With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. Sermons
I. THE FOLLY OF RESTING ON THE USE OF FORMULAE. There are some sacred forms or phrases, theological or scriptural, which have been much urged upon men, as if they had some very special potency in them; as if we could be perfectly at rest, in regard to human souls, if they did but pronounce those particular phrases with their lips. Such superstition as this is pitiable and perilous. It is utterly without warrant, and it is likely to withdraw the soul from that true trust in which life is to be found. To believe in Jesus Christ can never be resolved into the use of any form of words, how~ ever excellent or scriptural such form may be. II. THE CONFIDENCE WHICH IS FATAL, viz. to rest upon the words of those who are unworthy of our trust. How many of the children of men have lost everything that is most precious because they have made this fatal mistake! Of those whose words should never be built upon are: 1. The ignorant, whose range of knowledge is very small, and who have not had the opportunity of learning the ascertainable truth and wisdom of God. 2. The prejudiced and obdurate, who will not learn, and therefore do not know and cannot counsel. 3. The superficial, who are contented with a knowledge which does not reach "the deep heart of truth." 4. The false, who only say what they think is palatable and profitable. 5. The fickle, who have one doctrine to-day, but may have a different one to-morrow. III. THE TRUST WHICH IS SOUND AND WISE. There are words on which we may build. When God speaks to us we know that we may rest on his Word absolutely; we know that we should heed his warnings, and that we may build on his promises. "Heaven and earth shall pass away," etc. But how shall we know when Christ is speaking to us? Many speak in his name who do not speak on his authority. 1. We should pay regard to the words of those who profess to speak for him, and whose character for purity and unselfishness sustains their claim (Matthew 7:15-20). 2. We should heed the words of those of his disciples who urge that which meets our spiritual necessities and accords with the deepest convictions of our nature. 3. We should consult the Master's own recorded words, always remembering that they are to be interpreted in the spirit, and not in the letter. If we do this we shall not only be "resting on words," we shall be building on the rock, for we shall be abiding in the truth; we shall be grounded on the very wisdom of God itself, or (we may say) on the Wisdom of God himself (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30). - C.
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God. Monday Club Sermons. The story of Hezekiah and his preservation is one of the most vivid and thrilling. Rightly interpreted, it echoes the words of our text to all time. The king of Assyria is a representative character. The powers of this world are joined against the children of God, and they are variously commanded. Some Sennacherib rises from hour to hour and threatens, often with formidable front and fell purpose. But God's people may always say, "There be more with us than with him," etc.(Monday Club Sermons.) II. THE SOURCE, OF OUR SUPPORT, AND CAUSE OF VICTORY. "But with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight our battles." This denotes — 1. Possession. 2. Presence. 3. Support. 4. Victory. 5. The Father is with us. 6. The Son is with us. 7. And the Holy Ghost is with us. III. THE RESULT OF GOD'S MANIFESTED PRESENCE. "And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah." (T. B. Baker.) I. At the NEGATIVE SIDE.1. Numbers are no surety. Gideon's army had to be reduced before it could conquer the Amalekites. 2. Worldly wisdom, policy, shrewdness, enterprise, will not ensure success. 3. Unlimited creature resources of every kind are insufficient. 4. The most seemingly favourable outward circumstances, as to time, place, auspices, expectations, combinations, oftentimes but deceive into carnal security and insure the worst kind of defeat. II. At the POSITIVE SIDE — the assured, unfailing conditions of victory in the sense of Righteousness and Godliness. 1. We must have God on our side. There must be no doubt on this point. 2. We must be careful to be on God's side. 3. This brings out the point which the Apostle John emphasises so strongly (1 John 5:4, 5). (J. M. Sherwood.) And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah I. THE KIND OF MAN WHOSE WORDS ARE LIKELY TO BE RESTED ON. He must be —1. A great man. 2. A good man. 3. A courageous man. 4. A hearty man. 5. In such a case God will add His sanction by granting success and he will be a prosperous man. 6. A man who has respect for God's word. II. In the second place let us TURN THE OTHER WAY AND LOOK AT THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO REST ON SUCH A MAN'S WORD. 1. Children do so with their parents. 2. Illiterate people who cannot read. 3. Unconverted persons who have no spiritual discernment. 4. Persons who naturally run in a groove. Having attended at such a place of worship, and having been brought up in the midst of a certain set of godly people, they scarcely deviate one jot from the teaching that they have received. Almost by the necessity of their nature they rest on what they hear. 5. Persons who profess always to do their own thinking. If you will trace them home, they are in nine cases out of ten the veriest slaves that ever lived. They are the bondservants of some heretic or other who has put it into their heads that in following him they become free men. III. THE KIND OF WORDS YOU MAY REST ON. You may safely rest on — 1. Words which urge you to faith in God. 2. Words which are the words of God Himself. 3. Words which are sealed by the Lord Jesus. 4. Words which have been blessed to other men. 5. Words which breathe a sense of rest into the soul. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) People Amoz, David, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Manasseh, SennacheribPlaces Assyria, Babylon, Gihon, Jerusalem, Lachish, MilloTopics Arm, Battles, Confidence, Depended, Faith, Fight, Fighting, Flesh, Gained, Helping, Hezekiah, Hezeki'ah, Judah, Relied, Rested, Supported, ThemselvesOutline 1. Sennacherib invading Judah, Hezekiah fortifies himself, and encourages his people9. Hezekiah and Isaiah pray against the blasphemies of Sennarchib 21. An angel destroys the host of the Assyrians 24. Hezekiah praying in his sickness, God gives him a sign of recovery 25. His proud heart is humbled by God 27. His wealth and works 31. His error in the ambassage of Babylon 32. He dying, Manasseh succeeds him Dictionary of Bible Themes 2 Chronicles 32:8 5126 arm 8107 assurance, and life of faith Library A Strange Reward for FaithfulnessAfter these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came.'--2 CHRON. XXXII. 1. The Revised Version gives a much more accurate and significant rendering of a part of these words. It reads: 'After these things and this faithfulness, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came.' What are 'these things' and 'this faithfulness'? The former are the whole of the events connected with the religious reformation in Judah, which King Hezekiah inaugurated and carried through so brilliantly … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Some Buildings in Acra. Bezeiha. Millo. The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal Temporal Advantages. Gihon, the Same with the Fountain of Siloam. The Girdle of the City. 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