End Well

II Kings 20 and 21 are very interesting. The last half of Hezekiah's life is worth some pondering. The other night at the class I take at RTS, Dr. Currid made the statement that it is difficult to end well. I think we might call this Hezekiah syndrome. Here we have a king of Judah, one of the very few, that followed Yahweh with a whole heart. He tears down all the high places, executes who he is supposed to, and does things the right way, Yahweh's way. Then towards the end of his life he is hit with a crisis of faith. He gets very ill. Isaiah comes to him and tells him the sickness is unto death, so get your house in order. Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and begins praying and begging God to save him. A good thing you say, yet his prayer shows us where his heart is at this point in his life. He begs God on the basis of his own righteousness.

³ "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

⁴ Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: ⁵ "Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. ⁶ I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.' " II Kings 20:3-6

The story doesn't end there. Somewhere along the way Hezekiah entertains some guests in Jerusalem, the palace, and the treasuries in particular, to some officials from Babylon. Oh boy. What does this tell us about the king. He has come to think pretty highly of himself. Even in the above prayer he thinks that he is something else. He has fallen prey to the subtle slimy pit of success. He has been a very successful king up to this point. He has fought battles and won them, he has smashed the high places, defeated the Assyrians, and done it all in the name of the Lord. Success can be very seductive, and we see that Hezekiah fell for it. He pleads his case before God, not as a humble servant, but as a self righteous leader. For not following God's ways there are consequences, and for Hezekiah they are very sad. Back to the story....he shows off the treasuries, and Isaiah finds out and says, "What are you doing? Are you crazy?"

¹⁶Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD: ¹⁷Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. ¹⁸And some of your own sons, who shall be born to you, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." ¹⁹Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good." For he thought, "Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?" II Kings 20:16-19

Hezekiah, blinded still by success, comfort and peace, actually "looking good syndrome," has just responded to the whole sale take over of his people as, "well at least there will be peace in my time, my legacy is in tact." Here God through the prophet Isaiah has just said that his unborn, yet to be born sons are going to be eunuchs in Babylon! And all he has to say, is that well at least there will be peace in my time. How sad, and yet how I identify!

This all began with a crisis of faith concerning his sickness. Which causes me to ask some questions of myself. How do I respond in a crisis? Am I able to take good from God and good alone? How much do I count on "my ministry" being successful? How much credit to I take? Do I really see that it is all of God? How about my attitude about any righteousness that I might have or possess? Do I think too highly of myself? Or do I think too lowly of myself? Do I feel sorry for myself for not being as successful as I wish to be?

Dr. Currid said that it is difficult to end well, I think he is right, and we will only by God's grace alone as we humble ourselves before His throne.

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. 2. Be Thou my Wisdom, Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee, Thou with me, Lord; Thou my great Father, I thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

3. Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight, Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight. Thou my soul's shelter, Thou my high tower. Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power. 4. Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

5. High King of heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'ns Son! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision, O ruler of all.