The Cry of Hezekiah Bible Text: Ii. Kings 20: 1-7
Ahaz was the king of Judah and he did everything he could against the Lord; Hezekiah could easily say He came from a dysfunctional family. 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..." (II.Kings 18:7) Hezekiah didn’t have a good father, but he did have a great Spiritual father named Isaiah. 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.
I. As Judah’s king was obeying God; Israel disobeyed God’s commands and did what they wanted to do. Assyria came up against Samaria and took it over!
A. In II. Kings 18: 14-16 Hezekiah felt like Judah would be destroyed next, so he became fearful and offered this wicked king anything for payment. Vs. 16 Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and gave his own gold to the king of Assyria.
B. Ephesians 4: 27 Give no place to the devil.
C. Listen to the wicked king of Assyria. II. Kings 18: 33-36 33).Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim and Hena and Ivah? Indeed, have they delivered Samaria from my hand? 35Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"’36But the people held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, "Do not answer him."
D. Sometimes faith is expressed best by what you don’t do, and by what you don’t say! Just stand-watch-trust and praise with joy! (We are people who quickly forget God’s blessings and we complain.)
E. How many times has your God delivered you?
F. II. Kings 19: 10 "Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: "Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, "Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."
G. What does Hezekiah do? Look at II Kings 19: 15-16 15). Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: "O LORD God of Israel, the one who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. ( God answers)
H. A runner at a school track meet crossed the finish line just ahead of his nearest rival. A bystander, noticing that the winner’s lips were moving during the last couple of laps, wondered what he was saying. So he asked him about it. “ I was praying, “ the runner answered. Pointing to his feet, he said, “ I was saying, “ You pick’em up, Lord, and I’ll put’em down!”
I. Are you willing to do whatever; to have a ministry unto God! Listen to II. Kings 20:1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: "Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live."’
J. What does Hezekiah do? He weeps and prays and reminds God how he served Him!
II. Kings 20: 4-7 (Read) God will still change His mind about your situation as you remain faithful!
