn you back.  Isaiah 37:22-29.
• About Judah:I will give you a sign:  Three years of peaceful recovery.  I will accomplish this by my zeal.  The king of Assyria will no longer be a threat because of my reputation and what I promised David.   Isaiah 37:30-35; See 2 Samuel 7:14ff.

Epilogue:  God Executes His Plans

• Notice that the “zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 37:32. Hosts = Armies.  The Rabshakeh once made a boast about the superiority of his army, Isaiah 36:8-9.  How does that compare to a single individual from the Lord’s armies, Isaiah 37:36?
• Notice that the prayers of the people of God were part of his plan. Isaiah 37:21, “Because you have prayed…”

Encouragements

• Our God is the Lord of hosts, and He is still executing His plans.
• Prayer is still our primary means of appealing to God.
• Praying together as the people of God is the most powerful kind of prayer.
• God continues to speak through His Word.