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Hezekiah and Grace

The more you know about the Savior the more you will love Him, trust Him, and rely on Him, as illustrated. Hezekiah of the Old Testament became King of Judah at age 25. Immediately he set about to bring his people back to God. He cleansed the Temple, restored the dignity of the Priesthood and brought the people together in worship. It was said of him, “in every work that he began….to seek his God, he did it with all his heart and he prospered (2 Chronicles 32:21) He was a righteous man and a credit to his mother, Abi (see 2 Kings 18:2, 5).

But then his people were attacked by the Assyrians. They swept into Judea and conquered 41 cities, even besieging Jerusalem itself.

“Be strong and courageous,” Hezekiah said to his frightened people, “be not afraid nor dismayed…for there be more with us than with him” ( 2 Chronicles 32:7). And his people believed and ‘rested themselves upon [his] words’ (2 Chronicles 32:8).

All the Kingdom sat upon Hezekiah-all the people of God looked to him. Even God and His prophet Isaiah recognized Hezekiah’s authority and power as Judah’s King. He bore the tremendous weight of a terrible situation.

And then it happened, as if the threats of his enemies were not already enough, Hezekiah got sick (Isaiah 38:12). It weakened and wore him down to his bed. Isaiah came and announced, “Thus saith the Lord, set thine house in order: for thou shalt die”(Isaiah 38:1).

It broke his heart and turning his face to the wall, he prayed and wept. “O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me” (Isaiah 38:14).

If it ever should happen that you stand where Hezekiah stood, surrounded, alone, worn down and weary, sick and utterly powerless to help yourself, Jesus is full of grace and truth (See John 1:14). He it is who comes and saves in mortal dilemmas now, and eternal damnations later.

The Lord heard immediately and turned Isaiah around to give the humble Hezekiah 15 more years of life, and deliverance from Assyria. To the astonishment of all history, the setting Sun even rose back into the sky for a sign of comforting proof to this favored son. The Lord was kind to Hezekiah. By the grace of the Almighty, Hezekiah lived on to greatness.

But grace is not just what Jesus gives, it is what He is. It is His nature to help the helpless, love the lonely, free the prisoner, and save the lost. When all you are facing are walls, look up!