Month: March 2024

2 Chronicles 32:24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the Lord: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.

During the days of blessing upon Judah, Hezekiah became sick unto death. Isaiah came to him and said, “You shall die.” Hezekiah’s response to this message was to turn and pray to the Lord. Isaiah came back with an update: “The Lord says, ‘I have heard your prayers, I have seen your tears. I will heal you.’” And He gave him a sign: The sun went back 10 steps. This was an unmistakeable sign that the Lord heard his prayer and healed him. God granted him 15 more years of life.

It is a natural response to God’s movement in our lives to turn to Him in prayer. It is common for us to pray during sickness, ours or others. The Lord hears our prayers, heals, and adds years to our life and life to our years. With us, God usually heals through means, like doctors, medicines, hospitals, etc, but prayer acknowledges that the Lord God is the one who answers prayer for the sick and is the source of health and life. It is God’s design that sickness will draw us closer to Him, rather than take us further from Him.

God may not move heaven and earth for us, as He did for Hezekiah, but He does give us signs. Faith sees the sign and we take heart and renew hope.

2 Chronicles 32:20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

Sennacherib and his mighty Assyrian army came up against Jerusalem and besieged the city. He taunted and mocked the Lord and Hezekiah’s trust in God. The people were in great danger and feared greatly. But instead of giving in to fear, Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet prayed to the Lord and cried to heaven.

The Lord answered their prayers and sent an angel with a devastating blow against the Assyrian camp. Sennecharib called off the siege and went home in defeat. It was a miraculous answer to prayer. Hezekiah responded to the enemy threat by turning to God in prayer and trust, instead of giving in to fear and despair. The Lord responded with a miracle.

Although it may not appear as obvious, the Enemy besieges us with threats and attacks our soul with fears on a regular basis. In place of giving in and feeling overcome with fears, we turn to the Lord in prayer. And even though we do not see the angels of the Lord, nevertheless the Lord does respond to our heartfelt prayers in time of trouble. Crying out to heaven for mercy and help in Jesus’ name becomes a regular pattern of our daily life.

2 Chronicles 32:7-8 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

In the face of a great army coming against Judah and Jerusalem, Hezekiah showed his faith and confidence in the Lord. He exhibited strength and courage and influenced the people not to be afraid or dismayed. His faith and courage encouraged the people not to fear, and they rested themselves on his words, believing that God was with them to help. Hezekiah saw that there was more with him than there was with Sennacherib. He did two things: he took action and opened the water flow, and he trusted in God. We can do that, too: do what we can, and commit what happens to God in prayer.

By earthly appearance, the power of evil looks and feels overwhelming, but the heavenly truth is that the power of strength and numbers is actually on our side. This is what faith sees. Therefore, we can respond with strength and courage over against the seemingly great evil forces of the Enemy. When we feel down and discouraged we look with the eyes of faith and see that there is more with us. Then we take heart and rest on the Word of God, whose promises are far stronger than the threats of the Enemy.

When it felt like all was lost at the suffering and death of Christ on the cross on Friday, we kept up our trust in God and then the victorious Resurrection happened on Sunday, and sin, death, and the devil were defeated forever. We are strong and courageous because life overcomes death, sin is forgiven, and Satan is crushed.

2 Chronicles 31:20-21 And thus did Hezekiah throughout Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered,

King Hezekiah’s remarkable reforms included doing the good and the right, restoring proper temple worship, keeping the law, and seeking God with all his heart. The result of his faithfulness was prosperity. He did not seek God in order to prosper, but he prospered because he sought God wholeheartedly and put Him first. Hezekiah’s single-minded devotion to the Lord led him to do many good and right things which resulted in prosperity and blessing, just as God promises.

So Jesus promises us: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Hezekiah’s model of leadership and influence is a good one for the believer in Christ to follow. We respond to the gospel by putting the goodness and mercy of Christ always in our mind that we might, by the power of the Spirit, say and do the things that please God. Psalm 1 says that that man will be blessed and “in all that he does, he prospers.”

Life is good when we “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Our example and influence also affects the world in which we live, as salt and light.

2 Chronicles 31:5-6 As soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things they in abundantly. And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.

The response of the people to the reforms of Hezekiah and the restoration of true temple worship filled them with such great joy that they brought in tithes and offerings in great abundance. This generous and gracious giving was a kind of capstone to the joyous celebration of the renewal Feast. The abundant giving reflected the abundant joy that the hearts of the believers experienced. This return to the Lord was like the return of the Prodigal Son: “kill the fatted calf and party.”

Every time we hear the Gospel of Christ we return with great joy such that we gladly, cheerfully, and willingly bring our tithes to the Lord’s house, work, and worship. The Good News of Great Joy is so wonderful that it stirs us to be generous in our giving and tithing. The abounding pocketbook given to God expresses the inward abounding joy in the heart given us by grace. Tithing is not a burden, but it a joyful response to God’s gifts of grace, mercy, peace, hope, and comfort. And the added blessing is that the tithe makes us feel better.

2 Chronicles 31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

When the people had finished the religious reforms and the spiritual renewal of the Passover Feast, the renewed people went out through the land and broke the images, cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and altars. This was the natural response to the thoroughgoing return to true faith and worship of the Lord alone. The positive result was that the people were sanctified, the land was purified, worship reestablished, and the kingdom enjoyed peace and prosperity.

This is a like picture of what needs to happen in our souls and in our faith communities in response to the pure Gospel. We respond to the reminder, to the renewal, and celebration of what God has done for us in Christ. The weekly Divine Service is designed to bring us to thorough repentance and faith. And we do not miss a day of soul-searching faith.

We root around in the kingdom within looking for idols in the mind that displace or distract from fearing, loving, and trusting God above all things. Then we cut them down and destroy them in the name and through the blood of Christ. “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ [2 Corinthians 10:5].”

This destructive action is “once and done” at the cross, but it must be repeatedly remembered in our deceitful minds and stubborn hearts to be applied daily to our hearts and lives. Because of our sinful nature renewal and cleansing must be constantly going on in us. For this reason we respond to the gospel by going to church weekly and spending time alone with God daily.

2 Chronicles 30:26-27 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

During the great renewal of the Passover Feast in Jerusalem under the reforms of Hezekiah, there was great joy in the city, for nothing had been seen like this for several hundred years. How that could happen no one knows, but we can imagine the powerful joy that filled the days of the worship celebration in the reinstitution of the Passover, something that no one present had seen before.

The Passover looks past to the great deliverance that the Lord brought about in the Exodus event. It also looks forward to the future Deliverance event on the cross when the Messiah, the Lamb of God, would sacrifice Himself for the eternal deliverance for all from sin, death, and the devil forever. This looking backward and forward elicits great joy from the participants.

Even so, the same kind of enthusiastic joy is produced in the NT believer, who, in the Divine Service of Holy Communion looks back to the Cross and the Tomb and forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in the eternal kingdom. Even if the emotions do not always feel the joy, the spirit knows deep in the heart the inexpressible joy.

And nothing and no one can take that away. Awesome joy takes hold of our spirit when we meet God and receive His love. This inner joy is meant to last all week long, no matter what threats and scares come our way.

2 Chronicles 30:21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord.

Hezekiah, the priests, the Levites, and the people celebrated the great renewed Passover Feast and the seven day feast of unleavened bread with great gladness. There was much joy among the worshippers, so much that they praised the Lord with singing and instruments. It would have a sight to behold and a wonderful experience to participate in. The great gladness and loud praise is the response of faith and thankfulness for the awesome goodness of God.

This kind of exultant joy and praise should be our everyday attitude of the heart. And it is our response weekly as we go to church to hear the Gospel and remember His death for us in the Lord’s Supper. In the deepest sense, there no greater joy that we can get from the world than the spiritual joy of the Lord and our salvation. Our weekly celebration of the Passover Lamb brings great gladness to the heart. Whether we feel it in our emotions or not, the uplift of our spirit is life-giving and the inner joy of the Lord is for us great strength.

2 Chronicles 30:12, 14 And in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord….And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars of incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

Under the reforms of Hezekiah, the king and priests invited all Israel to a grand Passover Feast in Jerusalem. The Passover had not been observed for some time. Many responded positively to the invitation to come, because gave them one heart to do the commandment.

Humans are naturally stubborn and resistant to God’s gospel call, as some of them were, but many responded. The desire to obey came from God who gave them the heart to obey. Everyone was urged to return to God and submit to Him. The Holy Spirit must guide and renew every part of us. Only then will we be able to temper our stubborn selfishness.

Thank God that He not only died and rose again for us, but He also creates the faith in the heart to receive and believe the Gospel. God’s love has the power to overcome our sin and draw us to the cross for forgiveness, life, and blessing. By faith in Christ we have become perfectly obedient. Humility in self and boasting in the Cross has brought abundant blessing.

2 Chronicles 30:10-12 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Ze bilingual humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.

Hezekiah reinstituted a huge Passover celebration in Jerusalem, and he invited all Judah and Israel to come, believe and worship. He sent out messengers all over the land to announce the Feast and invite the people to come. The response to this gospel proclamation and invitation was either rejection or acceptance.

It has been the same ever since throughout the world. The Bible reveals the same either-or response in all of its history. When it comes to responding to Jesus there is no middle ground, no neutral position. One will either deny Him and crucify Him or he will fall on his knees at the cross and follow him. “He that is not with me is against me.” And to ignore the Gospel call is the same as to scorn and mock. To respond to the invitation and come is the same as to believe in Jesus.

The truth is that, as dead sinners, we do not have the desire or ability to decide for Jesus and come to him on our own. But if we do humble ourselves and come it is because the Holy Spirit has called us by the Gospel and created the faith. Every time we hear the life-changing Gospel, which should be every day, the Spirit that comes to us responds with “Yea and Amen.”

At the same time we recognize that there is another force within that resists the offer of free grace. This is the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh. Trust the Spirit to grant the power to overcome. And we repent and come.