S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Hezekiah was one of the few kings of Judah who was constantly aware of God's acts in the past and His involvement in the events of every day. The Bible describes Hezekiah as a king who had a close ...

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January 31 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

1. Hezekiah trusted in the Lord 2 Kings 18:5:

“He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.” “There was [just] no one like him…” Hezekiah was one of the best kings who ever sat upon the throne of Judah, and is distinguished as the greatest in faith of all Judah’s kings (2 Kings 18:5)—probably excluding King David, though, for "David was a man after God's own heart," (and that's the reason my daughter and her husband are naming their 1st son-to-be, "David.") He is to be dramatically contrasted with his father, Ahaz, and “lucky” to have survived him who “sacrificed his son [Hezekiah’s brother] in the fire to another god” (2 Kings 16:3 NIRV). Moreover Hezekiah was actually sandwiched between 2 rotten-apple kings as the fortunate one again, not to be his own son (Manasseh). “Manasseh also sacrificed his own son in the fire” (2 Kings 21:6).

SMM

Job said this in Job 13:15:
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”	

2. He clave to the Lord 2 Kings 18:6:

“For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.” In Nehemiah’s day, “[God’s people] clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered...into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes.”

3. He followed the Lord 2 Kings 18:6:
“For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.” A later king of Judah, King Josiah, followed his example, “And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.’ 2CH 34:33 

4. He kept His commandments 2 Kings 18:6

“For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.” 

Jesus tells New Testament believers in John 14:15 (New International Version): “If you love me, keep my commands.

And John 14:21:
“Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him."

September 14 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt Supporter

For each king of Judah, the Bible tells if he was good or evil. If he was good, then it tells whether as good as his father (mediocre) or as good as David (excellent). David was a man after God’s own heart doing His will, I Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22,

Hezekiah was one of the four excellent kings, II Chronicles 29:1, 2. Some of the good kings were tested in some areas of their reigns. Hezekiah faced four tests during his reign. 

TEST 1, Allegiance, II Chronicles 29-31 
After five generations of kings had resorted to idolatry and had desecrated the temple, Hezekiah, aware of the impending wrath of God, led the people back to God. He had the Levites cleanse the temple, gave offerings for the sin of the kingdom, offered in dedication burnt offerings and musical praise. The nation rejoiced in the spontaneous way revival had begun. 

Then he led the people to observe the Passover, to remember the Lord God. In II Chronicles 31:20-21, Hezekiah’s devotion is described. The next verse mentions “these deeds of faithfulness.”

TEST 2, Adversary, II Chronicles 32:1-23 
Hezekiah was tested when Sennacherib the Assyrian king, came into Judah and took fortified cities. Sennacherib was intent on taking Jerusalem. Hezekiah did what he could to defend the city by stopping the springs. This may be when he had the tunnel dug through bedrock for water to the west side of the city, II Kings 20:20, II Chronicles 32:30. He built up broken walls, provided weapons, and encouraged the officers to trust the Lord. 

But when Sennacherib and his officers upped their propaganda to demoralize the people including letters “to revile the Lord God of Israel,” Hezekiah spread out the letter in the house of God and prayed that God would save them, II Kings 19:14-19. God heard his prayer. Through Isaiah, God promised Hezekiah, that Sennacherib would not enter, shoot an arrow, or start a siege against Jerusalem. He would return home to Nineveh humiliated and empty-handed. It was fulfilled. A plague decimated his army, and when he returned home his sons assassinated him, II Kings 19:35.

TEST 3, Ailment, II Chronicles 32:24-26, Isaiah 38, 39
Isaiah told Hezekiah to set his house in order for he would die. Hezekiah prayed and wept. Even before Isaiah left the palace, God had him return to tell Hezekiah He had heard his prayer and seen his tears and would heal him. A sign was given him of the shadow of the dial go backward ten degrees. At first Hezekiah’s heart was prideful, but then he humbled himself. He wrote songs, some of the Songs of Ascent of Psalms 120-134.

TEST 4, Ambassadors, II Chronicles 32:31, Isaiah 39
Hezekiah received ambassadors of the king of Babylon and pridefully showed them all his riches. Isaiah predicted that Babylon would take all the treasures to Babylon. 

Hezekiah means ‘God is my strength.’ He did well when he submitted to God, which is an applicable lesson for us.

April 23 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report