The Lesson of Hezekiah

One of the themes that appears routinely in Scripture is that of God blessing His people only to have His people grow prideful and then suffer wrath. This was the case with King Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a good king in Judah, who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. God worked remarkably in his day. The Assyrian army encamped agaisnt Jerusalem, only to have God send the angel of the LORD upon them to slaughter one hundred and eighty five thousand Assyrian soldiers. God then extended Hezekiah’s life fifteen years. 

But after these remarkable works of God, Hezekiah’s heart was lifted up and in his pride he showed a Babylonian envoy all the treasures of his house. As a result there was wrath upon him, Judah, and Jerusalem. A sobering word comes in 2 Chronicles 32:31, “God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.” Now God already knew all that was in Hezekiah’s heart, so I take that text to mean God left Hezekiah so Hezekiah would know all that was in his heart.

The import of this is not that we should attempt to know all of the gnarly inner workings of our hearts. But rather that we should humble ourselves and ask the Lord not to leave us to such a discovery. God has struck down thousands of your enemies. And He has saddled you with more blessings than that King of Judah had in his house. So ensure you have a solid answer to the question, “What would happen if God left you?” With that clear answer before you, make your prayer that wise and simple prayer of David, “LORD, take not thy Holy Spirit from me.” 

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