HE TRUSTED GOD AND GOD WAS WITH HIM

PROCLAMATION

“He trusted in The Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.  For he clave to The Lord, and departed not from following Him, but kept His commandments, which The Lord commanded Moses.  And The Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth …”  2 Kings 18:5-7 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although some Bible scholars attribute this book to the prophet Jeremiah.  While Hoshea was king in Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz began to reign in Judah.  Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem.  He did that which was right in the sight of The Lord.  He removed all of the high places for sacrifices, broke all of the idol images, and cut down all of the idol groves. (2 Kings 18:1-4)  He trusted The Lord God and The Lord was with him.  He prospered in all that he did, and he rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him.  He fought and defeated the Philistines and took back Gaza. (2 Kings 18:5-8)  During this time, Shalmaneser king of Assyria went to war against Samaria, and conquered the northern kingdom, and took the children of Israel as captives.  This was their punishment for they had turned away from The Lord and worshiped idols. (2 Kings 18:9-12)  Eight years later, when Sennacherib was king of Assyria, he captured the walled cities of Judah except Jerusalem.  Hezekiah offered Sennacherib a ransom including all the gold and silver in the house of The Lord and in the king’s house.  He even took the gold which overlaid the doors and the pillars and gave it to him, but it wasn’t enough for him.  Sennacherib sent a large army to go up against Hezekiah.  Before attacking them, their spokesman Rab-shakeh, called to Hezekiah to surrender.  Hezekiah sent out Eliakim the son of Hilkiah to negotiate with him. (2 Kings 18:13-18)  Rab-shakeh then stated all of the reasons why they should surrender.  Then he spoke loudly so that the people on the wall could hear him and offered the people peace and deportation to a productive land if they surrendered.  Eliakim did not respond but returned to Hezekiah and reported all that was said. (2 Kings 18:19-37)

APPLICATION

When we follow The Lord God, it does not mean that we will not have trials and tribulations.  What it means is that He will be with us through the troubled times.  The world may hate us because of our belief in Him but they hated Him first. (John 15:18)  He will be with us always. (Matthew 28:30)  We just need to be faithful and endure until the end. (Matthew 10:22)  Because we know that in the end we will be victorious. (1 Corinthians 15:57)