Jehovah’s Honor Vindicated

Hezekiah, in the earlier years of his reign, had continued to pay tribute to Assyria, in harmony with the agreement entered into by Ahaz. Meanwhile the king had taken “counsel with his princes and his mighty men,” and had done everything possible for the defense of his kingdom….

The long-expected crisis finally came. The forces of Assyria, advancing from triumph to triumph, appeared in Judea…. Judah’s only hope was now in God. All possible help from Egypt had been cut off, and no other nations were near to lend a friendly hand…. Sennacherib wrote “letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver His people out of mine hand.” …

When the king of Judah received the taunting letter, he took it into the temple and “spread it before the Lord” and prayed with strong faith for help from heaven, that the nations of earth might know that the God of the Hebrews still lived and reigned. The honor of Jehovah was at stake; He alone could bring deliverance….

Hezekiah was not left without hope. Isaiah sent to him, saying, “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.” … That very night deliverance came. “The angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand.” …

The God of the Hebrews had prevailed over the proud Assyrian. The honor of Jehovah was vindicated in the eyes of the surrounding nations. In Jerusalem the hearts of the people were filled with holy joy. Their earnest entreaties for deliverance had been mingled with confession of sin and with many tears. In their great need they had trusted wholly in the power of God to save, and He had not failed them.
Conflict and Courage p. 239
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for Wayne whose mother died several weeks ago and now his father has passed away. Alaine
—–Please pray for a young man named Ryan who was diagnosed with a severe form of leukemia and was not expected to live through the weekend. Also, I have the sickness that has been going around the family. I feel terrible. Please pray for me. Esther
—–Please pray for Ron. While we were having his birthday celebration at the state park, he fell on the playground and hurt his shoulder when he was playing with the grandchildren. Thankfully nothing was broken but he overstretched everything and is in a lot of pain. Rose
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Dear Friends,
When Esther was six, we moved to Washington state. For a few weeks, while I was looking for a place to live, we lived in a hotel. While there, Eileen, who is ten years older than her sister, took Esther down to the Jacuzzi. They really liked the warm bubbly water. Being so tiny, the force of the water caused Esther to slip under the water. Eileen quickly grabbed her little sister and all seemed to be well. However, later all was not well. Esther got meningitis. I always wondered if it was because of swallowing some of the Jacuzzi’s water.

I was very thankful when my little girl eventually recovered and seemed to suffer no ill effects from her illness. How happy she was when she and her brother could play in the fields behind the house the we had rented. There were lots of tall weeds in the field and they pretended they were in a jungle. There was only one trouble. Esther was always getting prickers from those weeds in her eyes. At the time we did not realize that the meningitis had left her very far-sighted, so the natural inclination to blink when something gets close to the eye was not there.

Many times I had to remove those tiny specks from her eyes. One time I could not get one of those nearly microscopic prickers out. It had stuck into her eyeball. I immediately took her to the emergency room and by using a strong magnifying glass, the doctor was able to remove the offending object. Then he gave me some ointment to put into Esther’s eye. How she hated that ointment! She did not really understand why she needed it. All she knew was that it stung. She would run away from me and hide when it was time to put it into her eye. It was quite a challenge to find her. She was very good at hiding. She could curl up into a tiny ball in some out-of-sight place, hold very still, and be very quiet, but eventually I would find her and put the stuff in.

Just as that eyesalve was necessary for Esther’s recovery, so our Great Physician counsels us to receive Heavenly eyesalve from Him. He pleads, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” Rev 3:18 The eyesalve that He offers sometimes hurts and stings as we see our true condition—“wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Rev 3:17 This eyesalve He longs for us to have gives us the discernment we need to detect the devises of the enemy of souls. It helps us to see the snares he lays for our feet.

How much we need the Heavenly eyesalve to see the true path. The devil uses many ways to counterfeit the genuine. He has his agents to lead people into the wrong paths. Our Dear Saviour warns us, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matt 7:15 He explained that in the last days there would be many deceivers, many deceptions. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” 24:24 How much we need the spiritual eyesalve that the True Witness offers, that we might not be taken in by one of these deceivers.

It is of the utmost importance to be able to discern truth from error. Our whole future depends upon it. Jesus gives us the key to our understanding, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God” John 7:17 Just before going to the cross, Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy Word is truth.” 17:17 Think of it! The same Holy Spirit Who inspired men of God to write the Scriptures that sanctify us, will give us the spiritual discernment that we so much need. <2 Peter 1:21> He is the Heavenly Eyesalve! He is our Comforter and Guide! Jesus says of Him, “He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. . . . I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” John 16:7-15

“Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.” Ps 119:104, 9-11 “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Ps 19:7-11 Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the Word of God gives us what we need to see clearly the way in which we should go. Praise His Holy Name!

Let us ask our Great Redeemer for the eyesalve that He so freely offers. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to fill us completely with His light. Let us read and obey His Holy Word, that we may have the necessary discernment to stand true to Him in these last days.

Rose