Failed But Not Finished - 7
Prayer Changes Things - 2 Kings 20 Verses 1 to 11
He was only twenty-five years of age when he took Israel’s throne, and he reigned for twenty-nine years.
His name, Hezekiah, would not be popular amongst boys today, although their friends might have a good laugh at his expense, and a great time making up suitable nick-names. Hezekiah, though, means “strengthened by Jehovah” or “God is my strength”. What a wonderful start to give any boy, as he sets out in life. Names meant something in those days, too, and the parents must have been keen to see their son grow up to love and serve God, and to experience His power and strength day by day. The story of his life is found in 2 Kings chapters 18 to 20, and 2 Chronicles chapters 29 to 32. We will see that this king was Powerful and Prayerful, but sadly there came a time in his life when he was also proud. A time when he failed, but thank God he was not finished. These studies over the past weeks have looked at many different Bible characters, in all kinds of circumstances and situations, yet they all had two things in common. In the first place they failed, but then in every instance they were not finished. Because they came back to God in the right way, He took them up again, and used them in His service. Failure may seem to spell disaster at the time, but we have a gracious and forgiving God, who is always waiting to receive us back, and give us the power to live for Him once again.
Let’s look at the life of this king, Hezekiah, and see what lessons we can learn. First he was …
Powerful
When he commenced his reign he must have had all kinds of plans; things he would like to do for the good of his people, Israel. He had acted as vice-regent of his father, King Ahaz, for 14 years, and he must have longed for the opportunity to improve the lot of his people. Now the time had come. How would he commence his reign? Would all the good plans be forgotten? Would he simply have an easy life, living off the income provided for him, without doing anything positive to lift the conditions in which the people lived? Time alone would tell. Well, in the very first month of his reign, Hezekiah set to work to reform the nation’s religious ways. He followed this up by gathering the priests together and commanding them to set themselves apart for God’s service. He reminded them that they had been specially chosen to perform this important task for God. The priests responded magnificently, which proved Hezekiah’s powerful influence. Temple worship was fully restored, and once again God’s people were worshipping Him in the way He had planned. Hezekiah even sent letters out to all the people of Israel and Judah, inviting them to come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover feast. 2 Chronicles chapter 30 tells of the wonderful way in which the people responded, and there was obviously a time of great rejoicing. Hezekiah had made a marvellous start to his reign. Not only was this new king powerful in leading his people back to God, but he was also practical in the way he stood up to the Assyrian king, and refused to surrender to him. He defeated the Philistines in battle, too, and his name was beginning to be well known throughout the area. In addition to leading the people back to true worship, and in military action against their enemies, he also proved to his people that he was …
Prayerful
We read in 2 Chronicles 30 verse 19 that Hezekiah prayed for the people, asking God to pardon them, and the Lord heard him, and healed them. He seems to have become a man of real prayer, walking with the Lord and knowing His guidance in the affairs of state. When the Assyrians were preparing to attack them, they sent a message to Hezekiah telling him that if he depended on his god to deliver him, he would live to regret it. Hezekiah did what we should all do in such circumstances, he spread the letter out before the Lord and committed the whole matter to Him in prayer. He gave God glory for His greatness and then asked Him to help them in their hour of need. He then stood up before his people and told them “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the King of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. He only has the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles” (2 Chronicles 32 verse 7). Surely such a king would enjoy a long and successful reign; nothing could go wrong! Perhaps he thought that, too, and once we think in that way, we are heading for trouble. From trusting in the Lord, Hezekiah started to show that the failure which has overtaken so many of God’s people down through the years was not far away, and we next see that he was …
Proud
Although God graciously delivered the nation of Israel from defeat and destruction at the hands of the Assyrians, which seemed certain to come, Hezekiah took the glory for himself. This has been the downfall of so many men and women of God down through the years. Satan was cast out of heaven because of his pride, and he is the one who cleverly leads God’s people along the same path. Humility is the way of blessing, and pride is the road that takes us away from God. Perhaps you have been doing a work for God, and have seen in His blessing in your life. You have rejoiced in the way that God has been using you, as you have witnessed for Him. Like King Hezekiah, you have seen God’s hand at work in quite remarkable ways, and at first you were quite ready to give God the glory. As time passed, however, and friends began to praise you for the way you are using your gifts, your head was turned away from God toward yourself. Now, you’ve lost the blessing; you have no keen sense of God’s presence, and you feel a total failure. With the hymn-writer, you cry out:
Where is the blessedness I knew, when first I saw the Lord,
Where is the soul refreshing view of Jesus in His Word.
What peaceful hours I once enjoyed, How sweet their memory still,
But they have left an aching void, The world can never fill.
You just feel as though your life of work and witness for God is over…you’re finished. Well, I’ve good news for you! The Bible tells us that “Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart … therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come upon them” (2 Chronicles 32 verse 26).
God gave him another fifteen years in which to serve Him, and prove his gratitude for God’s love and mercy. He had failed, but he wasn’t finished! And that’s the wonderful news I bring to you today! You may have failed God; you may have let your Lord down badly…and who hasn’t? But He hasn’t finished with you yet. If you and I are prepared to come back to Him in repentance and faith, He will take us up and use us again, in His service and for His glory.