After this Faithfulness

In the Word of God, the story of Hezekiah, his predecessor and his successor, reveal how each generation can bring death/destruction or life/restoration. When Hezekiah became king after his father’s death—a king who emptied and shut the doors of the house of the Lord—it is written of this new king, “He did right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that David his father (forefather) had done. In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord [which his father had closed’ and repaired them [and replaced the gold overlay].” (2 Chronicles 29:2-3 AMP)

 

Then, the reforms began. Temple worship was restored. The Passover was celebrated. Idols were destroyed. And reforms continued. And the Word of God says, “…he did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God. Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in keeping with the law and the commandment, seeking and inquiring of his God [and longing for Him], he did with all his heart and prospered.”

 

Yet … 2 Chronicles 32 begins, “After these things and this faithfulness” the enemy came. What? “After…this faithfulness”? He was doing the right things and the enemy came?

 

Did Hezekiah panic? Did he ask, “Why?” No. He makes a decision to get to work. He encouraged his people, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be dismayed…for the One with us is greater than the one with [the enemy]. With him there is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” (32:7-8a)

 

When the enemy ramped up his threat, Hezekiah ramped up his defense. With Isaiah the prophet, he prayed and cried out to heaven. And the Lord God showed the enemy—and His people—that He was not an idol, that He was unlike the gods of the other nations the enemy had overcome.

 

The point?

 

Sometimes we do everything “right in the sight of the Lord,” yet the enemy puts us or our children on his radar. Bad things happen. Then what?

 

Let’s choose to follow Hezekiah’s example.

 

Instead of panic, let’s resolutely set to work (32:5). Let’s choose to recall to mind and mouth who our God is (32:7-8). Let’s pray and cry out for help (32:20)—and not just by ourselves, but with others. And then, let’s wait upon the Lord God to do what only He can do.

 

Simple? No. Possible? Yes! Because it all begins with the first step, just as it did with Hezekiah, “In the first year of his reign, in the first month…”

 

Perhaps Hezekiah remembered the words of his father (forefather) David—

 

Some trust in chariots and some in horses

but we will remember and trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 20:7 (AMP)