Week of Monday December 23 – December 29 Alternative
Together in the Trenches – Man as Battle Buddy
“As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz. They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. 4 It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’”
– Isaiah 37:1-4 ESV
Who doesn’t love a good showdown, especially in the movies? You know, maybe a shoot-’em up Western like True Grit or Tombstone? Others might think of the showdown between Skywalker and Vader in the Star Wars series. Or maybe Rocky Balboa against any number of menacing boxers. Most would not be surprised that I like to watch or read about military showdowns, like the 300 Spartans versus the Persians at Thermopylae, or the Knights of Malta against the Turkish invaders, or Gen. Andrew Jackson against the British at the Battle of New Orleans, or the Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and his bayonet charge against the Confederates at Little Round Top, etc., etc.
It is fun to watch or read about a good showdown on screen or on paper until you find yourself in the middle of a real version. By the grace of God, I have lived through a few. That’s exactly where King Hezekiah and his people found themselves. King Sennacherib’s mighty Assyrian army, who had steamrolled nation after nation, showed up in Jerusalem. A generation earlier, the Assyrians had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. Now the southern nation of Judah was next on the Assyrian hit list. Like his father Ahaz, King Hezekiah tried to buy off the bully, even stripping God’s Temple of silver and gold and offering it just so the Assyrians would go away. But Sennacherib’s snarky spokesman not only took his bribe, but also demanded unconditional surrender! Then he proceeded to tell the emissaries of King Hezekiah in Hebrew so all would understand that resistance was futile, recounting some of the Assyrian’s notable conquests as well as mocking Judah’s God. Talk about a “High-Noon” showdown!
We can learn a lot from what Hezekiah did next. He went into the Temple in sackcloth, a sign of humble repentance. He sent for his Battle Buddy Isaiah to pray and to bring a word from the Lord. Then Hezekiah got on his face before the Lord, spread out the threatening letters from the Assyrians, and cried out to God for deliverance (vv. 14-20). Isaiah not only prayed, he also showed up with a word of encouragement from the Lord. God had heard Hezekiah’s prayer, the Assyrians wouldn’t even get off a shot, and the Lord would send them packing (vv. 21-35). What a welcome word from a friend at a critical moment!
Zoom out for a second with me and let’s acknowledge that this was not simply a confrontation between two kings or their nations. This was actually an epic showdown between arrogant humanity and their Creator God, Sovereign of the nations, the Holy One of Israel! And as we read on, it was really no contest (vv. 36-38). For Almighty God sent one single, solitary angelic warrior who wiped out 185,000 Assyrians. When dawn dawned, the smoke cleared and the dust settled, Sennacherib’s mighty army was broken, sounded the retreat, headed home, and a few years later Sennacherib was assassinated by his own sons. With God, we are more than conquerors in any showdown!
But back to this relationship between Hezekiah and Isaiah to wrap up. When you are downrange and bullets start flying, it is imperative to have a Battle Buddy in the trenches with you. In my forward to my Battle Buddy Stu Weber’s booklet, A Man and His Friends: Excerpts from a Tender Warrior, I wrote this: “The idea is to have one particular man to talk to… provide encouragement to each other… and have someone to rely upon. Later on, when in real combat, you can count on the fact that your battle buddy has got your back, and you’ve got his.” King Hezekiah had a true Battle Buddy in the prophet Isaiah. Do you have one? Are you serving as one? Hanging tough, together in the trenches?
- Who is that guy friend in your life? The man who will have your back and you have his? The man who will pray for you and encourage you with God’s word when life seems out of control?
- Who can you serve as Battle Buddy in the same way, together in the trenches through life and death?
- Pray that God would help you develop and deepen a heart connection with another man who will pray for you, encourage you, and even fight to the death with you.
Together in the Trenches – Man as Battle Buddy
“As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz. They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. 4 It may be that the Lord your God will hear the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the Lord your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’”
– Isaiah 37:1-4 ESV
Who doesn’t love a good showdown, especially in the movies? You know, maybe a shoot-’em up Western like True Grit or Tombstone? Others might think of the showdown between Skywalker and Vader in the Star Wars series. Or maybe Rocky Balboa against any number of menacing boxers. Most would not be surprised that I like to watch or read about military showdowns, like the 300 Spartans versus the Persians at Thermopylae, or the Knights of Malta against the Turkish invaders, or Gen. Andrew Jackson against the British at the Battle of New Orleans, or the Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and his bayonet charge against the Confederates at Little Round Top, etc., etc.
It is fun to watch or read about a good showdown on screen or on paper until you find yourself in the middle of a real version. By the grace of God, I have lived through a few. That’s exactly where King Hezekiah and his people found themselves. King Sennacherib’s mighty Assyrian army, who had steamrolled nation after nation, showed up in Jerusalem. A generation earlier, the Assyrians had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. Now the southern nation of Judah was next on the Assyrian hit list. Like his father Ahaz, King Hezekiah tried to buy off the bully, even stripping God’s Temple of silver and gold and offering it just so the Assyrians would go away. But Sennacherib’s snarky spokesman not only took his bribe, but also demanded unconditional surrender! Then he proceeded to tell the emissaries of King Hezekiah in Hebrew so all would understand that resistance was futile, recounting some of the Assyrian’s notable conquests as well as mocking Judah’s God. Talk about a “High-Noon” showdown!
We can learn a lot from what Hezekiah did next. He went into the Temple in sackcloth, a sign of humble repentance. He sent for his Battle Buddy Isaiah to pray and to bring a word from the Lord. Then Hezekiah got on his face before the Lord, spread out the threatening letters from the Assyrians, and cried out to God for deliverance (vv. 14-20). Isaiah not only prayed, he also showed up with a word of encouragement from the Lord. God had heard Hezekiah’s prayer, the Assyrians wouldn’t even get off a shot, and the Lord would send them packing (vv. 21-35). What a welcome word from a friend at a critical moment!
Zoom out for a second with me and let’s acknowledge that this was not simply a confrontation between two kings or their nations. This was actually an epic showdown between arrogant humanity and their Creator God, Sovereign of the nations, the Holy One of Israel! And as we read on, it was really no contest (vv. 36-38). For Almighty God sent one single, solitary angelic warrior who wiped out 185,000 Assyrians. When dawn dawned, the smoke cleared and the dust settled, Sennacherib’s mighty army was broken, sounded the retreat, headed home, and a few years later Sennacherib was assassinated by his own sons. With God, we are more than conquerors in any showdown!
But back to this relationship between Hezekiah and Isaiah to wrap up. When you are downrange and bullets start flying, it is imperative to have a Battle Buddy in the trenches with you. In my forward to my Battle Buddy Stu Weber’s booklet, A Man and His Friends: Excerpts from a Tender Warrior, I wrote this: “The idea is to have one particular man to talk to… provide encouragement to each other… and have someone to rely upon. Later on, when in real combat, you can count on the fact that your battle buddy has got your back, and you’ve got his.” King Hezekiah had a true Battle Buddy in the prophet Isaiah. Do you have one? Are you serving as one? Hanging tough, together in the trenches?
- Who is that guy friend in your life? The man who will have your back and you have his? The man who will pray for you and encourage you with God’s word when life seems out of control?
- Who can you serve as Battle Buddy in the same way, together in the trenches through life and death?
- Pray that God would help you develop and deepen a heart connection with another man who will pray for you, encourage you, and even fight to the death with you.