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Chapters 36 & 37 Part 3 - Blasphemy and the Blast Blasphemy of Sennacherib Sennacherib A definition of blasphemy - A man is guilty of blasphemy, when he speaks of God, or his attributes, injuriously; when he ascribes such qualities to him as do not belong to him, or robs him of those which do. When he lies about God's character, actions or His Word.
Isa 36:7 But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar? Sennacherib - The God of Judah was the gods of the high places and images Hezekiah had destroyed
Isa 36:10 And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it. Sennacherib - boasted to claim Judah's God (God did send him but He was not the god Sennacherib worshipped.
Isa 36:20
Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered
their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem
out of my hand? your Lord can not stop me either
Isa 37:10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Sennacherib - You can not believe or trust in your God Sennacherib
The prayer of Hezekiah ( 37:15-20) answered each of the statements of Sennacherib. Hezekiah knew the The LORD was the God of all nations even if they didn't including Sennacherib. Sennacherib was God's Sennacherib and he could only go as far as God would let him.
Sennacherib had blasphemed the name of the one dwellest between the cherubims
Hezekiah's prayer - save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only. The Lord's answer - Isa 37:6-7 Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will send a blast upon him Isa 37: 35 For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake
Why could Hezekiah expect this blast - Hezekiah's wisdom lead him to know, believe, and learn from the words recorded before him. The psalms of "his father David" and the proverbs of Solomon. Psalm 18:15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils Exodus 15:9; Joshua 6:9; 2Samuel 22:1-19
The Blast - Isa 37:36 the angel of God smote 185,000 of Sennacherib's army that night while they slept. Sennacherib returned by the way he came and was killed by his sons just as The LORD said Isa 37:34
Ps 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Ps 74:10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? Le 22:32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you, Mal 2:2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Mal 1:2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? . . . .
Next lesson Hezehiah's folly Part one. Chapters 38 & 39 |