2 KINGS 18:5 HEZEKIAH TRUSTED IN THE LORD.

To start, do you know which king we are going to talk about this afternoon? His name is King
Hezekiah. So who is King Hezekiah?Lets have a short history about King Hezekiah. (2
Kings 18:1-4) According to 2 Kings 18, Hezekiah came to the throne of Judah at the age of
25 years. He was also the 13th king of Judah and is a direct descendant of Jesus
Christ(Matthew 1:9-10). Do you think someone taught Hezekiah these things? Ironically
Hezekiah grew up under the rule of his wicked father Ahaz, so he didnt exactly have a good
role model to look to. If we remember, King Ahaz faltered in every conceivable way against
God.
(2Kings 5-7) In any event, Hezekiah immediately changed everything once he assumed the
throne and had the power to do so. In the first month of his reign, Hezekiah immediately got
to work and smashed down all the pagan altars and wooden images throughout the hills of
Judah. He began to clean out and repair the temple and restored temple worship. The temple
had been neglected for many years to the point where the rooms were full of junk and
rubbish, including idols in the sanctuary.
So ganito ang history ni King Hezekiah. So far, Hezekiah is off to a great start. But do you
think when times get tough, will he falter? Well see. Lets read 2 Kings 18:13-16. Kung sino
man ang makabasa ng pangalan ng king of Assyria ng tama, ililibre ko.
So what do you think Hezekiah has done wrong? If you remember verse 7, he
rebelled against Assyria. Why? Kasi nga he trusted in Lord. Even though sila ang
sinugod, he became the first to initiate that he has done wrong. In our times
today, people are fond of getting revenge when someone has done something to
them. King Sennacherib did this by capturing Judah. Even so, he showed
humility. He even offered gold and silver to the King of Assyria. Tayo ba ganito?
So this is my first point. By trusting in the Lord, you learn to be humble.

Show God a humble, repentant attitude and heart. This is what pleases Him. Be like King
Hezekiah and King David, both of whom had passionate humility, deeply feeling sorrow for
their inappropriate actions to the very core of their hearts. Gods mercy is always available to
people with a sincere and fully repentant attitude.
Pero after that, tinigilan ba siya ni King Sennacherib? Lets continue reading (2 Kings 18:1925,31-35) What is Hezekiahs response to this? (2 Kings 19:1-7) He did not let himself get
bullied by King Sennacherib. Yes he admitted that that was a day of disgrace but he had the
capability to stay mentally strong and know that God was with them. Sa atin ba? Meron ba
ditong nakaexperience ng nabully? Or tayo ang naging bully. Remind ko lang na wala ding
sense in bullying others. This shows weakness o insecurities. So for my second point, by
trusting God, you learn to be strong, not just physically but also mentally.
Despite the many accounts of others attempting to overthrow his rule, God blessed Hezekiah
for success in conquering his enemies despite seemingly overwhelming odds, and so he
conquered the Philistines and the relentless evil Sennacherib.

Even though Hezekiahs father has done wicked things, he has learned to trust in the Lord. By
trusting in the Lord, you learn to be humble, even though you are given great power. He ruled
with his whole heart by zealous enthusiasm for God, which spread to the people of Judah and
throughout Israel. He showed great humility and wisdom and God caused him to prosper
through tremendous blessings.
As soon as we understand we must show God obedience. If we put it off for tomorrow that is
not being obedient. Be like Hezekiah. He went straightaway in prayer with the letter from
Sennacherib and again when told he was about to die. Deal with all things in a timely and
humble way. Go to God straightaway. Dont be tempted to lean on your own understanding
(Proverbs 3:5-6).
God will always be there for us. We may not have Isaiah, but He has given us another, greater
Helper. Read John 14:16-17. The Helper is referred to as Gods Holy Spirit in John 14:26.Of
course we know that the Holy Spirit is the very essence of the Father and the Son. Jesus was
telling the disciples that He would help them.
Prayer cannot ever be underestimated. Like Hezekiah, if we seek God out, He will be found.
Do not take matters into your own hands like we sometimes want to do. Lay down your
evidence from those against you before God and humbly state your case. He will justify you
as long as you have and show total faith and trust in Him
Dont let your guard down. Despite the many blessings God gives to us each and every day,
and the mighty battles He fights for us whether through trials and testing, or through
vanquishing our enemies, be alert. Not all is as it appears. In Matthew 10:16 God tells us,
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and
harmless as doves.