God Restores Hezekiah



Taken from: http://www.picturesofsilver.com/Teachings/19hezekiah4.htm

Hezekiah and the people of Judah have been committed to the one true God and God has prospered them much.

II Chronicles 32

:22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah

and the inhabitants of Jerusalem

from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria,

and from the hand of all other,

and guided them on every side.

:23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem,

and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah:

so that he was magnified in the sight of all nations from thenceforth.

The next event recorded in God's Word is Hezekiah's sickness. He would have died had God not saved him and given him 15 more years to live. This is covered in II Kings 20:1-11, II Chronicles 32:24-26 and Isaiah 38. Each record tells part of the event. We will see the whole picture by examining all three records. II Kings gives us the record as it happened, II Chronicles gives us a glimpse of why he got in this predicament and Isaiah tells us what Hezekiah wrote during his sickness.

One more thing we need to know before we exam this is, Hezekiah had not had an heir to the throne yet. One reason why he was so distraught about dieing was that his seed would not be passed on. II Kings 20 tells us that his son Manasseh, his son, reigned after him and he was only 12 years old when he began. Even after Hezekiah was recovered it took at least two years for his wife Hephzibah to become pregnant. Also, he is not very old, He was only 39* when he fell so gravely ill (possibly from the plague).

II Kings 20

:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death.

And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him,

Thus saith the LORD,

Set thine house in order;

for thou shalt die, and not live.

:2 Then he turned his face to the wall,

and prayed unto the LORD, saying,

:3 I beseech thee, O LORD,

remember now how I have walked before thee in truth

and with a perfect heart,

and have done that which is good in thy sight.

And Hezekiah wept sore.

:4 And it came to pass,

afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court,

that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,

:5 Turn again,

and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people,

Thus saith the LORD,

the God of David thy father,

I have heard thy prayer,

I have seen thy tears:

behold, I will heal thee:

on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.

:6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years;

and I will deliver thee

and this city

out of the hand of the king of Assyria;

and I will defend this city for mine own sake,

and for my servant David's sake.

:7 And Isaiah said,

Take a lump of figs.

And they took and laid it on the boil,

and he recovered.

:8 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah,

What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me,

and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?

:9 And Isaiah said,

This sign shalt thou have of the LORD,

that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken:

shall the shadow go forward ten degrees,

or go back ten degrees?

:10 And Hezekiah answered,

It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees:

nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.

:11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD:

and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward,

by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

God has heard Hezekiah and spared him but my question is: why was he in this position? II Chronicles gives us a clue.

II Chronicles 32

:24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death,

and prayed unto the LORD:

and he spake unto him,

and he gave him a sign.

:25 But Hezekiah rendered not again [did not return unto God i.e. praise or tithe]

according to the benefit done unto him;

for his heart was lifted up:

therefore there was wrath upon him,

and upon Judah

and Jerusalem.

:26 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.

After Hezekiah had become so wealthy he had trouble staying thankful to God for all he had. He became prideful in what he had. God stayed the hand of the adversary from his life and Judah because they humbled themselves before God. They realized their error and repented. His transgression is also mentioned in Isaiah in Hezekiah's writings.

Isaiah 38:

:9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick,

and was recovered of his sickness:

:10 I said in the cutting off of my days,

I shall go to the gates of the grave:

I am deprived of the residue of my years.

:11 I said, I shall not see the LORD,

even the LORD,

in the land of the living:

I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.

:12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent:

I have cut off like a weaver my life:

he will cut me off with pining sickness:

from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

:13 I reckoned till morning,

that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones:

from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

:14 Like a crane or a swallow,

so did I chatter:

I did mourn as a dove:

mine eyes fail with looking upward:

O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me. [take on a pledge for me, act as surety]

:15 What shall I say?

he hath both spoken unto me,

and himself hath done it:

I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.

:16 O Lord, by these things men live,

and in all these things is the life of my spirit:

so wilt thou recover me,

and make me to live.

:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: [mar marar - was bitterly bitter]

but thou hast

in love to my soul

delivered it from the pit of corruption:

for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

:18 For the grave cannot praise thee,

death can not celebrate thee:

they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

:19 The living,

the living,

he shall praise thee,

as I do this day:

the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

Hezekiah laments his pending death at such a young age, his years stolen from him. He recognizes that because he had become bitter in his time of health and prosperity he lay dieing. Yet, in what contrast, God delivers him from death and covers Hezekiah's sins. Then, what a wonderful statement, the grave cannot praise God, death cannot celebrate God. When we are in the grave we cannot praise God, when we are dead how can we celebrate His greatness? Those that have died can no longer learn of the truths of God's Word. It is the living, the living shall praise God and it is the fathers that shall make known the truth to his children.

God teaches us of Hezekiah's pride and bitterness of heart so that we may learn from it. We must always remain thankful and humble before God. When we are prosperous and/or exalted we must recognize the source always. Don't let the treasures we have on earth outweigh the treasures laid up in heaven. Remaining thankful to God and doing His will allows us to walk in alignment and harmony with our heavenly father.

Hezekiah's pride in the riches God had prospered him with was eventually his downfall. The king of Babylon sent letters and presents to Hezekiah after he heard that he was recovered (II Kings 20:12-21 and Isaiah 39:1-8). Hezekiah listened to him and showed him all of the treasures in his storehouses: the silver, the gold, the spices and precious ointments, the armour; he showed the king of Babylon everything. Isaiah confronts him and tells him the word of the Lord; that all his house will be carried away unto Babylon and his sons will be eunuchs in the palace of Babylon. Hezekiah recognizes his error and agrees. He knows his fault. Hezekiah dies at the age of 54.

A Psalm of Degrees written by Hezekiah.

Psalm 128

:1 Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD;

that walketh in his ways.

:2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands:

happy shalt thou be,

and it shall be well with thee.

:3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house:

thy children like olive plants round about thy table.**

:4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

:5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion:

and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

:6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children,

and peace upon Israel.

My exhortation:

Colossians 3:

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;

teaching

and admonishing one another in psalms

and hymns

and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

:17 And whatsoever ye do in word

or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Profiles of Faith: Hezekiah - A Faithful King

King Hezekiah's Personal Seals



article by Jerold Aust

God's mercy is always available to people in a repentant attitude, who acknowledge their inadequacies and strive to honor and serve Him. Hezekiah's life proves this is true.

Speaking in Hebrew, the arrogant representatives of the Assyrian king threatened Jerusalem's defenders: "Do not listen to your king, Hezekiah, for he deceives you. He will tell you there is only one God who can and will save you from the great king of Assyria. That's foolishness. Tell us who were the gods who saved other nations from the mighty kings of Assyria? You know the nations by name. You know of their demise. You know not one of them was saved by their gods.

"So don't allow Hezekiah to fool you into thinking your one God can save you. The record is clear and telling. Lay down your weapons, open up the gates, and surrender. Why should you resist and suffer certain death?" (2 Kings 18:28-35 [28] Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:

[29] Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:

[30] Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

[31] Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:

[32] Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.

[33] Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

[34] Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?

[35] Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?

See All..., paraphrased).

Spoken by Rabshakeh, a commander in the great Assyrian army, these words were cleverly crafted psychological warfare against a fearful and embattled citizenry. Rabshakeh's sayings struck dread in the hearts of the city's defenders. Theirs was a time of terror. Death or exile seemed their only choices. They could choose to fight and face certain annihilation, or they could lay down their arms and be deported hundreds of miles to other lands.

The God of Judah, declared Rabshakeh, was powerless to resist the Assyrians' might. The Assyrians would destroy the kingdom of Judah just as the they had crushed so many other nations before them.

Judah's soldiers, manning Jerusalem's walls, did not reply. Rather, they did just as their king had instructed them. They well knew that the mighty Assyrian Empire had conquered and exiled their cousins to the north, the 10 tribes of Israel, a few years earlier (721-718 B.C.).

Could King Hezekiah withstand the Assyrians? Would God intervene and come to his aid? Hezekiah had given himself to God, cleared the land of idols and even conquered the Philistines, then a vassal state of Assyria. Would the army of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, overrun Jerusalem and raze it?

The answer to these questions can teach us important spiritual lessons.

A King Reforms his Kingdom

Hezekiah lived at a time during which the very existence of Judah was threatened. But Jerusalem was blessed with a righteous king and an outstanding Hebrew prophet, Isaiah, at this critical point in its history.

Hezekiah was one of the best of Judah's kings, a man who passionately pursued pleasing God. Ironically, righteous Hezekiah was born the son of a wicked man. As a youth, Hezekiah turned to God when almost everyone else busied himself satisfying selfish cravings and pursuing evil desires.

Hezekiah ascended the throne when he was only 25. The young monarch smashed the pagan altars and images that dotted Judah's rolling hills. "And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden images and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it ..." (2 Kings 18:3-4 [3] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.

[4] He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

See All...).

"He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went" (verses 5-7).

A Kingdom Returned to God

Hezekiah's reign was one of national religious reform and spiritual rejuvenation. He restored temple worship (2 Chronicles 29). One of his first acts was to initiate repairs on the magnificent "house of the Lord" built earlier by Solomon (verse 3). He commanded the priests and Levites to sanctify themselves and the temple, to "carry out the rubbish from the holy place" (verses 4-5).

The king warned that God was angry with His chosen nation; they had turned their backs on their Creator (verse 6). "... Because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity. Now it is within my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us" (verses 9-10). So they gathered together, sanctified themselves and cleansed the house of God.

Some three centuries had elapsed since the reign of King David, a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

See All...). No king since David had set his mind to follow God like Hezekiah, who "did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done" (2 Kings 18:3And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.

See All...).

Hezekiah's Memorable Passover

Hezekiah's godly attitude and concern for his people is shown in his approach to the first Passover observance of his reign. By the time the priests and Levites had sanctified themselves and the temple, it was past the 14th of Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew year, the time God instructed that His people celebrate the Passover. Hezekiah established an alternate time—a second Passover—in the second month according to God's instructions (Numbers 9:9-14 [9] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

[10] Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD.

[11] The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

[12] They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.

[13] But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.

[14] And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.

See All...).

"And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem. And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly" (2 Chronicles 30:1-4 [1] And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

[2] For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

[3] For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

[4] And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

See All...).

The king invited the remnant of the 10 tribes in the former northern kingdom of Israel to join Judah, the southern kingdom, in commemorating the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. "So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. Nevertheless some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came up to Jerusalem ... Now many people, a very great congregation, gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month" (2 Chronicles 30:10-11 [10] So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

[11] Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

See All..., 13).

The time was an exciting one for Judah and the remnant of Israel. Some who came from the remnants of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not as yet prepared themselves, "yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, 'May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.' And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness" (2 Chronicles 30:18-21 [18] For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one

[19] That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

[20] And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

[21] And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

See All...).

Those who kept this feast of God were so moved by the experience that "the whole assembly agreed to keep the feast another seven days, and they kept it another seven days with gladness" (verse 23).

God was making His name known to Judah and the surrounding gentile nations, symbolic of what Christ will do at His return (Malachi 1:11For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

See All...). Thanks to King Hezekiah's reforms, Judah once again worshiped God.

In turn God blessed Hezekiah. "The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went." Hezekiah was also emboldened to resist the Assyrians. "And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. He subdued the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city" (2 Kings 18:7-8 [7] And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.

[8] He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

See All...). This angered the already busy Sennacherib, king of Assyria.

Jerusalem Showdown

Less than a decade earlier, the Assyrian kings Shalmaneser and Sargon had defeated and taken captive the northern kingdom, the 10 tribes of Israel. The northerners had repeatedly disobeyed God and rejected Him; their defeat and captivity were a consequence of their disobedience (2 Kings 18:11-12 [11] And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:

[12] Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

See All...).

The Assyrians were the dominant regional power in that day. When Hezekiah refused to submit, Assyria's King Sennacherib invaded Judah and stormed its fortified cities, setting the stage for a showdown at Jerusalem.

With the Assyrian monarch's forces on his doorstep, Hezekiah tried to buy his way out of danger. Hezekiah's message to the mighty Assyrian was brief: "I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me I will pay" (verse 14).

Sennacherib demanded nearly $40 million by today's rate of exchange. Hezekiah gave him more than he demanded. He presented him with all the silver from the temple and national treasuries. He even stripped the gold from the doors and pillars of the temple (verses 15-16).

Thinking that additional treasure was just waiting to be plundered behind the walls of Jerusalem, Sennacherib broke his agreement with King Hezekiah and surrounded Judah's capital city. Sennacherib's envoys threatened the Jews in their own language, trying to persuade them to lay down their arms and accept exile to a foreign land over certain death. After all, the Assyrians boasted, history showed that resistance would be futile.

Trust in God

King Hezekiah turned to God: "... When King Hezekiah heard it ... [the enemy's arrogant boasts], he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord" (2 Kings 19:1And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

See All...).

He sent this message to the prophet Isaiah: "This day is a day of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth. It may be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left" (2 Kings 19:3-4 [3] And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

[4] It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.

See All...).

Isaiah responded to Hezekiah: "Thus says the Lord: 'Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land' " (verses 6-7).

Hezekiah turned to God in faith. He would need no force of arms to bring about Sennacherib's demise.

God heard Hezekiah's humble prayer and reassured him: "Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: 'He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor build a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same way shall he return; And he shall not come into this city,' says the Lord. 'For I will defend this city, to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake' " (2 Kings 19:32-34 [32] Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.

[33] By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.

[34] For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

See All...).

Even though Jerusalem's situation seemed hopeless—the city surrounded by hundreds of thousands of battle-hardened Assyrians—God was true to His word. He dramatically intervened to spare Hezekiah and the trapped Jews.

"And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead" (verse 35).

The stunned Assyrians retreated before this demonstration of God's power. The mighty Sennacherib stole away in humiliation and defeat. "So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh. Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword ... Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place" (verses 36-37).

Sennacherib came to a sad end, assassinated by two of his sons while worshiping a false god. God had spared His people and the kingdom of Judah in the face of apparently overwhelming odds.

Hezekiah's Death Averted

God again dramatically intervened in Hezekiah's life. Not long after Sennacherib's demise, the king of Judah grew deathly ill. The prophet Isaiah came to him and advised, "Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live" (2 Kings 20:1In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

See All...). Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept bitterly. He pleaded with God to save him: "Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight" (verse 3).

But, before Isaiah had even left the palace, God answered the king's prayer. He instructed Isaiah to tell him: "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you ... And I will add to your days fifteen years" (verses 5-6).

Although taking heart, Hezekiah asked Isaiah for a sign. The prophet offered him a choice of miracles: "Shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees?" Hezekiah, noting that it would be natural for shadows to go forward 10 degrees as the sun passed through the sky, asked that the shadow go backward. On a nearby sundial, the sun's shadow moved backward 10 degrees (verses 8-11).

God had performed another mighty miracle. He healed Hezekiah, extended his life and caused the sun's shadow to reverse its course.

Hezekiah Shows his Weakness

Word soon spread of the dramatic events in Judah. The king of Babylon, beginning to rise in the East, sent envoys bearing a gift (2 Kings 20:12At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

See All...).

But a problem arose. Hezekiah's "heart was lifted up" (2 Chronicles 32:25But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

See All...). He began to drift from God. So God withdrew from Hezekiah "in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart" (verse 31).

Hezekiah had assumed too much. He momentarily forgot God and showed the Babylonian envoys objects of his wealth.

Hezekiah's pride brought more problems on his kingdom. God warned him that the same Babylonian nation that had sent its friendly emissaries would ultimately threaten and destroy Judah (2 Kings 20:14-18 [14] Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

[15] And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

[16] And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.

[17] Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

[18] And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

See All...).

However, "Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah" (2 Chronicles 32:25-26 [25] But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

[26] 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.

See All...). God spared Hezekiah's kingdom for the balance of his lifetime and for another century. In later years, in the reign of kings who rejected Hezekiah's righteous acts and example, destruction overcame Judah.

Passing of a Faithful King

Hezekiah's distinction was that he "trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah ... He held fast 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 [5] 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.

[6] For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.

See All...). When he died his countrymen "buried him in the upper tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death" (2 Chronicles 32:33And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

See All...).

God's mercy is always available to people in a repentant attitude, who acknowledge their inadequacies and strive to honor and serve Him. Hezekiah's life proves this is true. The key to an honorable life now, and ultimately eternal life, is to humble ourselves before God and obey Him and His laws.

After all, those laws are given for our benefit so we may acquire a godly relationship with God and man. GN

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Taken from: http://www.ucg.org/christian-living/profiles-faith-hezekiah-faithful-king

Did Captive Israel Build Assyria’s Capital City?



[The AMAIC does not necessarily accept the dates given in this interesting article]

by Jory Steven Brooks





The Book 2 Kings ch.17 v.6 reveals that one of the places to which Israel was transplanted was called, "Halah." Little has been written about this in Christian literature, and some scholars plead ignorance as to the correct location of this place of exile. However, the Anchor Bible Dictionary (III. 25) tells us that this word matches letter for letter with the Assyrian district of "Halahhu," except for the doubling of the last "h" and the addition of the characteristic Assyrian "u" case ending. The latter is not unusual, because the Biblical Haran (Genesis 11:32, 12:4-5, 28:10 & 29:4) appears in Assyrian as "Haranu", and Ur, the birthplace of Abraham (Genesis 11:28 & 31, 15:7 & Nehemiah 9:7), is written as Uru.



This district of Halahhu was located north-east of the city of Nineveh in northern Assyria. A map shown in the Rand-McNally Bible Atlas (1956) indicates that Halahhu covered all of the area from Nineveh to the Zagros Mountains to the north and north-east (p. 244-5). In the midst of this district, King Sargon II purchased land along the Khosr River from the inhabitants of the small non-Assyrian town of Maganuba to build a new capital city. This new city was named Dur-Sharrukin, the Fortress of Sargon; it is better known today as Khorsabad after the modern small village of that name built on part of the ruins.



Halahhu was also the name of a city as well as a district. The Rand-McNally Bible Atlas (p. 297-8), informs us,



"Halah lay northeast of Nineveh, which city at a slightly later day had a gate named the 'gate of the land of Halah' [Halahhu]. Since there is reason to believe that the city lay between Nineveh and Sargon’s new capital [Khorsabad], the large mound of Tell Abassiyeh has been nominated for it. Excavations there might give us traces of the ten lost tribes."



The city of Halah, or Halahhu, in which Israelites were resettled was therefore located just outside Sargon’s new capital city complex. Amazingly, in spite of this knowledge, apparently no one -- historian, scholar, or archaeologist -- has ever examined this Halahhu city mound area. There seems to be no effort to trace lost Israel! Is it perhaps because of the popular myth in books and journals that no Israelites were ever exiled or lost?



The reasons why Sargon moved the capital of Assyria from Nimrud to the new city of Dur-Sharrukin has been a fertile subject for speculation among scholars. Historians believe that his predecessor, Shalmaneser V, was murdered in Palestine during the siege of Samaria. The exact date of Shalmaneser’s death is unknown, but it may have been in 721 BC, because Sargon claimed to be the conqueror of the capital of Israel. If Sargon was in some way involved in the conspiracy that enabled him to seize power (an obvious supposition), he may have disdained ruling in the palace of his predecessor. Another possibility is that Sargon wished to expand the borders of Assyria northward into the sparsely inhabited Zagros Mountains, its foothills and valleys, to strengthen his northern border.



Whatever the reasons, a marvellous palace complex came into being almost a mile square, twelve miles north-east of Nineveh along the Khosr River. It was a massive building project. Assyrian scholar William R. Gallagher tells us that in Assyrian terms, Dur-Sharrukin was 2,935 dunams in size, compared to the city of Jerusalem at only 600 dunams (Sennacherib’s Campaign, p. 263). Yet this accomplishment was in spite of the fact that Assyria had a massive labour shortage:



"At least two letters to Sargon indicate a shortage of manpower. In one letter the sender complained that the magnates had not replaced his dead and invalid soldiers. These amounted to at least 1,200 men. The second letter, probably from Taklak-ana-Bel, governor of Nasibina, reports a scarcity of troops" (ibid., p.266).



This labour shortage was partly due to the massive capital building project, but also because of a deadly epidemic resembling the bubonic plague that later raged across Europe in the fourteenth century AD. The Akkadian word for it was "mutanu", the plural of "mutu," meaning death. This epidemic struck not just once, but several times (802, 765, 759, and 707 BC) with deadly effect. Historical records indicate that this plague had so decimated the Assyrian army by 706 BC that they were unable to engage in any military missions at all that year (ibid., p. 267).



The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago carried out an archaeological excavation at the site of Dur-Sharrukin during the years 1930-33, and published an account of their discoveries in a volume written by Henri Frankfort which says the following:



"We know that Sargon used a considerable amount of forced labor in the building of his capital -- captives and colonists from other parts of the empire" (p. 89).



Assyrian scholar Gallagher adds:



"Sargon II’s cumbersome building projects at Dur-Sharrukin had placed a great strain on the empire...Much of the forced labor on Sargon‘s new city was done by prisoners of war. The conditions shown on Sennacherib‘s palace wall reliefs for the transport of his bull colossi were undoubtedly the same as in Sargon‘s time. They show forced laborers under great exertion, some clearly exhausted, being driven by taskmasters with sticks" (ibid., p. 265).



A text inscribed upon a carved stone bull at Dur-Sharrukin states,



"He [Sargon] swept away Samaria, and the whole house of Omri" (Records Of The Past, XI:18).



The "House of Omri" was the Assyrian designation for Israel, and was spoken with a guttural applied to the first vowel, so that it was pronounced "Khumri." Following Sargon’s terse statement was a notice of the building of the new Assyrian capital city. Construction of Dur-Sharrukin began in 717 BC, only four years after the fall of Samaria, and took over ten years, with ceremonies marking its completion in 706 BC.



Although there is no record of the exact date that the Assyrians marched the Israelite residents of Samaria eastward to Halah(hu), it is probable that Sargon knew from the beginning of his rule (or even before he became king) that he would build his palace in that location. Did he send the Israelites there in order to help build his new city, the capital of Assyria? If not, why were they there during these years of construction? Although proof does not exist at present, the correlation of location and dates, coupled with the great need for labourers, makes it highly probable that YEHOVAH’s people were involved.



And how appropriate was the symbolism resulting from this circumstance! Israel was called to build the Kingdom of YEHOVAH God on earth, but refused. They turned their hearts to false gods and worshipped the work of men’s hands. Because of this, YEHOVAH used the Assyrians, perhaps the foremost pagan idolaters, to punish his people. Those who had been offered the highest honour of building YEHOVAH’s earthly dominion instead were consigned the deepest dishonour of building the earthly dominion of the enemies of YEHOVAH God.



Many of the wall reliefs, stone idols, and other important finds from Dur-Sharrukin are now on display at the Oriental Institute in Chicago. Included is a massive stone winged bull termed in Assyrian, "Lamassu," that formerly stood at the doorway to King Sargon’s throne room. The carving and moving of several of these monstrous stone monuments was undoubtedly one of the most amazing feats of human labour. They were composite figures, with a human face, a body that was part bull, part lion, and wings of a bird. The king was thus symbolically empowered with the formidable qualities of speed, power, and intelligence.





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Taken from: http://www.hope-of-israel.org.nz/captiveisrael.html

The Year that the Turtan Came to Ashdod: Isaiah 20:1

Isaiah 20

New International Version (NIV)


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A Prophecy Against Egypt and Cush

20 In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it— 2 at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot.

3 Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush,[a] 4 so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared —to Egypt’s shame. 5 Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be dismayed and put to shame. 6 In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape? ’”

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Hezekiah – Godliness under Pressure!



Taken from: http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/studies/online/hezekiah2.htm

Kings and Prophets

Hezekiah – Godliness under Pressure!

By I Gordon

Introduction

As we saw in the first study, Hezekiah was one good man! We saw a revival in Jerusalem as the hearts of Israel were once again turned back to the Lord their God. In 2 Chronicles 32 however, things begin to change! Opposition to Hezekiah is raised up and we see the full might of the Assyrian army come against our godly leader. This study then is about godliness under pressure! While taken mainly from 2 Chronicles 32, we will delve into 2 Kings 18 now and then to obtain a more complete picture on what was happening.

Godliness brings opposition

2 Chron 31:20-32:1 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself.

After these acts of faithfulness… what happens? He is invaded! Some would try and tell you that faithfulness leads to comfort and ease, while sin leads to trouble and strife. The word of God repeatedly tells us that ‘everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.’ (2 Tim 3:12) This is what we see with Hezekiah here. His godly stance led to opposition[1]. Satan doesn’t like revival… He doesn’t like people turning back to God. No surprises there, but thankfully He doesn’t get the last word!

Hezekiah’s first response… can anybody relate?

2 Kings 18:13-15 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. So Hezekiah king of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me.” The king of Assyria exacted from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the temple of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace.

So the King of Assyria attacked the cities of Judah and captured them. Only Jerusalem remained free from his hand. Now the pressure was on! In the passage above we read of Hezekiah’s first response… and I don’t think I’m being too unkind to Hezekiah to say that he freaked! There is no doubt that he was a godly man, but what we see in his initial response is something very common to all of us. That is, when faced with trouble we immediately try and work out how we can get ourselves out of it through our own initiative! And as we see here, it usually doesn’t even involve God. It is a natural, fallen creation response; not that of someone spiritual. Hezekiah thought he could buy himself out of this pickle and was even willing give the gold and silver from the Lord’s temple to do it! It didn’t work… it never does.

Are your walls of salvation ready?

2 Chron 32:2-5 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to make war on Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him… Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the supporting terraces of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.

Faced with the fact that the enemy cannot be bought off, Hezekiah begins to focus his attention on their defence. There were new walls to be erected and broken sections to be repaired. Towers were constructed, and weapons and shields were made. While Hezekiah may still have been thinking in the natural, there is considerable spiritual relevance in these verse for us. The Bible shows that the walls around Jerusalem are a type of the strength of our salvation. The name of the Lord is our high tower; the word of the Lord our sword, and faith in Jesus our shield.[2]

But notice that there were areas of the wall that needed repair. Also, weapons and shields had to be made. Now, I’m no military expert, but I do enjoy cowboy movies and I’ve come to the conclusion that it is better to have these things in place before the enemy attacks! But are we any different? What I mean is, often, when things are easy and going well, there is a tendency to let things slide a little[3]. The closeness of our daily relationship with God can suffer. Quiet times with God can slip. It seems to be human nature. But when the King of Assyria assaults us… boy, watch us move to rebuild those walls then! We call on the Lord, consume our Bibles, double our quiet times… oh dear, do things never change? Call me old fashioned if you must, but it still seems better to have the armour and defence ready BEFORE the enemy attacks!

The leader doing what a leader should

2 Chron 32:6-8 He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

Finally we start seeing the strength that was within Hezekiah! Awesome words in the midst of extreme difficulty that show his dependency upon God. Hopelessly outnumbered in the natural, yet confident in the Lord! The passage above says that he encouraged his people with his words. It also says that the people ‘gained confidence’ from what Hezekiah said. The NASB says the ‘people relied on the words of Hezekiah’. Do you know someone right now in the midst of difficulty? Do you know that you can impart faith through the words of truth you speak to them? Isn’t it awesome that frightened people can ‘gain confidence’ through what you say? And what was it that Hezekiah said? Well, it was a truth as old as creation itself. The message of faith that never changes![4] ‘They rely on their own strength, we rely on the Lord’ Hezekiah said. ‘And, unless you have any doubts, greater is He that is with us. Take courage for the Lord will fight for us!’ No wonder the people gained confidence!

The Hiss of the Serpent

2 Chron 32:9-14 Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there: “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? When Hezekiah says, ‘The LORD our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst…. “Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand? Who of all the gods of these nations that my fathers destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand?

Did you hear it? Are your ears open? Can you not just hear the hiss of the serpent when you read the words of Sennacherib, King of Assyria? Look at all the doubt that he tries to instil in Hezekiah’s people. Look also at the attention that he tries to draw towards his own strength and the open mockery of Hezekiah’s God. Sennacherib may have sent the message but I have no doubt that the Serpent was whispering in his ear as he wrote! This passage illustrates quite clearly how the enemy operates in trying to discourage God’s people in the midst of a difficulty. He will do anything to get people’s thoughts off how mighty God is, and onto the trouble at hand. He wants them to operate by sight, not by faith. ‘How can your God deliver you from my hand’ Sennacherib proudly boasts! ‘No nation or gods have been able to stop me! That which you have feared will come upon you!’ Nothing really changes. Circumstances, and God’s people may change, but the doubts and accusations proceeding from the mouth of the enemy sure don’t!

2 Chron 32:15-19 Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!”…Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of men’s hands.

And so the dribble continues… what is interesting is that God has recorded these words of Sennacherib in three separates places in His word (2 Chron 32, 2 Kings 18, Isaiah 36) so it must be important. Look also at the reason that the enemy spoke to Hezekiah’s men guarding the wall – it says that the King of Assyria wanted to terrify them in order to capture the city. Great fear has a way of doing that! Fear and worry are always the result of dwelling on the difficulty of the situation at hand. But faith is stronger than fear. The men on the wall did well to keep their mouths shut and not dwell on the enemy’s words. In fact, Hezekiah specifically told them, as is recorded in 2 Kings 18:26 ‘But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, “Do not answer him.”

Good sound advice that… In fact if Eve had followed this, things may be slightly different today![5]

The Prayers of a Dynamic Duo!

2 Chron 32:20-21 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. And the LORD sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons cut him down with the sword.

Backed into a corner, with the whole Assyrian army bearing down upon them, King Hezekiah and the Prophet Isaiah cried out to the Lord in prayer. While the prayer is not recorded in 2nd Chronicles, thankfully 2 Kings 19 does. Have a read of a prayer from a man who knows His God.

2 Kings 19:14-19 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. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. “It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men’s hands. Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God.”

Now I really like that! See how Hezekiah took the enemies letter and spread it out before the Lord in the temple… It’s a simple act of faith that shows that Hezekiah’s problems soon became God’s problems! And I love his prayer because it is so very simple. In fact, the note in my Ryrie Study Bible calls it a ‘childlike prayer’. Notice how Hezekiah doesn’t ask for deliverance for his, or even Israel’s sake. He doesn’t claim that he has been insulted or wronged. He doesn’t remind God of any righteousness of his own. He simply places the entire situation firmly in God’s lap! This is why I said at the start that it is a prayer of a man who truly knew God. It is the living God that is being insulted Hezekiah says, and if there is to be any deliverance it is so that God may again be glorified. It is so that the nations may see that the God of Israel is the true God.

And God was pleased to answer such a prayer. How could He not? If you read further in 2 Kings 19 you will see that the Lord sent word through Isaiah His prophet that He would deliver them, and deliver them He did!

While it is a separate topic from this study, see the footnotes for some comments concerning the latter days of Hezekiah’s reign.[6]

Conclusion

This study on Hezekiah has been a study of godliness under pressure! Under attack and facing extreme pressure, Hezekiah was still able to receive deliverance and strength from the Lord in his time of need. We can learn from him! It is doubtful that the King of Assyria himself is going to come against your house, but trials and difficulties certainly will! May we also, like Hezekiah, display godliness under pressure, as we learn to take the Lord as our strength.

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[1] We see very similar responses from the enemy here as we did in the book of Nehemiah. When Hezekiah first started drawing the people back to God it says that his messengers were ‘laughed to scorn and mocked. (2 Chron 30:10) Now we see that he is being physically attacked by the King of Assyria! If you have read the study on Nehemiah you will remember that when Nehemiah started rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem the enemy first tried mockery and discouragement (Neh 4:1-6) and when that was less than successful, they conspired to attack and kill Nehemiah and his men. (Neh 4:7-12) Exactly what we see here!

[2] See Isaiah 60:18, Prov 25:28, Prov 18:10-11, Psalm 144:1-2, Eph 6:13-18. I really like the contrast in Proverbs 18:10-11 ‘The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.’ Those that know God put there hope in Him. The rich put their hope in money. They imagine it to be an unscalable wall! What a joke. No, the Lord is our wall, our strong tower. With this in mind we should be careful to do as Psalm 48:12,13 says ‘Walk around Zion…Count her towers… consider her ramparts… for such is God, our God, forever and ever.‘ We aren’t surrounded by a physical wall or city. But we do have spiritual protection in the Lord our God and we should do as scripture says and consider how great our protector is!

[3] In the second part of Pilgrims Progress, when Christiana is travelling to the Celestial City, she came to the Princes Arbour at the top of the Hill of Difficulty. Now this was a place to rest after the Hill of Difficulty and was obviously built and placed there by the Lord. But resting to long, she forgot and left her bottle there just as Christian before her had lost his book there. Great Heart, who was Christiana’s guide, said ‘Some sleep when they should stay awake, and some forget when they should remember. This is the exact cause why often at the resting places some Pilgrims, in some things, come away losers. During their times of enjoyment, Pilgrims should watch and remember what they’ve already received.’ So it seems that even times of rest can become a snare for unaware Pilgrims. Rest but don’t fall asleep!

[4] What Hezekiah said in this passage is timeless! It is the exact same message Joshua and Caleb gave to a frightened Israel on the threshold of entering the Promised Land. (Num 14:9) It is the same message David gave when faced with Goliath. (1 Sam 17:45-47). It is the same message Nehemiah gave his people when they were attacked while rebuilding the walls (Neh 4:14). And it is the same message the Apostle John gives us in the New Testament saying that ‘greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4)

[5] The bottom line, as Christian found out in Pilgrims Progress, is that the path to the Celestial City (Heaven) runs right through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, the Hill of Difficulty, the Valley of Humiliation, and often very close to doubting castle and giant despair! Each place has different difficulties of its own. How important it is then to live by faith! You may waver between faith and fear - don’t we all? But in the end may you come back to, focus upon, and take strength from, Hezekiah’s words – ‘there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.’

[6] After this great victory that the Lord gave to Hezekiah, we read ‘many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the LORD and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.’ (vs 23) So, to state the obvious, Hezekiah was highly regarded among the nations. They brought him valuable gifts. But was the Lord highly regarded as well? Did He get ALL the credit for the wonderful deliverance that He had given Hezekiah? Because there is no doubting that this victory was 100% God’s doing. The passage does say that the nations brought offerings for the Lord at Jerusalem as well so that is good, but I have a sneaky suspicion that Hezekiah took more of the credit than he should have. Why do I say this? Well, you don’t have to be Einstein to figure it out because the very next verse says as much.

‘In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the LORD, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him…’

How careful we have to be! How wicked is the sinful nature that dwells within us? Even after the Lord has graciously given us deliverance and victory, the pride of our own heart would have us believe we played a great and important role in it! Foolish fallen humanity! Hezekiah was obviously human after all and prone to the same pride that we are. How good it is to read that

‘Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD’s wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.’

So, I guess the moral of the story is spelled out for us through this New Testament scripture –

‘What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?’ 1 Cor 4:7

So let us give glory where glory should be… with God!

Historical Evidence for King Hoshea of Israel

BAR 21:06, Nov/Dec 1995




Royal Signature: Name of Israel’s Last King Surfaces in a Private Collection



By André Lemaire

The name of the northern kingdom of Israel’s last king has turned up on a beautiful seal from the eighth century B.C.E.! Although the seal did not belong to the king himself, it was the property of one of his high-ranking ministers.

The king is Hoshea (HWSû‘ in Hebrew; the same name as that of the prophet Hosea, but referring to a different person).a Hoshea ruled Israel from 732 or 731 B.C.E. to 722 B.C.E., just before it was destroyed by Assyrian conquest. The minister’s name inscribed on the seal is Abdi (‘BDY), or, to use his full name in English, Obadiah (again, the name of a prophet, but a different person).

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Taken from:

http://members.bib-arch.org/publication.asp?PubID=BSBA&Volume=21&Issue=6&ArticleID=3