TROUBLES AFTER TRIUMPH

“Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered. After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself" (2 Chron. 31:20 - 32:1 NKJV).

Our verse addresses a problem which often perplexes the best of saints. It is the problem of experiencing troubles after triumph. After revival we often experience reproach.

Revival – “After these deeds of faithfulness.” Before Hezekiah became king of Judah, the nation was in a terrible state both morally and spiritually. After becoming king, Hezekiah set about to correct this situation. Through his faithful efforts, the land experienced a revival. The Temple was opened and repaired and worship was restored. The character of the people was much improved. The nation was now bringing honor to God whereas before they had forsaken Him. The performance of Hezekiah as king was indeed magnificent.

Reproach – “Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself.” After this great work by Hezekiah, the enemy attacked. Does this attack by the enemy means that God had forsaken Hezekiah and that Hezekiah served God in vain? Absolutely not. What it means is that every time we do something for God, the devil will oppose it. On the other hand, we gain God as an ally. So when the enemy attacks, we will have God working with us. Though Sennacherib attacked and greatly outnumbered Hezekiah’s armies, God intervened and destroyed Sennacherib’s army. This was a great blessing to Hezekiah and Judah. When trouble increases after increased devotion to God, we need to take heart from this verse. Those troubles do not invalidate our devotion and will not destroy us. Instead it will be the means of great blessings.

(Adapted from Bible Exposition Commentary)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“For the Christian, dark clouds of trouble are but the shadow of God’s wing!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Dissipation

In Titus 1:6 we read, “If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination” (NKJV).

Dissipation is the Greek word asōtia (ἀσωτία = as-o-tee'-ah). It is means wastefulness, excess, dissipation. In Classical Greek asōtia denotes a willful and deliberate excess, whether in eating, drinking, making money, or other actions. In the Septuagint we see the element of willful indulgence and excess which can be in direct opposition to God. In the New Testament asōtia is used to describe the riotous living of the prodigal son. And the apostle Paul warned against being drunk with wine because it is asōtia, “excess.” Implicit in the meaning of asōtia is the notion that it is also rebellion. Christian living and Christian service must begin at home. Thus the children of an elder must not be guilty of being ‘wild.’

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – The Messiah would be rejected by His own (Isa. 53:3)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 21:42; Mark 8:31; 12:10; Luke 9:22; 17:25.

Bible Facts

The earth was designed for biological life (Isa. 45:18). Scientists have discovered that the most fundamental characteristics of our earth and cosmos are so finely tuned that if just one of them were even slightly different, life as we know it couldn’t exist. This is called the Anthropic Principle and it agrees with the Bible which states that God formed the earth to be inhabited.

Bible Quiz

According to the Book of Matthew, when will Jesus separate the sheep from the goats?

**Answer to last week’s trivia: According to the Scriptures, what animals were present at the birth of Jesus? In the New Testament accounts of Christ’s birth there is no mention of any animals. (Matt. 2:1-12; Luke 2:1-8).

That’s in the Bible

"Darken counsel”

“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” (Job 38:1-2 NKJV).

“Darken counsel” - The expression “darken counsel” mean to cloud the issue or prevent dialogue. Beginning with a rebuke, God accused Job of darkening counsel, of beclouding His design for the universe. God didn’t question Job’s integrity or sincerity; He only questioned Job’s ability to explain the ways of God in the world. Job had spoken the truth about God (42:7), but his speeches had lacked humility.

Job thought he knew about God, but he didn’t realize how much he didn’t know about God. Knowledge of our own ignorance is the first step toward true wisdom. God began with the Creation of the earth (38:4-7) and compared Himself to a builder who surveys the site, marks off the dimensions, pours the footings, lays the cornerstone, and erects the structure. Creation was so wonderful that the stars sang in chorus and the angels shouted for joy (1:6; 2:1). Job wasn’t on the scene! How then how can he claim to know so much about the works of God?

Did You Know - Christian History

David Nasmith was born March 1799 in Glasgow, Scotland. He was the founder of the City Mission Movement in the UK, the US and in Europe.

David Nasmith was heartbroken; 19th Century Scotland was rich in Industry, but was in spiritual poverty. The churches of Glasgow sat right in the middle of poorest neighborhoods, but had very little impact. Thus at age fourteen, he began distributing Bibles to people too poor to buy their own. In 1824, he made another stab at the problem, founding a Young Men’s Society for Religious Improvement. This however, only led him to picture an even bigger assault on ignorance and sin.

In 1826 David Nasmith opened the Protestant world’s first city mission in Glasgow, Scotland. This was also the first parachurch agency in the world that aimed at taking the gospel to all of the citizens in its area of operation. Nasmith’s organization didn’t just preach at people. It not only handed out gospel literature and held services, but it also got medical care to the poor and provided public health services that governments did not yet offer. The mission workers opened schools, visited prisoners and stood in court with those who ran afoul of the law.

Nasmith’s idea appealed to Christians around the world. As a result, city missions sprang up in diverse places. Nasmith himself founded several in Britain, France, Ireland, and the USA. Thirteen years after he made his great innovation, David Nasmith died. It was Christmas day. He was just forty and as poor as a church mouse. Yet he left a rich legacy that now amounts to hundreds of city missions worldwide.

A Little Humor

On Sunday morning, the pastor got up and strode up to the pulpit with a bandage on his chin. Looking at the congregation he said, “I am sorry about the bandage, but I cut my chin shaving thinking about my sermon.” A voice from the congregation called out, “next time, why not think about your chin and cut the sermon?”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“How tragic that people pay a high price for being lost when salvation is free!”