Hezekiah Part B is a sermon preached by Ps Jon Brand on Sunday 18th June 2023.
Choose to follow God’s ways and be obedient to Him. His plans for you are good and He will bless you for your faithfulness.
Sermon Transcript
Good morning everyone.
This morning I’m going to talk a bit about King Hezekiah from the Old Testament. Hezekiah was the thirteenth King of Judah. Judah was a region in the southern part of Israel.
Around 975 BC, the nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms. The Kingdom of Israel was in the north, and the Kingdom of Judah was in the south.
Hezekiah became king of Judah around 715 BC, and as soon he came into power, he went about reforming Judah to be a Godly nation again. Under the rein of his father (Ahaz), Judah had turned away from God. King Ahaz did evil things, including sacrificing babies and encouraging the worship of false gods.
But when King Hezekiah came into power, he quickly removed the high places, or the places dedicated to worshipping pagan false gods, which was forbidden. He smashed sacred stones, cut down Asherah poles, which were made to worship the false goddess Asherah, the fertility Goddess,
He even broke the bronze snake that Moses had made, which had probably become an object of idol worship, which is a sin.
We are to have only one God and we are not to worship Idols. Amen.
Hezekiah also re-opened the Temple doors and assembled the priests and Levites, and they gave thanks to God and rejoiced in God. He did what was right and God blessed him for it.
In 2 Kings chapter 18 verse 5 the word says:
5 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.
2 Kings 18:5-7, NIV
6 He held fast to the LORD and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses.
7 And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.
Hezekiah trusted God and was obedient to God. He kept his commandments. And the word says that the Lord was with Him, he was successful in whatever he undertook. There are blessings in following God and being obedient to God. Amen.
God also responded to Hezekiah when he was gravely ill. When he was about 39, he was seriously ill and was about to die. He had a nasty boil on his head, an infected boil, which was going to end his life.
You might recall that Pastor Pamela preached on Hezekiah, a couple of months ago, in April. Pastor Pamela gave a really good description of how gross, how disgusting, how ugly that infected boil on Hezekiah’s head might have looked like.
Pastor Pamela also described how Hezekiah desperately prayed to God for healing. In great anguish, Hezekiah turned to the wall and prayed. He asked God to remember all the good he had done and how he had followed Him with wholehearted devotion. And God responded to his prayers and added 15 years to his life.
God also provided a miraculous sign to confirm that he would heal Hezekiah. God made the shadow of the sun dial go back ten steps. The sun seemed to go backwards or perhaps the rotation of the earth went backwards, we don’t know.
God’s healing of Hezekiah was an amazing miracle, it showed God’s divine power, it showed God’s compassion and showed that God listens and responds to prayer.
God calls you to pray!
God hears your prayers.
God is moved by your prayers!
Through God, your prayers can change things!
It so important to pray to God.
Amen
In April Pastor Pamela preached about Hezekiah’s life up until he got miraculously healed. But this morning I’m going to concentrate more on what happened to Hezekiah after God miraculously healed him. You could say that my sermon this morning is Hezekiah Part B. Pastor Pamela preached Hezekiah Part A, now I’m going to preach Hezekiah Part B.
Are you ready?
Let’s go!
Pride
Soon after God miraculously healed Hezekiah, an Envoy from Babylon (or modern-day Iraq) came to congratulate Hezekiah, and provide him with letters and a gift.
The Babylonians were also interested to find out more about that miraculous sign of the shadow of the sun dial turning backwards. They were probably very interested in that event, because the Babylonians worshipped the sun and the stars.
In 2 Kings, Chapter 20, verse 13, the word says that:
13 Hezekiah received the envoys and showed them all that was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine olive oil—his armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
2 Kings 20:13, NIV
Now, when you first look at this passage of Hezekiah showing them the treasures, you might think it seems okay, he was just showing them around. But on closer inspection it shows that Hezekiah was filled with pride.
Within the passage, everything is described as belonging to Hezekiah. He showed them his storehouses, his armory, his treasures, his palace, and his kingdom. It’s all about Him. He doesn’t acknowledge God at all.
He’s forgotten that it was God who had given him all this wealth, power and honor. He’s forgotten that it was God who added fifteen more years to his life. Instead, he’s there basking in his achievements as if he’d done it all on his own.
Deuteronomy 8:17 says:
17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.”
Deuteronomy 8:17-18, NIV
18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…
Amen
Everything you have ever achieved in life has only been possible because God has given you the ability to achieve it. Sure, you have a role to play, to use the gifts to use the abilities that God has given you. But acknowledge God in all things, give him the thanks!
Don’t become proud about the things you have achieved or own. Don’t elevate yourself.
Stay grounded.
Actually, I find that Vicki helps me to stay grounded. She doesn’t let me get too big of a head. Vicki brings me back to earth and vice versa hey Vicki.
Don’t take yourself too seriously! Instead stay humble and give thanks to God! Instead give thanks to God! Everything you have ever achieved in life has only been possible because God. Give Him the tanks and the glory!
Amen
Obedience
What King Hezekaih did was prideful, and it was also foolish. At the time, the Babylonians were a growing power in the region. The Assyrians (from modern day northern Iraq, southern Turkey) were the other main power in the region and they were on the verge of invading Jerusalem the capital of Judah.
But the Babylonians were also another major threat.
And what did Hezekiah do?
Well he showed the Babylonians all their gold, all their silver and all their treasures. He showed them all their stores and all their supplies. Basically, he provided them with an incentive to come and steal all of their wealth.
He also showed them all their armour – all their military strength. He would have showed them all their strong points and all their weak points, which would have made planning for an invasion so much easier.
It was extremely proud and foolish what Hezekiah did! The Word says that there was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
In the Bible, I don’t think it states how long it took Hezekiah to show the Babylonians around. But I reckon it would have taken him a fair while, maybe a few of days to show them everything in the Palace and kingdom!
During that time, you’d think he would have twigged at some stage, and realized that what he was doing was wrong. But no, no, he just kept going, he just kept showing them around, until he had showed them everything they had!
When Isaiah, the prophet (which means someone who communicates God’s message), found about the envoy he went to King Hezekiah, and questioned him.
In the book of 2 Kings, chapter 20, verse 14, Isaiah asked:
… “What did those men say, and where did they come from?”
2 Kings 20:14-15, NIV
“From a distant land,” Hezekiah replied. “They came from Babylon.”
15 The prophet asked, “What did they see in your palace?”
“They saw everything in my palace,” Hezekiah said. “There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.”
In 2 Kings chapter 20 verse 16, Isaiah said to Hezekiah:
16 “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.
2 Kings 20:16-18, NIV
18 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”
The prophet Isaiah strongly rebuked Hezekiah for his pride and foolishness! After being so faithful to God for all that time and doing the right thing, Hezekiah suddenly dropped his standards. He became casual and sloppy. Maybe he thought he’d made it, after all his successes including being miraculously healed.
He became proud and boastful. He didn’t put God first or think about the people of Judah, it was all about him. When you take your eyes off God and just start focusing on yourself, things can go bad, things can turn south very quickly! Without God in the equation, you can make some bad decisions, which can have serious long-term consequences!
And that’s exactly what happened to Hezekiah! He faced serious consequences for his bad decisions. After being so foolish, Isaiah told him “The time will surely come when everything in your palace will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD.
The Babylonian’s were worldly. They worshipped false gods and they went to Jerusalem on a fact-finding mission. They praised Hezekiah and provided him with gifts, and the sad thing is Hezekiah got taken in by it all. He took his eyes off God and tried to impress the Babylonian’s with all his treasures.
It was like Hezekiah tried to fit in with them and acted very worldly! The irony is that everything he’d shown the Babylonians to impress them, they were eventually going to get it all from Judah anyway– nothing would be left. Hezekiah gave away important information to the Babylonians who eventually conquered Judah, about 100 years later.
Now I must stress that the fall of Judah was not solely due to Hezekiah. Sure, he opened a door for them, but there were many kings before him and after him (like his son Manasseh) who did evil things, wicked things, which eventually resulted in Judah falling. But nonetheless, what Hezekiah did was foolish and disobedient.
After doing the right thing for so long, it was like Hezekiah just took it all for granted. He became casual and foolish and put the whole Kingdom of Judah at risk. I think Hezekiah’s casualness, foolishness is a bit of a warning for all of us.
Just because you’ve been obedient and followed God in the past, it doesn’t give you a licence to suddenly lower your standards and behave badly. Just because you’ve done the right thing in the past doesn’t give you a licence to act immorally, or treat people badly, or be careless with your language, or casual about the amount of alcohol you drink.
As Christians we are called to be obedient to God always!
We don’t get a credit in the bank for our past good work, which allows us to be casual and disobedient in the future. No, we are called to be obedient to God always.
Also, don’t be influenced by the ways the world operates. Don’t be influenced by the values of the world. You may have noticed that there is some pretty evil stuff going on in the world at the moment. A lot of political correctness.
Don’t be deceived by how the world promotes immoral behaviour under the veil of political correctness. That’s why you need to read the Bible. You need to know God’s values and commandments, so that you can compare what God says to what the world says.
If the world’s values don’t line up with God’s values well then throw them out! Don’t let the world lead you away from God’s values!
As Christians we are called to be separate from the world. We are in the world but we are not part of the world. Our values and morals come from God. We are to follow God’s ways, not the world’s ways.
In the book of Galatians, chapter 5, verse 13, the Apostle Paul said:
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the sinful nature; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Galatians 5:13, NIV
If you are a believer and follower of Christ, you are forgiven and set free. You are saved.
But just because you are saved, it doesn’t give you a ticket to behave badly. Instead, we are called to use the freedom that Christ has given us to help one another, serve one another humbly in love. We are called to obey God’s commandments. God’s laws and commandments are there to guide you and protect you!
God’s Word provides you with clear boundaries between what’s right and wrong. When you step out of God’s guidelines you become more vulnerable to falling into sin. When you step out of God’s guidelines you become more vulnerable to falling into addictions like alcohol and drugs. You can become more vulnerable to breaking the law. You’re also more vulnerable to becoming unforgiving, hateful, angry and bitter.
When you step out of God’s guidelines, you can become vulnerable to making bad decisions that can affect both you and the people around you for a long time.
If you are saved, you have freedom in Christ. It’s an amazing blessing, an amazing privilege.
But don’t take that freedom for granted, don’t be casual about that freedom that God has given you.
Choose to be obedient to God!
Amen
Repentance
So going back to King Hezekaiah, how did he react when Isaiah rebuked him for his foolishness, and said the time will surely come when everything in your palace will be taken away.
Did Hezekiah get angry with Isaiah and order his execution? No, Hezekiah took the strong rebuke from Isaiah on the chin. He humbled himself and accepted the Word of God spoken through the prophet Isaiah.
In 2 Chronicles 32 verse 26, the word says that
…Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.
2 Chronicles 32:26 NIV
Because Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem repented, God showed mercy to them during the rest of Hezekiah’s time.
Whatever you have done wrong, whatever sin you have committed, if you turn back to God and confess your sins with a repentant heart he will forgive you.
That’s a promise from God!
We serve a loving God, full of grace.
There is forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
Amen
In 2 Kings chapter 20, verse 19, Hezekiah also said this to Isaiah:
19 “The word of the LORD you have spoken is good.” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”
2 Kings 20:19, NIV
Now, that might sound a little bit self-centred from Hezekiah, like the old saying, I’m alright Jack! But at least Hezekiah was looking at the positive. The positive was that if he did the right thing, he would be looked after, and the people of Judah would be looked after in his time. Now if you were living in Judah around that time, I reckon you would’ve been pretty grateful that you’d be looked after at least during Hezekiah’s time.
Anyway, after Hezekiah made that major blunder, the Word says that he went back to doing the right thing, seeking God and Following God. This included, Hezekiah desperately praying to God around 701 BC, when the Assyrians were attacking Jerusalem. The Assyrians had surrounded Jerusalem and it seemed almost certain that they would take it. But King Hezekiah earnestly prayed to God for help.
In 2 Kings Chapter 19 verse 19, Hezekiah prayed:
Now, LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, LORD, are God.”
2 Kings 19:19, NIV
And God responded to his prayers. In 2 Kings Chapter 19, verse 35, the word says
That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp…
2 Kings 19:35, NIV
It was a miracle!
God absolutely decimated the Assyrian army – He wiped them out. And Jerusalem and the nation of Judah were saved from the attack.
King Hezekiah is also remembered for constructing a 500 m long tunnel that channeled water from the spring of Gihon outside the city walls to the Pool of Siloam inside the walls.
This tunnel was an amazing engineering feat. It was cut through solid rock, and was built to provide Jerusalem with a continual supply of water, which was especially important if the city was being attacked.
Summary
In summary, Hezekiah was a very interesting man. He is remembered as one of the more Godly Kings of Judah. He re-opened the temple and encouraged the nation to worship God again!. He followed God and was obedient to God. And God blessed him greatly for it including healing him from a terminal illness. But just when everything was going well for him and the people of Judah, he took his eyes off God, and became proud and foolish. And his pride and foolishness put the people of Judah at great risk.
It was like he took everything God had done for him for granted.
As I’ve said this morning, just because you’ve been obedient and followed God in the past, it doesn’t give you a licence to suddenly lower your standards and behave badly.
Because if you do it can have serious consequences for you and the people around you!
Obey God’s commandments. Don’t start behaving like the world does.
The world promotes immoral behaviour. The world wants you to take your eyes off God and just focus on yourself, which leads to trouble.
Don’t follow the ways of the world, but instead follow the ways of God! Put God first in your life. God is good and his plans for you are good! Make God front and centre in your life and give him the glory! Be obedient to God! Follow God today and follow God always!
Amen!