Post #32 in series
for October 23, 2018
King Hezekiah, the Bible character in my last blog, had been a godly man and good leader. His faithfulness in trusting God had secured continued life for the nation of Judah. He had restored justice and religious faithfulness in the land. But he was not perfect. He was just a man, not the Messiah Isaiah had predicted.
Hezekiah fell sick and God healed him, (Isaiah 38–39). Then God gave him a test to “try him and to know all that was in his heart,” (II Chron. 32:31). When Babylonian envoys came to visit, Hezekiah could have told the Babylonians about his wonderful God and what he’d done for him, but instead he succumbed to pride. He showed them everything in his treasury. Isaiah told him this was a mistake (Isa. 39:5-7). Hezekiah had failed this test.
However, when Hezekiah humbled himself, the Lord had mercy on him, (II Chron. 32:26).
Isaiah is concerned about the attitudes of the nation and its king. Too often they “saw trust as a one-time affair rather than a way of life…they saw trust as a means of getting out of a crisis rather than as the lifelong expression of a covenant relationship…. Perhaps more to the point, they saw trust only as a means of getting their needs met,” (Oswalt, 438)*.
Like Hezekiah, most of us need to learn an ongoing lifestyle of trust in God, not for selfish reasons or to get out of crises. True trust involves a deeply committed relationship with our heavenly Father. Manipulative prayers only to get our needs met are inappropriate.
Messiah, (Jesus Christ), was born of a virgin and lived among us humans. He is “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” He is sinless and eternal, fruitful, righteous, beautiful.
Messiah is our lawgiver, but also our king who saves us. He is divine as well as human, an eternal, peaceful, just and righteous ruler descended from one whom he’d created (King David).
As the Lord of heaven’s armies, Messiah will bring justice, peace and salvation to all the nations of the world. A beautiful, glorious and mighty King having the Spirit of the Lord, he delights to obey the Lord, defending the oppressed against the wicked. He who gave us our laws will be our judge, will care for us and save us.
Just as the compassionate God considered Hezekiah valuable enough to teach him lessons in trust, so he considers us valuable enough.
By Judith Vander Wege
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