Author: Dave Dishman (Page 323 of 459)

The Assyrian army outside Jerusalem felt like a tidal wave cresting against the walls. No other city had survived their attacks. No previous gods rescued their people from these conquering warriors. Nothing and nobody slowed the steady march of Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, through the nation of Judah. What possibly could be done to stop them? Would the meager defensive preparations hold? For how long?

All these thoughts and more rolled through the mind of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, as he stood on the wall and gazed at this vast collection of men and war machinery before him. All of them there to end his life and to destroy Jerusalem.

In this dark hour, with the barbarians at the gate, Hezekiah gave a speech. He assembled the people and told them, Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the King of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.

That’s it. Short and to the point.

How did the besieged people respond? And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the King of Judah said. Hezekiah’s words, his trust in the Lord, his vision of who fights for the nation instilled confidence in these besieged citizens. His speech helped them to stand firm in the face of an overwhelming force.

A leader motivates. A leader may not be a gifted speaker or a talented writer, but a leader figures out how to motivate his followers to a desired end.

In this case of Hezekiah, his well-spoken words come at just the right time. As we watch the story unfold, the Lord responded to Hezekiah’s faith and the blasphemy of Sennacherib by sending an angel who wiped out every fighting man of Assyria.

The beaten king withdrew in shame and returned home where his sons assassinated him in the temple of his god. The Lord proves a point like no other. No arm of flesh stands a chance against the Lord. Mock the living God? Never a good idea. Wiser to pray and trust the Lord like Hezekiah.

Also, like Hezekiah, better to transfer that trust to others. The people gained confidence from what Hezekiah said. Have you ever been the recipient of a well-spoken word? Perhaps a compliment when you needed it most, or a note of courage when afraid? How about a good yelling from a coach, or a challenge to excel from a teacher? A leader motivates. An influential leader motivates in such a way that the people gain confidence. Confidence breeds action. Confidence is contagious. Confidence paired with the Lord wins battles.

Learn to instill confidence in others as you lead. Better yet, learn to instill confidence in the Lord among those you lead and you might just change the world.

2 Chronicles 32 in week thirty-six of reading the Bible cover to cover.

This post is from Seers Sayers Schemers & Saints; Lessons on Leadership from Overlooked Men and Women of the Bible

Photo by K. Mitch Hodge

After years of neglect and indifference, Hezekiah opened the doors of the temple in Jerusalem. A fresh king, Hezekiah intended to right the wrongs of his father. He began the restoration process in the very first month of his reign.

After months of preparations, the nation celebrated Passover in grand style—Since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.

But in their rush to worship, not all the people purified themselves according to instruction. Hezekiah prayed for them: May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God…even if they are not clean according to the rules. And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

I love both the prayer and the Lord’s response. Hezekiah intended to lead his people back to the Lord, and they followed wholeheartedly. Not wanting anyone punished for their enthusiasm, Hezekiah went to his knees. The Lord answered, once again underlining the principle that faith proves more valuable that religious ritual.

We read it over and over both in the Old Testament and New. Samuel corrected Saul with the words—to obey is better than sacrifice, while Jesus healed on the Sabbath. Ritual helps point us to the divine, but it’s the attitude of our heart that the Lord recognizes.

We may not always present everything right and proper, but if the heart seeks the Lord, then the Lord takes note.

That’s encouraging.

2 Chronicles 30 in week thirty-six of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Edwin Andrade

I’m not much into tattoos.

The gym where I work out features loads of folks with tattoos. Both men and women proudly display their artwork as they tone their bodies. I’m in the minority, one of the older guys with bare arms and legs. Now, I’ll admit that an inked-up bicep curling a heavy dumbbell looks impressive, and I feel hip around this group. But I can’t see myself visiting a tattoo artist.

I thought of these nice folks at my gym when reading Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian church this morning. When discussing the issue of circumcision, which caused great controversy in the earliest churches where Jewish-background believers meshed with Gentile-background believers, Paul focused on the primary issue:

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.

The way I look on the outside matters little if I refuse to keep the Lord’s commands. We all know this, right? However, it’s easy to slide into greater concern for appearance than obedience. I think for religious people—people truly concerned about living a life of faith—this presents a constant challenge.

A tattoo doesn’t add a bit of muscle mass, or quickness, or agility. Those who work out regularly obey a set of commands that guide their pursuit of fitness and strength. They know that tattoos don’t keep them in shape, rather hard work and discipline builds their bodies. It’s easy in the gym to tell who’s really strong, and the tattoo doesn’t matter. It’s a decoration.

Paul cuts to the core. The hard work and discipline of keeping God’s commands builds our faith. Focus here, and let the peripheral issues sort themselves out.

So, no tattoo for me, but I appreciate the reminder from my friends at the gym that sticking to the program—the commands—is what counts.

I Corinthians 7 in week thirty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Alora Griffiths

How far gone do you have to be in order to willing hand over your baby to be killed?

Human sacrifice occurred around the world over the centuries. Reading how the Aztecs incorporated human sacrifice into their religious culture boggles my mind (and roils my stomach). But the Aztecs sacrificed their enemies, which is one reason the Spanish found willing allies among other native peoples in their conquests through Mexico.

The people of Israel, on the other hand, sacrificed their own children to a pagan god in the form of ritual burning. Let that settle a minute. They handed over their babies to be burned to death—so their lives might prosper.

Un-freaking-believable.

How do people get so far gone? Years of ignoring the law of Moses, killing the prophets, and pursuing expediency created heart conditions that fostered the sacrifice of children. Also, remember the spiritual realities just beyond our sight. If we truly battle against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, then should we be surprised if aligning with the powers of this dark world (Ephesians 6:12) leads to such a heinous place?

Of course, the Lord long before condemned this behavior: When you enter the land your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire (Deuteronomy 18:9&10).

I can’t shake a thought popping into my head—it’s not impossible for us to go there. Societies slide into unexpected places. No one thought at the beginning the 20th century that Germany, a nation filled with churches and synagogues, would oversee the slaughter of millions of Jews thirty-five years later.

It’s not impossible—but it doesn’t have to happen.

We know the better way. The Lord provides for our lives, and the Son provides for our eternity. People around us need you and I to lovingly, yet unapologetically, make this known.

2 Kings 17 in week thirty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Charles Deluvio