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Thursday, May 14: 2 Chronicles 30
Friday, May 15: 2 Chronicles 31
Saturday, May 16: 2 Chronicles 32
(Parallel Passages: 2 Kings 18-20 and Isaiah 38-39)
BACKGROUND
Hezekiah was not perfect, but he did model his life after King David by seeking the Lord and obeying Him. He rates up there as a "good" king of Judah along with Solomon, Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Joash. Hezekiah removed the high places and put an end to idol worship in the hills. He restored temple worship and invited people from both Judah and Israel to come to the temple in Jerusalem and worship the Lord because it was the only true center of worship (see Deuteronomy 12). He also restored the observance of Passover (see HERE for a previous post about the Passover). The people's return to worship shamed the priests into action. They sanctified themselves and brought offerings to the temple (30:15).
Regardless of the mocking of the people outside of Judah and the mocking of the king of Assyria when he invaded Judah, Hezekiah remained steadfast and fought the Lord's battle exactly where it should have been fought: on his knees! God honored his prayers by defeating Assyria.
The Lord healed Hezekiah fifteen years before his death in 687 B.C. but he had pride in his heart and did not respond to the Lord's kindness. Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart though and the Lord's wrath was averted.
Sadly, he failed the Lord's test by showing the Babylonians his vast wealth (and revealing more pride in his heart). This would come back to haunt the Kingdom of Judah in the future (see 2 Kings 20:16-18 for Isaiah's prophecy of doom). Despite this failed test, Hezekiah responded well to the "word of the LORD" (2 Kings 20:19) and was still considered a "good" king who was buried in honor.
Isaiah was a prophet during Hezekiah reign and is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 32 and in the parallel account of this passage in 2 Kings 19. We will be reading Isaiah in June and July; but for the remainder of May, we will be shifting back to the northern kingdom where Hosea prophecies during its final days.
REFLECTION
"He [Hekekiah] trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses" (2 Kings 18:5-6, NASB95).
On your knees! That is how God has been speaking to me as I have read through the life of Hezekiah. He wasn't perfect, but he clung to the Lord through prayer. Look back over these chapters and note all the times he prayed!
APPLICATION
PRAY!
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for the model of prayer in Hezekiah's life. Help us to face life's battles clinging to You and on our knees. We ask this in the strong name of Jesus, amen.
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