Friday, May 24
Read 2 Kings 18
Think About It:
The name Hezekiah means “the Lord Strengthens”, and during his reign of twenty-nine years, the king needed the Lord’s strength to accomplish all that he did. He was one of the few kings who actually removed the high places and put an end to idol worship on the hills. He restored temple worship and encouraged the people from both Judah and Israel to come to the temple in Jerusalem and worship the Lord.
In 715 BC, Sennacherib invaded Judah and headed straight for Jerusalem. Hezekiah’s faith was weak and gave into the enemy, paying the tribute money that he owed – eleven tons of silver and one ton of gold. Some of the money came from the King’s own treasury, but it is disappointing to see that Hezekiah took the rest of it from the temple of the Lord. He followed the bad example of his father. King David didn’t negotiate with his enemies or try to buy them off; he attacked and defeated them.
Stand your ground. What is your track record? Do you follow Ephesians 6 (….stand firm) or when you look back you see a time or two when you folded like Hezekiah? Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, don’t strip off the gold that was inlaid when you asked the Lord in your heart.
We need to go to the word and pray the scriptures. Even though Sennacherib was a man leading an army, we know that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” My God’s Army is way bigger and stronger than any army in this world!!
The Armor of God – Ephesians 6
Family Time:
- What condition was God’s city Jerusalem like when Hezekiah became king?
- How did Hezekiah respond when he heard Sennacherib’s threats?
- What can you pray confidently about this week that you know God will hear and you can trust He will answer?
