The Story Behind The Story
“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! 2 Chronicles 31:20-21
There is always a story behind the story! Whether it’s the news or the Bible, you have to go beyond the headline!
There’s the story of Hezekiah in the Bible that explains this, the headline reads, “After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah…” 2 Chronicles 32:1. But what’s the story behind the headline?
Hezekiah had become the king at age 25, and as soon as he became king, he began to set things right. “In the first month of the first year of his reign, “he opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them”. He called upon the priests to go back to their duties. He ensured that the lamp which had gone out in the temple was relighted and the doors were opened. He dug into his own resources and provided for the sacrifices. He called for a great Passover, and even though it was at the wrong time of the year, he called on God to cleanse the people. “And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people,” 2Chronicles 30:20.
He gave orders to build storehouses and to provide for the priests who served in the temple. It was obvious that he was genuinely concerned for the needs of his people, and he had a heart for God.
Then Sennacherib’s army came and invaded the land!
Hezekiah could have thought, “But, God, after all I have done for you, is this how you will reward me?”
Instead, he went to work, blocking off the water from the spring outside. He built another wall reinforcing the one which was there. He went to work making weapons for defense. And he told the people, “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. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.”
God saw Hezekiah’s distress and sent just one angel to do battle with the 185,000 soldiers in Sennacherib’s army.
God doesn’t exempt us from our problems, whether they are financial, personal, or physical. The battles are there all right, but He does promise to be with us and take us through them. We need to learn what Hezekiah had discovered, “there is a greater power with us.”
With our enemy is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.”
Yes, after all that Hezekiah had done for the Lord, Sennacherib came and invaded Judah; but God delivered him and gave him victory. So rejoice for God will likewise give you victory.