2 Chronicles 32:30-31 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper
watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the
city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31 Howbeit in the
business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to
enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, GOD LEFT HIM, TO TRY HIM,
THAT HE MIGHT KNOW ALL THAT WAS IN HIS HEART.
Hezekiah was one of the best Kings of Israel. In 2 Kings 18:1-8 scriptures
give a thumbnail of his righteousness before God. Hezekiah feared and obeyed
God even to the destruction of the high places of idolatrous worship. His
zeal was such that he destroyed the brazen serpent that had been fashioned
by Moses in the wilderness because the people had started worshipping before
it. He loved God and was much loved by God.
Now however, a time had come in Hezekiah's life that is called
"testing time". There is always a danger of a person who gets
close to God and lives a virtuous godly life of losing humility and letting
pride enter. There is a danger of a person beginning to think of himself as
righteous and above sin. When we reach that position we are in a position to
be brought back to earth. God will get our heads out of the clouds and bring
us back to reality.
Hezekiah was about to receive emissaries from Babylon and there would be
much temptation to show off the kingdom and the riches including the holy
things. "Bragging rights" if you will. The scripture above (vs. 31) says
that God left Hezekiah to "try him that he might know all that was in his
heart." If you are not careful you will read this to mean that Hezekiah is
tried so that God could know all that was in Hezekiah's heart. Not so. God
already knew Hezekiah's heart. It was Hezekiah that needed to know
what was really in his own heart. I believe the "he" refers to Hezekiah and
not to God.
David makes God's knowledge of our hearts abundantly clear: Psalm
139:1-4 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my
downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my
ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest
it altogether.
Have you ever been like Hezekiah? On the mountain top? God has defeated your
enemies. You are enjoying good health. Everything is coming up roses. The
Lord is blessing and you are basking in it. You feel sin is so far from you
that it can touch you no more? Well, if you have been there then you know
what happened soon after. You fell. You went back to what you thought you
had escaped from. You thought you were strong enough to withstand the
temptation. You found out you weren't, didn't you. You might say: "How do
you know?" Well, to tell you the truth I have been there more times than I
care to admit. I would get to the point I would feel "Big boy, you got your
ducks in a row and you can handle it". Well guess what. God would say. "All
right big boy, we'll see." "I am going to leave you alone and let you handle
it by yourself."
God left me to try my heart that I might know the blackness and weakness of
it. We need reminding occasionally that without God we are putty in the
Devil's hands. We need to re-discover from time to time that our strength
lies in the hands of Jesus and not our own. We need to be re-minded that we
are to "---be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." We are to:
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
(Ephesians 6:10-12)
All too often our heart is the devil's playground.
This study in The Word presented by Brother Dwight.
Poetry Corner The Hope Within Me
I came in with nothing...yet how shall I leave?
Who has always loved me;whom do I trust and believe ?
On my own, I had only learned to fall
With help from above, I have learned to call.
Call upon His wonderful name,
Lord Jesus I cried to, without any shame.
He breaks me of wicked pride.
In His righteousness I shall abide.
I pray for help when I am weak.
He teaches me how to turn the other cheek.
Holy words are my daily bread
Only by Christ can I grow and be fed.
From the greatest to the least
I shall join the others at His feast.
Serving our God with all my heart
Remaining in Him, never to depart.
I came into this world with nothing ...
Yet will leave
With a restored soul,
Healed by our Lord, making me whole.
For all the days that I live
I will honor my Saviour
Giving all I can give.
