HEZEKIAH, "HOW TO HAVE VICTORY IN LIFE"
TEXT: II KINGS 18-20; 2 CHRONICLES 29-32
INTRODUCTION
Everyone wants victory in life, don’t they? Most people want to be successful in what they do. Athletes, train for years to be victorious on the field or in the arena. Lawyers, go to school for years and they spend hours on each case in hopes of winning a victory in the court room.
No one sets out to lose -- though some like the Tampa Bay Bucs leave you wondering...
But though most want to have victory -- the truth is many loss, for every team holding the winners trophy there are many more who do not.... And For every win in the court room, there is a corresponding loss.
And even though life is far from a game and it is not a courtroom, there are still winners and losers... Most people want to win in life, they want to be victorious, they want to be successful... But the truth of the matter is that for many the winner’s circle is a seldom visited place....
Today, I would like to introduce you to a man of which God says, "AND THE LORD WAS WITH HIM, HE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN WHATEVER HE UNDERTOOK..."
The man God is speaking of is King Hezekiah, the 12th King of Judah. How would you like that to be said of you, that God was with you and that you were successful in whatever you undertook...
How did Hezekiah do it? What was his secret to success? What did he do that brought him success after success?
Today, we want to look at the life of this godly man and see what we can learn from it; His life serves as an example for us:
The first thing we want to do today is to tell;
I. HEZEKIAH’S STORY
HIS CHILDHOOD
Hezekiah was born in Jerusalem in 753 BC, He lived in the palace, with his father King Ahaz. Even though he was the son of the King, his childhood like many of yours was from great.... The term used so frequently today, "dysfunctional" certainly applied to Hezekiah’s father.
Ahaz was supposed to be the King of God’s people -- he was supposed to be the spiritual leader of the nation.... But he was far from it... Ahaz made idols to the Baals and he worshipped these false gods, He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hill tops and under very spreading tree.. And he gathered together all the furnishing of the temple of God and took them away. He even shut the doors of the Lords temple so people could not worship God, and in turn he set up altars to other gods at every street corner in Jerusalem.
It must have been terrible for Hezekiah to walk the dusty streets of Jerusalem and smell the incense and see people worship false gods, knowing it was his own father who was the ring leader...
And as if this was not "dysfunctional" enough Ahaz even took his own sons, Hezekiah’s brothers and he burned them as sacrifices to these false gods...
It was only by God’s grace and through his hand of providence that Hezekiah survived...
But Hezekiah childhood was not completely dark. For in the midst of this darkness there was a light, a man of God -- He was a prophet, his name was Isaiah. He spoke powerful words of truth about life and about God, words that made Hezekiah’s heart race with joy, excitement and hope (IT DIDN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE THIS WAY).... He was Hezekiah’s friend - his mentor and he learned so much from him...
And with the help of this friend and the power of God, young Hezekiah determined to one day make things right in the nation. He determined to break the cycle his father had started.
HEZEKIAH BECOMES KING
When Hezekiah was 25 years old his father died and he became King... And the first thing he did (day one) was to open the doors to the temple and repair them. He brought the priests and the Levities, and He assembled them in the square on the east side of the temple... And He said to them...
2 CHRONICLES 29:5-11
These men worked for 16 straight days around the clock, cleaning the temple, repairing damage and carrying out all the unclean things Ahaz had brought into the temple. And they brought back in and consecrated all of the scared items that Hezekiah’s father had removed.
And then Hezekiah removed the high places, he smashed the sacred stones, he cut down the Aserah poles...
and he broke into pieces the bronze snake that Moses had lifted up in the desert, because people had also begun worshipping it. It seems they gave their lives to an worship just about everything but God -- therefore Hezekiah got rid of everything and anything that was taking worship from God.
Then after the 16 days, they prepared sin and burnt offering to the Lord... In all they sacrificed about 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. And then (thousands of God’s people) praised God in a powerful worship service with cymbals, harps, and lyres.... just the way God had prescribed for them through His prophets...It was awesome an incredible day in the Lord....I get chills just thinking about it....
A day of victory -- renewal -- and revival..
And, once He felt that they were on track with God spiritually (HEZEKAIH REALIZED THAT THIS MUST COME FIRST)-- Then Hezekiah began to make some political moves. He rebelled against the King of Assyria, He stopped paying him tribute and Hezekiah sent troops out and retook many of the cities that Assyria had taken on Judah’s borders.
In His 4th year as King tragedy struck in the north, the Assyrians marched against Samaria, they lay siege to the city... And after 3 years of death, disease and famine --their brothers in the north fell... and those who were left were deported throughout the Assyrian empire. (feared, cruel and Ruthless... And when they marched conquered people into captivity they would pierce their cheek or lip and place a hook in it and link all of the captives with a rope through their hooks...) The bible says;
"THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE ISRAEL HAD NOT OBEYED THE LORD THEIR GOD, SHE VIOLATED HER COVENANT WITH THE LORD -- ALL THAT MOSES THE SERVANT OF THE LORD COMMANDED THEM TO DO .. THEY NEITHER LISTENED OR CARRIED THEM OUT..."
But in the south, in Judah we were still doing pretty good, for now.
HEZEKIAH’S PERSONAL CRISIS
When Hezekiah was 52 years old after he had been King for 27 years. He became very sick... The year was 701 bc. And something told him "this is it," your was not going to pull through. So he sent for his long time friend the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah came into his chambers, grabbed a hold of his hand, they spoke... And then Hezekiah asked him if he would recover...
And Isaiah with a distressed look on his face and a tear in his eye, and said, "THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS: PUT YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER, BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO DIE YOU WILL NOT RECOVER..."
Those words ripped through Hezekiah like a jagged sword.... "PUT YOU HOUSE IN ORDER, YOUR GOING TO DIE.."
Hezekiah immediately turned his face away from his attendants in the room, so he could pray to my God.... And he wept bitterly (His house wasn’t in order -- he was dying, His country’s fate was uncertain with Assyria near by, And he had no son to take his place on the throne, Hezekiah was brought down to his knees, and was reminded just how much he needed God) and in a voice of repentance and desperation.... HE CRIED OUT, "REMEMBER O LORD, HOW I HAVE WALKED BEFORE YOUR FAITHFULLY AND WITH WHOLEHEARTED DEVOTION AND HAVE DONE WHAT IS WHAT IS GOOD IN YOUR EYES....(GOD I’VE TRIED MY BEST TO SERVE YOU)"
Hezekiah had been a godly man or his entire life -- but it wasn’t his deeds that got the Lord’s attention on this day -- It was his faith, his prayer and his tears...
And The Lord heard his prayer... before Isaiah had even MADE it across the middle of court of the 3 courts that surrounded the royal palace... THE LORD GAVE HIM A NEW MESSAGE.... AND BEFORE HEZIKIAH KNEW IT ISAIAH WAS BACK IN HIS CHAMBERS, AND THIS TIME I BET THERE WAS A SMILE ON HIS FACE (THE TEARS WERE GONE).... AND HE CAME BESIDE HIS FRIEND THE KING AND SAID, "THIS IS WHAT THE LORD, THE GOD OF YOU FATHER DAVID SAYS; I HAVE HEARD YOUR PRAYERS AND SEEN YOUR TEARS; I WILL HEAL YOU..." 3 DAYS FROM NOW MY FRIEND YOU WILL GET OUT OF THIS BED AND GO UP TO THE TEMPLE OF YOUR LORD... GOD WILL ADD 15 YEARS TO YOUR LIFE... AND GOD WILL ALSO DELIVER YOU AND THIS CITY FROM THE HANDS OF THE ASSYRIANS... YES THE LORD WILL DEFEND THIS CITY FOR HIS SAKE AND FOR THE SAKE OF DAVID...."
And then HEZEKIAH asked Isaiah, "WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN THAT THE LORD WILL HEAL ME AND THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO GO UP TO THE TEMPLE 3 DAYS FROM NOW..."
Now I know what some of you are thinking... That HEZEKIAH must have doubted God or else HE would not have asked for a sign -- but you’re wrong... FOR You see, under the Old Covenant God frequently offered miraculous signs to substantiate the promises that he made to His people when they were in desperate straits... Surely you recall (IN OUR EARLIER STUDY IN ISAIAH), how God through Isaiah, even instructed HIS wicked father Ahaz to ask for a sign -- to substantiate the promise that God would deliver Jerusalem from the Aramean and Israelite armies that had invaded the land... (But Ahaz was too rebellious/self reliant to ask even when God told him to)...
So you see, when Hezekiah was in such desperate straits it was only natural for him to ask his friend what the sign from God would be.... Now we, who are under the New Covenant don’t need a sign -- because we have the Ultimate sign that God will keep His promises to us in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ His Son.
And God did give Hezekiah a sign -- by making the shadow on the sun dial go back ten steps.... And 3 days latter he was in the temple praising his God.....it’s where Hezekiah wanted to be when he got well, God’s house; and thanking and praising him for his recovery, Our God is an awesome God isn’t he?
PRAYER IS AN AWESOME PRIVILEGE ISN’T IT?
AND IT IS POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE.
ISIAH 38:9-20
HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER
(11); CUT OFF FROM HIS LOVED ONES
(12); LIFE IS BRIEF;
LIKE A MOVABLE TENT/A PIECE OF CLOTH CUT FORM THE LOOM/THE SWIFT PASSING OF DAY TO NIGHT.
(13); HIS IMPENDING DEATH LIKEN TO ATTACK OF A LION, HAVING BONE CRUSHED..
(14); YET HE CONTINUED TO LOOK TO GOD...
(15); GOD RESTORED HIM
NEAR BRUSH WITH DEATH HUMBLED HIM
(18,19);WORSHIP IN THIS LIFE ENDS AT DEATH
THERE WILL BE NO MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SING HIS PRAISES, GO TO GOD’S HOUSE, TAKE COMMUNION, TOP WORSHIP AND SERVE HIM IN THIS LIFE -- ONCE IT IS OVER...
HEZEKIAH’S CHARACTER FLAW
Hezekiah had some great victories for the Lord, he made some good progress, brought about some great changes, had some prayers answered in a powerful way -- but as you probably know from your own experience...there is a very real danger that comes with success...
THOUGH HEZEKIAH WAS A GODLY MAN HE HAD A CHARACTER FLAW -- PRIDE -- Solomon Hezekiah’s ancestor wrote; PRIDE GOES BEFORE DESTRUCTION, A HAUGHTY SPIRIT BEFORE A FALL..."
And though he said he walk humbly all of the days of his life -- it was hard to do... (1st to sing, "Oh lord it’s hard to humble...)
God knew the problem needed to be exposed and dealt with. So allowed according to 2 Chronicles 32:31, Hezekiah to be tested in this area.
And in chapter 39 of Is we read of the Babylonian King sending gifts to Hezekiah to congratulate him on his recovery (had other motives).
Hez became more puffed up then ever -- and he began boosting in all the things he had, taking these envoys from Babylon and showing them all his weaponry and treasures..
THIS MADE GOD ANGRY....AND TOLD HEZ THAT ONE DAY THE BALYONIANS WOULD CONQUER JUDAH)
2 CHRONICLES 32:24-26
THE ASSYRIANS ARE COMING
Not long after THIS the Assyrians started their campaign against Judah, capturing her out lying territories -- (ACCORDING TO ANCIENT ASSYRIA WRITINGS, 46 CITIES -- LOCKED HEZEKIAH UP "LIKE A BIRD IN A CAGE").
And therefore, it would be just a matter of time before they would be on their way to Jerusalem... So Hezekiah rebuilt part of the cities walls -- he fortified other areas and put towers on the wall...He even put up a second wall. He had a large number of shields and weapons made.... Then he gathered my soldiers within the walls and prepared for an attack. He appointed officers over the people and He assembled them in the square at the city gate and he encouraged them with these words,
"BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. DO NOT BE AFRAID OR DISCOURAGE BECAUSE OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA AND THE VAST ARMY WITH HIM, FOR THERE IS A GREATER POWER WITH US THEN 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.."
IT WAS A POWERFUL MOMENT AND THE PEOPLE WERE PUMPED AND CONFIDENT. THEY PRAISED GOD AND CHEERED AS THEY RAISED THEIR WEAPONS IN THE AIR...
Hezekiah was in his palace, when I heard that 3 Assyrian officials had come TO JERUSALEM -- so he sent 3 of his own men to go outside the city walls to talk with them... And it was quite an encounter... These men, mocked and ridiculed the nation and their God. They said whatever they could in an attempt to get Judah to surrender...
It was what we call today psychological warfare -- trying to undermine the courage and strength of your enemy by the use of propaganda; ("A LITTLE TRUTH - WITH A LOT OF LIE").
ISAIAH 36:4-10
(4) WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN RESIST US? YOU SEE ASSYRIA DOESN’T KNOW WHY HEZ AND JUDAH WOULD RESIST -- AND STAND UP AGAINST HIM -- ASSYRIA FEELS THEY HAVE HEZ UNGUNNED AND NUMBERED -- THAT THEY HOLD ALL THE CARDS, -- THEY DOESN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS JUDAH AND HER KING HAVE PLACED THEIR CONFIDENCE IN.
THEREFORE, HE NOW SETS OUT TO SHOW THEM FOLLY OF ANYTHING I MIGHT BE PUTTING CONFIDENCE IN......
(5,6) HE IS SAYING THAT IF THEY ARE DEPENDING ON THE PHARAOH AND THE ARMIES OF EGYPT -- IF THEY ARE LEANING ON HIM (AND SOME IN Judah WERE)... HE SAYS THAT EGYPT IS WEAK AND LIKE A SPLINTERED STAFF HE WILL BREAK AND Judah IS THE ONLY ONE WHO WILL GET HURT AS WELL...
(7)SOMEHOW SENACHERIB MUST OF HEARD ABOUT HEZ EARLIER REFORMATION ACTS (C.I.A.) AND HE THINKS THAT WHEN HEZ DESTROYED OTHER PLACES OF WORSHIP BESIDES THE TEMPLE -- IT HAD TO HAVE ANGERED THEIR GOD... (WELL, HE DOESN’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT GOD -- FALSE PLACES OF WORSHIP)
(8,9) DO YOU SEE HERE HOW HE IS MOCKING JUDAH’S ARMY, SAYING THAT ONE OF HIS MEN IS A MATCH FOR 1,000 OF JUDAH)
(10)Here again we have propaganda a little truth with a lot of lie... Though it was true that God was using Assyria to punish Judah (Is sermon topic for 30 years) -- But God was not sending them to destroy them... (C.I.A. MUST OF PICKED IT UP -- ASSYRIA ONLY KEPT PART THEY LIKED -- THEY USED SELECTIVE MEMORY TO FORGET THE PART ABOUT GOD CHOPPING THEM DOWN)
ISAIAH 36:11-21
AND WHEN HIS 3 MEN CAME RUNNING, CLOTHES TORN IN DEEP MOURNING -- HEZEKIAH KNEW THE NEWS WAS BAD... AND AFTER THEY TOLD HIM, HEZEKIAH ALSO TORE HIS ROBES, PUT ON SACKCLOTH AND IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD.....AND HE SENT THE 3 MEN IMMEDIATELY TO HIS FRIEND ISAIAH, THE PROPHET OF GOD...WITH THESE WORDS....
"THIS IS WHAT HEZEKIAH SAYS; THIS DAY IS A DAY OF DISTRESS AND REBUKE AND DISGRACE, AS WHEN CHILDREN COME TO THE POINT OF BIRTH AND THERE IS NO STRENGTH TO DELIVER THEM (WE CAN NOT DEFEAT THIS ENEMY ON OUR OWN). IT MAY BE THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL HEAR ALL THE WORDS OF THE FIELD COMMANDER, WHOM HIS MASTER, THE KING OF ASSYRIA, HAS SENT TO RIDICULE THE LIVING GOD, AND THAT HE WILL REBUKE HIM FOR THE WORD THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS HEARD...THEREFOR PRAY FOR THE REMNANT THAT STILL SURVIVES..."
And when his servants brought these words to Isaiah he immediately responded in this way,
"THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS DO NOT BE AFRAID OF WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD -- THOSE WORDS WITH WHICH THE UNDERLINGS OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA HAS BLASPHEMED ME. LISTEN! I AM GOING TO PUT SUCH A SPIRIT IN HIM THAT WHEN HE HEARS A CERTAIN REPORT HE WILL RETURN TO HIS OWN COUNTRY AND THERE I WILL CUT HIM DOWN WITH THE SWORD.."
BUT IT WASN’T LONG AFTER THIS THAT I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SENNACHERIB, WHO BECAUSE OF A POTENTIAL THREAT COMING UP FROM EGYPT IN THE SOUTH -- DECIDED HE NEEDED TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON HEZ AND CHALLENGE HIS POLICY OF "FAITH IN GOD"... AND IN THE ANCIENT WORD AND TO A CERTAIN EXTENT TODAY THE WRITTEN WORD CARRIED MORE WEIGHT THAN AN ORAL REPORT... (CAN’T SAY YOU OH’ HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD ME --THOUGHTS ARE CLEAR NOW)..
ISAIAH 37:10-13
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK HEZEKIAH DID AFTER HE READ THAT LETTER? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? HEZEKIAH UNDERSTOOD WHAT SENACHERIB WAS SAYING --THAT HE WAS NOT MERELY CHALLENGING HIM BUT, WAS ALSO CHALLENGING THE LORD GOD.. SO HEZEKIAH RAN TO THE TEMPLE AND HE SPREAD OUT THE LETTER BEFORE THE LORD HIS GOD AND HE PRAYED.
ISAIAH 37:16-20
And not only did Hezekiah pray, but Isaiah the prophet cried out to the Lord as well... And their prayers were indeed answered, as God spoke through his prophet Isaiah a prophecy against the Assyrians....
And what a powerful prophecy it was.... God’s words were strong and direct... God asked the proud Assyrian King,
"WHO IS IT YOU HAVE INSULTED AND BLASPHEMED? AGAINST WHOM HAVE YOU RAISED YOU VOICE AND LIFTED YOUR EYES IN PRIDE? IT WAS AGAINST THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL..." [YOU HAVE NO IDEA SENNACERRIB OF WHO YOU ARE MESSING WITH -- THE HOLY GOD]
God told the King that his messengers had heaped insults upon the Lord... He said that the Assyrians were proud and trusted in their strength -- That they thought they were in control and were unstoppable... God reminded them that he was the one who had planned and ordained their rise to power years ago, and that he had already planned there fall as well... And God said to Sennacherib, "I KNOW WHERE YOU STAY AND WHEN YOU COME AND GO AND I KNOW HOW YOU RAGE AGAINST ME... BECAUSE YOU RAGE AGAINST ME AND YOUR INSOLENCE HAS REACHED MY EARS, I WILL PUT, MY HOOK IN YOUR NOSE AND MY BIT IN YOUR MOUTH, AND I WILL MAKE YOU RETURN BY THE WAY YOU CAME.."
God declared and prophesied Assyria’s defeat, and then the Lord assured Hez saying -- "HEZEKIAH, THE KING OF ASSYRIA WILL NOT ENTER THIS CITY OR SHOOT AN ARROW HERE. HE WILL NOT COME BEFORE ME IT WITH A SHIELD OR BUILD A SIEGE RAMP AGAINST IT. BY THE WAY HE CAME HE WILL RETURN, HE WILL NOT ENTER THIS CITY, DECLARES THE LORD. I WILL DEFEND THIS CITY AND SAVE IT, FOR MY SAKE AND FOR THE SAKE OF DAVID MY SERVANT..." (DAVIDIC LINE)
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
THAT VERY NIGHT THE LORD SENT AN ANGEL WHO WENT INTO THE ASSYRIAN CAMP AND PUT TO DEATH, ALL THE SOLDIERS, LEADERS AND OFFICERS...
THE NEXT DAY WHEN SENNACHERIB WOKE UP, HE WAS SURROUNDED BY DEAD BODIES, AND HE WITHDREW IN DEFEAT AND DISGRACE BACK TO HIS PALACE IN NINEVEH, SOMETIME LATER WHEN HE WENT TO WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLE OF HIS god, A FEW OF HIS SONS CUT HIM DOWN WITH A SWORD....
THAT PRETTY WELL SUMMARIZES HEZEKIAH’S STORY
THE PROPHET JEREMIAH WHO WROTE 2 KINGS SUMMARIZED IT THIS WAY IN 2 KINGS 18:5-7...
"HEZEKIAH TRUSTED IN THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL. THERE WAS NO ONE LIKE HIM AMONG ALL THE KINGS OF JUDAH EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER HIM. HE HELD FAST TO THE LORD AND DID NOT CEASE TO FOLLOW HIM; HE KEPT THE COMMANDS THE LORD THE LORD HAD GIVEN MOSES. AND THE LORD WAS WITH HIM; HE WAS SUCCESSFUL IN WHATEVER HE UNDERTOOK..."
II. LESSONS LEARNED
1.YOU CAN OVERCOME YOUR PAST
YOUR PAST, HERITAGE AND BACKGROUND DOES NOT HAVE TO DETERMINE YOUR FUTURE... HEZEKIAH BROKE THE CYCLE AND SO CAN YOU...
IF YOU LIKE HEZEKIAH PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE LORD....
REMOVE ALL THE IDOLS AND SIN FROM YOUR LIFE RESTORE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD --- AND THEN WORSHIP AND SERVE THE LORD IN SINCERITY OF HEART...
WITH GOD IN YOUR LIFE IN A "REAL" WAY THINGS CAN CHANGE....
2.A GODLY FRIEND CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE’S LIFE.
HEZEKIAH HAD AN UNGODLY PHYSICAL FATHER.... BUT HE HAD A GODLY SPIRITUAL FATHER IN ISAIAH....
ISAIAH WAS HEZEKIAH’S MENTOR -- AND HE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN HIS LIFE (AND LOOK AT ALL HEZEKIAH DID FOR THE LORD).... WE CAN DO THE SAME THING TODAY...
SPIRITUALLY MATURE BELIEVERS MEN & WOMEN ALIKE >>> LOOK FOR SOMEONE YOU CAN INFLUENCE IN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP...
3.THERE IS A PRICE THAT WILL BE PAID WHEN YOU REBEL AGAINST GOD...
ISRAEL IN THE NORTH PAID THE PRICE, JUDAH IN THE SOUTH PAID THE PRICE -- AND ASSYRIA PAID THE PRICE...
AND SO WILL THE REBELLIOUS TODAY -- THE ONLY WAY OUT IS TO LET JESUS PAY IT ALL --- THAT’S A GOOD DEAL (BUT, THEN ALL TO HIM WE WILL OWE)..
4.WE NEED TO HAVE OUR HOUSE IN ORDER.....
CHRIST COULD COME AT ANY TIME (THIEF IN THE NIGHT) AND WE CA DIE AT ANYTIME.... AND IF OUR HOUSE IS IN ORDER THEN -- THAT’S TOO BAD....
IS YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER?
IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE -- IF YOU NEED TO STOP OR START DOING SOMETHING >>> GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER WHILE YOU CAN...
5.NOBODY IS PERFECT
EVEN GODLY MAN AND WOMEN CAN HAVE A CHARACTER FLAW... (HEZ’S WAS PRIDE) -- AND GOD WILL USE HIS WORD AND VARIOUS OTHER MEANS TO REVEAL IT TO US.... AND WHEN GOD DOES, WE LIKE HEZEKIAH, NEED TO DO MORE THAN SIMPLY ACKNOWLEDGE IT’S PRESENCE -- WE NEED TO REPENT AND CHANGE.
LET’S NOT ACCEPT OUR IMPERFECTIONS BUT STRIVE TO IMPROVE THEM...WITH GOD’S HELP.
6.WORSHIP GOD WHILE YOU CAN
TODAY IS THE DAY TO PRAISE AND SERVE THE LORD... IT’S TOO LATE WHEN YOU ARE DEAD AND IN THE GRAVE TO WORSHIP HIM IN THIS LIFE... DON’T MISS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WORSHIP AND SERVE YOU GOD AND SAVIOR TODAY...
7.TO TRUST IN GOD AT "ALL" TIMES AND IN "ALL" SITUATIONS
WHETHER IT WAS A DIFFICULT CHILDHOOD -- A PHYSICAL ILLNESS -- A CHARACTER FLAW OR BEING UNNUMBERED AND OUT GUNNED BY AN ENEMY; HEZEKIAH ALWAYS PUT HIS TRUST IN GOD/KEPT LOOKING UP....
AND GOD PROVED TO BE TRUSTWORTHY EVERY TIME....
WHEN YOU BOIL IT DOWN -- THE MESSAGE OF HEZEKIAH’S LIFE AND THE MESSAGE OF THE 1ST 39 CHAPTERS OF ISAIAH IS, "TRUST IN GOD"..
IN THIS LIFE WE WILL FACE MANY CRISIS FORM WITHIN AND FROM WITHOUT.. LIFE IS SO MUCH EASIER WHEN WE SERVE AND LOVE GOD (DO OUR BEST) >> AND TRUST GOD TO TAKE CARE OF THE REST...
DO YOU TRUST IN GOD AT "ALL" TIMES -- AND IN "EVERY" SITUATION? DON’T TRUST IN; WEALTH, THINGS, GOOD TIMES, HEALTH >> THESE THINGS CAN’T DELIVER AND WILL LET YOU DOWN...
AND DON’T PUT YOUR COMPLETE TRUST IN PEOPLE >> PEOPLE WILL VIOLATE YOU TRUST -- MANY PEOPLE YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN TRUST WILL PROVE TO BE UNTRUSTWORTHY -- WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE -- THEY WILL LEAVE YOU STANDING ALONE... IN PAUL’S LETTER 2ND TO TIMOTHY -- WORDS TO HIS PARTNER IN CHRIST... PAUL SAYS 3 TIMES;
"EVERYONE IN THE PROVINCE OF ASIA HAS DESERTED ME"
"DEMAS HAS DESERTED ME" "AT MY 1ST DEFENSE NO ONE CAME TO MY SUPPORT..." WELL IF YOU CAN’T TRUST THINGS AND PEOPLE -- WHO CAN YOU TRUST? LIKE HEZEKIAH, PAUL FIGURED THAT ONE OUT; IN TRUSTED HIS LIFE IN GOD’S HANDS. AND IN THE SAME LETTER WHERE 3 TIMES HE TELLS HOW PEOPLE HAVE DESERTED HIM PAUL SAYS,
"I KNOW WHO I HAVE BELIEVED, AND I AM CONVINCED THAT HE ABLE TO GUARD WHAT I HAVE ENTRUSTED TO HIM OR THAT DAY.." (PAUL HAD ENTRUSTED HIS LIFE TO GOD)... NON & CHRIS TRUST GOD..
WILL NOT DO THAT... YOU CAN TRUST HIM WITH YOUR VERY LIFE...
