The Moment of Temptation

The Moment of Temptation

2 Kings 18:1~16

□ Praise and Sharing

 [New Hymn] Chapter 342 You are tested

 

How did you spend last week?

 

The theme of October is ‘Journey toward Reform’ (Week 1 ‘Moment of Test’, Week 2 ‘Discovery of the Word’, Week 3 ‘Lament of Tears’, Week 4 ‘Intercessory Prayer for the Community’). Even if you resolutely abstain from sin and resolutely decide to live a life of faith, it is difficult to maintain your faith if you are overwhelmed by a huge threat. Early in his reign, King Hezekiah carried out reforms such as abolishing idols according to God's word, but he faced a great threat that put Hezekiah's faith to the test. Assyria, which had conquered northern Israel, now attempted to invade southern Judah, ruled by Hezekiah.

 

□ The Word and Sharing

1. Like David, Hezekiah walks the path that is right in the sight of the Lord (verses 1-8).

1) What are the reforms that Hezekiah implemented? (verse 4)

4 He removed the high places, broke down the pillars, cut down the Asherah pole, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, to which the Israelites were still offering incense. He called it Nehushtan.

 

2) Why was Hezekiah able to prosper? (verses 6-7)

6 So he joined himself to the Lord and did not turn away from Him; he kept the commandment that the Lord had commanded Moses.

7 The LORD was with him, and he prospered wherever he went. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.

He stuck to the LORD and did not turn away; he kept the commandments the LORD had commanded Moses. The LORD was with him, and he prospered wherever he went.

 

<Sharing 1> You must get rid of idols in order to walk with God. Only those who walk with God can walk the path of prosperity. Let's share with each other what obstacles are hindering our walk with the Lord and what idols we need to cut out of our lives.

 

Things we love and rely on more than God, alcohol, games, dramas, money, etc.

 

2. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, captures the cities of Judah (verses 9-16).

1) What did Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, do to the northern kingdom of Israel? (verses 9-11)

9 In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to Samaria and besieged it.

10 After three years the city was taken; in the sixth year of King Hezekiah, and in the ninth year of Hosea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

11 And the king of Assyria took Israel captive, and brought them into Assyria, and put them in Halah, and Habor, and in the cities of the Medes, which are by the river Gozan.

 

Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, came up to Samaria, surrounded it, captured it, and took the Israelites captive.

 

2) What was the reason for the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel? (verse 12)

12 Because they would not listen to the voice of the LORD their God, nor follow his covenant, nor follow all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.

 

3) What solution did Hezekiah choose in the face of Sennacherib’s attack? (verses 13-16)

13 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.

14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to Lachish and said to the king of Assyria, “I have sinned. Go back from me, and I will bear what you have imposed on me.” So the king of Assyria appointed three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold to Hezekiah king of Judah. He did it to me

15 Then Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was in the treasury of the LORD's temple and the king's palace.

16 At that time Hezekiah king of Judah took off the gold from the door of the house of the LORD and the gold that he had overlaid on all the pillars, and gave it all to the king of Assyria.

 

Hezekiah gave all the silver and gold that was in the Lord's temple and in the treasury of the king's palace to the king of Assyria.

 

<Sharing 2> The fundamental reason why the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell was not because their national power was weak, but because they had no faith in God. Let's look at our church and society today and talk about the evils that need to be eradicated and the values ​​that need to be restored through faith.

 

The Korean church must repent of its failure to unite by focusing on external growth rather than spiritual growth, losing its holiness, and falling into individual church-centrism. Therefore, we must achieve true unity in the Lord and form a holy community.

And we must repent for destroying God's creation with human-centered values ​​and failing to care for the marginalized and the weak. Therefore, we must restore God's beautiful creation and create a beautiful world where the weak and the strong coexist.

And we must repent that we have failed to become mediators of peace in a situation where division and conflict are deepening due to regional and generational conflicts and the conflicts between South and North Korea. Therefore, we must create a world where peace and unification are achieved among regions, generations, and South and North Korea.

And we must repent of our sins, such as alcohol and game addiction, murder, suicide, divorce, bullying, and violence. So, we must live a life that bears the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, loyalty, gentleness, and self-control.

 

<Sharing 3> Hezekiah had already experienced a prosperous life when he obeyed the Word, so he should have relied on God even more in times of crisis. However, to prevent Assyrian invasion, he relied more on silver and gold than on God. What do I rely on in times of crisis?

 

Many people rely on money and people in times of crisis, but we must rely on Almighty God rather than money and people.

 

□ Let's Pray Togeher

God, help us to prosper in the Lord every day as we obey Your Word and walk with You!

We repent that the Korean church has lost its holiness by focusing on external growth rather than spiritual growth, and has fallen into individual church-centrism and failed to unite. Let us achieve true unity in the Lord and form a holy community!

And we repent for destroying God's creation with human-centered values ​​and failing to take care of the marginalized and the weak. Let us restore God's beautiful creation and create a beautiful world where the weak and the strong coexist!

And we repent for not being able to become a mediator of peace in a situation where division and conflict are deepening due to regional and generational conflicts and the conflicts between South and North Korea. Let us create a world where regions, generations, and South and North Korea achieve peace and unification!

And we repent of our sins, such as alcohol and game addiction, murder, suicide, divorce, bullying, and violence. Let us live a life that bears the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, loyalty, gentleness, and self-control!

And in moments of crisis, let us rely only on Almighty God, not on money or people!

 

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