“King Hezekiah—Good Like David”

YEAH! Church - Sunday, October 3, 2021

"Heroes of the Bible” – Many of the Israelite kings, both of Israel and Judah, followed Solomon’s example and did not serve God faithfully. However, there were some exceptions. King Hezekiah was one who served God, just like David had.
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Today’s Lesson - “King Hezekiah—Good Like David”

Video Story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XdIbvK42nw (Superbook – Hezekiah Prays)
Today’s Hero – Hezekiah (2 Kings 18-20)

King Hezekiah was a good king, even though his father had done at a lot of damage and had encouraged the people of Judah to worship false gods. He loved God and trusted Him with all of his heart and destroyed all the bad places of worship his father and other previous kings had set-up. God blessed him and helped him, but King Hezekiah’s reign was not an easy one.

Chapter 18, 19 – At the time of King Hezekiah’s rule, King Sennacherib of Assyria was trying to conquer as much land and other nations that he could. He wanted to be the biggest and the best. He overthrew the nation of Israel after holding a siege against the city that lasted three years—the people finally surrendered when the food had completely run out and they were starving. Next, the Assyrian army moved onto Judah, planning to do the same thing.

Sennacherib’s military general tried to discourage the people of Judah and King Hezekiah. He told them they might as well give up without a fight, because eventually Assyria would take them captive just as they had done to Israel and to many other nations. He even told them not to bother trusting God to help them—none of the other gods had been able to stop the Assyrian army, so why should the people of Judah think things would end differently for them?

But King Hezekiah didn’t panic. He went straight to the Temple and prayed. And God sent the prophet Isaiah to give him an answer. God had heard all that the general and King Sennacherib had been saying and God was going to defend Judah Himself. The Assyrians didn’t stand a chance against God. That night the Angel of the Lord went into the Assyrian camp and the next morning, those who were still alive discovered that 185,000 people had died in the night. Needless to say, they never did attack Judah and went back to Assyria.

Chapter 20 – Shortly after this, however, king Hezekiah became sick and the prophet Isaiah told him that he would soon die. Hezekiah didn’t feel ready and prayed that God would heal him. God gave Isaiah a new message; God was going to allow Hezekiah to live for an additional 15 years. To prove that the message was true, God made the shadow created on the floor to go back in time! Hezekiah knew that God would do what He promised.

However, on hearing that king Hezekiah had been sick, the king of Babylon had sent a get well present to Hezekiah. He was so pleased with his visitors that he showed the Babylonians all of Judah’s treasures. This boasting did not make God happy and He told Hezekiah, that at some point in the future, the Babylonians would return and they would conquer Judah, just as the Assyrians had conquered Israel.

Engage:
• King Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father, had been a wicked king. Why does the Bible say that Hezekiah was a better ruler?
• The Assyrians wanted to conquer all the nations around them including the country of Judah. What did Hezekiah do when they came threatening him?
• When Hezekiah got sick, God had Isaiah tell him that he was going to die. What did God do when Hezekiah prayed?
• Hezekiah pleased God because he trusted Him. How can we learn to trust God?

Theme verses:
2 Kings 18:3, NLT - “Hezekiah did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done.”

Prayer – Dear God, thank you for the examples in the Bible of people of trusted you and show us that when bad things happen or threaten us, the best response is always to pray. Help us to be faithful to you like King Hezekiah.
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~ Pastor Jane