The One Year Bible for Men - Flipbook - Page 7
585
July 2
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER || I t is easier to talk a good game than to let our behavior
do the talking. Today we read about a man who entered a city after God’s messenger
warned he would be bound and handed over to his enemies. Who does that? Who says
they are ready to be jailed and die for Jesus? Paul does that. He was both courageous and
committed. When we become a bit anxious about sharing our faith or being identified
as a Christian, Paul’s example can strengthen our courage and commitment. Then our
actions will speak louder than empty words.
07_Jul_OY_Men.indd 585
his best wishes and a gift, for he had heard
that Hezekiah had been very sick. 13 Hezekiah
received the B
abylonian envoys and showed
them everything in his treasure-houses—the
silver, the gold, the spices, and the aromatic
oils. He also took them to see his armory and
showed them everything in his royal treasur
ies! There was nothing in his palace or king
dom that Hezekiah did not show them.
14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hez
ekiah and asked him, “What did those men
want? Where were they from?”
Hezekiah replied, “They came from the dis
tant land of Babylon.”
15 “What did they see in your palace?” Isaiah
asked.
“They saw everything,” Hezekiah replied. “I
showed them everything I o
wn—all my royal
treasuries.”
16 Then Isaiah said to Hezek
iah, “Listen to
this message from the Lord: 17 The time is com
ing when everything in your palace—all the
treasures stored up by your ancestors until
now—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing
will be left, says the Lord. 18 Some of your very
own sons will be taken away into exile. They
will become e unuchs who will serve in the
palace of Babylon’s king.”
19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “This mes
sage you have given me from the Lord is
good.” For the king was thinking, “At least
there will be peace and security during my
lifetime.”
20 The rest of the events in Hezekiah’s reign,
including the extent of his power and how he
built a pool and dug a tunnel* to bring water
into the city, are recorded in The Book of the
History of the Kings of Judah. 21 Hezekiah died,
and his son Manasseh became the next king.
J u ly 2
2 KINGS 20:1–22:2
About that time Hezek
iah became deathly ill,
and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to
visit him. He gave the king this message: “This
is what the Lord says: Set your affairs in order,
for you are going to die. You will not recover
from this illness.”
2 When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his
face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Re
member, O Lord, how I have always been
faithful to you and have served you s ingle-
mindedly, always doing what pleases you.”
Then he broke down and wept bitterly.
4 But before Isa
iah had left the middle
courtyard,* this message came to him from
the Lord: 5 “Go back to Hezekiah, the leader
of my people. Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord,
the God of your ancestor David, says: I have
heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will
heal you, and three days from now you will get
out of bed and go to the Temple of the Lord.
6 I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will
rescue you and this city from the king of As
syria. I will defend this city for my own honor
and for the sake of my servant David.’”
7 Then Isaiah said, “Make an ointment from
figs.” So Hezekiah’s servants spread the oint
ment over the boil, and Hezekiah recovered!
8 Meanwhile, Hezek
iah had said to Isaiah,
“What sign will the Lord give to prove that he
will heal me and that I will go to the Temple of
the Lord three days from now?”
9 Isaiah replied, “This is the sign from the
Lord to prove that he will do as he promised.
Would you like the shadow on the sundial to
go forward ten steps or backward ten steps?*”
10 “The shadow always moves forward,”
Hezekiah replied, “so that would be easy. Make
it go ten steps backward instead.” 11 So Isaiah
the prophet asked the Lord to do this, and he
caused the shadow to move ten steps back
ward on the sundial* of Ahaz!
12 Soon after this, Merodach-baladan* son
of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah
21:1 Manasseh
was twelve years old when he
became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem
fifty-five years. His mother was Hephzibah.
2 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, fol
lowing the detestable practices of the pagan
5/19/2022 3:46:49 PM
