Good Monday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
As we begin a new week together school has begun in the part of the world where I live so I’d like to invite us to consider two words today: Influential Voices. Who have been the most influential voices in your life journey, from the time you were a child? Who are those voices today which most influence your thinking, your attitudes, your choices, no matter your age or where you live in the world?
Come with me again back to Jerusalem about 700bc as there are two voices which are very influential for the people of that day. First is King Hezekiah and second is the prophet Isaiah. The past few days we’ve been looking at something found in Isaiah’s 38th chapter which he calls “A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery.” (Is. 38:9)
The closing words of this writing of Hezekiah are remarkable. Consider them with me: “For the grave cannot praise You, death cannot sing Your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness. The living, the living – they are the ones who praise You, as I am doing today, parents tell their children about Your faithfulness.” (Is. 38:18,19) King Hezekiah is very grateful that God had done two great miracles in Jerusalem.
First, God had rescued the city of Jerusalem, king Hezekiah and all the people of Judah from the vast advancing army of emperor Sennacherib of Assyria! (Is. 37:36,37)
Secondly, God had raised king Hezekiah up from his bed of a terminal illness! (Is. 38:5) Out of that place of overwhelming gratitude for a second and third chance at life, Hezekiah penned this remarkable ‘writing‘ found in Is. 38:9-20.
Do you notice here how Hezekiah draws a contrast between the voices which have been silenced by death and those voices which are alive and are praising God and instructing their families?
But I have a question for us: is it true the grave is silent? Are the voices of the dead not heard? I challenge you to consider how much great music we listen to which was composed by great musicians who’ve been dead for centuries or books we read or plays we watch performed written by authors who’ve been dead a long time.
Sometimes, thanks to recordings, we can once again hear the voices or instruments of those long deceased. And of course the legacies, the accomplishments, the fame of many people who’ve been dead a long time still have great influence in our world today, don’t they? So while I understand the premise of king Hezekiah’s concern that “…the grave cannot praise You, O God, death cannot sing Your praise…” it isn’t PRACTICALLY true, and It also isn’t SPIRITUALLY true!
Do you see Hezekiah’s lack of any hope or confidence in eternal life with God? But 700 years after Hezekiah, a baby was born only 5 miles away from Jerusalem in the little town of Bethlehem, and that baby, Jesus, was God incarnate whose life and message made it very clear that there IS life after death! And for all people who trust in Jesus for their salvation from their sin, eternity will be a wonderful time for vibrantly praising God in HIS presence!
That concept was the great message of Jesus Christ. It’s the Gospel! It’s John 3:16, and John 5:24, and John 10:27,28! I don’t often disagree with God honoring men in the Bible, but I disagree here with king Hezekiah!
In death oh yes, I will praise God, for death is simply my soul & spirit leaving my body here on earth while my soul & spirit will continue to live forever in God’s presence where I will praise & celebrate Jesus continually!
Also, my ambition is that when my earthly life journey ends, the memories people have of me will awaken in them praise to God, so how about you my friends? Yes Hezekiah is right, it is the LIVING, we who have breath in our lungs who have the great privilege and obligation to display the great splendor of God everyday as we walk our path of life here on this planet! (Is. 61:3)
One of the reasons we’ve developed this web site “Walking with Jesus” is that after I’m dead and gone, these writings, these recordings of my narration of what I’ve written will continue to praise God and direct people, all around the world, to Jesus!
How about you my friends? After you die, how will your legacy and the memories people have of you, keep influencing people to live God honoring lives and to seek Jesus?
King Hezekiah was also right that one of the greatest privileges we have in life, as parents and grandparents, is influencing our children and grandchildren. He writes: “The living, the living – they are the ones who praise You, as I am doing today, parents tell their children about Your faithfulness.” (Is. 38:19)
Does that sound familiar to you my friends? It is one of the great themes of life for the Jewish people that should be one of our great themes of life no matter what your ethnicity. It’s Deuteronomy 6:5-9 and it’s Psalm 78:1-7. It’s the cry of Psalm 71:18 “Even when I am old and gray do not forsake me O God, till I declare Your power to the next generations, Your mighty acts to all who are to come.”
As we teach our descendants all we have learned about God; His Word and our personal relationship with Jesus, how should that influence their lives? As our lives model for our children and grandchildren how to LIVE a God honoring life, what are they learning and how are they absorbing our influence into their lives? Look closely at your descendants, what do you see, my friends?
It seems after king Hezekiah had twice received a second chance at life, influencing his descendants for Godliness became a very high priority for Hezekiah, is it mine?
In the last line of his great ‘writing‘ king Hezekiah makes this bold prediction for the additional 15 years of life God promised him. (Is. 38:5) “The LORD will save me and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the LORD.” (Is. 38:20) In overwhelming gratitude for more years of life Hezekiah was determined that EACH day would include some time to sing and praise God even with accompaniment by instruments.
And it appears Hezekiah was determined to make at least one DAILY trip up to the Temple to praise God in that glorious place where he had spread out that threatening letter from Sennacherib and prayed for deliverance.
It’s a challenge I have personally accepted from this ancient king who has been dead for about 2700 years! I make sure my day begins and ends with a time of praise and prayer to Almighty God who has saved me from cancer death and saved my soul from sin bondage! I try my best to speak God’s truth and hope into the lives of my dear wife and my daughter and grandchildren everyday, inviting them to praise God and experience His life transforming power in their lives as I have in mine. And what about you my friends?
I think we’ll pause right here and contemplate the powerful lessons of INFLUENCE king Hezekiah challenges us to live for the good of all who know us now and all who will be influenced by our lives after we are gone.
If a song was to be written about your life, I wonder if it might be something like this one…
Today’s Scripture: Is. 38:9-20.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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