King Hezekiah. He destroyed all. idols and evil places

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John Francis

2 Kings 19 :35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

I want to introduce you to King Hezekiah. He destroyed all. idols and evil places, and also broke in pieces the bronze serpent Moses had made, because they had been burning incense to it.

You can see that King Hezekiah was a special person, and now I want to show you that what he did pleased God, because it says God was with him and prospered him in all that he did. (2Kings 18:7) He had some serious opposition, the King of Assyria started threatening him. it is interesting that the army leader he sent against Jerusalem, personally attacked King Hezekiah. And the God of King Hezekiah

As you read this story, perhaps like me, you will see the hand of Satan, because the enemy tells them not to trust in the God of king Hezekiah. God dealt with this enemy when an army of 185,000 men are all completely destroyed by the Angel of the Lord. This is more than the population of some cities.

Prayer: Thank you Heavenly Father for the example we have of King Hezekiah to teach us how we might please you, and better serve you, that your will be done your kingdom come. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Victory over the World through Faith

Victory over the World through Faith
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  (1Jo_5:4-5)
The enemy of our souls would love to devour our lives. "Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1Pe_5:8). We can enjoy protection from the devil through faith. "Resist him, steadfast in the faith" (1Pe_5:9). 
When the enemy cannot devastate us by direct attack, he still desires to pull us down into defeat, using the pitfalls and temptations that are available to him throughout the entire world system. "The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19). All of the unredeemed, as well as all of their cultural networks, are under the influence of the evil one. Nevertheless, we have available to us daily victory over the world through faith.  
The only people who can ever walk in victory over the world are born again believers in Jesus Christ. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world." We urgently need the overcoming grace of God, because of the avenues of earthly enticements that the devil can use against us. "For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world" (1Jo_2:16). Through the world around us, our spiritual foe wants to draw us into ungodly areas that our flesh craves, our eyes covet, or our pride wants to feast upon. The path of victory is traveled by faith. "And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith." We initially entered into the victory of Christ by placing our faith in Him. "Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" We continue to experience all the manifold ramifications of that victory through day by day dependence upon the Lord.  
Jesus taught these truths when He was here upon earth. "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (Joh_16:33).
 It is absolutely certain that the world will bring to us all many troubles and trials. Our fully sufficient hope is the Lord Jesus Christ. The world came against Jesus with all of its plots and ploys. Our Lord and Savior never succumbed at any point. He is the one we are to rely upon, in order to walk in victory ourselves. "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1Jo_4:4). Trusting in the victor allows us to walk in His victory.

Lord Jesus, the world has surely brought me many difficulties and temptations. Yet, You are the overcoming victor, so I look to You for personal victory day by day. How blessed I am to have living in me the one who is far greater than the enemy who roams about in the world, Amen.

Protection from the Devil through Faith

Protection from the Devil through Faith
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith.  (1Pe_5:8-9)

As we walk by faith, God's grace is imparted into our lives, bringing us many blessings in our Lord. We have seen that among these heavenly delights are assurance of salvation and security of salvation. 
"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life . . . who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1Jo_5:13 and 1Pe_1:5). 

Related to these is protection from the devil through faith.  
Godly Christian living involves a spiritual gravity and a spiritual attentiveness. "Be sober, be vigilant." These necessary traits that the Lord wants to develop in us do not nullify the reality of joy and peace in the Lord. However, such earnestness is mandatory due to the enemy that we have. "Because your adversary the devil walks about." We do have a committed and intimidating spiritual opponent, and he has an organized army of fallen, rebellious, demonic cohorts. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" 

(Eph_6:12). The intention of our spiritual foe is deadly. He goes about "like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Our enemy is not merely desiring to frustrate us or make us miserable. He wants to devour us, to devastate our lives. Jesus stated the matter this way. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (John_10:10).  
Although our adversary is relentless and imposing, God's gracious remedy is simple and effective. "Resist him" We are to oppose him. We are to stand against him. How are we to accomplish this? Are we to pit our own strength against his? Never! We effectively stand against him by being "steadfast in the faith." We simply continue trusting in the great truths of God's word, which declare Christ as victor over our foe. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil . . . Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross] " (1Jo_3:8 and Col_2:15). By faith, we renounce the enemy and submit to our Lord. Thereby, God promises us that the enemy will flee. "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (Jam_4:7).
Dear Lord, mighty conqueror, what a joy it is to know that You have defeated the enemy and his demonic conspirators. What grace You offer in providing protection from the devil as I simply resist him by trusting in You. Praise Your victorious name!

Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped on the far side of The River (the Euphrates) and in Egypt

Joshua 24:14  "So now: Fear GOD. Worship Him in total commitment. Get rid of the gods your ancestors worshiped on the far side of The River (the Euphrates) and in Egypt. 
You, worship GOD!"

Joshua 24:1-14

Joshua thought he had taken his last farewell of Israel:
in the solemn charge he gave them in the foregoing chapter, when he said, I go the way of all the earth; but God graciously continuing his life longer than expected, and renewing his strength, he was desirous to improve it for the good of Israel. 

He did not say, “I have taken my leave of them once, and let that serve;” but, having yet a longer space given him, he summons them together again, that he might try what more he could do to engage them for God. 

Note, We must never think our work for God done till our life is done; and, if He lengthen out our days beyond what we thought, we must conclude it is because He has some further service for us to do.

The assembly is the same with that in the foregoing chapter, the elders, heads, judges, and officers of Israel, Joshua_24:1. 
But it is here made somewhat more solemn than it was there.
I. The place appointed for their meeting is Shechem, not only because that lay nearer to Joshua than Shiloh, and therefore more convenient now that he was infirm and unfit for travelling, but because it was the place where Abraham, the first trustee of God's covenant with this people, settled at his coming to Canaan, and where God appeared to him (Gen_12:6, Gen_12:7), and near which stood mounts Gerizim and Ebal, where the people had renewed their covenant with God at their first coming into Canaan, Joshua_8:30. 
Of the promises God had made to their fathers, and of the promises they themselves had made to God, this place might serve to put them in mind.

II. They presented themselves not only before Joshua, but before God, in this assembly, that is, they came together in a solemn religious manner, as into the special presence of God, and with an eye to His speaking to them by Joshua; and it is probable the service began with prayer. 
It is the conjecture of interpreters that upon this great occasion Joshua ordered the ark of God to be brought by the priests to Shechem, which, they say, was about ten miles from Shiloh, and to be set down in the place of their meeting, which is therefore called (Joshua_24:26) the sanctuary of the Lord, the presence of the ark making it so at that time; and this was done to grace the solemnity, and to strike an awe upon the people that attended. 

We have not now any such sensible tokens of the divine presence, but are to believe that where two or three are gathered together in Christ's name He is as really in the midst of them as God was where the ark was, and they are indeed presenting themselves before him.

III. Joshua spoke to them in God's name, and as from him, in the language of a prophet (Joshua_24:2): “Thus saith the Lord, Jehovah, the great God, and the God of Israel, your God in covenant, whom therefore you are bound to hear and give heed to.” 
Note, The word of God is to be received by us as His, whoever is the messenger that brings it, whose greatness cannot add to it, nor his meanness diminish from it. His sermon consists of doctrine and application.
1. The doctrinal part is a history of the great things God had done for His people, and for their fathers before them. 
God by Joshua recounts the marvels of old: “I did so and so.” They must know and consider, not only that such and such things were done, but that God did them. It is a series of wonders that is here recorded, and perhaps many more were mentioned by Joshua, which for brevity's sake are here omitted. 
See what God had done. 
   
(1.) He brought Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees, Joshua_24:2, Joshua_24:3. He and his ancestors had served other gods there, for it was the country in which, though celebrated for learning, idolatry, as some think, had its rise; there the world by wisdom knew not God. Abraham, who afterwards was the friend of God and the great favourite of heaven, was bred up in idolatry, and lived long in it, till God by his grace snatched him as a brand out of that burning. 
Let them remember that rock out of which they were hewn, and not relapse into that sin from which their fathers by a miracle of free grace were delivered. “I took him,” says God, “else he had never come out of that sinful state.” Hence Abraham's justification is made by the apostle an instance of God's justifying the ungodly, Rom_4:5. 
   (2.) He brought him to Canaan, and built up his family, led him through the land to Shechem, where they now were, multiplied his seed by Ishmael, who begat twelve princes, but at last gave him Isaac the promised son, and in him multiplied his seed. When Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau, God provided an inheritance for Esau elsewhere in Mount Seir, that the land of Canaan might be reserved entire for the seed of Jacob, and the posterity of Esau might not pretend to a share in it. 
   (3.) He delivered the seed of Jacob out of Egypt with a high hand (Joshua_24:5, Joshua_24:6), and rescued them out of the hands of Pharaoh and his host at the Red Sea, Joshua_24:6, Joshua_24:7. The same waters were the Israelites' guard and the Egyptians' grave, and this in answer to prayer; for, though we find in the story that they in that distress murmured against God (Exo_14:11, Exo_14:12), notice is here taken of their crying to God; 
He graciously accepted those that prayed to Him, and overlooked the folly of those that quarreled with Him. 
   
(4.) He protected them in the wilderness, where they are here said, not to wander, but to dwell for a long season, Joshua_24:7. 
So wisely were all their motions directed, and so safely were they kept, that even there they had as certain a dwelling-place as if they had been in a walled city. 
   
(5.) He gave them the land of the Amorites, on the other side Jordan (Joshua_24:8), and there defeated the plot of Balak and Balaam against them, so that Balaam could not curse them as he desired, and therefore Balak durst not fight them as he designed, and as, because He designed it, He is here said to have done it. 
The turning of Balaam's tongue to bless Israel, when He intended to curse them, is often mentioned as an instance of the divine power put forth in Israel's favour as remarkable as any, because in it God proved (and does still, more than we are aware of) His dominion over the powers of darkness, and over the spirits of men. 
   (6.) He brought them safely and triumphantly into Canaan, delivered the Canaanites into their hand (Joshua_24:11), 
sent hornets before them, when they were actually engaged in battle with the enemy, which with their stings tormented them and with their noise terrified them, so that they became a very easy prey to Israel. 
These dreadful swarms first appeared in their war with Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites, and afterwards in their other battles, Joshua_24:12. 
God had promised to do this for them, Exo_23:27, Exo_23:28. And here Joshua takes notice of the fulfilling of that promise. See Exo_23:27, Exo_23:28; Deu_7:20. 
These hornets, it should seem, annoyed the enemy more than the artillery of Israel, and therefore he adds, not with thy sword nor bow. It was purely the Lord's doing. 


1.   Lastly, They were now in the peaceable possession of a good land, and lived comfortably upon the fruit of other people's labours, Joshua_24:13.

2. The application of this history of God's mercies to them is by way of exhortation to fear and serve God, in gratitude for his favour, and that it might be continued to them, Joshua_24:14. Now therefore, in consideration of all this, 
   
   (1.) “Fear the Lord, the Lord and His goodness, Hos_3:5. Reverence a God of such infinite power, fear to offend Him and to forfeit His goodness, keep up an awe of His majesty, a deference to His authority, a dread of His displeasure, and a continual regard to His all-seeing eye upon you.” 
   
   (2.) “Let your practice be consonant to this principle, and serve Him both by the outward acts of religious worship and every instance of obedience in your whole conversation, and this in sincerity and truth, with a single eye and an upright heart, and inward impressions answerable to outward expressions.” 

This is the truth in the inward part, which God requires, Psa_51:6. 
For what good will it do us to dissemble with a God that searches the heart? 
   
   (3.) Put away the strange gods, both Chaldean and Egyptian idols, for those they were most in danger of revolting to. It should seem by this charge, which is repeated (Joshua_24:23), that there were some among them that privately kept in their closets the images or pictures of these dunghill-deities, which came to their hands from their ancestors, as heir-looms of their families, though, it may be, they did not worship them; these Joshua earnestly urges them to throw away: “Deface them, destroy them, lest you be tempted to serve them.” Jacob pressed his household to do this, and at this very place; for, when they gave him up the little images they had, he buried them under the oak which was by Shechem, Gen_35:2, Gen_35:4. Perhaps the oak mentioned here (Joshua_24:26) was the same oak, or another in the same place, which might be well called the oak of reformation, as there were idolatrous oaks.

Behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom

“Behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom.”
- Matthew_27:51



No mean miracle was wrought in the rending of so strong and thick a veil; but it was not intended merely as a display of power-many lessons were herein taught us. The old law of ordinances was put away, and like a worn-out vesture, rent and laid aside. 
When Jesus died, the sacrifices were all finished, because all is fulfilled in Him, and therefore the place of their presentation was marked with an evident token of decay. 
That rent also revealed all the hidden things of the old dispensation: the mercy-seat could now be seen, and the glory of God gleamed forth above it.    By the death of our Lord Jesus we have a clear revelation of God, for he was 
“not as Moses, who put a veil over his face.” 

Life and immortality are now brought to light, and things which have been hidden since the foundation of the world are manifest in him. The annual ceremony of atonement was thus abolished. The atoning blood which was once every year sprinkled within the veil, was now offered once for all by the great High Priest, and therefore the place of the symbolical rite was broken up. No blood of bullocks or of lambs is needed now, for Jesus has entered within the veil with His own blood. Hence access to God is now permitted, and is the privilege of every believer in Christ Jesus. 
There is no small space laid open through which we may peer at the mercy-seat, but the rent reaches from the top to the bottom. 
We may come with boldness to the throne of the heavenly grace. Shall we err if we say that the opening of the Holy of Ho'lies in this marvelous manner by our Lord’s expiring cry was the type of the opening of the gates of paradise to all the saints by virtue of the Passion? 
Our bleeding Lord hath the key of heaven; He opens and no man shuts; let us enter in with him into the heavenly places, and sit with Him there till our common enemies shall be made His footstool.



“The Amen.”
- Rev_3:14
The word AMEN solemnly confirms that which went before; and Jesus is the great ; immutable, confirmer, for ever is 
“the Amen” in all His promises. Sinner, I would comfort thee with this reflection. Jesus Christ said, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” 

If you come to Him, He will say “Amen” in your soul; 
His promise shall be true to you. 
He said in the days of His flesh, “The bruised reed I will not break.” O thou poor, broken, bruised heart, if thou come to Him, He will say “Amen” to thee, and that shall be true in thy soul as in hundreds of cases in bygone years. Christian, is not this very comforting to thee also, that there is not a word which has gone out of the Savior’s lips which He has ever retracted? 
The words of Jesus shall stand when heaven and earth shall pass away. If thou get a hold of but half a promise, thou shalt find it true. Beware of him who is called “Clip-promise,” who will destroy much of the comfort of God’s word.
Jesus is Yea and Amen in all His offices. 
He was a Priest to pardon and cleanse once, 
He is Amen as Priest still. 
He was a King to rule and reign for His people, and to defend them with His mighty arm, He is an Amen King, the same still. He was a Prophet of old, to foretell good things to come, His lips are most sweet, and drop with honey still-He is an Amen Prophet. 
He is Amen as to the merit of His blood; He is Amen as to His righteousness. 
That sacred robe shall remain most fair and glorious when nature shall decay. 
He is Amen in every single title which He bears; your Husband, never seeking a divorce; your Friend, sticking closer than a brother; your Shepherd, with you in death’s dark vale; your Help and your Deliverer; your Castle and your High Tower; the Horn of your strength, your confidence, your joy, your all in all, and your Yea and Amen in all.

If thou believe with all thine heart, thou may

Rogelio Gómez Shared publicly  -  1:31 PM   http://bible.com/59/PSA27.7 Hear, O Lord , when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! Bible.com/app Psalm 27:7 English Standard Version | Bible.com bible.com

"If thou believe with all thine heart, thou may" Acts 8:37 These words may answer your scruples, devout reader, concerning the ordinances. Perhaps you say, "I should be afraid to be baptized; it is such a solemn thing to avow myself to be dead with Christ, and buried with him. I should not feel at liberty to come to the Master's table; I should be afraid of eating and drinking damnation unto myself, not discerning the Lord's body." Ah! poor trembler, Jesus has given you liberty, be not afraid. If a stranger came to your house, he would stand at the door, or wait in the hall; he would not dream of intruding unbidden into your parlour--he is not at home: but your child makes himself very free about the house; and so is it with the child of God. A stranger may not intrude where a child may venture. When the Holy Ghost has given you to feel the spirit of adoption, you may come to Christian ordinances without fear. The same rule holds good of the Christian's inward privileges. You think, poor seeker, that you are not allowed to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; if you are permitted to get inside Christ's door, or sit at the bottom of his table, you will be well content. Ah! but you shall not have less privileges than the very greatest. God makes no difference in his love to his children. A child is a child to him; he will not make him a hired servant; but he shall feast upon the fatted calf, and shall have the music and the dancing as much as if he had never gone astray. When Jesus comes into the heart, he issues a general licence to be glad in the Lord. No chains are worn in the court of King Jesus. Our admission into full privileges may be gradual, but it is sure. Perhaps our reader is saying, "I wish I could enjoy the promises, and walk at liberty in my Lord's commands." "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." Loose the chains of thy neck, O captive daughter, for Jesus makes thee free. Acts 8:37 And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest,.... Intimating, that if he did not believe, he had no right to that ordinance; though he was a proselyte to the Jewish religion, a serious and devout man, and was employed in a religious way, when Philip came up to him, and was very desirous of being instructed in the knowledge of divine things; and yet notwithstanding all this, he had no right to the ordinance of baptism, unless he had faith in Christ, and made a profession of it; nor would Philip administer it to him without it; from whence it appears, that faith in Christ, and a profession of it, are necessary prerequisites to baptism: and this faith should not be a mere historical and temporary faith, nor a feigned one, but a believing in Christ with the heart unto righteousness; or such a faith by which a soul relinquishes its own righteousness, and looks and goes unto Christ for righteousness, life, and salvation, and rests and relies upon him for them; and it should be a believing in him with the whole heart, which does not design a strong faith, or a full assurance of faith, but an hearty, sincere, and unfeigned one, though it may be but weak, and very imperfect. And that this is necessary to baptism is manifest, because without this it is impossible to please God; nor can submission and obedience to it be acceptable to him: nor indeed can the ordinance be grateful and pleasing to unbelievers; for though it is a command that is not grievous, and a yoke that is easy, yet it is only so to them that believe; nor can any other see to the end of this ordinance, or behold the burial, and resurrection of Christ represented by it, or be baptized into his death, and partake of the benefits of it; and besides, whatsoever is not of faith is sin.  And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God: which though a short, is a very comprehensive summary of the articles of faith respecting the person, offices, and grace of Christ; as that he is a divine person, truly and properly God, the only begotten of the Father, of the same nature with him, and equal to him; that he existed from all eternity, as a divine person with him, and distinct from him; and that he is the Christ, the anointed of God, to be prophet, priest, and King; and is Jesus, the only Saviour of lost sinners, in whom he trusted and depended alone for righteousness, life, and salvation. This whole verse is wanting in the Alexandrian copy, and in five of Beza's copies, and in the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; but stands in the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, and in the Complutensian edition; and, as Beza observes, ought by no means to be expunged, since it contains so clear a confession of faith required of persons to be baptized, which was used in the truly apostolic times.

His fruit was sweet to my taste.

"His fruit was sweet to my taste."
Song of Solomon 2:3

Faith, in the Scripture, is spoken of under the emblem of all the senses. It is sight: "Look unto me and be ye saved." It is hearing: "Hear, and your soul shall live." Faith is smelling: "All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia"; "thy name is as ointment poured forth." 

Faith is spiritual touch. By this faith the woman came behind and touched the hem of Christ's garment, and by this we handle the things of the good word of life. Faith is equally the spirit's taste. "How sweet are thy words to my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my lips." "Except a man eat my flesh," saith Christ, "and drink my blood, there is no life in him."

This "taste" is faith in one of its highest operations. One of the first performances of faith is hearing. We hear the voice of God, not with the outward ear alone, but with the inward ear; we hear it as God's Word, and we believe it to be so; that is the "hearing" of faith. Then our mind looketh upon the truth as it is presented to us; that is to say, we understand it, we perceive its meaning; that is the "seeing" of faith. Next we discover its preciousness; we begin to admire it, and find how fragrant it is; that is faith in its "smell." 

Then we appropriate the mercies which are prepared for us in Christ; that is faith in its "touch." Hence follow the enjoyments, peace, delight, communion; which are faith in its "taste." Any one of these acts of faith is saving. To hear Christ's voice as the sure voice of God in the soul will save us; but that which gives true enjoyment is the aspect of faith wherein Christ, by holy taste, is received into us, and made, by inward and spiritual apprehension of his sweetness and preciousness, to be the food of our souls. It is then we sit "under his shadow with great delight," and find his fruit sweet to our taste.