The Arm of Flesh Vs. the Hand of God
‘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 took confidence from the words of Hezekiah (II Chronicles 32:8)
Read: II Chron. 32:1-8; II Kings 6:15-17; Isa. 51:12; II Cor. 2:14.
What Is God Saying?
In II Chronicles the bad news is that there were kings who defied God and turned their backs on all He did and wanted to do for His people. The good news is that there was hope, and periods of revival, under kings who gave God the glory. They honored His laws in their lives and the nation. Although the nation was on the way to captivity and humiliation, there were times when the sun of righteousness broke through. You can count those kings on one hand! Hezekiah was one.
Sennacherib was at the gates of Jerusalem. Instead of turning over the keys of the city to this swaggering bully, Hezekiah repaired the walls and secured the water system for a long siege. Then, his confidence in God convincingly real, he said to his people, ‘Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid or discouraged by that king and his army. With him is only the arm of flesh. We have the Lord God to fight our battle.’
How Does This Apply To Us?
The anxiety induced by a king from Assyria, with a great army, bent on our destruction and determined to administer humiliating defeat—that may not be our current problem, but we have battles to wage. It may be a personal moral conflict when the wrong seems easy and natural and the right calls for more strength than we can muster. It may be standing alone in a society that has relegated spiritual values to the limbo of non-essential trivia. It may be a family problem or a financial crisis. We have our battles. When we rely on human answers or draw upon human resources, we can experience discouragement, paralyzing helplessness, and fear. We need to sort things out as Hezekiah inspired his people to do with his confidence, ‘The enemy is relying on the arm of flesh. But for us the way out to freedom, the way through to safety, the way up to victory is to trust in the power of God and let Him fight our battles.’
Pray With Me
Eternal Father, strong to save, I want to rest in the words of faith spoken by Hezekiah. In such trust there is rest. When trusting in something or someone else, betrayal and fear must follow. The arm of flesh has never truly delivered. Weapons of war, promises of physical aid, human alliances, and boastful pledges, even the strong resolves of honest moral endeavor must at some point yield. They will all be spent before the end is reached and true victory is won.
‘But with us is the Lord our God to help us.’ How different! How completely different are these words. In them, we can rest. They have never been spoken in vain. You are the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Before all trouble ends, You are God. I will rest in the assurance that ‘underneath are the everlasting arms.’ Forgive me for the lack of trust and moments of weakness and faithless panic. Too often I have tried to wage my battles trusting in an arm of the flesh. Overcome the struggles of pride. Conquer the turbulence of fears. Amend the errors of impetuous will. Lead me to the place of quiet trust and humble faith.
The battle I must fight may be moral conflict within or persistent evil without. Nevertheless, I will rest in the knowledge that I am a citizen of Your realm and a child of Your family. So long as Your cause is my cause and Your honor my honor, so long will my battles be Your battles. Lord, You are fighting my battles. How foolish I am when I do not rest.
In His name whose ever-conquering grace is my never-failing strength. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
Difficulties will arise and obstacles will be thrown across our path almost every day (Isa. 51:12-16). With continuing prayer, the arm of flesh against us is weakened and the help of God in fighting our battles becomes stronger. ‘Thanks be to God whom Christ always (every day and in every way) leads us in triumph’ (II Cor. 2:14).
