In a world of corruption and decay, can an individual make a real difference and triumph over evil?Hezekiah was a young King, only twenty five years old, when he assumed the throne in place of the evil Ahaz, his father. He ruled for 29years, from 724 to 695bc. during one of the greatest periods of human history, a time that coincided with the birth of Rome (753bc) and the Greek first Olympiad (776bc).
Hezekiah’s world was in a state of flux. Assyria was in decline from its totalitarian heights, when they plundered the world as few other world powers ever did. They were vicious and terribly cruel, but they also dealt with recalcitrant vassal states by dividing their populations and redistributing them amongst other far off nations, whilst filling the voids with people deported from conquered territories. The Assyrians turned the near and middle east into a cultural melting pot, but they also wiped out the northern kingdom of Israel.
Other global events were also shaping the world stage. Egypt was strong again and on the ascendancy, but Persia was destined to be the next major world power. Indeed Persia would become the first true world power, duly recognized by a divine vision given to their King Nebuchadnezzar, as interpreted by Daniel. Persia preceded the Medo-Persian empire, the Greeks and then the Romans, ultimately laying the foundation for a final one-world, anti-Christ empire, which will bring a climax to the mystery of Babylon.
It is against this backdrop that Isaiah prophesied the birth of Hezekiah, using the prophetic undertones of his celebrated “virgin-birth prophecy”, when he declared to Ahaz: Behold the Lord will give you a sign: A virgin will give birth to a son and you shall call Him Immanuel.” The prophecy also confirmed the destruction of Israel by Assyria.
Hezekiah was initially a somewhat reluctant leader, but when his father failed, he rose to prominence. He finally came to a full conviction about the divinity of the God of Israel, resulting in the restoration of the temple (which his father had neglected), the uprooting of all pagan high places in Judah and the forced resettlement of the plundered Nortehrn Kingdom of Israel.
He was a bit misguided in his responses to the Assyrians and had to be corrected by Isaiah, but after God extended his life by fifteen years (the shadow of his sundial retreated whilst he lay on his deathbed), Hezekiah strengthened his heart and emerged as a great king. Judah flourished under his reign and 185,000 Assyrians were miraculously destroyed by a plague from God as they prepared to lay siege to Jerusalem: the turning point for Sennacherib and Assyria.
Thus one man stood against the influences of an age of turmoil, paganism and the destruction of the ten northern tribes of Israel, to restore dignity to his small, fragile kingdom. The chronicles describe him as the greatest of all the kings of Judah, including those before and after his reign. He held fast to the the LORD and kept the commandments (2 Kings 18: 5-8).
I once consulted with my government, for a large Banking group. The department of housing was dysfunctional from its fringes to its core. Décor was messy, people unfriendly and systems did not work, in a society that so desperately needed leadership in the area of housing. At the heart of that department was an insecure, combative, myopic and arrogant leader, whose influence over the thousands who worked with her corrupted the entire organization. I then went to the Department of Trade and Industries. As I stepped into their entrance foyer, I was greeted by freshly painted walls, smart premises, friendly and professional staff and efficient processes. At the heart of that organization was an efficient, approachable and sound leader, who left a stamp of distinction on his entire organization.
One person made all the difference in those modern “kingdoms”, just as surely as each bad king corrupted all of Israel but one good king reversed the tides for Judah. You too could be someone capable of making a telling difference where you work or serve God.
(c) Peter Eleazar at www.bethelstone.com
Thus one man stood against the influences of an age of turmoil, paganism and the destruction of the ten northern tribes of Israel, to restore dignity to his small, fragile kingdom. The chronicles describe him as the greatest of all the kings of Judah, including those before and after his reign. He held fast to the the LORD and kept the commandments (2 Kings 18: 5-8).
I once consulted with my government, for a large Banking group. The department of housing was dysfunctional from its fringes to its core. Décor was messy, people unfriendly and systems did not work, in a society that so desperately needed leadership in the area of housing. At the heart of that department was an insecure, combative, myopic and arrogant leader, whose influence over the thousands who worked with her corrupted the entire organization. I then went to the Department of Trade and Industries. As I stepped into their entrance foyer, I was greeted by freshly painted walls, smart premises, friendly and professional staff and efficient processes. At the heart of that organization was an efficient, approachable and sound leader, who left a stamp of distinction on his entire organization.
One person made all the difference in those modern “kingdoms”, just as surely as each bad king corrupted all of Israel but one good king reversed the tides for Judah. You too could be someone capable of making a telling difference where you work or serve God.
(c) Peter Eleazar at www.bethelstone.com
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