Special Tests for Special Purposes – Part 19

Following Solomon, the kingdom was divided. All the kings of Israel, the northern kingdom, became idolaters and were rejected by the Lord. Many of the kings of the southern kingdom, Judah, also turned away from the Lord into idolatry. There were, however, some truly righteous kings in Judah yet none of them fully passed the test of success. Hezekiah, for example introduces sweeping reforms and re-established the true worship of Jehovah. When Sennacherib, king of Assyria laid siege to Jerusalem, the Lord intervened and granted a miraculous deliverance to Hezekiah and his people.

Later, when Hezekiah was sick to the point of death, God not merely healed him, but granted him a miraculous sign by reversing the course of the sun. He also promised Hezekiah fifteen extra years of life. The miraculous sign in the sun extended Hezekiah’s fame to other nations.

As a result, ambassadors came from Babylon. Flattered by their attention, Hezekiah showed them everything of value in his whole kingdom. But he did not give God the glory! Scripture provides two illuminating comments in Hezekiah’s conduct: 2 Chronicles 32:25 NIV “But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.” (2 Chronicles 32:31)