Introduction: It is good for everybody to put his own house in order, to make sure that things are going on smoothly within your family members even when you are alive, many parents has caused confusion among their family members, when they die their children will never be at peace except God intervenes. Make sure you do all necessary restitution.
Outline
1. Difference between a home and a house: A house is defined as a building or structure whose main purpose is to be occupied for habitations by humans while a home is a place of residence or refuge. A home may otherwise be referred to as a family living together under one umbrella in a house.
2. King Hezekiah. II Chr. 29:1: King Hezekiah was the thirteen king of Judah, the name of his father was Ahaz while his mother’s name was Abijah. Hezekiah reigned for a period of twenty-nine years over Judah, he has reigned for fourteen years when God sent Prophet Isaiah to him that he will die but he prayed unto God and God added another fifteen years to his years, he would have died at thirty-nine years of age but because of his prayer he died at fifty-four years of age. You can also choose what you want by yourself, that is why you need to get acquainted unto God.
3. Hezekiah’s deed. II Chr. 29:2: Judah had twenty kings, twelve of them did evil in the sight of the Lord, only eight of them did well, Hezekiah was among the eight that did well in the presence of the Lord. The angels are writing your own deeds too in heaven, the church is also noticing all that you are doing, what shall we say about you? Punctuality, activeness in church services, taking care of church premises, monetary contribution, evangelism etc.
Hezekiah followed the footsteps of David. Whose footsteps are you following? Some people will never see those that has done well, they will always like to follow those that has not done well.
Some of the good deeds of Hezekiah:
i. He opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them (The door that was closed by his father II Chr. 28:24)
ii. He brought in the priest and the levites
iii. He ordered the priests to sanctify themselves
iv. He ordered the priests to sanctify the house of the Lord II Chr. 29: 15 – 16
v. He brought seven bullocks, seven rams, seven lambs, seven he-goats for sin offering II Chr. 29: 21 & 27
vi. He ordered the people to bring sacrifices after the burnt offering (you need to be free from your sins before you can bring things into God’s house)
People brought the following:
Seventy bullocks, Hundred rams, Two hundred lambs for burnt offering
Consecrated things: Six hundred oxen, three thousand sheep. What is the greatest gift you have ever given unto God? You can also inculcate a good habit of giving unto the Lord today. II Chr. 29: 32 – 33
4. The errors of Hezekiah. Is. 38:1: God sent Prophet Isaiah to King Hezekiah that he will die when he was thirty-nine years of age but he went unto the Lord to pray, challenging God with all the good deeds he has done.
Despite the fact that Hezekiah has spent fourteen years doing the work of God yet his house was not in order, just like the case of Abraham at age ninety-nine God still ask him to walk with Him and be perfect. Gen. 17:1. (After he has been with God for twenty-four years Gen. 12:4). How did your look like? His your house in order? If death should close your eyes today what will happen to the house you will be leaving behind? What will happen to your children? What is your relationship with God? Are you even prepared? You must always be prepared
Hezekiah’s mistake. Is. 39:1 – 2
His mistake was not because he asked for additional years but after his recovery, the king of Babylon heard, Merodach-Baladan and he sent letters and presents to him on the surface of he was sick and he has recovered but in reality the purpose was to spy the land. When you make success in exams, secure a good job, you have promotion, have new baby etc you have to be very careful about people who celebrate with you, some of them may not be sincerely happy, rejoice on your success a little bit and reserved. Hezekiah was not reserved; he revealed all the treasures of Judah to the enemy
5. Consequences of his act. Is. 39:3: Prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah that the enemy (Babylonian) will take away all the things they have seen. Despite the fact he was told to set his house in order, he still made this serious mistake, the prophet also added that his son will be taken away in captivity, during this time Hezekiah has never given birth to a son when he has inherited curses for his son II King 20:20; 21:1. Manaseh was just twelve years when he reigned as king indicating that it was after the third year of the last fifteen years of Hezekiah that he was born.
What are you laying down for your children and generations yet unborn? Train your children in the way of the Lord.
Conclusion: Do well and train your children in the way of the Lord.
