Author: Harris Abdullah
How to be a corrupted/doomed nation?
With the recent event of the situation up in the North, it is indeed sad to see the suffering of the people in particular children, the elderly and infants. But what is most tragic is that the leader who is supposed to be of a Jewish background didn’t do what was required by Yahweh God, he has committed the same spiritual adultery as the Israel of old by depending on other nations; the nations of which in their man-made system rejected Yahweh God. However, the spiritual problem just doesn’t stop at the leadership level but goes down to the level of the people who consider themselves believers belonging to one of the Abrahamic family, who equally committed the sin of their own guile which is true to the saying that if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matt. 15:14 NAU)
The message of utmost importance in the Word of God: 2 Kings chapter 18 to 19.
The testimony of King Hezekiah – 2 Kings 18:5-6, the President of the North would be likened to King Hezekiah ONLY if he knew how to be like this king who was highly praised and honoured as it was written that no king was like him before and after which means that not even King David was as committed to Yahweh God as him. Therefore, if this leader did not follow King Hezekiah’s spirit and when the believers of the nation committed spiritual adultery, what would have happened to that nation despite the prejudiced and biased report in the western media? Eventually, they would still be a country enslaved to either group of nations. Hence, the country would be doomed even if they thought that they had won, unless the leader repents and clings on completely and totally to Yahweh God. What was required of Israel as shown in Deuteronomy 10:20? If only they understood! You would experience who your true protector and saviour is when you totally cleave to Yahweh God as the only determining factor in your life. Only by this you would genuinely be His people.
From the Hebrew Bible, we were told that Hezekiah, king of Judah refused to continue to pay tribute to the Assyrian empire. As a result, King Sennacherib of the Assyrian empire invaded Judah to bring them back into line. Initially, King Hezekiah tried to stop Sennacherib from attacking Jerusalem by acquiescing to the demand of Sennacherib of three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. However, that did not stop Sennacherib from sending Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem. Rabshakeh tried to demoralize the Judeans by saying that all the gods of the nations which Assyria defeated had failed to protect them. Likewise, the God of Jerusalem would not deliver Jerusalem from Assyria’s hand. During the siege, Hezekiah clad himself in sackcloth and entered the house of the Lord. The king relayed the words of Rabshakeh through his officials to the Prophet Isaiah and the Lord spoke through the Prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. “Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumour and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.”‘ (2 Ki. 19:6-7 NAU)
Later, Rabshakeh wrote to King Hezekiah again telling him about all the nations that fell to Assyrian and the failure of their gods to deliver them from Assyria. Upon receiving this letter, what was the response of King Hezekiah? He went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. The result was the Lord delivered Jerusalem from the Assyrian army as mentioned in 2 Ki 19: 35 that an angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. So, Sennacherib returned home and while he was worshipping his god, he was murdered by Adrammelech and Sharezer that fulfilled the word of Yahweh God through prophet Isaiah ‘I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’
In short, due to the total commitment of one person through the act of completely clinging to Yahweh God, the whole nation of Judah was delivered from the hand of the Assyrians.
So, what does it involve cleaving to Yahweh God? It is none other than a totality of love to Him, to live in His values, walk in all His ways, fear Him, serve Him with all our heart, soul, strength and listen to His voice as shown by King Hezekiah. It is shown in the book of Deuteronomy 11:22; 13:4; 30:20; Joshua 22:5. Total love to Yahweh God is none other than total commitment to Him for indeed He is your life! Only if you fulfil this condition,Yahweh God will drive out the great and powerful nation – Joshua 23:8-10.
“For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him, (Deut. 11:22 NAU)
“You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. (Deut. 13:4 NAU)
by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” (Deut. 30:20 NAU)
“Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Jos. 22:5 NAU)
The tragic part is that the chosen people are not His people of renown and praise. An irony of being His people yet not His people – because they did not cleave to Yahweh God (Jeremiah 13:11)
What’s the way and only way to have the spirit like King Hezekiah? How are you going to fulfil this calling to cleave to Yahweh God for King Hezekiah had long passed on? Are there any more examples? Fortunately, there are. The other example likened to the spirit of King Hezekiah was the Prophet Elisha who cleaved to Prophet Elijah that made him even surpassed his teacher/master in his ministry! In addition to this, there was a Gentile woman named Ruth who cleaved to her mother-in-law, Naomi that brought forth the spiritual line (the Messianic line) to the birth of the Messiah – Jesus Christ.
If you have learned to cleave completely to Yahweh God, you will learn the secret of Great Faith mentioned by the Lord, son of David, Christ Jesus that praised the Canaanite woman (a Gentile) that cleaved to him despite being rejected 3 times; a humble, nobody and a woman without any social status – Oh woman of Great Faith – Matthew 15:21-28 – be it done for you as you wish.
If you have knelt and prayed, “Oh Yahweh God, I want to be totally committed to you, cleanse my heart from the power of sin and grant me a new heart and a new spirit by cleaving to You through Christ Jesus that you have given for the salvation of the world. I know that I am not worthy of anything. May my nation be freed from the hands of the enemy and freed from slavery to the power of darkness and sin.”
Blessed are you if you have experienced this life transforming power that Yahweh God gladly gives to anyone who hears and understands.
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Note:
All Torah and Injil verses are sourced from the New American Standard Bible with Codes (1995) unless otherwise stated, with thanks.