Assyrian Crisis Essay -- essays research papers

THE ASSYRIAN CRISIS, A TIME OF GROWTH   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Assyrian Crisis in Judah appears, from the surface, as a time of great luck for the people of Jerusalem. However, by examining the situation with a more powerful lens, one can see the powerful religious infuence such an event could have on a resident’s theology. If I were a Judean during this time, my faith would have faced the toughest test of my life. Going into such a conflict with a nation as strong as Assyria, I could not help but be afraid. My bones would tremble at the thought of destruction of the Holy City of Jerusalem, of the people of Judah, and of my own being. Although I would have believed in God, I would still be filled with fear. This fear would escalate when I heard a messenger for the king of Assyria, as stated in Isaiah 36, mocking God, insulting His power and doubting His saving grace on Jerusalem. He goes on to try and convice us, the people of Jerusalem, that Hezekiah is not trustworthy, and that we will not find help in Egypt becau se they are not reliable. Finally, knowing the path of destruction that Assyria has already created, and their hunger for more, in addition to the messenger’s statement that the Lord has commanded Assyria to go and destroy Jerusalem, my feelings of fear and doubt would uncontrollably well up inside me. We are, after all, only human, and fear is a common feeling, despite where we stand with God. No man lives without fear, but though fear our faith is tested and strengthened.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon hearing and experiencing the truth of Isaiah’s claim that God will spare Jerusalem and force the Assyrians back home, my faith in God would be fortified. In the times of fear, I would have realized how weak, how immature, and how far I must go in my faith and trust in God. But once I heard Isaiah’s prophecy, I would use it as a way to do away with my fear. Knowing that God was going to save His Holy City, and that He was going to continue with His perfect plan for mankind that dated back as far as the times of Abraham and held a future for the arrival of the Messiah, I would know that my God follows His plans and keeps His promises. Through this, I would have peace. I would soon learn that I can trust Him in everything because as it says in Scripture, “if God is for us, who can be ... ...of mockery and insults directed towards God. By attacking the Christian faith in this way, the king of Assyria was trying to prove the Christian’s God was just like all other gods, powerless. Similarly, Paul persecuted Christians by going to Damascus to capture them and bring them back to Jerusalem. He hated the Christian faith and persecuted it without mercy. He, however, converted to Christianity later and became an awesome tool of God’s for spreading the Gospel. Living such a life against God in his past, Paul could have easily compare himself with the king of Assyria. Paul would gain great peace and thankfulneess when he realized God’s punishment to the king of Assyria was death, and that he escaped such punishment and was saved by God. Additionally, seeing the successes of Hezekiah, like returning Judah to the luxury it once experienced, being saved from the Assyrians, and being given 15 extra years to live after his illness, Paul would soon realize that th e only reason God was so gracious and merciful with Hezekiah was because he kept his eyes on Him. This would teach Paul that, if he were to be successful, he must keep his focus in life on God. Assyrian Crisis Essay -- essays research papers THE ASSYRIAN CRISIS, A TIME OF GROWTH   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Assyrian Crisis in Judah appears, from the surface, as a time of great luck for the people of Jerusalem. However, by examining the situation with a more powerful lens, one can see the powerful religious infuence such an event could have on a resident’s theology. If I were a Judean during this time, my faith would have faced the toughest test of my life. Going into such a conflict with a nation as strong as Assyria, I could not help but be afraid. My bones would tremble at the thought of destruction of the Holy City of Jerusalem, of the people of Judah, and of my own being. Although I would have believed in God, I would still be filled with fear. This fear would escalate when I heard a messenger for the king of Assyria, as stated in Isaiah 36, mocking God, insulting His power and doubting His saving grace on Jerusalem. He goes on to try and convice us, the people of Jerusalem, that Hezekiah is not trustworthy, and that we will not find help in Egypt becau se they are not reliable. Finally, knowing the path of destruction that Assyria has already created, and their hunger for more, in addition to the messenger’s statement that the Lord has commanded Assyria to go and destroy Jerusalem, my feelings of fear and doubt would uncontrollably well up inside me. We are, after all, only human, and fear is a common feeling, despite where we stand with God. No man lives without fear, but though fear our faith is tested and strengthened.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon hearing and experiencing the truth of Isaiah’s claim that God will spare Jerusalem and force the Assyrians back home, my faith in God would be fortified. In the times of fear, I would have realized how weak, how immature, and how far I must go in my faith and trust in God. But once I heard Isaiah’s prophecy, I would use it as a way to do away with my fear. Knowing that God was going to save His Holy City, and that He was going to continue with His perfect plan for mankind that dated back as far as the times of Abraham and held a future for the arrival of the Messiah, I would know that my God follows His plans and keeps His promises. Through this, I would have peace. I would soon learn that I can trust Him in everything because as it says in Scripture, “if God is for us, who can be ... ...of mockery and insults directed towards God. By attacking the Christian faith in this way, the king of Assyria was trying to prove the Christian’s God was just like all other gods, powerless. Similarly, Paul persecuted Christians by going to Damascus to capture them and bring them back to Jerusalem. He hated the Christian faith and persecuted it without mercy. He, however, converted to Christianity later and became an awesome tool of God’s for spreading the Gospel. Living such a life against God in his past, Paul could have easily compare himself with the king of Assyria. Paul would gain great peace and thankfulneess when he realized God’s punishment to the king of Assyria was death, and that he escaped such punishment and was saved by God. Additionally, seeing the successes of Hezekiah, like returning Judah to the luxury it once experienced, being saved from the Assyrians, and being given 15 extra years to live after his illness, Paul would soon realize that th e only reason God was so gracious and merciful with Hezekiah was because he kept his eyes on Him. This would teach Paul that, if he were to be successful, he must keep his focus in life on God.