God Speaks
The Reign of Hezekiah, the King of Judah, and All He Did to Honor the LORD God
Verse of the Day: This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. (2 Chronicles 31:20-21. See also: 2 Kings 18:5-7b NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding 2 Kings 18, 2 Chronicles 29-31 and Psalm 48:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
2 Kings 18
1. God rewards the people who courageously and actively deal with evil and follow the LORD as King Hezekiah did.
2. People who fear the LORD should not be afraid to speak up against evil as Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah were.
2 Chronicles 29
1. God will be rightly angry when people (especially those who claim to belong to Him) defile His holy things, are unfaithful, do what is evil in His sight, and turn their back on Him.
2. People face consequences for not following God and His principles such as war, captivity, poverty, starvation, disease, and disaster. But they can repent, return, and rededicate.
2 Chronicles 30
1. God hears the prayers of those who purify themselves and return to follow Him and His ways.
2. People must decide to follow the LORD and joyfully and thankfully celebrate in His presence.
2 Chronicles 31
1. God looks with favor on people who follow His instructions.
2. If people want to prosper, they must seek the LORD wholeheartedly, do what is pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord, and follow God’s laws and commands as King Hezekiah did.
Psalm 48
1. God watches over Jerusalem and knows what He wants to accomplish through what He allows to happen there.
2. Whenever believers realize they are “under siege,” they should follow God’s orders and engage in spiritual battle.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding 2 Kings 18, 2 Chronicles 29-31, Psalm 48?
Dear LORD God who sees all my actions and knows all my motives, I declare that I need the help of Your Holy Spirit to destroy all the idols and purify the Temple in my life. Help me to repent, return, and rededicate myself to You. You have every right to be angry at my sin, but please forgive me on the basis of Jesus’ death as my substitute. Thank You,, Jesus, for not only dying in my place but also for making me a child of God and a coheir with You. Holy Spirit, work in me so I live out who I now am in Christ. When I do sin again, help me to be quick to purify myself, and return to following You and Your ways. Please look with favor on me. Help me to seek You wholeheartedly, to please You by doing what You call good, and to follow Your instructions, O God. You desire for all people to turn to and rely on You for their safety and security. You are deserving of all praise. I call on You to help me fight against the enemies that have risen up against You, Your principles, Your purposes, and Your people. Please help me to focus on You and find safety in Your presence. O God, I meditate on Your unfailing love. I worship in Your Temple (my own spirit). Your name deserves to be praised to the ends of the earth. Then I and all who join me will joyfully and thankfully celebrate Your presence and bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to 2 Kings 18, 2 Chronicles 29-31 and Psalm 48? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will courageously speak up and become an activist, fighting evil in whatever way the LORD shows me.
- I will adjust my prayers so that they are more of a dialogue with the Creator of the universe, my LORD, than my directing Him as my servant.
- I will thank the LORD for the prosperity His has given me and continue to seek Him wholeheartedly, to please Him by doing what He calls good, and to follow His instructions.
- I will thank God for the victory He has already accomplished. [List 10 ways He has been victorious, both physical and spiritual.]
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.