2 Chronicles 32:1-22
Wednesday, 23 June 2021
King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amos cried out in prayer to heaven about this. -2 Chron.32:20
Through the history of Judah we see the land ruled by many wicked kings who led the people away from their God. In the line of these ungodly fathers we are amazed to see God raise up godly sons whose hearts are turned to the living God and who begin to follow Him with all their hearts like their forefather David and thus leading the people back to God. One of those Kings was Hezekiah, who made a choice to do right in God’s eyes (2 Chron. 29:2).
What do we learn from him?
At the beginning of this chapter it is interesting to see what the Bible records in V. 1 “After these deeds of faithfulness, Sennacherib attacked Israel…” Isn’t that a strange thing?—Experiencing difficulty when we are walking faithfully before God! Psalm 34:19 says “Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him from them all.”
How did Hezekiah experience this truth that God would deliver him? Was it immediately or a process? His first reaction to the news of this impending attack is recorded in
V3-he consulted with leaders to make important decisions
V4-he took steps to strengthen himself
V6- he set people over his nation who are strong and powerful to guard the nation
Vs.7& 8- his words of faith in God are declared, to encourage the people.
How very much like us believers, was Hezekiah’s response to the battle in front of him!
He prepared and planned how he could ward off the enemy. The very things we would do when faced by a spiritual enemy. We begin to trust our Bible knowledge, our declaration of faith more than our dependency on God. We then suddenly realize that things don’t get better rather it begins to turn worse, just as it happened to Hezekiah.
The enemy now begins to use his age old tactic of doubt ……He turns the heat on by questioning Hezekiah’s faith by asking:
In what do you trust? (V10)
Is He the true God? (V12)
Will God deliver you? (V13)
Is God really powerful? (V14)
Is He really interested in you to save you? (V15)
How often we have heard the devil, the old serpent whisper these very same words into our own ears just as Hezekiah faced them! Eve, the first woman fell prey to this and right through the history of mankind we see the enemy destroy many a lives as they question the very existence of God in the face of difficulties (v.19).
But what was Hezekiah’s response to this?
V. 20 tells us King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet prayed and cried out to heaven- an action he had failed to take at the first instance of the enemy’s attack. His action implied three things:
his humility – he needed God ‘s counsel
his inability – he needed God’s strength
his lack of strategy – he needed God’s strategies
When he acknowledged this, we see God supernaturally coming to the rescue of His king and His people (V.21) and God saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem (V.22).
In each of our lives, we have seen God step in at the most crucial times whenever we have bent our knees and lifted our hands to Him. Lets’ always remember that, this is the best posture to be in whenever we are in a battle. Be sure you will never face defeat.
Quote for the day: “Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.” (Psalm 60:12)
Listen: ‘Battle Belongs’