Thank you for your patience as I’ve been away enjoying a summer vacation and writing our next Bible study. While I’ve been enjoying the warm weather, I’ve also enjoyed digging into the scriptures this summer. Most recently I’ve been reading about King Hezekiah.
If you don’t know anything about King Hezekiah, I encourage you to read 2 Chronicles 29-30. As you do, you’ll find that he is righteous, courageous, and strong. He made every effort to put God first. He was a good leader who served the needs of his kingdom by bringing their burdens to God.
The Bible says,
There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. (2 Kings 18:5, NIV)
We see that his first order of business was to open the doors of the temple, and cleanse it. Maybe this doesn’t sound like a courageous move to you, but considering the fact that the temple had been closed for several years he was introducing a new way of life for the people.
Many of them had grown accustomed to the ways of King Ahaz who shut the doors of the temple, set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem, and burned sacrifices to other gods. Idol worship was their way of life, and now they were being shown something different.
In chapter 30 we see that Hezekiah sent invitations to the people of Israel inviting them to return to the Lord, and while many of them did, others scorned and ridiculed him.
Hezekiah is an example to all new believers who face opposition when they begin their journey through faith. Turning our back on the sinful life we once knew, doesn’t sit well with some friends. They’re not accustomed to this new way of living, or the new people that we have become. Some will distance themselves, others may ridicule and scoff the new faith that we’ve found.
It can be hard when friends and family desert us, which is why we need people like Hezekiah to remind us that we’re not standing alone. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord regardless of the opposition he faced. And what did they experience as they worshipped the Lord? Incredible joy, unlike anything they had seen in years!
There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 30:26, NIV)
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Tilling the Soil
Read 2 Chronicles 29-30
Planting Hope
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (1 Peter 4:14, NIV)
About the Author
DARLENE SCHACHT is an award-winning and NYT best-selling author. She is the founder of Time-Warp Wife Ministries, an online publication that encourages women to live Christ-centered lives.
Her passion for scripture and hunger for truth is the driving force behind a unique ministry that offers Bible studies and daily marriage prayers. Darlene is joined by her husband Michael on the daily podcast “5-Minute Marriage.”
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