Day 204 of My 6th Bible Study Journey
Day 204, 23 July 2026
1) Micah 6, Micah 7, 2 Chronicles 32:1-8, 2 Kings 18:13-18, Isaiah 36:1-3,
2 Kings 18:19-37, Isaiah 36:4-22
Micah 6
The Indictment of the Lord
1 (Ps 50:1; Mic 1:2) Listen to what the Lord says:
Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
that the hills may hear your voice.
2 (Isa 1:18; Hos 4:1) Hear, mountains, the indictment of the Lord,
O enduring foundations of the earth-
that the Lord has an indictment against His people,
and against Israel He will dispute.
3 (Jer 2:5; Isa 43:22-23) "My people, what have I done to you,
and how have I wearied you? Answer Me!
4 (Ex 12:51; Dt 7:8) For I have brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and from the house of slaves I have redeemed you;
and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 (Nu 25:1; Jos 5:9-10) O My people, remember now
what Balak king of Moab counseled,
and what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
and remember what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
so that you might know the righteous acts of the Lord."
[1] Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the
mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
[2] Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations
of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will
plead with Israel.
[3] O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied
thee? testify against me.
[4] For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of
the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
[5] O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what
Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may
know the righteousness of the LORD.
The Requirement of the Lord
6 "With what should I come before the Lord,
and bow down before God on high?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 (2Ki 16:3; Ps 50:9) Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
8 (Isa 57:15; Hos 6:6) He has told you, O man, what is good-
and what does the Lord require of you,
but to do justice and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
[6] Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high
God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
[7] Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands
of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit
of my body for the sin of my soul?
[8] He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require
of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
The Punishment of Israel's Guilt
9 (Isa 30:27) The voice of the Lord calls to the city-
and wisdom will fear Your name:
Heed the rod and Him who has appointed it.
10 (Am 3:10; Jer 5:26-27) Are there still in the house of the wicked
treasures of wickedness?
And the short ephah
[A dry measure of about 3/5 bushel, or 22 liters.] which is accursed?
11 (Hos 12:7) Should I acquit the scales of wickedness,
and the sack of dishonest weights?
12 (Isa 1:23; Jer 9:8) Her wealthy men are full of violence,
and her inhabitants speak deception,
and their tongue in their mouth is treachery.
13 Therefore, I have struck you a dreadful blow,
devastating you because of your sins.
14 (Hos 4:10 ) You will eat, but not be satisfied,
with hunger within you.
You will set aside, but not retain;
and what you retain I will give over to the sword.
15 (Zep 1:13; Jer 12:13) You will sow, but not reap;
you will tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil;
you will crush grapes, but not drink wine.
16 (Jer 7:24; 51:51) You observe the statutes of Omri,
and every practice of the house of Ahab,
and you walk in their counsels.
Therefore I will give you over to destruction,
and the inhabitants to derision.
You will bear the contempt of My people.
[9] The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see
thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
[10] Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked,
and the scant measure that is abominable?
[11] Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of
deceitful weights?
[12] For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants
thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
[13] Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee
desolate because of thy sins.
[14] Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in
the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and
that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.
[15] Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives,
but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not
drink wine.
[16] For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of
Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation,
and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the
reproach of my people.
Micah 7
Wait on the Lord
1 (Isa 24:13; Hos 9:10) Woe is me!
Because I am as the gathering of summer fruit,
as the gleaning of grapes;
there is no cluster to eat,
no early fig that my soul desires.
2 (Ps 12:1; Isa 57:1) The godly has perished from the earth,
and no one is upright among men.
All of them lie in wait for bloodshed;
each hunts his brother with a net.
3 (Mic 3:11; Pr 4:16-17) Both hands are upon evil, to do it well.
The prince and the judge request the bribe,
the powerful asserts the craving of his very soul-
they intertwine together.
4 (Isa 22:5; Eze 2:6; 2Sa 23:6-7) The best among them is like a brier,
the most upright among them a bramble;
the day of your watchmen,
of your punishment, has come;
now their confusion is at hand.
5 (Jer 9:4) Do not trust in a companion,
do not rely on a friend;
from her who lies in your embrace,
guard the doors of your mouth.
6 (Mt 10:35-36; Eze 22:7) For the son dishonors the father,
the daughter rises up against her mother,
the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -
the enemies of a man are members of his own household.
7 (Isa 25:9) But as for me, I watch for the Lord;
I await the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.
[1] Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the
grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired
the firstripe fruit.
[2] The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright
among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother
with a net.
[3] That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and
the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his
mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
[4] The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn
hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be
their perplexity.
[5] Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the
doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
[6] For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her
mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are
the men of his own house.
[7] Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my
salvation: my God will hear me.
The Penitence of Israel
8 (Ps 112:4; Isa 9:2) Do not rejoice over me, my enemy!
Although I have fallen, I will rise;
although I dwell in darkness,
the Lord is my light.
9 (Ps 37:6; 1Sa 24:15) I will endure the rage of the Lord,
because I have sinned against Him,
until the time when He pleads my case
and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out into the light;
I will look upon His vindication.
10 (Joel 2:17; Zec 10:5) Then my enemy will see,
and shame will cover her
who said to me,
"Where is the Lord your God?"
My eyes will look upon her;
now she will be trampled
like muck in the streets.
11 A day for building your walls,
in that day the boundary will be extended.
12 (Isa 19:23-25; 11:16) In that day they will come to you
from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,
and from Egypt to the River,
from sea to sea,
and from mountain to mountain.
13 (Isa 3:10-11; Jer 25:11) The earth will become desolate because
of its inhabitants,
from the fruit of their deeds.
[8] Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I
sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
[9] I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against
him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me
forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
[10] Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her
which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her:
now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
[11] In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree
be far removed.
[12] In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the
fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to
sea, and from mountain to mountain.
[13] Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell
therein, for the fruit of their doings.
The Restoration of Israel
14 (Mic 5:4; Ps 28:9) Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock of your inheritance,
which live alone in a forest,
in the midst of a fertile land;
let them graze in Bashan and Gilead,
as in the days of old.
15 (Isa 11:16) As in the days when you came out of Egypt,
I will display wonders.
16 (Isa 26:11; 52:15) Nations will see and be ashamed,
despite all their might;
they will put their hand on their mouth,
and their ears will be deaf.
17 (Isa 49:23; Ps 18:45) They will lick dust like the serpent,
like crawling creatures of the earth;
they will come shuddering from their lairs.
They will turn in dread to the Lord our God,
and they will be afraid of You.
18 (Isa 43:25; Jer 32:41) Who is a God like You,
bearing iniquity and passing over transgression
for the remnant of His inheritance?
He does not remain angry forever,
because He delights in benevolence.
19 (Isa 38:17; Jer 50:20) He will again have compassion upon us.
He will tread down our iniquities,
and cast all of our sins into the depths of the sea.
20 You will give faithfulness to Jacob and benevolence to Abraham,
which You swore to our fathers from the days of old.
[14] Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell
solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and
Gilead, as in the days of old.
[15] According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I
shew unto him marvellous things.
[16] The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall
lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
[17] They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their
holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and
shall fear because of thee.
[18] Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by
the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger
for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
[19] He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our
iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
[20] Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which
thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
2 Chronicles 32:1-8
2 Chronicles 32
Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem
2Ki 18:17-35; 19:35-37; Isa 36:2-20; 37:36-38
1 After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib
king of Assyria came to Judah and encamped against the fortified cities
thinking that he would break through them for himself.
2 When Hezekiah observed that Sennacherib had come
and that he turned to war against Jerusalem,
3 he consulted with his officials and military men to stop up the waters
of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped in this.
4 So, many people assembled and worked to stop up all the springs
and the stream flowing through the area. They reasoned,
"Why should the king of Assyria come and find a great amount of water?"
5 He then worked hard to build up all the walls that were broken down
and to raise up towers. Then he built another wall outside that one
and strengthened the Millo in the City of David.
And he made weapons and shields in abundance.
6 And he designated commanders for fighting over the people,
and he gathered them to himself at the open square of the gate of the city
and spoke encouragingly to them saying,
7 "Be strong and brave. Do not fear or have terror before the king of Assyria
or before all this army that is with him because there are more who are with
us than with him.
8 With this king is a strong arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God who
will help us and fight our battles." So the people leaned on the words
of Hezekiah king of Judah.
[1] After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of
Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced
cities, and thought to win them for himself.
[2] And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was
purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
[3] He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters
of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.
[4] So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the
fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why
should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
[5] Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken,
and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo
in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
[6] And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together
to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them,
saying,
[7] Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of
Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with
us than with him:
[8] With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us,
and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of
Hezekiah king of Judah.
2 Kings 18:13-18
Sennacherib Invades Judah
Isa 36:1-22; 2Ch 32:9-19
13 (Isa 36:1-22) In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah,
Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah
and captured them.
14 (2Ki 18:7) Hezekiah king of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria
at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; turn away from me. I will bear
whatever you put on me." So the king of Assyria required
of Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents
[About 11 tons, or 10 metric tons.] of silver and thirty talents
[About 1 ton, or 1 metric ton.] of gold.
15 (2Ki 16:8; 12:18) So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found
in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king's house.
16 At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple
of the Lord and from the doorposts that Hezekiah king of Judah
had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17 (2Ki 20:20; Isa 7:3) Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan,
[Possibly Commander in Chief.] the Rabsaris,[Possibly Chief of Staff.]
and the Rabshakeh [Possibly Commanding General.] from Lachish
to King Hezekiah with a great army against Jerusalem.
So they went up and came to Jerusalem.
When they went up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool,
which is on the highway of the Fuller's Field.
18 (2Ki 19:2) Then they called to the king, and Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph,
the recorder, came out to them.
[13] Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the
city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
[14] And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and
read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it
before the LORD.
[15] And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel,
which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of
all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
[16] LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see:
and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the
living God.
[17] Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and
their lands,
[18] And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the
work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
Isaiah 36:1-3
Isaiah 36
Sennacherib Invades Judah
2Ki 18:13-37; 2Ch 32:9-19
1 (2Ch 32:1; 2Ki 18:13) Now it came to pass in the 14th year of King Hezekiah
that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities
of Judah and took them.
2 (Isa 7:3; 2Ki 18:17-37) The king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh
[Possibly Commanding General.] from Lachish to Jerusalem
to King Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit
of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
3 Then Eliakim came to him, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household,
and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder.
Isaiah 36
[1] Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that
Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of
Judah, and took them.
[2] And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto
king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper
pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
[3] Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the
house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.
2 Kings 18:19-37
19 (Isa 36:4) Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Speak to Hezekiah:
"Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria:
What is the basis of your confidence?
20 You speak empty words concerning counsel and strength for the war.
Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?
21 (Isa 30:7; Eze 29:6-7) Now, look! You trust in the staff of this bruised
reed, on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will enter his hand
and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
22 (2Ch 31:1) But if you say to me, 'We trust in the Lord our God,'
is it not He, whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed,
saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You shall worship
before this altar in Jerusalem'?
23 "Now, make a wager with my lord king of Assyria. I will give you
two thousand horses if you are able to set riders on them.
24 (Isa 10:8) How can you turn away one official of the least
of my master's servants and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
25 (2Ki 19:6) Have I come up apart from the will of the Lord
against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me,
Go up against this land and destroy it."
26 (Ezr 4:7; Da 2:4) Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah
said to the Rabshakeh, "Speak to your servants in Aramaic,
for we understand it. Do not speak with us in the language of Judah
in earshot of the people who are on the wall."
27 But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me to speak
these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall,
who are about to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?"
28 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called with a loud voice in the language
of Judah, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria.
29 (2Ch 32:15) Thus says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you,
for he is not able to deliver you from my hand.
30 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying,
The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given
into the hand of the king of Assyria.'
31 (1Ki 4:25; 4:20) "Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king
of Assyria: 'Submit to me; come out to me, so that every man may eat
from his own vine and his own fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,
32 (Dt 8:7-9; Ex 3:8) until I come and take you to a land like your own land,
a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil
and honey, that you may live and not die.'
"Do not listen to Hezekiah when he leads you astray saying,
The Lord will deliver us.
33 (Isa 10:10-11) Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered
its land from the hand of the king of Assyria?
34 (Isa 10:9) Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?
Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?
Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
35 (Da 3:15) Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their land
out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"
36 But the people were silent and answered him not a word,
for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."
37 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe,
and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes
torn and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.
[19] Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his
hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD
God, even thou only.
[20] Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the
LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib
king of Assyria I have heard.
[21] This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin
the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the
daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
[22] Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou
exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy
One of Israel.
[23] By the messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With
the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to
the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and
the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his
borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
[24] I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet
have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
[25] Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times
that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thoum shouldest be
to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
[26] Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and
confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as
the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
[27] But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy
rage against me.
[28] Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears,
therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I
will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
[29] And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things
as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the
same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat
the fruits thereof.
[30] And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again
take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
[31] For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out
of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
[32] Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall
not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with
shield, nor cast a bank against it.
[33] By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not
come into this city, saith the LORD.
[34] For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my
servant David's sake.
[35] And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out,
and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five
thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all
dead corpses.
[36] So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and
dwelt at Nineveh.
[37] And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his
god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and
they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in
his stead.
Isaiah 36:4-22
4 The Rabshakeh said to them:
"Say now to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria:
What confidence is this that you have?
5 (2Ki 18:7) I say, Your counsel and strength for war are only empty words.
Now on whom do you rely that you rebel against me?
6 (Eze 29:6-7) You rely on the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt,
on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it.
So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.
7 (2Ki 18:4-5) But if you say to me, 'We trust in the Lord our God,'
is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away,
and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You shall worship before this altar'?
8 "Now therefore, come make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria,
and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part
to set riders on them.
9 (Isa 10:8) How then will you turn away one captain of the least
of my master's servants and rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
10 (1Ki 13:18) Have I now come up without the approval of the Lord
against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me,
Go up against this land, and destroy it."
11 (Ezr 4:7; Da 2:4) Then Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh,
"Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it.
And do not speak to us in Hebrew
in the ears of the people who are on the wall."
12 But the Rabshakeh said, "Has my master sent me only to your master
and to you to speak these words? Has he not sent me to the men who sit
on the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own urine
with you?"
13 (2Ch 32:18) Then the Rabshakeh stood and cried out with a loud voice
in Hebrew, and said, "Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
14 Thus says the king, 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you,
for he shall not be able to deliver you;
15 nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying,
The Lord will surely deliver us.
This city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.'
16 (1Ki 4:25; Zec 3:10) "Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says
the king of Assyria: 'Make your peace with me and come out to me,
and eat every one of his vine and every one of his fig tree,
and drink every one the waters of his own cistern,
17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land,
a land of corn and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
18 (Isa 36:15) " 'Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will
deliver us. Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land out
of the hand of the king of Assyria?
19 (Jer 49:23; Isa 10:9-11) Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?
Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?
And when have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
20 (2Ch 32:19) Who are they among all the gods of these lands that have
delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem
out of my hand?' "
21 (Pr 26:4) But they held their peace, and answered him not a word,
for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him."
22 (Isa 36:3; 33:7) Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was
over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph,
the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn
and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.
[4] And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the
great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou
trustest?
[5] I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and
strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against
me?
[6] Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if
a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of
Egypt to all that trust in him.
[7] But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose
high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and
to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
[8] Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of
Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy
part to set riders upon them.
[9] How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my
master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
[10] And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it?
the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
[11] Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray
thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and
speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on
the wall.
[12] But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to
speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall,
that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
[13] Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews'
language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of
Assyria.
[14] Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be
able to deliver you.
[15] Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will
surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the
king of Assyria.
[16] Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an
agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of
his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters
of his own cistern;
[17] Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of
corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
[18] Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of
the king of Assyria?
[19] Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of
Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
[20] Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered
their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my
hand?
[21] But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's
commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
[22] Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and
Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah
with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
2) Our Daily Bread for 23 July 2026 titled
Prepared to Help
By Anne Cetas
Ephesians 2:1-10
The Promise of the Spirit
15 (Eph 6:24) "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16 (Jn 15:26; 14:26; 1Jn 2:1) I will pray the Father, and He will give you
another Counselor, that He may be with you forever:
17 (Jn 15:26; 16:13; 1Co 2:14) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, for it does not see Him, neither does it know Him. But you know Him,
for He lives with you, and will be in you.
18 (Jn 14:3) I will not leave you fatherless. I will come to you.
19 (Jn 7:33; 16:16) Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more.
But you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
20 (Jn 10:38; 14:10) On that day you will know that I am in My Father,
and you are in Me, and I am in you.
21 (Jn 14:15; 16:27) He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one
who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father. And I will love
him and will reveal Myself to him."
22 (Lk 6:16; Ac 1:13) Then Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it
that You will reveal Yourself to us, but not to the world?"
23 (Jn 14:15; 14:21) Jesus answered him, "If a man loves Me, he will keep
My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our home
with him.
24 (Jn 7:16; 14:10) He who does not love Me does not keep My words.
The word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.
25 "I have spoken these things to you while I am still with you.
26 (Jn 15:26; 16:7) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that
I told you.
[15] If ye love me, keep my commandments.
[16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever;
[17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it
seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with
you, and shall be in you.
[18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
[19] Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me:
because I live, ye shall live also.
[20] At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I
in you.
[21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth
me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him,
and will manifest myself to him.
[22] Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt
manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
[23] Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my
words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our
abode with him.
[24] He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye
hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
[25] These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
[26] But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
My friend needed to practice parallel parking before her driving test that was
coming up soon. I was prayerfully looking for a safe place to teach her when
the idea came to go to a neighborhood church with an ample parking lot. After
we set up what turned out to be a less-than-ideal practice parking space using
folding chairs, she made her first attempt to back into the spot
between the chairs.
Then the pastor came out with orange cones in hand, similar to the kind used
in a driving test. He introduced himself and asked, "Could you use these
cones?" He explained that just last week their church family had discussed
ways to help neighbors new to the community. "We talked about letting people
use these cones in our parking lot for parking practice." They had prepared to
help others, and what a blessing they were for my friend.
Prepared to help others. That's exactly what God did for us and in us. He
"prepared in advance" for us to do good works and care for others
(Ephesians 2:10). The apostle Paul says, "We are God's handiwork" (v. 10),
so we serve under His direction and for His purposes. Salvation is a gift from
God (v. 8), who is "rich in mercy" (v. 4). Our good works are a work of God
through us. He's prepared us and will give us the compassion and wisdom
we need to reach out to others.
Reflect & Pray
How has God gifted you?
In what ways could you join with others to serve people in your community?
Dear God, please help me to see others' needs
and know what You want me to do so You may be seen.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 5 Rejoice in Grace - Day 5 Called by Name
Isaiah 43:1
1 But now, thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob,
and He who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob,
and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not:
for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Eric, age 4, somehow lost his mother in a large and busy department store.
Found sobbing under a coat rack, the boy tried to tell the security guard
where he was when he got separated from his mother. Finally the guard said,
"what's your name, Son? Who do you belong to?"
The child brightened a bit, gave the guard his name, and within minutes
the frantic mother was reunited with her lost son.
One of the first questions we are asked, both as children and adults, is
"What is your name?" - that is, "Who are you? Who do you belong to?"
Children bear the name of their parents, and most women,
except for professional reasons,
take the name of their husbands when they marry.
Our names are our primary method of identification;
they connect us with our heritage and those we love.
In Isaiah 43:1, God declares that we belong to him.
The Lord who created us and formed us says,
"I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine." God's
right of ownership in our lives extends beyond the bond of family and friends,
of parent, child, or spouse. We belong first to him;
we are called by him into oneness with him.
The Scripture is filled with images of the Lord's care for us;
when we are lost, he does
not wait for us to find him,
but takes the initiative, like a loving parent
to seek us out. That declaration of belonging can give us
a strong sense of security in our lives. God loves us;
he will never let us go.
Application
a) What experiences have I had of being lost of abandoned?
b) How can today's verse help me find security in belonging to God?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Hebr 11:6
6 (1Ch 28:9; Jer 29:13-14) And without faith it is impossible to please God,
for he who comes to God must believe that He exists
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Burdened by Doubt
Matt 7:7-11
Ask, Seek, Knock
Lk 11:9-13
7(Mt 21:22; Mk 11:24) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks, it will be opened.
9 "What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread,
will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake?
11 (Ge 6:5; 8:21) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give
good things to those who ask Him!
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,
and it shall be opened unto you:
8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread,
will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things
to them that ask him?
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2022 edition?)
Where do Muslims live?
Canada is a land of immigrants. And Muslims are coming in increasing numbers
to our shores. Where do they live? How can we pray for these areas? Use this as
your more effectively for Muslims in Canada.
Data for those population figures is extrapolated for the 2011 National
Household Survey and population growth projections by Pew Forum. These have
also been adjusted by +40% as reliable sources state that on 60% of Muslims
self-identify on government surveys and forms. These estimates are still on
the conservative end of the spectrum. Percentages represent that of the total
Canadian population, not provincial
BC - 136493 - 7.5%
AB - 195240 - 11%
SK - 17279 - 1%
MB - 21349 - 1.2%
ON - 1001542 - 55%
QC - 418946 - 23%
NB - 4543 - 0.003%
NS - 14629 - 0.1%
PEI - 1127 - 0.0006%
NFLD - 2065 - 0.001%
Yukon - 69 - 0.00004%
NWT - 473 - 0.0003%
NU - 86 - 0.00005%
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 "In the last days it shall be," says God,
"that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below:
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[a]
Footnotes
Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32.
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
And
Thank you for praying through the
5 Days of Prayer for Sikhs.
"My name is Kam. I'm 29 years of age, and I grew up Sikh. As a teenager,
I struggled with depression, brokenness, and addiction to
cannabis. I didn't know how to stop or how to get help.
Then a friend invited me to church. As I spent time with Christians
and heard the message of the Gospel, I experienced the
love of Jesus Christ, and it was like nothing I'd known before.
One night I had a dream where I saw Him - a figure surrounded by
light who I knew was Jesus, the light of the world.
As I began to understand the gospel message, I encountered a reassuring and
confident solution to the problem of sin. I knew that I needed a solution
to my sin problem, and I gave my life to Christ.
Slowly, God began to heal my broken heart and my addiction.
Nine years have passed, and I am a devoted husband and a father
to two beautiful boys. I grow deeper in love with Jesus each day.
I ask you to continue praying with me, and others around the world, for Sikhs.
God is the only one who can draw people to Himself. He works in and through
the prayers of His people. I want Sikhs to know the freedom
and healing that is only available through Jesus Christ."
13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that
ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
ROMANS 15:13
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
Day 23 of the Month
a) Pray for the genuine conversion and successful rehabilitation of those
who have committed crimes.
b) Pray for spiritual and functional unity in the Body of Christ
across Canada.
(
John 13:34-35
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another,
even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another."
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.
Rom 12:10
10 Be devoted to one another with brotherly love; prefer one another in honour
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
in honour preferring one another;
Heb 10:24
24 And let us consider how to spur one another to love and to good works.
24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
1 Peter 3:8
8 Finally, be all of one mind, be loving toward one another, be gracious,
and be kind.
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another,
love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1 John 3:23
23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name
of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another as He commanded us.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name
of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to Lord Jesus Christ to give you
victory over the battle.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear God, please help me to see others' needs
and know what You want me to do so You may be seen."
Pray to the Lord and pray to Jesus Christ to know that He has redeemed you.
Pray to the Lord and pray to seek Him in Faith.
Pray to the Lord and pray to ask Him for it will be given.
Pray for Muslims in Canada to know Jesus as Saviour.
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray for the genuine conversion and successful rehabilitation of those
who have committed crimes.
Pray for spiritual and functional unity in the Body of Christ
across Canada.
Pray that the estimated 30000 detained Christians in
North Korea
will be sustained by the Lord’s peace and presence.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.
1) Micah 6, Micah 7, 2 Chronicles 32:1-8, 2 Kings 18:13-18, Isaiah 36:1-3,
2 Kings 18:19-37, Isaiah 36:4-22
Micah 6
The Indictment of the Lord
1 (Ps 50:1; Mic 1:2) Listen to what the Lord says:
Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
that the hills may hear your voice.
2 (Isa 1:18; Hos 4:1) Hear, mountains, the indictment of the Lord,
O enduring foundations of the earth-
that the Lord has an indictment against His people,
and against Israel He will dispute.
3 (Jer 2:5; Isa 43:22-23) "My people, what have I done to you,
and how have I wearied you? Answer Me!
4 (Ex 12:51; Dt 7:8) For I have brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and from the house of slaves I have redeemed you;
and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 (Nu 25:1; Jos 5:9-10) O My people, remember now
what Balak king of Moab counseled,
and what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
and remember what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
so that you might know the righteous acts of the Lord."
[1] Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the
mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
[2] Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations
of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will
plead with Israel.
[3] O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied
thee? testify against me.
[4] For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of
the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
[5] O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what
Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may
know the righteousness of the LORD.
The Requirement of the Lord
6 "With what should I come before the Lord,
and bow down before God on high?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 (2Ki 16:3; Ps 50:9) Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
8 (Isa 57:15; Hos 6:6) He has told you, O man, what is good-
and what does the Lord require of you,
but to do justice and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
[6] Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high
God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
[7] Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands
of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit
of my body for the sin of my soul?
[8] He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require
of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
The Punishment of Israel's Guilt
9 (Isa 30:27) The voice of the Lord calls to the city-
and wisdom will fear Your name:
Heed the rod and Him who has appointed it.
10 (Am 3:10; Jer 5:26-27) Are there still in the house of the wicked
treasures of wickedness?
And the short ephah
[A dry measure of about 3/5 bushel, or 22 liters.] which is accursed?
11 (Hos 12:7) Should I acquit the scales of wickedness,
and the sack of dishonest weights?
12 (Isa 1:23; Jer 9:8) Her wealthy men are full of violence,
and her inhabitants speak deception,
and their tongue in their mouth is treachery.
13 Therefore, I have struck you a dreadful blow,
devastating you because of your sins.
14 (Hos 4:10 ) You will eat, but not be satisfied,
with hunger within you.
You will set aside, but not retain;
and what you retain I will give over to the sword.
15 (Zep 1:13; Jer 12:13) You will sow, but not reap;
you will tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil;
you will crush grapes, but not drink wine.
16 (Jer 7:24; 51:51) You observe the statutes of Omri,
and every practice of the house of Ahab,
and you walk in their counsels.
Therefore I will give you over to destruction,
and the inhabitants to derision.
You will bear the contempt of My people.
[9] The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see
thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
[10] Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked,
and the scant measure that is abominable?
[11] Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of
deceitful weights?
[12] For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants
thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
[13] Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee
desolate because of thy sins.
[14] Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in
the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and
that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.
[15] Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives,
but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not
drink wine.
[16] For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of
Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation,
and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the
reproach of my people.
Micah 7
Wait on the Lord
1 (Isa 24:13; Hos 9:10) Woe is me!
Because I am as the gathering of summer fruit,
as the gleaning of grapes;
there is no cluster to eat,
no early fig that my soul desires.
2 (Ps 12:1; Isa 57:1) The godly has perished from the earth,
and no one is upright among men.
All of them lie in wait for bloodshed;
each hunts his brother with a net.
3 (Mic 3:11; Pr 4:16-17) Both hands are upon evil, to do it well.
The prince and the judge request the bribe,
the powerful asserts the craving of his very soul-
they intertwine together.
4 (Isa 22:5; Eze 2:6; 2Sa 23:6-7) The best among them is like a brier,
the most upright among them a bramble;
the day of your watchmen,
of your punishment, has come;
now their confusion is at hand.
5 (Jer 9:4) Do not trust in a companion,
do not rely on a friend;
from her who lies in your embrace,
guard the doors of your mouth.
6 (Mt 10:35-36; Eze 22:7) For the son dishonors the father,
the daughter rises up against her mother,
the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -
the enemies of a man are members of his own household.
7 (Isa 25:9) But as for me, I watch for the Lord;
I await the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.
[1] Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the
grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired
the firstripe fruit.
[2] The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright
among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother
with a net.
[3] That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and
the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his
mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
[4] The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn
hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be
their perplexity.
[5] Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the
doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
[6] For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her
mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are
the men of his own house.
[7] Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my
salvation: my God will hear me.
The Penitence of Israel
8 (Ps 112:4; Isa 9:2) Do not rejoice over me, my enemy!
Although I have fallen, I will rise;
although I dwell in darkness,
the Lord is my light.
9 (Ps 37:6; 1Sa 24:15) I will endure the rage of the Lord,
because I have sinned against Him,
until the time when He pleads my case
and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out into the light;
I will look upon His vindication.
10 (Joel 2:17; Zec 10:5) Then my enemy will see,
and shame will cover her
who said to me,
"Where is the Lord your God?"
My eyes will look upon her;
now she will be trampled
like muck in the streets.
11 A day for building your walls,
in that day the boundary will be extended.
12 (Isa 19:23-25; 11:16) In that day they will come to you
from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,
and from Egypt to the River,
from sea to sea,
and from mountain to mountain.
13 (Isa 3:10-11; Jer 25:11) The earth will become desolate because
of its inhabitants,
from the fruit of their deeds.
[8] Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I
sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
[9] I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against
him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me
forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
[10] Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her
which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her:
now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
[11] In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree
be far removed.
[12] In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the
fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to
sea, and from mountain to mountain.
[13] Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell
therein, for the fruit of their doings.
The Restoration of Israel
14 (Mic 5:4; Ps 28:9) Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock of your inheritance,
which live alone in a forest,
in the midst of a fertile land;
let them graze in Bashan and Gilead,
as in the days of old.
15 (Isa 11:16) As in the days when you came out of Egypt,
I will display wonders.
16 (Isa 26:11; 52:15) Nations will see and be ashamed,
despite all their might;
they will put their hand on their mouth,
and their ears will be deaf.
17 (Isa 49:23; Ps 18:45) They will lick dust like the serpent,
like crawling creatures of the earth;
they will come shuddering from their lairs.
They will turn in dread to the Lord our God,
and they will be afraid of You.
18 (Isa 43:25; Jer 32:41) Who is a God like You,
bearing iniquity and passing over transgression
for the remnant of His inheritance?
He does not remain angry forever,
because He delights in benevolence.
19 (Isa 38:17; Jer 50:20) He will again have compassion upon us.
He will tread down our iniquities,
and cast all of our sins into the depths of the sea.
20 You will give faithfulness to Jacob and benevolence to Abraham,
which You swore to our fathers from the days of old.
[14] Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell
solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and
Gilead, as in the days of old.
[15] According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I
shew unto him marvellous things.
[16] The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall
lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
[17] They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their
holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and
shall fear because of thee.
[18] Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by
the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger
for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
[19] He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our
iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
[20] Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which
thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
2 Chronicles 32:1-8
2 Chronicles 32
Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem
2Ki 18:17-35; 19:35-37; Isa 36:2-20; 37:36-38
1 After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib
king of Assyria came to Judah and encamped against the fortified cities
thinking that he would break through them for himself.
2 When Hezekiah observed that Sennacherib had come
and that he turned to war against Jerusalem,
3 he consulted with his officials and military men to stop up the waters
of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped in this.
4 So, many people assembled and worked to stop up all the springs
and the stream flowing through the area. They reasoned,
"Why should the king of Assyria come and find a great amount of water?"
5 He then worked hard to build up all the walls that were broken down
and to raise up towers. Then he built another wall outside that one
and strengthened the Millo in the City of David.
And he made weapons and shields in abundance.
6 And he designated commanders for fighting over the people,
and he gathered them to himself at the open square of the gate of the city
and spoke encouragingly to them saying,
7 "Be strong and brave. Do not fear or have terror before the king of Assyria
or before all this army that is with him because there are more who are with
us than with him.
8 With this king is a strong arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God who
will help us and fight our battles." So the people leaned on the words
of Hezekiah king of Judah.
[1] After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of
Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced
cities, and thought to win them for himself.
[2] And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was
purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
[3] He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters
of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him.
[4] So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the
fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why
should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
[5] Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken,
and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo
in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
[6] And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together
to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them,
saying,
[7] Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of
Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with
us than with him:
[8] With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us,
and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of
Hezekiah king of Judah.
2 Kings 18:13-18
Sennacherib Invades Judah
Isa 36:1-22; 2Ch 32:9-19
13 (Isa 36:1-22) In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah,
Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah
and captured them.
14 (2Ki 18:7) Hezekiah king of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria
at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; turn away from me. I will bear
whatever you put on me." So the king of Assyria required
of Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents
[About 11 tons, or 10 metric tons.] of silver and thirty talents
[About 1 ton, or 1 metric ton.] of gold.
15 (2Ki 16:8; 12:18) So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found
in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king's house.
16 At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple
of the Lord and from the doorposts that Hezekiah king of Judah
had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17 (2Ki 20:20; Isa 7:3) Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan,
[Possibly Commander in Chief.] the Rabsaris,[Possibly Chief of Staff.]
and the Rabshakeh [Possibly Commanding General.] from Lachish
to King Hezekiah with a great army against Jerusalem.
So they went up and came to Jerusalem.
When they went up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool,
which is on the highway of the Fuller's Field.
18 (2Ki 19:2) Then they called to the king, and Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph,
the recorder, came out to them.
[13] Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the
city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah?
[14] And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and
read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it
before the LORD.
[15] And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel,
which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of
all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
[16] LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see:
and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the
living God.
[17] Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and
their lands,
[18] And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the
work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
Isaiah 36:1-3
Isaiah 36
Sennacherib Invades Judah
2Ki 18:13-37; 2Ch 32:9-19
1 (2Ch 32:1; 2Ki 18:13) Now it came to pass in the 14th year of King Hezekiah
that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities
of Judah and took them.
2 (Isa 7:3; 2Ki 18:17-37) The king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh
[Possibly Commanding General.] from Lachish to Jerusalem
to King Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit
of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
3 Then Eliakim came to him, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household,
and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder.
Isaiah 36
[1] Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that
Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of
Judah, and took them.
[2] And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto
king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper
pool in the highway of the fuller's field.
[3] Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over the
house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.
2 Kings 18:19-37
19 (Isa 36:4) Then the Rabshakeh said to them, "Speak to Hezekiah:
"Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria:
What is the basis of your confidence?
20 You speak empty words concerning counsel and strength for the war.
Now on whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?
21 (Isa 30:7; Eze 29:6-7) Now, look! You trust in the staff of this bruised
reed, on Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will enter his hand
and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
22 (2Ch 31:1) But if you say to me, 'We trust in the Lord our God,'
is it not He, whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed,
saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You shall worship
before this altar in Jerusalem'?
23 "Now, make a wager with my lord king of Assyria. I will give you
two thousand horses if you are able to set riders on them.
24 (Isa 10:8) How can you turn away one official of the least
of my master's servants and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
25 (2Ki 19:6) Have I come up apart from the will of the Lord
against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me,
Go up against this land and destroy it."
26 (Ezr 4:7; Da 2:4) Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah
said to the Rabshakeh, "Speak to your servants in Aramaic,
for we understand it. Do not speak with us in the language of Judah
in earshot of the people who are on the wall."
27 But the Rabshakeh said to them, "Has my master sent me to speak
these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall,
who are about to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?"
28 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called with a loud voice in the language
of Judah, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria.
29 (2Ch 32:15) Thus says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you,
for he is not able to deliver you from my hand.
30 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying,
The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given
into the hand of the king of Assyria.'
31 (1Ki 4:25; 4:20) "Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king
of Assyria: 'Submit to me; come out to me, so that every man may eat
from his own vine and his own fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,
32 (Dt 8:7-9; Ex 3:8) until I come and take you to a land like your own land,
a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil
and honey, that you may live and not die.'
"Do not listen to Hezekiah when he leads you astray saying,
The Lord will deliver us.
33 (Isa 10:10-11) Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered
its land from the hand of the king of Assyria?
34 (Isa 10:9) Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?
Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?
Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
35 (Da 3:15) Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their land
out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"
36 But the people were silent and answered him not a word,
for the king's command was, "Do not answer him."
37 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe,
and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes
torn and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.
[19] Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his
hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD
God, even thou only.
[20] Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the
LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib
king of Assyria I have heard.
[21] This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin
the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the
daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.
[22] Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou
exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy
One of Israel.
[23] By the messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With
the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to
the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and
the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his
borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
[24] I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet
have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.
[25] Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times
that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thoum shouldest be
to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.
[26] Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and
confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as
the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
[27] But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy
rage against me.
[28] Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears,
therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I
will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
[29] And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things
as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the
same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat
the fruits thereof.
[30] And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again
take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
[31] For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out
of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.
[32] Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall
not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with
shield, nor cast a bank against it.
[33] By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not
come into this city, saith the LORD.
[34] For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my
servant David's sake.
[35] And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out,
and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five
thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all
dead corpses.
[36] So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and
dwelt at Nineveh.
[37] And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his
god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and
they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in
his stead.
Isaiah 36:4-22
4 The Rabshakeh said to them:
"Say now to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria:
What confidence is this that you have?
5 (2Ki 18:7) I say, Your counsel and strength for war are only empty words.
Now on whom do you rely that you rebel against me?
6 (Eze 29:6-7) You rely on the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt,
on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it.
So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him.
7 (2Ki 18:4-5) But if you say to me, 'We trust in the Lord our God,'
is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away,
and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You shall worship before this altar'?
8 "Now therefore, come make a bargain with my master the king of Assyria,
and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part
to set riders on them.
9 (Isa 10:8) How then will you turn away one captain of the least
of my master's servants and rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
10 (1Ki 13:18) Have I now come up without the approval of the Lord
against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me,
Go up against this land, and destroy it."
11 (Ezr 4:7; Da 2:4) Then Eliakim and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh,
"Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it.
And do not speak to us in Hebrew
in the ears of the people who are on the wall."
12 But the Rabshakeh said, "Has my master sent me only to your master
and to you to speak these words? Has he not sent me to the men who sit
on the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own urine
with you?"
13 (2Ch 32:18) Then the Rabshakeh stood and cried out with a loud voice
in Hebrew, and said, "Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
14 Thus says the king, 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you,
for he shall not be able to deliver you;
15 nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying,
The Lord will surely deliver us.
This city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.'
16 (1Ki 4:25; Zec 3:10) "Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says
the king of Assyria: 'Make your peace with me and come out to me,
and eat every one of his vine and every one of his fig tree,
and drink every one the waters of his own cistern,
17 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land,
a land of corn and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
18 (Isa 36:15) " 'Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will
deliver us. Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land out
of the hand of the king of Assyria?
19 (Jer 49:23; Isa 10:9-11) Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?
Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?
And when have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
20 (2Ch 32:19) Who are they among all the gods of these lands that have
delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem
out of my hand?' "
21 (Pr 26:4) But they held their peace, and answered him not a word,
for the king's commandment was, "Do not answer him."
22 (Isa 36:3; 33:7) Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was
over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph,
the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn
and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.
[4] And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the
great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou
trustest?
[5] I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and
strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against
me?
[6] Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if
a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of
Egypt to all that trust in him.
[7] But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not he, whose
high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and
to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
[8] Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of
Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy
part to set riders upon them.
[9] How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my
master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
[10] And am I now come up without the LORD against this land to destroy it?
the LORD said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
[11] Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray
thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and
speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the people that are on
the wall.
[12] But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to
speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall,
that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
[13] Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews'
language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of
Assyria.
[14] Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be
able to deliver you.
[15] Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will
surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the
king of Assyria.
[16] Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an
agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of
his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters
of his own cistern;
[17] Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of
corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
[18] Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of
the king of Assyria?
[19] Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of
Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
[20] Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered
their land out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my
hand?
[21] But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's
commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
[22] Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and
Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah
with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
2) Our Daily Bread for 23 July 2026 titled
Prepared to Help
By Anne Cetas
Ephesians 2:1-10
The Promise of the Spirit
15 (Eph 6:24) "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
16 (Jn 15:26; 14:26; 1Jn 2:1) I will pray the Father, and He will give you
another Counselor, that He may be with you forever:
17 (Jn 15:26; 16:13; 1Co 2:14) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, for it does not see Him, neither does it know Him. But you know Him,
for He lives with you, and will be in you.
18 (Jn 14:3) I will not leave you fatherless. I will come to you.
19 (Jn 7:33; 16:16) Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more.
But you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
20 (Jn 10:38; 14:10) On that day you will know that I am in My Father,
and you are in Me, and I am in you.
21 (Jn 14:15; 16:27) He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one
who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father. And I will love
him and will reveal Myself to him."
22 (Lk 6:16; Ac 1:13) Then Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, how is it
that You will reveal Yourself to us, but not to the world?"
23 (Jn 14:15; 14:21) Jesus answered him, "If a man loves Me, he will keep
My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our home
with him.
24 (Jn 7:16; 14:10) He who does not love Me does not keep My words.
The word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.
25 "I have spoken these things to you while I am still with you.
26 (Jn 15:26; 16:7) But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that
I told you.
[15] If ye love me, keep my commandments.
[16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever;
[17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it
seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with
you, and shall be in you.
[18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
[19] Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me:
because I live, ye shall live also.
[20] At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I
in you.
[21] He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth
me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him,
and will manifest myself to him.
[22] Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt
manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
[23] Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my
words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our
abode with him.
[24] He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye
hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
[25] These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
[26] But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
My friend needed to practice parallel parking before her driving test that was
coming up soon. I was prayerfully looking for a safe place to teach her when
the idea came to go to a neighborhood church with an ample parking lot. After
we set up what turned out to be a less-than-ideal practice parking space using
folding chairs, she made her first attempt to back into the spot
between the chairs.
Then the pastor came out with orange cones in hand, similar to the kind used
in a driving test. He introduced himself and asked, "Could you use these
cones?" He explained that just last week their church family had discussed
ways to help neighbors new to the community. "We talked about letting people
use these cones in our parking lot for parking practice." They had prepared to
help others, and what a blessing they were for my friend.
Prepared to help others. That's exactly what God did for us and in us. He
"prepared in advance" for us to do good works and care for others
(Ephesians 2:10). The apostle Paul says, "We are God's handiwork" (v. 10),
so we serve under His direction and for His purposes. Salvation is a gift from
God (v. 8), who is "rich in mercy" (v. 4). Our good works are a work of God
through us. He's prepared us and will give us the compassion and wisdom
we need to reach out to others.
Reflect & Pray
How has God gifted you?
In what ways could you join with others to serve people in your community?
Dear God, please help me to see others' needs
and know what You want me to do so You may be seen.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 5 Rejoice in Grace - Day 5 Called by Name
Isaiah 43:1
1 But now, thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob,
and He who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob,
and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not:
for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Eric, age 4, somehow lost his mother in a large and busy department store.
Found sobbing under a coat rack, the boy tried to tell the security guard
where he was when he got separated from his mother. Finally the guard said,
"what's your name, Son? Who do you belong to?"
The child brightened a bit, gave the guard his name, and within minutes
the frantic mother was reunited with her lost son.
One of the first questions we are asked, both as children and adults, is
"What is your name?" - that is, "Who are you? Who do you belong to?"
Children bear the name of their parents, and most women,
except for professional reasons,
take the name of their husbands when they marry.
Our names are our primary method of identification;
they connect us with our heritage and those we love.
In Isaiah 43:1, God declares that we belong to him.
The Lord who created us and formed us says,
"I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine." God's
right of ownership in our lives extends beyond the bond of family and friends,
of parent, child, or spouse. We belong first to him;
we are called by him into oneness with him.
The Scripture is filled with images of the Lord's care for us;
when we are lost, he does
not wait for us to find him,
but takes the initiative, like a loving parent
to seek us out. That declaration of belonging can give us
a strong sense of security in our lives. God loves us;
he will never let us go.
Application
a) What experiences have I had of being lost of abandoned?
b) How can today's verse help me find security in belonging to God?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Hebr 11:6
6 (1Ch 28:9; Jer 29:13-14) And without faith it is impossible to please God,
for he who comes to God must believe that He exists
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Burdened by Doubt
Matt 7:7-11
Ask, Seek, Knock
Lk 11:9-13
7(Mt 21:22; Mk 11:24) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks, it will be opened.
9 "What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread,
will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake?
11 (Ge 6:5; 8:21) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give
good things to those who ask Him!
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,
and it shall be opened unto you:
8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread,
will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things
to them that ask him?
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2022 edition?)
Where do Muslims live?
Canada is a land of immigrants. And Muslims are coming in increasing numbers
to our shores. Where do they live? How can we pray for these areas? Use this as
your more effectively for Muslims in Canada.
Data for those population figures is extrapolated for the 2011 National
Household Survey and population growth projections by Pew Forum. These have
also been adjusted by +40% as reliable sources state that on 60% of Muslims
self-identify on government surveys and forms. These estimates are still on
the conservative end of the spectrum. Percentages represent that of the total
Canadian population, not provincial
BC - 136493 - 7.5%
AB - 195240 - 11%
SK - 17279 - 1%
MB - 21349 - 1.2%
ON - 1001542 - 55%
QC - 418946 - 23%
NB - 4543 - 0.003%
NS - 14629 - 0.1%
PEI - 1127 - 0.0006%
NFLD - 2065 - 0.001%
Yukon - 69 - 0.00004%
NWT - 473 - 0.0003%
NU - 86 - 0.00005%
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 "In the last days it shall be," says God,
"that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below:
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[a]
Footnotes
Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32.
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
And
Thank you for praying through the
5 Days of Prayer for Sikhs.
"My name is Kam. I'm 29 years of age, and I grew up Sikh. As a teenager,
I struggled with depression, brokenness, and addiction to
cannabis. I didn't know how to stop or how to get help.
Then a friend invited me to church. As I spent time with Christians
and heard the message of the Gospel, I experienced the
love of Jesus Christ, and it was like nothing I'd known before.
One night I had a dream where I saw Him - a figure surrounded by
light who I knew was Jesus, the light of the world.
As I began to understand the gospel message, I encountered a reassuring and
confident solution to the problem of sin. I knew that I needed a solution
to my sin problem, and I gave my life to Christ.
Slowly, God began to heal my broken heart and my addiction.
Nine years have passed, and I am a devoted husband and a father
to two beautiful boys. I grow deeper in love with Jesus each day.
I ask you to continue praying with me, and others around the world, for Sikhs.
God is the only one who can draw people to Himself. He works in and through
the prayers of His people. I want Sikhs to know the freedom
and healing that is only available through Jesus Christ."
13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that
ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
ROMANS 15:13
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
Day 23 of the Month
a) Pray for the genuine conversion and successful rehabilitation of those
who have committed crimes.
b) Pray for spiritual and functional unity in the Body of Christ
across Canada.
(
John 13:34-35
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another,
even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another."
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.
Rom 12:10
10 Be devoted to one another with brotherly love; prefer one another in honour
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
in honour preferring one another;
Heb 10:24
24 And let us consider how to spur one another to love and to good works.
24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
1 Peter 3:8
8 Finally, be all of one mind, be loving toward one another, be gracious,
and be kind.
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another,
love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1 John 3:23
23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name
of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another as He commanded us.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name
of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to Lord Jesus Christ to give you
victory over the battle.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear God, please help me to see others' needs
and know what You want me to do so You may be seen."
Pray to the Lord and pray to Jesus Christ to know that He has redeemed you.
Pray to the Lord and pray to seek Him in Faith.
Pray to the Lord and pray to ask Him for it will be given.
Pray for Muslims in Canada to know Jesus as Saviour.
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray for the genuine conversion and successful rehabilitation of those
who have committed crimes.
Pray for spiritual and functional unity in the Body of Christ
across Canada.
Pray that the estimated 30000 detained Christians in
North Korea
will be sustained by the Lord’s peace and presence.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.
- a weighted line used by builders