1 & 2 Kings – Page 4

2 Kings 19:32-37 – Did You Catch That?

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I’m usually not a fan of people repeating themselves, over-teaching me something. Yet, I treasure hearing the same stories over and over again from aging parents. And, when it’s God speaking, I’ll listen to every single message, even if it seems to be repetitive.

In today’s reading, it’s like God is adding an exclamation point to his prior condemnation of the Assyrian king. As if Hezekiah didn’t already believe that God was going to move and protect Judah from Assyria, another message is forthcoming.

2 Kings 19:20-31 – When You Can Breathe Again

Read 2 Kings 19:20-31

cartoon of ant carrying large item while sweating and panting

Think of a time when you finally received a good word after spending hours (maybe even days) on pins and needles because of an unfolding catastrophe. And then it happened. A resolution. A light seen at the end of the tunnel. Remember that sense of being free to breathe, like a weight had just been removed from your chest?

Do you think that’s what Hezekiah may be feeling when he finally hears from Isaiah? We know Hezekiah’s heart has been extremely troubled, feeling torn into different directions. Sometimes we have a pull on our own loyalties. What happens if your loved one doesn’t believe in Jesus like you do?

2 Kings 19:1-19 – Beware of the Weeds

Read 2 Kings 19:1-19

I love how the title of this section in the New Living Translation tells us that Hezekiah is seeking the Lord. That alone is a message we can cling to for ourselves today. Remember we don’t need to be in dire need of rescue to seek the Lord. He is waiting to hear from us every day. But in this reading, Hezekiah’s predicament seemed to be dire. He felt threatened.

The bully king of Assyria had gotten into Hezekiah’s head. All reason and trust in God seemed to have fled from Hezekiah, and he felt desperate. Have you ever felt like everything was crashing in on you, being overwhelmed by your circumstances? Perhaps someone has tried to undermine your faith. I’m pretty sure Hezekiah was questioning his own belief system while feeling the responsibility for his people.

2 Kings 18:13-37 – No Rivalry

Read 2 Kings 18:13-37

typewriter with paper that says, "Authority"

A new king from Assyria was coming for Judah! Hezekiah was going to face some opposition. But really, it was the LORD who was under attack by this new king. Hezekiah’s position was that by putting his trust in the LORD, the LORD would deliver Judah.

It was a bit like déjà vu, I’m sure, for Hezekiah. He had watched Israel fall to the Assyrians earlier on in his reign. He wasn’t going to let that happen to God’s people. He was more than willing to pay whatever earthly bribe it would take to avoid falling to Assyria. I had to wonder what treasures could be left after kings before him had also given tribute money.

2 Kings 18:1-12 – A Breath of Fresh Air

Read 2 Kings 18:1-12

Didn’t you breathe a sigh of relief when you learned that finally someone had destroyed the pagan shrines? Hezekiah is a king we should remember and be pleased with, like God was. “So the Lord was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did.” Success leaves clues.

It’s hard to imagine that with a father like Ahaz, Hezekiah could be so true to God. But then again, I’ve known grown children today who have gone out of their way to live their lives differently than their parents did. They wanted their children to have it different than they experienced. Even though I had loving parents myself, there were still things I wanted to do differently for my kids. But the legacy of faithfulness is one that I want to pass on for generations to come!