Tag Archives: Obstinate

Sodom and Gomorrah

12 – Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 19:1-38

In the early evening, two angels entered Sodom. They found Lot sitting at the city gate. As soon as
he saw them, he went and bowed before them. He said, “I’m your humble servant. Please come
to my house so I can make you comfortable. I’ll wash your feet and give you a place to spend the
night. Then I’ll wake you up early so you can be on your way.”
They said, “No, we’ll just spend the night here in the town square.”
“Oh, no, my lords! You must come with me right now. Please follow me.” 

He led them to his house and his family prepared a meal for them. As they were preparing for bed, a mob gathered outside. It was all the men of the city, both young and old. They surrounded the house and yelled, “Lot, give us those men who are in your house. Send them out so we can have sex with them.” 

Lot stepped outside and closed the door behind him. He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t do this wickedness. These men are guests in my house. Instead of these men, take my two daughters. They’re virgins. Do what you want with them, but don’t touch these men.” 

The mob got angry. “Get out of the way! Who do you think you are – our judge? You’re not even one of us.” 

With that, they pushed him aside and started to break down the door. The angels opened the door, grabbed Lot, pulled him inside, and slammed the door. They then caused all the men outside to go blind. The crowd dispersed as they tried to find their way. 

The angels turned to Lot. “We’re here to destroy this city! The voices of its victims are yelling into the ears of God. Quick, go get any relatives you have who are living in the city — sons, daughters, and sons-in-law — anyone who belongs to you. Get them and leave this city. 

Lot rushed to the home of his future sons-in- law. “Wake up! Come with me! We have to get out of the city! The Lord is about to destroy it.” But they ignored him because they thought he was joking. 

Lot had still not left the city in the morning as the sun was coming up. The angels yelled, “Hurry! You and your family get out of here! You’re about to be killed in the judgment.” 

Still, they took their time getting ready to leave. With that, the Lord showed compassion on them. The angels physically grabbed Lot, his wife and daughters and rushed them out of the city. Once there, the angels said, “Run for your lives! Don’t look back! Don’t stop until you’re in the mountains.” 

Lot said, “Oh Lord, you’ve been merciful to me. But I can’t make it to the mountain. Please, there’s a small town near by. Let me go there.” 

The angel said, “Go there and I’ll hold the judgment away from that town. But hurry! I can’t do anything until you’re safe.” The Lord was showing mercy to Lot because of Abraham. Unfortunately, Lot’s wife looked back toward the city as they were running away, so she became a pillar of salt. 

The sun was fully up when Lot reached the little town. As soon as he was inside, the Lord brought down fire from heaven and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and all the other cities in the valley, except for that one little town. 

Abraham went out to the spot where God had talked with him. He looked in the direction of Sodom but all he saw was smoke rising into the sky.

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New Jerusalem

260 – New Jerusalem

Revelation 22:1-21

Continued from the previous story 

As I was looking at the New Jerusalem, the angel showed me the River of Living Water. It was crystal clear and owed out from the throne of God and the Lamb. It owed down the middle of the main street.
 
The Tree of Life was on both sides of the street. It had twelve kinds of fruit and produced a crop each month. All the nations went to the tree and found precious healing in its leaves. It was then I realized that never again would anything be cursed. 

Servants of God went to his throne and worshiped him. They were allowed to look up and see his face. His name was on their foreheads. 

There was no night in the city. So people didn’t need sunlight or lamps. The Lord God provided light for them. They ruled forever as if they were kings. 

I was looking at all of this when the angel turned to me. He said, “What you’re seeing will happen. The Lord gave me this message for you. He said, ‘People are to get ready! Because when this happens, it will happen fast. They’ll be blessed if they focus on what you have written.’ ” 

At that point, I fell down and worshiped the angel. He was shocked. “Don’t do that! I’m just a servant like you. You’re to worship God.” 

He then said, “Listen carefully. What you’ve written is extremely important. Make sure people read it. Don’t worry about their response. Leave that to God.” 

Suddenly, I heard Jesus talking to me. He said, “I’m coming, and when I do, it will be fast! I’ll give rewards for what each person has done. I am the A and the Z, the first and the last, the beginning of everything—and the end of it all. 

“I’ll bless those who are prepared for my coming. I’ll invite them to the Tree of Life. They can walk right through the gates of the city and come in. 

“The wicked aren’t welcome. They’ll have to stay outside. 

“I sent this angel to you. I told him to show you these things. Remember, I’m the Root and the Branch of David. I am the Bright and Morning Star.” 

Suddenly I heard, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ ” Then it was echoed back. “Come!” 

Again, I heard, “If you’re thirsty, come! Come and drink Living Water.” 

Oh, my dear friends. Be careful what you do with this book. God will judge you accordingly. Don’t make up what’s not here. Don’t pick and choose what you want to believe. It’s all true! 

As I wrote this, I suddenly heard Jesus saying, “Something else is true. I’m coming back—and soon.” 

I said, “Yes, Lord. Come!”

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Singing in Jail

239 – Singing in Jail

Acts 16:1-40

Paul said to Barnabas, “It’s time we visit Galatia and see how the churches are doing.” Barnabas agreed, but wanted to take John Mark along. Paul refused, pointing out that Mark deserted them on the last trip. They couldn’t agree upon this, so they decided to go different directions. Paul chose Silas to go with him. 

While they were visiting Galatia, they found a young man named Timothy. He was highly respected by all of the believers, so Paul encouraged him to join their ministry. 

One night, Paul dreamed he saw a man saying. “Come. Cross over the sea and help us.” Paul awoke and knew this was from God. 

Once they sailed across the sea, they went to a city called Philippi. They spoke to a group of women who had gone to the river for prayer. One of them was Lydia, a woman who sold expensive purple cloth. She listened to Paul preach, and then she and her family put their trust in Christ. After they were baptized, they convinced Paul to use their house as the home base for his ministry. 

In that same city, there was a demon- possessed slave girl who made money for her owners by predicting the future. She started following Paul and Silas through the streets of Philippi. Suddenly she yelled out, “These men are here to tell us about salvation.” 

She did this for several days. Finally Paul turned and said to the spirit within her, “Leave that girl! By the name of Jesus Christ, come out of her.” Immediately the spirit left her. 

Her owners were furious! They knew the slave girl was no longer profitable to them. So they gathered a mob that took Paul and Silas to the city officials. They said, “These Jews came to Philippi and started teaching the citizens of Rome about their God. It’s not right!” 

The city officials agreed and had the two men beaten publicly. They were then taken to jail, where the jailer put them in chains. 

Around midnight, Paul and Silas started praying, singing, and giving praise to God. Suddenly an earthquake shook the foundations of the jail. The doors flew open and the chains fell off the prisoners. 

The jailer woke up and saw that the doors were open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he pulled out his sword to kill himself. Paul shouted, “Wait! Don’t do that! We’re all here.” 

The jailer grabbed a torch and rushed into the cell. He fell down and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 

“Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you’ll be saved—you and your family.” The jailer took them to his home and Paul explained the message of Christ. The entire family believed and was baptized. The jailer then washed the wounds of the men and served them a meal. 

The next morning the city officials sent guards to the jailer. They said, “You may release those men and let them go their way.” 

Paul sent a message back to the city officials. “We’re not leaving! We’re Roman citizens, and you had us beaten publicly and thrown into jail without a trial. Now you want us to leave quietly. We’re not going. If you want us to leave, you’ll have to come and personally release us.” 

The city officials were shocked when they heard that these men were Roman citizens. They rushed to the jail and quickly apologized. They personally brought them out of the jail and asked them to please leave the city. 

Paul and Silas didn’t leave right away. They went back to the home of Lydia and encouraged the believers in Christ. Then they left.

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First Missionary Journey

235 – First Missionary Journey

Acts 13:1-52

The Holy Spirit said to the church at Antioch, “I’ve called Barnabas and Saul to a special work.” So the leadership sent them out to serve the Lord.

They took John Mark with them, and sailed to the island of Cyprus. There they preached at Jewish synagogues as they moved across the island. Saul was also called Paul.

The governor of the island was known for his sound wisdom, and his willingness to learn. He called for Barnabas and Paul to come and tell him God’s message. As they talked, a man who practiced witchcraft kept interrupting. He was trying to keep the governor from putting his faith in Christ. 

Paul turned to the sorcerer and said, “You’re an enemy of God. Stop talking against the Lord. Look! The Lord is about to make you blind.”

Instantly the man became blind. Others had to lead him out of the room. The governor was shocked, and he listened even more carefully to Paul. Soon he put his faith in Christ.

After this, Paul and the others sailed to the mainland, where John Mark returned home
to Jerusalem. The rest of them went to the synagogue because it was the Sabbath. The leader said to them, “Friends, speak to us if you have an encouraging message.”

Paul stood and talked to them. He started by reminding them of the stories of Israel. He then

said, “God promised to bring a Savior from the line of King David. Jesus fulfilled that promise. The rulers in Jerusalem knew these things. Still they killed Jesus by putting him on the cross. Then they buried him in a tomb, but God raised him from the dead!”

“We’re here to tell you that Jesus is the Son of God, and he brings forgiveness of sins to those who believe in him. Be careful that you don’t miss what God is doing for you.”

Some of the Jews listened to Paul and received the grace of God. Others wanted him to come back the following Sabbath so they could talk about it some more.

The Jews returned the next week and found that almost the entire city was there to hear the message of God. They became jealous and spoke out against Paul and Barnabas.

Paul said, “It was right for us to bring God’s message to you first. But you didn’t accept it. You’re not worthy of eternal life. Now we’ll turn to the Gentiles because they’ll listen.”

The Gentiles were glad when they heard this, and many received the message. The Word of God spread throughout the region, which made the Jews furious. They finally convinced the town leaders to persecute Paul and Barnabas.

Eventually, the men had to leave that area. Still, the disciples in the city were filled with the Holy Spirit, and joy was in their hearts.

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Crucifixion and Burial

219 – Crucifixion and Burial

Matthew 27:27-60, Luke 23:26-43, John 19:16-42

Jesus was condemned to die by crucifixion. Pilate turned him over to Roman soldiers, who put a crown of thorns on his head. They laughed at him and said, “Look, the King of the Jews.” They beat him and spit on him.

They then led him away to be crucified. Along the way, they grabbed a man and made him carry the cross. A large crowd followed, mourning and crying.

They took Jesus and two criminals outside the city walls to a place called “The Skull”. All three were nailed to crosses, with Jesus in the middle. 

Pilate put a sign on his cross, which read, THE KING OF THE JEWS. The chief priest said, “Don’t write The King of the Jews!” But Pilate said, “I’ve written what I’ve written.”

After the crosses were put into place, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them! They don’t know what they’re doing.” It was nine o’clock in the morning.

Some of the people shouted, “If you’re the Son of God, come down from that cross.”

Religious leaders laughed, “Oh, he can save others, but He can’t save Himself! He said he was the Son of God. Why isn’t God helping Him?”

One of the criminals hanging next to Jesus yelled, “If you’re the Messiah, save yourself and us.”

The other criminal yelled back, “Don’t you fear God? We deserve to be crucified, but this man is innocent!” Then he said, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus said, “Today, you’ll be with me in Paradise.”

The soldiers took and divided the clothes of Jesus among themselves. His robe was seamless, so they threw dice to see who would get it.

Jesus saw his mother standing near the cross, and John nearby. He said, “Mother, look to John as your son. John, take care of my mother.”

Around noon, darkness covered the entire area and lasted for three hours.

At three o’clock in the afternoon, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Soon afterward, he knew everything was accomplished. He said, “I’m thirsty.” The soldiers had a jar of sour wine sitting nearby. One of the men picked it up, along with a sponge. He filled the sponge with the sour wine and put it on a hyssop stalk. No one stopped him as he lifted it up to Jesus’ mouth.

After tasting the wine, he pushed himself up, took a deep breath and yelled, “It’s finished.” He then dropped back down and bowed his head…and died.

At that moment, there was an earthquake. Huge boulders split in two. The veil in the temple ripped from top to bottom. The soldiers standing near the cross were afraid when they saw all of this. They looked up at Jesus and said, “It’s true! This was the Son of God!”

Later in the afternoon, other soldiers came to break the legs of those on the crosses. They did this to speed up their death. First they broke the legs of the two criminals. When they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead. To make sure, a soldier thrust a spear into his side.

A rich man named Joseph went to Pilate and got permission to bury the body of Jesus. The religious leaders also met with Pilate and said, “This deceiver told his disciples that after his death he would rise from the dead on the third day. We’re afraid that they may come and steal the body and then tell everyone that he rose from the dead.” Pilate agreed to put a Roman seal on the stone, and he assigned guards to watch the grave.

Joseph and his friend Nicodemus helped take the body down from the cross. They wrapped it in strips of linen cloth, with a mixture of spices. Joseph then laid it in his own tomb and rolled a large stone across the entrance. A Roman seal was put on the stone. Then soldiers stood in front of the grave to guard the body of Jesus.

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Trial Before Romans

218 – Trial before Romans

Matthew 27:12-26, Mark 15:2-5, Luke 23:2-25, John 18:28-32, 19:12-15

Jesus was taken to Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate asked the religious leaders, “What’s this man guilty of?”

They said, “He says he’s a king. He should die because he’s a rebel against Caesar. We would execute him, but we’re not allowed to do that. Therefore we’ve brought him to you.”

Pilate turned to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 

“Yes, I am.”

Pilate then found out that Jesus was from Galilee, which was under Herod’s rule. Herod happened to be in Jerusalem so Pilate sent Jesus to him.

Herod was glad because he wanted to see some miracles. But Jesus wouldn’t even talk to him. Finally Herod and his guards mocked Jesus by putting kingly robes on him and sending him back to Pilate.

The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of many crimes, but he stood there and didn’t defend himself. Pilate said, “Don’t you hear what they’re saying? What’s your defense?” Still, Jesus said nothing.

Pilate finally concluded there was no proof that Jesus was guilty of any crime worthy of death. He then thought of a way he could set the man free. Every Passover, he released a prisoner to the people. He thought he could simply beat Jesus, and then release him.

Pilate was about to present this to the people, when his wife sent him a message. “I’ve had nightmares about the man you have on trial. Don’t do anything to him. He’s innocent.”

Pilate stood before the people. “Which one shall I release to you—Jesus called Messiah, or Barabbas, a thief and a murderer?”

The religious leaders knew that Pilate might do this, so they had prepared the people. “Barabbas! Give us Barabbas!”

Pilate was shocked. “What should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?”

“Crucify him!”

Pilate turned away because he didn’t want to kill an innocent man. Finally the Jewish leaders threatened him, “If you release this man, we’ll tell Caesar you helped a man who was in rebellion against the empire.”

Pilate went back to reason with the people, “Do you want me to crucify your King?”

They shouted louder and louder. “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! We have no King but Caesar!”

Pilate realized the people were on the verge of a riot. He finally gave in to their wishes, and called for a basin of water. He washed his hands in front of them and said, “You’re witnesses that I’m innocent. This man’s blood isn’t on my hands.”

They shouted, “Let his blood be upon us and our children!”

With that, Pilate had Jesus whipped and then handed him over to the guards to be crucified.

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Last Week of Ministry

214 – Last Week of Ministry

Mark 11:12-25 12:1-12

During the last week before Passover, Jesus spent each day in Jerusalem while staying overnight in a town nearby. As he and his disciples walked toward the city on the second morning, Jesus saw a fig tree in the distance. He walked up to it but there was no fruit on the tree, just leaves. So he said to the tree, “You’ll never produce fruit again.”

When they arrived at the temple, Jesus saw people selling animals for sacrifice and exchanging foreign money. He threw them out, and turned over their tables. 

He then sat down and said to the people, “The Scriptures say, ‘My house is to be known as a house of prayer.’ You’ve made it a den of thieves.” This made the religious leaders angry. They talked of killing him because he was becoming so popular.

The next morning, the disciples noticed the fig tree. “Teacher, look! The tree is all shriveled up!”

Jesus said, “Have faith in God, and you’ll do more than this. You can say to a mountain, ‘Throw yourself into the sea,’ and it’ll happen. But you must believe it will, without doubt in your heart. Also, you can’t hold a grudge against someone else.”

Jesus continued to teach the people in the temple. One day he said, “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it. He then went on a long trip, but before he left, he hired some men to care for his vineyard.

“When it was time for harvest, he sent a servant to collect his fruit. The men beat the servant and sent him away empty. The owner sent other servants, but they were all treated the same way. They even killed a few.

“Finally the owner said, ‘I need to send someone with authority so they’ll listen to him. Therefore, I’ll send my only son.’

“When the men saw the son, they said, ‘If we kill him, we’ll inherit everything!’ So they grabbed him, killed him, and threw him outside the vineyard.”

Jesus said, “What do you think the owner will do to these men?”

The people were quick to answer. “He’ll kill those men! He’ll then give the vineyard to people he can trust.”

The religious leaders knew this story was about them. They agreed that Jesus had to be arrested soon, but they didn’t know when and where. It had to be done carefully because they were afraid of the crowd.

Later, Jesus looked across the temple complex at the treasury. He watched the crowd dropping money into the treasury, especially the rich people who were putting in large amounts. Suddenly a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth less than a cent.

Jesus called his disciples around him and said, “Listen to me. That poor widow has put more in to the temple treasury than all those other people. They gave a little out of all they have. But she is extremely poor. What she gave was all she has. She gave the only money she has to live on.”

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Raising Lazarus

211 – Raising Lazarus

John 11:1-53 12:9-11

Lazarus, and his sisters Mary and Martha, lived about two miles from Jerusalem in a town called Bethany. Lazarus became extremely sick, so his sisters sent for Jesus. He was a friend of their family. They said, “Lord, your friend is sick.”

Jesus waited two days after getting this message. He then said to his disciples, “We’re going to Judea.” 

They said, “Lord, it’s not safe to go there. The Jews are looking for you so they can kill you.”

He said, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, and I need to go wake him up.”

“Lord, it’s good that he’s asleep. It’ll help him get better.”

Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead! And it was for you that I didn’t go sooner. What I’m about to do will help you believe in me. Now, let’s go to Bethany.”

Thomas said, “Well, we might as well go and die with him.”

When they were almost there, they learned that Lazarus had been dead for four days. Martha heard that he was coming, so she went to meet him. “Lord, you could’ve healed my brother. He’d be alive today if you would’ve been here. I know all things are possible with you.”

Jesus said, “Martha, your brother will rise again.”

“I know, Lord. He’ll be a part of the resurrection in the last day.”

Jesus said, “I’m the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even if they die. They will always be alive—forever. Martha, do you believe this?”

“Yes Lord. I believe you’re the Messiah, the Son of God.”

She then went back to their house and whispered to her sister. “Mary, the Teacher is here and is asking for you.”

Mary got up and ran to Jesus, and others followed her. When she got to him, she fell at his feet. “Lord, my brother would still be alive if you had come sooner.” She then started to cry.

Jesus was greatly moved when he saw Mary and the others crying. He said, “Where did you put him?” She got up to take him there. With that, Jesus started crying.

They took him to the place where they had laid the body, which was a cave with a stone across the entrance. When Jesus saw it, he said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha stepped forward. “Lord, he’s been dead for four days. By now, the smell will be great.”

He turned to her, “Remember what I said? If you believe, you’ll see the glory of God.”

So, she stepped back, and the men removed the stone. Jesus looked up and prayed, “Father, I thank you that you always hear me. Take this miracle and use it to help people believe that you sent me.”

He then looked at the entrance to the tomb and shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”

All eyes turned to the tomb. Suddenly the dead man came out, still bound with linen cloth from head to foot. Jesus said, “Unwrap him, and let him go.”

Many of the Jews believed on Jesus that day. But when the religious rulers heard about it, they called a council. It was decided that Jesus must die before everyone believed in him.

They also made plans to kill Lazarus, because his resurrection was causing so many people to turn to Jesus.

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Two Baskets of Figs

161 – Two Baskets of Figs

Jeremiah 24:1- 10 2 Chronicles 36:1-23 2 Kings 24:8-17

Stories 159 – 164 happened during the life and ministry of Jeremiah, the prophet.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, invaded Judah. King Jehoiakim dropped his allegiance to Egypt and swore his loyalty to Babylon. Several years later, Babylon and Egypt got into a fierce battle. Jehoiakim switched his loyalty back to Egypt. Jeremiah warned him not to do this, but he didn’t listen. 

Once again, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah, but this time captured Jerusalem. Jehoiakim was put in chains and taken to Babylon, where he died. His son Jehoiachin became king.

Nebuchadnezzar took things from the Temple to put into the temples of his gods. He also took the best young men back to Babylon to serve as advisors. Among them was Daniel.

Jehoiachin was king for only three months when he also rebelled against Babylon. Jeremiah warned him that if he did this, he’d be taken away just like his father. The young king didn’t listen.

Nebuchadnezzar’s army came back, and this time they took all the treasures and gold from the Temple. They stripped the city of everything of value, including the craftsmen, military men, and scholars. 10,000 people were marched off to Babylon. Among them was Ezekiel.

Only the poor were left to oversee the land. Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylon and put him in prison. His uncle, Zedekiah, was made king of Judah.

After they were gone, God gave Jeremiah a vision. The Lord said, “What do you see?”

The prophet said, “I see two baskets filled with figs. One is full of the most delicious fruit I’ve ever seen. The other has rotten figs that smell awful.”

The Lord said, “The people in captivity are like the good figs. I’ll watch over them and care for them. Their children will come back to this land, and they’ll have a desire in their hearts to know me. I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people.”

“But these people here in Judah are like the rotten figs. They’re corrupt and rotten, and I’ll treat them that way. I’ll send heartache, plague, and famine. When I’m done, I’ll throw Zedekiah and his people into the garbage.”

The Lord had Jeremiah send a letter to those in exile. He said, “Build houses in Babylon and plant gardens. Get married, have children, and help your children get married. Get involved with your community and help your city to prosper. Don’t believe anyone who tells you that you won’t be there long. It’s not true. You’ll be in exile for 70 years, so make yourselves at home.

“I’ll care for you. You can call on me whenever you want—and I’ll listen. When the time of your exile is over, I’ll bring you back here and restore to you all you left behind.

“The people here are like rotten figs. After I send them heartache, plagues, and famine, I’ll throw them into the garbage.”

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King of Assyria

154 – King of Assyria

II Chronicles 32:1-23 II Kings 18:13 – 19:37

The Assyrian army invaded Judah when Hezekiah was king. They had already conquered Israel a few years before.

When they arrived at Jerusalem, the commander of the Assyrian army called for a meeting with Jewish officials outside the walls of the city. He said, “Sennacherib, the great king of Assyria, sends this message to Hezekiah: Why do you resist my great army? Do you think other nations will come and help you? Listen. They won’t come! They’re afraid of us. 

“Oh, are you trusting in the Lord your God? Why? It was your God who sent us here to destroy you!”

While the commander was talking, the people of Jerusalem were on the city walls—listening to everything he was saying. He spoke in Hebrew and was loud enough so they could hear. The Jewish officials said, “Please, speak in your language. We understand it.”

The commander laughed and yelled louder, “No! This message is not only for your king. It’s also for the common men. They’re the ones who’ll suffer when we crush you.”

He pointed to the men on the wall. “Listen to me! Don’t trust your king. Don’t trust your God! Trust Sennacherib, the great king of Assyria! He’ll take good care of you. We’ve conquered many nations and their gods weren’t able to protect them. Your God can’t stop the great king of Assyria!”

When King Hezekiah heard this report, he ripped his clothes and went into the Temple to pray. He sent messengers to the prophet Isaiah asking him to pray for God’s people.

Isaiah sent word to Hezekiah. “I have a message from the Lord. He says, ‘I’ve heard this man. Don’t be afraid of him. I’ll whisper into his ear and he’ll rush back to his country. Once he gets there, someone will kill him.’” Suddenly, the commander heard of trouble back in Assyria. He knew his king needed him. The entire army left.

Some time later, Sennacherib moved his army toward Jerusalem once again. Along the way, he sent a message to Hezekiah. “Did your God tell you that you’re safe from me? Don’t believe him! I’ve conquered the gods of many other nations, and burned them with fire. They couldn’t protect their nations. What makes you think your God will protect you?”

Hezekiah took the letter to the Temple. He spread it out before God and prayed. Isaiah sent a message to Hezekiah, but it wasn’t addressed to him. It was God’s answer to Sennacherib.

It said, “Who do you think you are? I’ve told Jerusalem to spit on you. Who do you think you’re mocking? I’m the one who put you in power so you could judge other nations. Now are you so arrogant that you yell at me? Here’s what I’m going to do to you. I’m going to put a hook in your nose, and a bit in your mouth. Then I’ll take you back to the barn from which you came!

“Hezekiah, don’t worry about Sennacherib. Not one arrow will hit the walls of Jerusalem. Before his army gets here, they’ll turn around and go back to their country. I’m your defense! I’ll fight this battle and save the city.”

That evening the army of Assyria set up camp. The sun went down and men sat around the campfires until it was time to sleep. When the sun arose the next morning, 185,000 soldiers were dead where they had slept. The king of Assyria had an army of dead men!

He quickly returned home to Nineveh and knelt down before his idol. Two of his sons came in and killed him. Sennacherib, the great king of Assyria, was dead, and Jerusalem was at peace.

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Story Telling by Phyllis Hostmeyer
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