Isaiah 37:23 Who
is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your
voice and lifted your eyes in pride? (NIV)
I’ve always admired King Hezekiah in the Bible, in fact,
he’s one of my faith heroes. During his lifetime, his people underwent a lot of
turmoil and danger, but throughout it, Hezekiah remains faithful to God. When
his people are besieged by Sennacherib’s mighty army and are being taunted by
the powerful commander, Hezekiah does not lose hope or fall to pieces. He takes
his problem directly to God and places Sennacherib’s letter of ultimatum on the
holy altar in the temple. Rather than surrender to the arrogant might of the enemy,
Hezekiah plainly looks to God for divine intervention. The whole event can be
read in 2
Kings, chapters 18 & 19.
The prophet Isaiah expresses God’s contempt for
Sennacherib. The Assyrian leader had blasphemed against God by touting the
might of his army and his great political power in the region. He ordered the
people to hand over Hezekiah and reject the Judean king’s promise that the LORD
would deliver them, after all, every other ‘god’ in the neighboring lands had
been unable to protect their people from the Assyrians, so why should Jerusalem’s
local deity be any different? He even stated that this was his chosen destiny
by boasting that God Himself told the Assyrian king to go up against Judah and
destroy it (2
Kings 18:25).
Because of this lie, Sennacherib’s fate was sealed.
Instead of being victorious, his entire army was defeated by a cataclysmic disease.
Instead of proudly marching through the gates of Jerusalem, the Assyrian king
would woefully go home and end up being killed by his own sons. He brought this
retribution on himself by claiming to be something that he wasn’t; his
blasphemy ruined his plans and destroyed his success (2
Kings 19:36-37).
Good old King Hezekiah was victorious because his faith
in God was real. He had humbled himself before God and asked for mercy; he and
his petrified people received God’s goodness and grace. In fact, Hezekiah would
reign for another fifteen years as an honest leader and gracious king. This is
why he is one of my favorite heroes in the Bible – he wasn’t interested in
power, pomp, or glory – Hezekiah served the LORD and his people simply,
faithfully, and truthfully which made him a great king, beloved leader, and
devoted servant.
Point to ponder
Who are my great heroes
from the Bible? How does their faith speak to me today?
Prayer: Lord God, we
thank You for real heroes in the Bible like King Hezekiah whose faith and ways
must have pleased You. We thank You for his courage to stand up against his
proud and fierce enemies. We praise You for the deliverance of Your people
because of the humility of Hezekiah. Be with us and bless us in the same way.
In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville,
Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sunday mornings at 11:00 AM –
you will be made very welcome 😊
Today’s image is one of
John’s Psalm drawings based on a verse from Psalm 71. If you would like to view a
larger version, click this link: Psalm
71.
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