A Humble Hero - Isaiah 37:23

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.

Devotion about prayer: Before the Altar - 2 Kings 19:14

2 Kings 19:14             Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 

            Sometimes it’s not good to be king. Take Hezekiah, for instance. A faithful and wise ruler, who sought to please God and bring peace to his people. Throughout most of his reign things were going well, and then the Assyrian army shows up and besieges the city of Jerusalem, threatening to destroy everything and everyone in it. Ouch! So much for being faithful to God.

            Hezekiah knew that the Assyrians were powerful. He understood that they could overrun Jerusalem and overwhelm the people. He was also under no delusions about his own fate when the city was defeated – the Assyrians would put him in chains and cut out his eyes, making him a laughing stock to the haughty Assyrian leaders and humiliated before his own people.  In other words, for Hezekiah, it was not good to be king.

            But the old ruler knew of a power greater than the Assyrian army; he had faith in his Almighty God. The king believed in the LORD of hosts who could destroy Judah’s enemies and deliver the people of God. So Hezekiah took the ultimatum letter he had received from the Assyrian general and placed it on the altar in the temple. He sincerely and humbly appealed to God for the deliverance of the people. He expressed to God that the Assyrians had insulted the LORD and that they deserved to be punished. He placed the letter before God to let Him see what was written. He prayed from his breaking heart and the LORD for help. As king, he could have negotiated a peace which may have allowed him to escape, but his people would have been enslaved. Instead, Hezekiah took the matter directly to God and asked Him to intervene. This wasn't a gamble; this was a real act of faith which God honored.

            We all carry burdens in our hearts and worries in our minds. Perhaps we should write down our problems, issues, and fears, and then present what we've written to God. Sometimes the writing down of what we feel clarifies the problematic situations we are experiencing. By giving them wholly over to God and seeking His help, we may begin to turn those circumstances around in positive and effective ways. As long as we are willing to pray, God is always ready to listen.

Questions for personal reflection

What is currently worrying me the most? Am I willing to completely hand over this worry in prayer, or do I keep cradling it in my heart?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You once taught that people should not be anxious about tomorrow because there are enough problems to deal with today. You were teaching Your followers and us that the future is in God’s hands, so we should concentrate on what is presently happening. Help us to come to You today with our worries and concerns, issues and problems. Grant us the courage to leave them in Your care. Guide us throughout today. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or make comments about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest snowman drawings called “Best Buddies.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Buddies.

4 Minute Devotions: No Hesitation

Of all the kings in the Bible, I love Hezekiah the best. He’s under-rated when it comes to biblical kings, but he’s one of the most faithful characters that you’ll find in the good book. In a time when Israel and Judah were dabbling with apostasy and idolatry, Hezekiah is one of the few leaders not to be seduced by the sins of the people. And through his leadership, the Jews are given fifteen extra years to mend their ways before they are punished with exile.

Podcast version here

Bible Verse of the Day
2 Kings 20:10 "It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps," said Hezekiah. "Rather, have it go back ten steps."

I love this part when Isaiah asks him about getting a sign from the Lord. He doesn’t hesitate to ask for a hard sign. He wants real proof that God will do what God has promised, so he makes the task harder by asking for shadows to go backward against the sun’s motion, rather than follow their natural courses. It goes against the law of physics, but our God is an awesome God and in this case, He was really pleased with Hezekiah. The daylight comes and the shadow retreats. Isaiah fulfills the prophecy and Hezekiah is healed. It’s a remarkable moment and a strong testimony to the faithfulness of the old king.

We all ask God to help and heal us at times because we believe in God’s promises. We hope and pray for better things to happen in our lives because we have faith in God’s blessings. But sometimes God knows best and during those moments, it’s hard for us to accept that God will not answer our prayers. Old Hezekiah got fifteen extra years, but no more than that. When it came for his time to lie with his ancestors, God’s blessing was over.

You may be asking God for help today, or perhaps He’s already heard and answered your prayers. Don’t take Him for granted or forget to praise Him this Sunday. Hezekiah faithfully served God before and after his healing, and even faced down a powerful enemy who sought to conquer and enslave his people. It’s faith that counts in the midst of all our challenges – a faith that will last us throughout our lives.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the example of Hezekiah and for the blessings that You gave him because of his faithfulness to You. Today, we may face challenges of our own, so we pray for Your presence, guidance, and help to overcome our fears and worries. Be with us in all that we hope to accomplish. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.