In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.
Around the same time that the Northern Tribes of Israel fell into captivity because of their faithlessness, down in Jerusalem, a new king showed that the Lord was still acknowledged. He destroyed pagan altars and the bronze serpent that was given by God to save lives, but instead began to be worshiped. It did not last. His son Manasseh undid all the good and brought the same judgment on Judah. It was not until Josiah became king that the high priest found something that would affect a revival in Judah worthy of Hezekiah. They found the Torah, the Law, the Scriptures.
Are you detecting a pattern here? Hezekiah knew the commandments given by Moses, followed them, and the nation flourished in relative peace. Josiah “discovered” the Scriptures and the nation changed course again. When leaders uncover, read, and follow the word of the Lord, the nation changes course and follows the Lord, bringing peace.
This nation we live in could learn a lot from the kings of Israel and Judah in the Bible. In order for that to happen, they must pick it up. There are far too many of our church leaders for whom the same advice is needed, but not heeded. Too many ignore what is right in the Lord’s eyes and look to what pleases themselves and is popular. The Bible says…
It doesn’t end well.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church