2 Kings 22:14-20 ESV

14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter), and they talked with her. 15 And she said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched. 18 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, 19 because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. 20 Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.’” And they brought back word to the king.

HUMILITY LEADS TO HONOR

Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah. She was the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter). And they consulted with her about the dealings of God concerning the king and the people.

Amazingly, she said about King Josiah, “Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here” (2 Chron 34:27–28). God’s pronouncement of judgment to the wicked kings before Josiah was consitent. King Josiah was the exception. He was a godly king who humbled himself before God.

Solomon had said, “Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.” [Prov 18:12]. He added, “The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.”[Prov 22:4] This principle holds true in Jesus teaching. He said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”[Matt 23:12] For this, Peter wrote, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you”[1 Pet 5:5,6]

The whole kingdom was spared because of the God-fearing king Josiah. Indeed, “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”[Prov 15:33] Leadership rises and falls because of their attitude of humility and pride, respectively. Thus, we must not allow pride to creep in and ruin us. May by His Spirit, we will remain humble so that we will receive His exaltation in return.

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2 Kings 22:8-13 ESV

11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

- - - - -

12 At ang hari ay nag-utos ng ganito kay Hilkias na pari, kay Ahicam na anak ni Safan, kay Acbor na anak ni Micaya, kay Safan na kalihim, at kay Asaya na lingkod ng hari, na sinasabi, 13 “Humayo kayo at sumangguni sa PANGINOON para sa akin sa bayan, at para sa buong Juda tungkol sa mga salita ng aklat na ito na natagpuan. Malaki ang poot ng PANGINOON na nag-aalab laban sa atin, sapagkat hindi sinunod ng ating mga ninuno ang mga salita ng aklat na ito, upang gawin ang ayon sa lahat ng nasusulat tungkol sa atin.”

THE BOOK FOUND THE KING

A pastor visiting a woman in her home, who has not been attending church for quite awhile. The pastor wanted to read a passage with her. Thus, she asked her to get her bible. She went to her shelf and grabbed the bible. She bursted with thanksgiving, saying, “Thank you Lord, that I found my glasses!” Perplexed, the pastor asked, “How long did you loss your glasses?” Sheepishly, she replied, “Almost a year”

Perhaps, we are excited to find our own ‘glasses’ rather than in the ‘beholding as in the glass the glory of the Lord.”[ 2 Cor 3:18]. What makes us glad or sad must be very important to us. When King Josiah heard the word, he he tore his clothes. His reaction spoke a lot. The book had caught all his attention. Immediately in his capacity as the king, he commanded Hilkiah and company to “go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found.” There was no delay. It’s always the right time to do the right thing.

It is one thing to find the book. It is another thing to listen and obey it. Many of us may pay mental assent unto the book. We acccept that it is the word of God. But, how excited are you and I to listen and obey it? How hungry and thirsty are we to hide and cherish it in our hearts? May, we will heed what Joshua had said, that is, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”[Jos 1:8]

Or, like Jeremiah we would say,

“Your words were found, and I ate them,

and your words became to me a joy

and the delight of my heart,

for I am called by your name,

O LORD, God of hosts.”[Jer 15:16]

How we receive the word of God tells to how we value it. Those who really love the Lord won’t receive only His words but reallign His life according to it. Truth applied not truth received. Did you find the book? If so, did the book find you?

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-2 Kings 22:8-10 ESV

8 And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.” 10 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.

I HAVE FOUND THE BOOK

The book of the law was found in the temple. Although we’re not told explicitly, there is no reason for us to think that the loss or concealment of the book of the law is being presented as anything other than a more recent event, that is during the long reign of the most evil king Manasseh. It’s not hard to believe that he removed it from its proper place beside the ark of the covenant. As Deut 31:26 says, “Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against you.”

Let’s recall that their successes and failures were always asociated with in their keeping the law or not, respectively. Solomon was charged to keep the law of Moses[1 Kings 2:3] Jehu was rebuked for not keeping it with all his heart.[2 Kings 10:31] Amaziah was commended for acting in accordance with it.[2 Kings 14:6] and the whole nation was condemned for ignoring it.[2 Kings 1713-14, 34,37]. It was so vital yet they forgot all about it. Certainly, this neglect did not happen overnight.

Losing sight of the book should not be the norm. But sadly, it did happen. The abnormal became normal. Nobody among us does want to neglect our bibles, doesn’t it? Yet, in many instances, the evil one has succesfully lured us. We know that we can live without it.[Matt 4:4] yet, we afford to take it for granted.

The book was still inside the temple, perhaps placed very near the altar, but concealed and hidden. The box where the money was placed before it that it couldn’t be seen. Or, for having been set aside for awhile, everyone who passed it by had seen it but had settled or accepted its insignificance. These were most probable scenarios.

In like manner, we should ask ourselves today. Are there things that cloud our minds not to value God’s word anymore? Or, we may not forget the words of God. We could quote it in memory. But, we’ve lost its wonder and awe. The ‘aha’ and ‘eureka’ moments are long gone. Perhaps, we read it as a piece of literature, nothing more and nothing else. This dryness of the soul could be His judgment. As the prophet Amos had said, “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”[Amos 8:11]

May, everyday be a ‘discovery day’ of the book. Thus, we pray with the psalmist, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”[Psa 119:18]. May we fall in love to God and His words so that we may say everyday, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”[Psa 119:97]. Like an expectant treasure hunter, let us ‘seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures’ [Prov 2:4]

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2 Kings 22:1-7 ESV

19 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the LORD, saying, 4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people. 5 And let it be given into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and let them give it to the workmen who are at the house of the LORD, repairing the house 6 (that is, to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons), and let them use it for buying timber and quarried stone to repair the house. 7 But no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly.”

THE REPAIR OF THE HOUSE

In the spiritual sparseness of the land during the previous kings’ reign in Judah, Josiah was like an oasis blooming for God. It’s the work of God to ignite life, isn’t it? He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

He was 26 year old during his eighteenth year when he followed up and summoned both the secretary of the house and the High priest to complete the repair of the house of God. It should be noted that King Joash in the past did the same. The previous kings were too evil abandoning the upkeep of the building. They even replaced some essential paraphernalia inside with pagan structures.

Our spiritual lives, specifically our bodies, are the temples of the Spirit. As such, it has been subject to the spiritual attacks of the enemy. The devil is ‘the thief who comes only to steal and kill and destroy.’ [John 10:10a] Our struggles against him is inevitable, irreversible and unpreventable until the day Jesus will come. As a clay, Paul had recognized the wear and tear of life. He testified, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”[2 Cor 4:16] Battle-torn and wearied, Paul’s renewal was on daily basis. Similarly, we should be aware and accepting to the reality of decay, even death. But, our spiritual altars should be intact, even invigorating. God may allow setbacks. But, let’s hold on unto God’s promise to the nation of Israel through Joel, that is;

“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.” [Joel 2:25]

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2 Kings 21:19-26 ESV

19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done. 21 He walked in all the way in which his father walked and served the idols that his father served and worshiped them. 22 He abandoned the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD. 23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his house. 24 But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place. 25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 26 And he was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza, and Josiah his son reigned in his place

HE ABANDONED THE LORD

Undoubtedly, Mannaseh was the most evil king of Judah. He was comparable to King Ahab of the Northern kingdom. After him Amon his son reigned, who was no different but f. He abandoned the Lord, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the Lord.[v.22] He ended his two year reign tragically because his servants conspired against him and put the king to death in his house. His killers were killed as well by the people of the land. He punctuated his kingdom with much killings.

We are not told why he was assassinated by his own servants. Certainly, their act demonstrated their disloyalty to him. He wasn’t able to get their trust either because either they were provoked to anger because they were oppressed or they were driven by jealousy to usurp his power. Indeed, he who abandoned the Lord may live an abhorrent or abusive life. That is, he didn’t know how to relate with others – to his equals or subordinates.

Conversely, he, who in his heart, is pursuing God would display the compassion of God. The temperature of somebody would rise if he is close to the furnace, would it not? The reason why leaders have had problems with people is that their hearts are far from God. About this ‘cause and effect’ reality, John has something to say, “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”[1 John 4:20-21]

Everything in us rises and falls with our relationship with God. Thus today, let’s take care first and foremost our relationship with God. When our hearts has been in the warmth of God’s presence, we would relate warmly others. The reason is not necessarily that people are lovable, for they’re not. It is because the love of God has constrained us.

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2 Kings 21:10-16 ESV

10 And the LORD said by his servants the prophets, 11 “Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations and has done things more evil than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols, 12 therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 And I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, 15 because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.” 16 Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

I WILL FORSAKE THE REMNANT OF MY HERITAGE

Mannaseh and the kingdom of Judah were like a journeying ship heading towards the rocks. The problem wasn’t how rough the seas were. But, that they didn’t want to follow their spiritual compass. Manasseh willfully had rejected the true and living God and had embraced the pagan idols of the countries around. Thus, God said, “They have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.” [v.15] This is the reason God has to forsake their remnant and become captives to Babylon.

It’s not possible to serve both God and idols. God had expressed His animosity to the idols. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” [Ex 20:3-6] God is a zealous God. Even Jesus had said,” No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” [Matt 6;21]

Today, we should not dare to provoke our God to anger, should we? Let’s “keep ourselves from idols”. [1 John 5:21] as far as we can be. Let’s not allow anything that can stand in place before God and us.

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2 Kings 21:1-9 ESV

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem will I put my name.” 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. 7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the LORD said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. 8 And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them.” 9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel.

A REGRESSION

Definitely, Mannaseh did the opposite to all that his father Hezekiah did. He annuled the reforms that all his father had done. At a young age of 12, he began his reign and for the next 55 years he brought back all the idols that his father had removed. His kingdom may had progressed politically but had retrogressed spiritually.

Sadly, Hezekiah’s spiritual reforms was not embraced by his son. Parents who nurture their children in the fear of God may result to godly children. Solomon said, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”[Prov 22:6] But, this is not an empirical formula that guarrantees the same resut to every parent. The deceitfulness of the child’s heart is too complex and rooted for us to comprehend. As Jeremiah said;

“The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately sick;

who can understand it?

10 “I the Lord search the heart

and test the mind,

to give every man according to his ways,

according to the fruit of his deeds.”[Jer 17:9,10]

Hence, the parent might had done his part but the child himself is always responsible for his choices later in life. As Ezekiel had said, “ The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”[Eze 18:20]

Only God can change the heart of a child. It does follow that we should always lift them up at the throne of God. Let’s learn the parenting practice of Job. “And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.”[Job 1:5] His children were grown up yet he did not stop his influence through prayers.

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2 Kings 20:12-19 ESV

12 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”

16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. 18 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?”

SHOWING OFF

When the Babylonian emissary came to Judah, Hezekiah showed everything he has had. They had seen all that is inside his house; there was nothing in his storehouses that he did not show them

Did Hezekiah sin in this matter? Plainly, yes. God shouldn’t pronounce judgment on him in response if he had not displeased God. But what was his sin about? What should he had done instead? Surely, it wasn’t sin to receive the Babylonians. It was in his haughty manner in which he received them.

It seemed to us that “showing off” his goodies got Babylon so interested to get them later. He miscalculated by thinking and trusting about them as his friends, instead as opposed to him. That, he referred Babylon as a possible caretaker of Israel's things. We wonder whether it was a good military strategy. Would you show your enemies, or even distant friends, your fortifications. Or your desirables? God will judge him so that they will become captive to Babylon later. And, for him “The word of the LORD that Isaiah have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” (v.19) this shows his self-centeredness.

Did Hezekiah's lackadaisical attitude towards God was responsible for raising Manasseh to be so evil? “And the Lord said by his servants the prophets, “Because Manasseh king of Judah has committed these abominations and has done things more evil than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols, therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.”[2 Kings 21:10-12]

Past successes are not guarantee for the future. It doesn’t always follow that if we start well. Success may blind our eyes to make us conceited or proud.

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 2 Kings 20:8-11  ESV

8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” 9 And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” 11 And Isaiah the prophet called to the LORD, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz.

THE SIGN

As soon as Hezekiah heard Isaiah’s words, he asked him what would be the sign that God would fulfill His words. “That the shadow of the sun dial will either turn either ten degrees forward or backward”, Isaiah replied. Hezekiah thought the shadow going backward was much harder than going forward. Thus, he asked God to do it. How many times we are like Hezekiah when God’s promise is too hard to believe? Is it wrong or not, to ask for a sign from God? The answer is yes and no.

It’s a 'no' when we are like the ‘Jews who sought for a sign’, when the truth was very apparent to them. Jesus did most of his miracles at Galillee towns area, yet they refused to believe Him. Thus Jesus said, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”[Matt 11:21-24] In short, their problem was not that thay could not believe but that they would not believe amidst clear evidences. That is why Paul said about his fundamental problem of the Jews, that is, they sought for a sign. Definitely, its hard to accept God’s will when you have already decided what you want Him to say.”

However, it's a 'yes', when in his sincerity, one would clear his doubts, like Hezekiah and Gideon. Apparently, God saw their hearts’ truthfulness so that He granted their requests. Only God could see our motives. The fact that God had affirmatively answered their asking for a sign should settle our suspicions or doubts whether their motives were right or not. Thus, we shouldn’t question their trust to God’s character and trustworthiness.

When the bible is clear about a subject, we should not seek for a sign. However, when our degree of certainty is not so clear, we may seek God to confirm it through our circumstances. But, we should be earnest to obey whenever we ask an impossible thing from God, should we not? Our example is Hannah. When she was barren, she asked specifically for a son in order to be offered to God. God granted her request. And , she did it accordingly without delay.

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2 Kings 20:1-7 ESV

In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, 3 “Now, O LORD, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, 6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” 7 And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”

I HAVE SEEN YOUR TEARS.

Having been sick, King Hezekiah was told by Isaiah, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’” It was a death sentence but he refused to accept. He turned his face towards the wall and prayed. Broken, he literally wept and begged for God to grant His mercy. He has been faithful in following the Lord yet God had allowed him to get sick. Sickness may happen to everyone.

The Lord changed His dealings with Hezekiah. Thus, He told Isaiah, who was leaving the room, to turn back and pronounce, “Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” Sometimes god answers prayer quickly but in many cases we have to travail.

Prayer changes us not God. God is immutable. As God heard hezekiah, He heard the prayer of Moses also so that He relented His dealings with the stiff-necked Israel. “And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”[Ex 33:17]

The Lord heard and healed Hezekiah. The Lord had extended his life for another 15 years. Today, are we like him, desperate enough to be driven on our knees? Do we recognize that we are doomed if not for God’s grace and mercy? In many instances, we think we can survive with a little help from God. Help from Him is seen as optional. That, it is okay whether God will help us or not. Are we so desperate that if God is not in our home, work and ministry, we are doomed to failure? It is not us plus God. But, it is all of God or nothing.

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