Archive for the ‘prayer’ tag
November 8, 2009: Hezekiah Prays
The text for this lesson is 2 Kings 18—19.
Key Points
- Just as Hezekiah prayed in faith to God and was delivered, so Jesus, our mediator and advocate with the Father, intercedes for and with us, granting us deliverance from sin, death, and the devil.
- Law: My sin makes me proud; thinking I can be self-sufficient and don’t need God, I avoid Him.
- Gospel: My heavenly Father is always ready to hear me and my cries for help, giving me His Son for my salvation.
Context
In the late eighth century, Assyria was the world power of the ancient Near East. Led by Sennacherib, their armies went on a blitzkrieg across various lands. Ruling Judah was Hezekiah, a top-notch king. Along with Josiah, he was one of the two Israelite rulers after David who received not a word of criticism from the biblical writer (see 18:1–8). Though he initially caved in to Assyrian pres-sure, paying them tribute (vv. 13–16), Hezekiah later refused to bow to their demands. As the story in 2 Kings 18–19 recounts, Sennacherib would pay dearly for his mocking of the true God. Assyrian records echo the biblical account of his demise, that he was slain by his own sons as he knelt praying before a god who could not save (19:37).
September 21, 2008: The Bronze Serpent
The text for this lesson is Numbers 21:4–9.
Key Points:
- As the bronze serpent was lifted up to heal and save the Israelites from the snakes, so Christ was lifted up on the cross to heal and save us from sin, death, and the devil.
- Law: I have been bitten and poisoned by sin and death and foolishly complain when life is not what I want or expect.
- Gospel: God calls me to repentance and points me to Christ, who heals me by His death and resurrection.
- Catechism: 2nd Article of the Creed
