“He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” – 2 Kings 18:5
Spiritually, there was never a king of Judah as faithful and devoted to the Lord as Hezekiah. However, that doesn’t mean his time as king was easy or problem-free. Far from it! His faith was tested in the deepest way imaginable. The massive army of Assyria marched to Jerusalem and loudly pointed out Judah’s military weaknesses to everyone in the city. The people were terrified as Assyria’s king demanded Judah’s surrender and even claimed it was the will of the Lord! The only options available appeared to be slavery and forced relocation on the one hand or suffering and inevitable death on the other.
This was a test of faith like no other. Would the most godly of kings assess the situation the way everyone else did? Would he accept Assyria’s theological interpretation of its own power as an endoresement from the Lord? Should he surrender or fight? In the end, the answer was “None of the Above”. Hezekiah sought the Lord in prayer, was told to hold firm, and then God miraculously destroyed Assyria’s army. Assyrian lies about God’s will were punished with death and destruction, even for its king.
What’s the significance of all this today? First and foremost, trust and serve the Lord! As you do, don’t assume you won’t face difficult times. You almost certainly will. Times of difficulty, deprivation, disaster, weakness, or suffering that make you question everything. Don’t fear those times – as a follower of Jesus, you never face them alone. When the hard times come, lean into your relationship with God and earnestly seek His path forward rather than the one or two options that seem obvious to everyone. Perhaps God will work or a miracle like He did for Hezekiah. Or perhaps, He’ll simply strengthen and guide you through hardship by wrapping you in His peace and love. Seek the Lord in every trial and He will make your way through it. #FollowJesus