TREASURES OF THE BIBLE, Week of December 26 to January 1, 2023, "His prayers made Jehovah act", Prepared Speech.

TREASURES OF THE BIBLE, 26-December-1-January 2023, "His prayers caused Jehovah to act", Prepared Speech.  

“Your Prayers Caused Jehovah to Act” (10 min.)

Some of us at some point have received unpleasant news, and sometimes news that affects our existence. How would you feel if they told you that you have a short time to live so go to a funeral home and choose the coffin that you like to be buried there? Maybe that kind of suggestion would sound a bit strong, but it is the one that received a Jehovah's servant King Hezekiah.

It is what we will review in this section of Treasures of the Bible with the title "their prayers made Jehovah act", and it is that as we have seen this week the people of God were threatened by the king of Assyria, they were almost condemned to die . And now the one who directed this work to put them with all the courage and encouragement and trust in Jehovah. King Hezekiah receives very bad news. If we review 2 Kings 20:1, we can examine what Jehovah commands to say through The Prophet Isaiah.

WE ARE GOING TO READ 2 KINGS 20:1.

In those days, Hezekiah fell ill and was on the verge of death. The prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to see him and said: “This is what Jehovah says: 'Give instructions to your household, for you are going to die. You're not going to recover.'”

What terrible news! If we put ourselves in the place of Hezekiah, being serious on his deathbed, the prophet comes, without a doubt he must have expected something different from the message from Jehovah himself, but he sends him to say arrange your funeral because you are going to die, this man with 39 years of age ruling the people of God, without any son to succeed him on the throne to continue defending the people of God and also to face the king of Assyria.

Everything was over, news that can devastate anyone or make them feel down on the ground, they may not tell us something like that. Or perhaps some of our brothers have faced very complicated situations receiving news of a disease that they are suffering from or of a family member who also suffers from it.

And it must be really hard to hear that kind of news, but others may face possible dismissal from a job, being left without what is necessary to support their home or others The threat of leaving home if they continue to study the Bible with the Witnesses of Jehovah. What would Hezekiah do? What was the best he could do? Although it is very rare that Jehovah changes his way of acting if we continue reading in 2 Kings 20: 2,3.

WE ARE GOING TO READ 2 KINGS 20:2,3.  

Hearing this, he turned his face to the wall and began to pray to Jehovah: 3 “Oh, Jehovah, please, I beg you to remember that I have walked faithfully in your ways with a complete heart and that I have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah began to weep uncontrollably.

Being in his bed, he simply has to look at his face against the wall and pray to Jehovah and remind him that he had acted correctly, he had done what no previous King had done, he was reminding him that he had a complete heart and that he had made an effort for doing things right. What did the king do?, he cried inconsolably, he must have reverberated on the walls of that palace. There was no salvation, the words of Jehovah were very clear, he was not going to recover.

We want to be realistic, brothers, the fact that we receive strong news about something that is happening to us or our body, or that a family member or some particular situation of each one is happening. It does not mean that with a prayer the problem will miraculously disappear, but that does not mean that we can remember Jehovah, and tell him that we have acted with a complete heart and that we will continue to do so no matter what happens with our lives, or with our situation that we are facing.

You can see in the activity guide the scene where the sick Hezekiah is addressing Jehovah, he is undoubtedly acknowledging that he cannot force Jehovah to change his decision, he is simply telling him that he had done his part.

When we pray to Jehovah for situations that endanger our lives, we can do the same as Hezekiah, not asking Jehovah to heal us, to get us out of the problem, but rather to remember that we have done the right thing, that we will continue to do it, and that we Give yourself the courage to face the situation so as not to fall into infidelity.

But rather to show him that we continue to have a complete heart, since Isaiah did his job without a doubt not pleasant, but it was what Jehovah said. While Hezekiah was praying and Isaiah was leaving after breaking the news, this is what happens now in 2 Kings chapter 20:4,6.

WE ARE GOING TO READ 2 KINGS 20:4,6.

Isaiah had not yet gone out into the central courtyard when he received this message* from Jehovah: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of my people: 'This is what Jehovah, the God of your ancestor David, says: “I have heard your prayer . I have seen your tears. I'm going to heal you. On the third day you will go up to the house of the LORD. 6 I will add 15 years to your life,* and I will save you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for myself and for David my servant.”'”

Awesome! Jehovah changed his decision, he had seen Hezekiah's tears, he said that he was going to heal him but not at the same moment, after three days he was going to go up to the house of Jehovah and he would add 15 years to his life, Hezekiah's prayer made him Jehovah will act, we also want brothers to pray to Jehovah so that he does things that perhaps he would not do otherwise, of course we cannot expect everything to be solved or that what we want is done, Jehovah is the one who decides what will happen.

For example, a brother named Johnny in Bolivia mentions that he went through very serious problems, his parents and his wife fell seriously ill at the same time. It was very difficult for him to take care of the three of them, unfortunately his mother passed away and his wife and father took time to recover. What helped him to endure? What always helped me was being specific in my prayers,” and Jehovah gave him the strength he needed to endure.

So let us use this means that Jehovah has given us to request what we would like to happen, he makes the decision of what to do, but it is a Clear demonstration that we stick to Jehovah that we trust in him, that we seek him as our only salvation, that he make the best decision what is best for each of us.

We do not expect miracles, but we do hope that Jehovah's decision or will is fulfilled, each one of us take advantage of this opportunity to communicate with Jehovah, let us make good use of this gift that he has given us. Let's show that we trust that he has the ability and desire to help us always, let's lean on Jehovah. For he wishes to show his strength in favor of those who serve him with a complete heart.