THE REVIVAL KINGS #4 HEZEKIAH II KINGS 18:1-8 & II CHRON. 29:2
The king who measured up to God’s standard
Introduction
Of all the Revival Kings: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, and Josiah --- Hezekiah was perhaps the greatest. The only king of Judah who was greater was David. Remember, David was God’s measuring stick for the kings. David was "God’s standard".
Four long chapters in the book of II Chronicles are devoted to Hezekiah’s reign. His revival was perhaps the greatest of all the revivals.
II Chronicles tells of the Positive things that Hezekiah did to restore true Worship.
II Kings tells of the Negative things that He did to restore true Worship.
True Revival involves both. You can’t just turn to God. You must turn from sin.
Interesting note: Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, was very wicked.
Hezekiah’s son, Manassah, was the most wicked King the Judah had.
I. The Negative Reforms of Hezekiah II Kings 18:4
1. He removed the High Places
2. He broke the idols
3. He brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made
a. We don’t worship the past - past victories
b. We don’t worship the denomination
c. We don’t worship the Bible
d. We don’t worship "programs" God once used
II. The Positive Reforms of Hezekiah II Chron. 29
1. Hezekiah opened the doors of God’s House and repaired them. Vs. 3
Ahaz, his father, had nailed them shut.
2. There was a return to holy living. Vs. 4,5, and 16
Illustration: Homogenized Christianity
I grew up on a small dairy farm in northern Missouri. When we poured the milk into the gallon jugs, the cream always came to the top. You had the cream at the top and the skim milk at the bottom. Before we used it we would always shake it up to blend the two together, but after a few minutes it would separate again because the cream was lighter in weight than the skim.
Recently I was talking to a friend of mine who is a machinist at Coburg Dairy. I asked him how they Homogenized milk. The milk we buy at the supermarket has gone through a process called homogenization that permanently blends the cream and milk together so it doesn’t separate. Since he works on the machines that perform the process, I asked him how it was done.
He said it was done through pressure. In the machine there are two intake lines. Through one line comes the skim milk and through the other line comes the cream. The percentage of cream is varied depending on whether they are making 1 percent, two percent, or whole milk. When the cream and milk come into the machine there is a piston that by using high pressure literally attaches the molecules of the cream and milk so they no longer separate.
The problem in Hezekiah’s day and in our day is that good and evil, right and wrong have been homogenized. The church often has resorted to the ways of the world and has become like the world. The cream no longer rises to the top. It has become diluted by the world.
3. Hezekiah restored true Worship. Vs. 20,21
4. He took a public stand for God. Chapter 30, vs. 1
5. He invited all to come and worship (both Judah and Israel) Vs. 5
a. Some mocked - Vs. 10
b. Some humbled themselves and came - Vs. 11
c. They were offered grace - Vs. 18-20
"Just as I Am" God looks upon the heart
Illustration
Going to the county fair and trying the "Strong Mans Test" ( that tall scale that you hit with a large wooden mallet) to see if you are a "weakling" or a "strong man". God doesn’t demand that you ding the bell at the top, He just asks that you pick up the hammer. And by the way, if you are too weak to even pick up the hammer, he will help you pick it up.
III. The Results of True Revival
1. The people, not just the leader are changed. Vs. 31:1
2. They rebelled against the enemy. Vs. 32:1
a. Returning to God means rebelling against the enemy
b. True Revival does not take us out of the battle. It puts us into the midst of it.
Illustration
Revival is like the remodeling that we have done here at the church’
1.) It took longer than we thought.
2.) It cost us more than we planned.
3.) It made a bigger mess than we thought it would.
BUT LOOK AT THE RESULT
We must fight the enemy to have the benefits of revival.
2. God was with them. Vs 22
IV. Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery II Kings 20:1-3
1. Be careful what you ask for.
God gave Hezekiah 15 more years but he would have been better off without them.
2. Three Bad Things came out of these 15 extra years
a. Hezekiah showed Judah’s treasures to Babylon.
b. Hezekiah begat a son, Manasseh who became Judah’s wickedest king.
c. He became lifted up with arrogance and pride.
God’s wisdom is greater the our wisdom.
Conclusion
Let me present a challenge to you if you want God to move in your life.
1. Am I honest and do I have integrity?
2. Am I truthful?
3. Am I faithful - Can God depend on me?
4. Am I pure? In this day of filth, am I clean?
5. Am I totally dedicated to God? Is there some part of my life that God does not have?
