As we work our way through the Bible we encounter people who seem to have God’s seal of approval. Consider Moses who is described as God’s friend. Or Joseph who enjoyed God’s blessings while serving time in prison. Or Paul described as a chosen vessel. What secret did these people hold? Can anyone acquire this acceptance? In Hezekiah’s story I learned more about the characteristics of the life that God blesses. Here is the testimony recorded for Hezekiah, that ancient king of Judah.
And the LORD was with him; wherever he went he prospered… 2 Kings 18:7 NASB (Selected)
That’s it! That’s what I want. What an advantage Hezekiah enjoyed! How did this state of affairs come about? I sifted through the words and phrases in the context while looking for clues. I discovered Hezekiah’s whole-hearted commitment to a particular lifestyle. God is not going to pour out His approval on someone sporting half-hearted commitment. The seal of God’s approval came upon Hezekiah because of certain choices and actions.
Hezekiah trusted in the Lord. (2 Kings 18:5)
Hezekiah excelled above his peers, his ancestors, and even his descendants in the level of his trust in God.
He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 2 Kings 18:5 NASB
Trust implies that God is my go-to Person. I know He exists and understand that He has wisdom I cannot find anywhere else. I am aware that He provides resources as needed for me to accomplish His purposes. And I make it my habit to consult Him first in my decision making process. I rely on God’s plan even though I haven’t a clue as to the details of that plan. Trust is a minute by minute and day by day aspect of life. Those choices to trust steer life in a direction that keeps me following closely behind God.
Trust can be misplaced in wealth, finances, education, experience, or even natural abilities. Paul instructed Timothy on the proper use of finances (1 Timothy 6) and warned him to share the teaching with others so that “those who are rich in this present world not … fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”
Abraham modeled the life of trust. God gave him the command to leave his home town of Ur and go to an unspecified journey’s end, somewhere Abraham had never been. And the destination was not “down the road a piece” so that Abraham might retain his current list of contacts and resources. Abraham’s last stop lay hundreds of miles from home, and his choice to obey God demanded a separation, a breaking away from the status quo. Abraham simply lifted his feet and started stepping. Paul wrote to the Romans (4:21) that Abraham was “fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”
Hezekiah clung to the Lord. (2 Kings 18:6)
The word clung means to chase after with the intention of catching. It implies determination and focus.
The land I roamed as a boy had large rock formations and a few cliffs dotting the hillsides, perfect playgrounds for ambitious youngsters. On one occasion my brother, Jeff, strayed too close to the edge of a cliff and his feet slipped on the damp soil under the leaves. As he picked up speed and rocketed toward the open space below I heard his plea for help. Though I was running his way I could not close the distance fast enough and yelled, “Grab the tree!” He managed to wrap his hands around a sapling that thankfully held his weight. Holding tightly to a larger tree I extended my feet down the slope toward him and pulled him to safety. Two brothers learned the meaning of clinging that day.
Ours is a throwaway world. Much of what we buy ceases to function, often shortly after the warranty expires! We toss and replace.
Relationships frazzle. Families fracture. Corporations chop heads. Health declines. Sadly people become throw-a-way, too.
The only certainty is God. He existed before, during, and after our short lives. How tightly are we clinging to Him? In the Law of Moses we find special words that should describe the depth of our commitment to God.
Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NASB
Hezekiah followed the Lord. (2 Kings 18:6)
My father acquired an ancient David Bradley garden plow. That beast had a hefty gasoline motor up front with two full-sized car tires as the drive. The plow was so old that a replacement coupler had to be fashioned from scratch by a local blacksmith. I learned to start that plow and determined to handle the garden preparation one season. My rows were crooked. I overran the garden and plowed lawn in several places. As I grew stronger I could guide the plow and eventually produced straight rows within the boundaries of the garden space.
I learned the secret of focusing on the far side of the garden rather than staring at the dirt being turned by the plow blade. That point of reference kept me in line. Think of it as zooming out to capture the bigger picture. In following God I often stray from the path. My spiritual muscles are supposed to grow stronger as I follow Him and gain experience. That should lead to straighter rows as I keep on the path and walk with Christ.
Do I fail? Yes, like looking at the plowed earth under the blade, I lose my point of reference. If I do not correct course quickly I can make a mess. The goal of following Christ to maturity is a progressive journey, one row at a time. Both Paul and Peter lay out steps in the progression (see Romans 5:3-5 and 2 Peter 1:5-7). We don’t reach the goal in the first week, but we move in a defined direction overall.
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
Hezekiah kept the Lord’s commandments. (2 Kings 18:6)
I don’t like everything God put in His Word like the command to be kind to people who mistreat me. But I do not get to pick and choose. I cannot second guess God as His level of smartness far outweighs my own. The Bible gives God’s expectation as “do not turn aside to the right or the left.”
To obey the Book I have to know what’s recorded there. The Bible is my source of knowledge about the mind of God, what He thinks and what He expects.
The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Psalms 19:7-11 NASB
How deep was Hezekiah’s commitment to keeping the commandments of God?
I serve as floor manager in our home. That impressive title means I vacuum and mop weekly. I am determined to keep the house clean and demonstrate that I am capable of this important job. I move as much of the furniture as I can to get the dust bunnies hiding behind and underneath. The vacuum head cannot reach into some corners and that dictates special handling to get the dirt. I don’t want to leave any filth behind.
As Israel approached the Promised Land the Lord gave this warning through Moses:
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.
Numbers 33:55 NASB
Dirt left in the corners has a way of spreading across the floor. Hezekiah’s determination was to remove every thought, action and practice that went against God’s expectations. Easy to do? Not at all! We understand his struggle as we wrestle with things in our lives that dishonor God.
The question to ponder is:
How badly do I want that seal of approval?
I must make course corrections, even lifestyle changes, to be the kind of person God can bless.