"KING HEZEKIAH"

>>>Jumping back into the “Kings” series.

>>>The kingdom of Israel is on its last king before being taken captive by Assyria.

>>>The Kingdom of Judah has a few more years, yet they have been a kingdom marked by bad and okay kings who have ruled.

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>>>Can the right thing be done amidst a lot of wrong?

>>>Ahaz was king of Judah in 2 Kings 16. He had adapted the practices of pagan nations and mimicked the wickedness of the kingdom of Israel.

>>>He then followed the guidance of the king of Assyria, even removing parts of the temple.

>>>Ahaz dies at the end of ch. 16. His son Hezekiah then reigns in his place.

2 Kings 18:1–6 “Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father David had done. He removed the high places and smashed the memorial stones to pieces, and cut down the Asherah. He also crushed to pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; and after him there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who came before him. For he clung to the Lord; he did not desist from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.”

2 Kings 18:7–8 “And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he was successful. And he revolted against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.”

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2 Kings 18:1–3 “Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father David had done.”

>>>(v.1-2) Hezekiah became king when he was 25 years old.

>>>(v.3) Hezekiah did what was right in God’s sight and walked in the way of David.

*the phrase “in the sight of the LORD” is used 62x in 1 Kings-2 Chronicles.

*Everything is seen before God.

Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.”

*All people and action (wicked/righteous) are seen by the LORD.

*Hezekiah did right before God.

>>>Hezekiah walked in “accordance” with how King David walked. He was like the David of the kingdom of Judah.

>>>What’s significant about this is that it is drastically different than how his father Ahaz ruled and is described.

*Hezekiah could have followed his father but chose to follow God.

*Ahab followed his father.

*Joash followed rightly with Jehoiada but abandoned God when he died.

>>>The rule of Hezekiah was different.

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2 Kings 18:4 “He removed the high places and smashed the memorial stones to pieces, and cut down the Asherah. He also crushed to pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel had been burning incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.”

>>>This verse talks generally about the reforms Hezekiah made while king. He swept through Judah, clearing out anything that was of false religions.

>>>Judah was in a dark place.

*The “high places” were shrines on hills used for worshiping the gods of the heavens.

*The “memorial stones” were monuments of pagan worship.

*“Asherah” is talked about 27x from the middle of 1 Kings to 2 Chronicles. It kept coming back to Judah.

*The people of Judah worshiped the bronze serpent Moses made in the wilderness for the people to be healed. What was something that was to bring healing (and points to Jesus) became an object of idolatry.

>>>Hezekiah, in following the LORD, cut down, removed, smashed, and crushed all that defying the LORD.

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2 Kings 18:5–8 “He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; and after him there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who came before him. For he clung to the Lord; he did not desist from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he was successful. And he revolted against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.”

>>>(v.5-6) Hezekiah ruled out of faith in the LORD. As said in verse 8, Hezekiah was under threat from Assyria’s king, yet he took it to the LORD and found victory.

>>>Out of all the kings of Judah, none were or were going to be like Hezekiah. He “clung” to the LORD and did not depart from His commandments.

*“clung” means “stay” or “stick”. Hezekiah stuck to God throughout his life.

>>>Hezekiah was not perfect. He gets a bit prideful at one point, however, like David when he sinned, Hezekiah repented and was spared wrath upon him and his kingdom.

>>>(v.7-8) There was blessing and victory from the LORD upon the kingdom of Judah. Hezekiah ruled for God’s glory, and in His glory, God made Him prosper.

*Hezekiah means “the LORD strengthens”.

*The only true success and prosperity is only found with those who are living rightly before the LORD, sticking to Him.

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FOLLOWING JESUS IS A CHOICE NOT A HERITAGE.

>>>Hezekiah did not have a godly upbringing as seen in his father, yet he still choice to follow the commands of God.

>>>Parents are ultimately responsible for the spiritual development of their children.

*God blesses families when parents fulfill this role, but sometimes their children will still choose to go their own way outside of Christ.

*Some children grow up outside of a Christian home yet do great things for Jesus!

>>>One choice in following Jesus (salvation/obedience) can make you a Hezekiah.

TO WALK RIGHTLY MEANS TO REMOVE IDOLS.

>>>In order to truly be walking rightly in God’s sight, we must remove idols in our lives that are taking His place.

>>>God wants us to serve Him and not what the world likes to serve.

*Removal of idols

*Removal of sin

BEING “STUCK” TO GOD IS WHAT TRULY BRINGS SUCCESS.

>>>We all want to prosper in some way in our lives-relationships/financially/academically.

>>>But true prosperity is from faithfully walking with Jesus and letting Him bless your obedience. Success is a faithful life of following Jesus.