Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

Bimbo is standing near the door of the studio…just standing there, looking at it, waiting, knowing that I have the leash here with me and that we’ll be heading out for a jog. OK…he just gave up and lay down on his bed for now…a little frustrated. Becki won’t be going this time. She doesn’t feel quite up to…with this being the peak of hay-fever season.

Lots on the list. OK, Bimbo, let’s go.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Some interesting ideas flow out of this description. To begin with, Hezekiah was about as close to an ideal king as we can find. He, like David, clearly had a HEART AFTER GOD that motivated him to not allow a separation of church and state. He was not only successful as a community organizer and political leader, but led in a nation-wide revival that turned the hearts of his people back to God and restored Temple worship at Jerusalem. The record says, “This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered” (31:20-21). Amidst all this appearance of heaven on earth, the Lord actually allows the king of Assyria to give Hezekiah hell—messing up his peace with the arrogant taunting of a bully—challenging Judah to abandon their worthless god and surrender before being wiped out. Notice the little window given into the psychology of a bully—“…thinking to conquer them for himself.” It’s really a big power-hungry ego trip (32:10-15). But the whole difficult circumstance has to be orchestrated by the LORD Himself. Why? Because God knows that too much success and prosperity is not healthy—that the most important lessons of life are not learned in comfort, but in opposition.

The good news is that Hezekiah passed that test with flying colors by casting all his care upon the LORD (1 Peter 5:7). The LORD intervened with a sensational deliverance. As a result, it sure didn’t go well for the arrogant bully. “So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons cut him down with the sword” (32:21)—and “Mr. big stuff” returned to dust. One description of Hezekiah’s life and reign says, “He succeeded in everything he undertook” (32:30). The bad news is that even this kind of godly success and blessing can go to one’s head and tempt one to feel like “big stuff” too—to which Hezekiah yielded. Phooey! “But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him” (32:25). But wait!—the story isn’t over yet—his failure was very temporary. Thankfully, we can return to some good news: “Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart” (32:26). Whew—that was close!

We are wise to recognize the inherent dangers of comfort and success. If we agree to our universal affliction of a NATURAL SIN NATURE, we will do well to practice repentance as a lifestyle (Romans 6:11).