SERMON NOTES
They Were Not gods, but the Work of Men’s Hands
2 Kings 19:18
Dr. Tony Chute, Lead Pastor
Overview: King Hezekiah’s confidence in the Lord to deliver Judah from the overwhelmingly powerful forces of Assyria is based on the fact that the gods of the Assyrians, in whom they trust, do not exist. Hezekiah rightly recognizes that there is one God, Yahweh, who created heaven and earth, and has covenanted with the people of Israel. He, therefore, concludes that the gods of other nations and lands are merely the works of men’s hands, idols made of wood and stone. Given this conclusion, Hezekiah does not erase the need for God to act in history on behalf of His people; instead, Hezekiah pleads that God will insert Himself into history in order to demonstrate that He alone is the living God who calls all people from all nations to know and worship Him. Hezekiah’s prayer from millennia ago is instructive to us today because the God to whom he prayed is not the work of men’s hands, but rather is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
01. As Christians who worship the One true God, we confess that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the maker of heavens and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
02. As human beings made in the image of God, we conclude that every person is born with intrinsic value before God and has a longing to know the One true God.
03. As followers of Jesus, the Son of God, we commit to making Him known to people of all nations and lands by sharing the gospel with all people everywhere.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY
1. How did Hezekiah’s understanding of God differ from that of the Assyrians and other nations at the time? What accounts for Israel’s monotheism? In other words, what led them to conclude that there is only one God? Discuss the following: “God created us—our ideas of God do not create Him.”
2. Since there is only one God, how does the Bible account for the variety of religions in the world? Does the Bible assume that all religions are the same in terms of their validity and ability to confer salvation? How does the Bible’s presentation of God as the only God and Christ as the only Savior affect the way you view other religions? What false religions are dependent upon Christianity for their origins?
3. How often do you come into contact with people of different religions? What impact does place of birth or cultural upbringing have on a person’s choice of religion? Are you able to say with Hezekiah that any god outside of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the product of human speculation rather than Divine revelation?
4. Some might say that Hezekiah’s understanding of God was also a product of his culture; some might also say that you are a Christian simply because you were born into a Christian culture. What would you say to such a person about the truth of Christianity apart from your culture and upbringing? How would you defend the veracity of Christianity over all other religions?
5. In what ways can we make Christ known to our friends, neighbors, and co-workers? How can we show respect for them as humans made in the image of God while still calling them to repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? In what ways can Northpoint reach our community and the nations with the gospel message?
For Further Reading: Daniel Strange, Their Rock is Not Like Our Rock: A Theology of Religions (Zondervan, 2015)