The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Hezekiah

  • Can One Know God?

    “But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”
    Deuteronomy 4:29

    Not many people today were born into a Christian family. What does this mean? Most often, they do not understand or know God. How can one find God? How can one know God?

    In the life of King Hezekiah, we can read of a hope for someone whose family does not know of God or the things of God. King Hezekiah was the son of a terrible king of Judah, King Ahaz. King Ahaz had not only forsaken God, but he also worshiped idols – even sacrificing some of his sons to the false god Molech. Still through all of that, Hezekiah came to know God, and he pleased God in all that he did. When Hezekiah became king, he removed all of those high places where his father worshiped and even broke down all of those images the people worshiped. 

    How was Hezekiah able to come to know God, knowing the family into which he was born? Read the following verses: “But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29). One has to seek God. Also read the following: “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God” (Psalm 14:2). God knows when someone seeks after Him, for He is watching and waiting! Hezekiah opened the doors of the house of the Lord at the beginning of his reign (see 2 Chronicles 29:2). That was the place to begin. He then followed God’s Word.

    According to the following verses, we can understand that King Hezekiah took the time to seek God’s Word so he would know what God required to reestablish the relationship that had been severed. “22. And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses … 24. Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, … 25. And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: … 26. And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance” (Numbers 15:22-26). That was what God required in the Old Testament times, while the kings ruled. It is always important to know what God requires – and it is recorded in His Word. As we read the New Testament, Jesus came to set us free from the rigorous duties of the Law. “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect” (Hebrews 10:1). See simply what Jesus did: “8. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9. Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:8-10). Jesus came to set us free from the continual sacrificial system of the Law.

    Read what God did for Hezekiah for seeking Him with all of his heart. “And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered” (2 Chronicles 31:21). Because King Hezekiah sought God, doing just what God’s Word required, he not only found God, but God was honored. God then caused King Hezekiah to prosper. God was then free to bless His people openly – revealing Himself to not only Judah, but also the nations around. King Hezekiah became one of the greatest kings of Judah.

    Anyone who seeks God can know God. However, what does it take to know God? “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). It takes faith. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). One can know God only by faith in Christ Jesus.  

    King Hezekiah is a great example of one who can give us hope. A hope that when God is sought, He will hear – as long as one comes to Him with a repentant heart. God can forgive anyone who will ask. “8. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation … For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:8-10, 13).

    Have you come to know God, understanding knowledge of God only comes by faith in Jesus?

    How to be Saved

  • Lesson 12: 2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chronicles 29-32: Hezekiah

    Key Verse

    For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

    —Romans 15:4

    Key Verse Thought: Read the key verse. Not only is the Bible written for our learning, but also by watching as God revealed Himself mightily to His people when they obeyed His Word, it not only comforts us, but gives us hope – a confidence that God keeps each and every promise.

    Emphasis: We are to recognize God’s Word was given so we could have confidence that God will hear anyone who will call upon Him with a repentant heart. God will then reveal himself mightily to all of the world.

    Lesson Summary: We have now learned about the first twelve kings of Judah, with only six good kings so far. After ending on such a sour note in our last lesson (remember wicked King Ahaz), it is quite refreshing to learn of the best king Judah ever had – King Hezekiah. “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” (2 Kings 18:5). Hezekiah was 25 when he became king and reigned for 29 years. “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done” (2 Chronicles 29:2). In the first month of the first year of King Hezekiah’s reign, he “opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them” (2 Chronicles 29:3). Not only that, but he reestablished the offices of the priests and Levites. After acknowledging the nation’s sin, King Hezekiah led the people in the reestablishment of the broken relationship between God and His people by reinstituting the Temple worship. After this, King Hezekiah sent letters to all of Judah, calling them to keep the Passover. Hezekiah led the people by example when he brought great offerings into the house of the Lord. Once the people began bringing their first fruits into the Temple, there was such abundance; they had to build extra storage space. What they did not know, was that in their obedience to God’s commands, God was preparing them for the future siege by their enemy. Sennacherib, king of Syria, sent his army to besiege Jerusalem. Hezekiah prepared and encouraged the people. Then he prayed for God’s deliverance. God answered by defeating the enemy for them. In this mighty victory, all of the nations around recognized God’s hand in the deliverance. 

    The next thing we read about King Hezekiah was that he was sick unto death. When he prayed, God extended his life by 15 years. God gave him a sign – the sun’s shadow went backward ten degrees. However, we also learn of a very foolish thing King Hezekiah did toward the end of his life, and the consequences of that foolish act that would come.  

    The period of King Hezekiah’s reign can be considered the greatest revival Judah experienced.  

    “And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead” (2 Kings 20:21).

    Y2Q2 – Lesson 12 in full

    Y2Q2 – Lesson 12 Questions

    Y2Q2 – Lesson 12 Children’s Worksheets

    If you choose to do this lesson with younger children, the following is a craft idea to go along with this lesson.

    We made Bible markers and added stickers. This was to remind us of how important God’s Word was to King Hezekiah.

  • The Heart of the Matter

    “6. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
    Isaiah 55:6-7

    Hezekiah was the greatest king Judah ever had (see 2 Kings 18:5). He was compared back to King David, the man after God’s own heart. Hezekiah made great reformations in Judah, eliminated idols and reinstated worship of the one true God. His heart was right before God. “And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered” (2 Chronicles 31:21). Hezekiah led the people to follow God.

    Hezekiah had a great sickness, and Isaiah told him that God said Hezekiah would die of that sickness. Hezekiah prayed. God healed. God did a great sign to show Hezekiah he would live. The Babylonians came when they heard Hezekiah was sick. He showed them all of the treasures of Judah. We can read that his heart was lifted up (2 Chronicles 32:25). He was prideful of all he had. He should have given God the credit for all of the treasures of Judah. He should have been a vocal witness to the Babylonians. “Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:31). God knew what was in Hezekiah’s heart, but now all knew what was really in Hezekiah’s heart: Pride. “Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah” (2 Chronicles 32:26). Hezekiah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem humbled themselves before the Lord, and God’s wrath was delayed.

    Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh, became the worst king Judah had. “But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel” (2 Chronicles 33:2). One can read a listing of his wickedness in 2 Chronicles 33:3-9. One terrible thing he did was “to cause his children to pass through the fire,” which is child sacrifice. God went on to declare that Manasseh did worse than the heathen whom the Lord had removed before the children of Israel. God sent men to warn Manasseh and the people, but they would not listen. Isaiah was a prophet of God during Hezekiah’s reign and even into Manasseh’s reign. Read something recorded in Isaiah that we can still read today: “6. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6-7).

    Because of the wickedness of Manasseh, God allowed the enemy to take him captive into Babylon. “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers” (2 Chronicles 33:12). While in Babylon, Manasseh sought the Lord and humbled himself before Him. After calling upon the Lord, Manasseh forsook his way, and turned unto the Lord. God heard his supplication and had mercy on this wicked king. God pardoned him, allowed him to return to Judah, and even sit upon the throne once again. “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

    Manasseh proceeded to do much good: he reinforced the city, took away the strange gods, idols, and altars he built in the house of the Lord, and cast them out of the city. He repaired the altar of the Lord and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. “Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places …” (2 Chronicles 33:17a). In Hezekiah’s day, the people humbled themselves before the Lord with Hezekiah. In Manasseh’s day, the people continued in their false worship even after Manasseh turned his heart to God. God’s wrath would come.  

    Remember, God sees the heart. “20. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; 21. Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart” (Psalm 44:20-21).

    Do you understand God knows the secrets of the heart?

  • Day of the Lord

    “Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come”
    Joel 1:15

    The book of Joel tells of the Day of the Lord (see Joel 2:1-3). Many believe that this book is the key to understanding much of prophecy concerning the coming day mentioned by Jesus to His disciples before He left them on earth (see Matthew 24). A day that has not yet come.

    Consider, however, that there was also an immediate prophecy that was fulfilled. It is described in the book of Joel as a plague of locusts. “That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten” (Joel 1:4). Joel is warning of impending destruction by an enemy nation if they do not repent and turn back to God. He explains that there will be four invasions that will completely destroy. The warning is given to the nation of Judah, the Southern Kingdom.

    Israel is the kingdom to the north. They never had a good king. They never walked with God. God sent prophets to warn them, yet they did not seek after God. God allowed the enemy to come against Israel. Take note of the four progressive invasions, each becoming worse than the one before it. The first three are against Israel, ending with the destruction of the kingdom and the carrying away into Assyria.

    • 1.  “19. And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land … 20. And Menahem exacted the money of Israel … to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land” (2 Kings 15:19-20). Note the diminishment of the wealth.
    • 2. “In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took … the land … and carried them captive to Assyria” (2 Kings 15:29). Note the diminishment of cities and people.
    • 3. “3. Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant … 4. And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: … therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. 5. Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 6. … the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria …” (2 Kings 17:3-6). Note the destruction of the nation.

    The Northern Kingdom of Israel was no more. They were taken and scattered. Remember the four stages of destruction? Assyria then came up against the Southern Kingdom, Judah. A few good kings had led the people to repent and turn back to God. Judah did at times seek after God. Soon after Israel had been carried away into Assyria, the Assyrians came against Judah. King Hezekiah had just led the people to reaffirm their relationship with God, and there had been a great revival in the land of Judah.

    • 4. “And the king of Assyria sent … from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem …” (2 Kings 18:17).

    When the Assyrians surrounded the city of Jerusalem and sent a letter accusing them of rebellion, the enemy also challenged their trust in God. “Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria” (2 Kings 19:10). King Hezekiah received the letter (the message from the enemy king). Read what King Hezekiah did. “14. And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15. And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD…” (2 Kings 19:14-15). God sent encouraging words of deliverance (see 2 Kings 19:32-34).

    What did God do for His repentant people, Judah? “35. And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 36. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh” (2 Kings 19:35-36). However, when the king of Assyria returned home, he was killed. He was a threat to them no more.

    Do you suppose King Hezekiah remembered what David wrote? “18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 19. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. 20. The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy” (Psalm 145:18-20).

    Do you call upon the Lord with a true heart, knowing God preserves all who love Him?