Calling On The Lord

“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.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 2 Kings 20:3

King Hezekiah started well as a young king at 25 years old. He refused to get into an alliance with the idolatrous and mighty Assyrians. Hezekiah loved God and obeyed Him. He reopened the temple in Jerusalem. He destroyed the places of idolatry. Hezekiah even destroyed the bronze serpent Moses had erected in the wilderness (Num. 21:4-9), so that the people would not view the bronze serpent as an object of worship. He organized the priests and Levites for the conducting of worship services. The tithe was reinstated. In short, Hezekiah followed the Lord closely and loved His law. In return, God protected Hezekiah and the people of Judah from the Assyrians.

In 701 B.C., Hezekiah became seriously ill. Isaiah warned the king to prepare for his approaching death. But Hezekiah prayed that God would intervene. He reminded God how he had followed Him and obeyed Him. He poured out his heart in tears before the Lord (2 Kin. 20:2-3). As Isaiah began to walk out of the palace, God instructed him to go back to Hezekiah and tell him the good news-he will have 15 more years of life and the deliverance of Jerusalem from Assyria (20:4-6).

Hezekiah asked Isaiah for a special sign to know that God would really heal him and prolong his life. He requested that God moves the shadow of the sundial back by 10 degrees (20:9-11). God agreed. Jesus says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). When you follow God with all your heart, there is practically nothing God wouldn’t do for you.

Unfortunately, the story had a sad ending. Hezekiah’s faith and healing brought him recognition from the surrounding nations. The Babylonian leader, Berodach-Baladan, even congratulated Hezekiah on his recovery. Hezekiah was so fl attered by Berodach-Baladan that he showed him all his secret treasures and armories. Isaiah was grieved when he saw Hezekiah being persuaded to enter into an alliance with Babylon. To be unequally yoked with an unbelieving partner would surely take Judah down the path to destruction. Having received such a great miracle, Hezekiah should have just trusted God for protection from the Assyrians. There was no need to enter into partnership with another idolatrous nation. Ironically, the descendants of Berodach-Baladan would one day deport the Jews to Babylon (2 Kin. 20:17-18). Many are called but few are chosen. Even fewer are found faithful. That was Hezekiah’s problem-he didn’t end well in his life. Let us stay faithful to Jesus all the way to the very end.