2 Kings – Bible Lesson 28
ust for your thoughts:
2 Kings – Bible Lesson 28
King Hezekiah was not only
Reformer,
but also a Poet – He composed a beautiful song of praise to the Lord who healed him, which we can read in Isaiah 38:9–22.
He was a wise Negotiator who made shrewd political decisions.
He was also a Commander – to protect the city, he built fortresses and walls, and dug the famous water channel known as Hezekiah’s Tunnel.
When King Sennacherib of Assyria laid siege to Jerusalem, Hezekiah strengthened and encouraged his people (2 Chronicles 32:7–8).
He was an Amicable Leader who maintained harmony with the religious leaders. Unlike Saul or Manasseh, he did not enter into conflicts with them but worked together in peace.
No other king in the history of Judah trusted God like Hezekiah did (2 Kings 18:5).
He was the only king whose fervent prayer moved God to change His decision concerning his life.
The Bible pays high tribute to him with statements such as:
“In everything that he undertook he had success” (2 Chronicles 32:30).
“Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.”
“He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses.”
“And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him” (2 Kings 18:5–7).
From Saul to Zedekiah, a total of 42 kings ruled over Judah and Israel.
In Israel, not a single king is considered wholly righteous.
But in Judah, the outstanding kings were Hezekiah, Josiah, Jehoshaphat, and Asa.
Among these four, in my view, the greatest was Hezekiah.
He lived out the promise expressed in Psalm 1:
“Whatever he does prospers.”
Thus, Hezekiah stood as a great king endowed with many qualities.
The greatest lesson I learned from his life is this: we should not be merely self-centered people who only praise God and enjoy the fellowship of believers. When our believes are confused and lack clarity in our Christian walk, and when we have at least some understanding of the Scriptures, we must lead at least a few others towards the true truth and the right way. This way of thinking is essential for us.
we too must trust in God, love His Word, and, like Hezekiah, strive to bring reforming ideas to the people of God as we faithfully fulfill our calling.