Hezekiah-the Faithful

by J.C. RADCLIFFE | Category: Pithy Points From The Lives Of Judah's Kings | Mar 1932

The opening words of 2 Chronicles 32. come to us rather as a surprise, and open up to us a wide field for thought and exercise of heart. They introduce us to one of those inscrutable mysteries to many, who, unlike the apostle Paul, have not been initiated into the workings and ways of God in connection with suffering and loss (see Philippians 4. 12).

We closed our brief survey of the reign of Amaziah with the promise that on a future occasion we would revert to the subject suggested there in connection with words to the effect that, after Amaziah had obeyed God in sending back the hired army of Israel, the men of the same army fell upon the cities of Judah and smote of them three thousand and took much spoil (see 2 Chronicles 25. 13). One might naturally conclude that the very opposite to this would have been the case-that God would have rewarded Amaziah for his obedience. But the rewards of God for faithful service are not often given as we might expect, and the fact that, one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day, may help us here. Likewise in the case of Hezekiah, the words of 2 Chronicles 32. 1, are startling in their significance and evidently designed by the Holy Spirit to teach us a lesson difficult for most of us to learn. Notice the words "After these things and this faithfulness." Surely we do well ever to remember that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor our ways God's ways, for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are God's ways higher than our ways, and God's thoughts than our thoughts.

The divine principle that faith in God must ever be put to the test, is very pronounced throughout the Scriptures; it has been truly said, "faith is not a plant that grows best in sunshine, but in storm"; and, again, "faith must have her daily food."

We have this principle exemplified in the life of Abraham, who is characteristically the man of faith. Called by God to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance, he obeyed not knowing whither he went; passing strange to the natural mind that a "famine" faced him, not a feast. The supreme test however-the acid test, was yet to come; later he was told by God to offer up his miraculously-given son upon the altar, the seed through whom the promise was to be fulfilled, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Genesis 21. 12).

Where reason fails with all her powers,

There faith prevails and love adores.

Have we not the same principle brought before us in connection with the dearly loved ones of the Lord in the 11th

chapter of the Gospel by John? One of the "dwelling places of Jacob," that Bethany family, which He loved: howbeit, in His inscrutable wisdom He allowed that bitter sorrow and, as they thought naturally, irreparable loss to befall them. The words of verse 5 ought to be particularly noted, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." After hearing that he was sick, the Lord abode at the place where he was two days. Strange indeed if we had not knowledge of the fact that not only is He the omnipresent and omniscient, but also the omnipotent One. The fourth verse, however , gives us the key which in this case, as in many others, unlocks the mystery, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God."

Someone has written, "Faith is better of the free air and of the sharp winter storms in its face ; grace withereth without adversity."

Many instances might be cited of this important principle. Timothy, for example. Apart from learning something of the ways and will of our God, anomalous indeed would be what we read-"use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities" (1 Timothy 5. 23). What a handicap were those infirmities to one whom we might have thought would have been especially fitted by God physically for the arduous work in those increasingly difficult and discouraging days in which his lot was cast-and such a godly man too; yet the will of the Lord was otherwise.

As far as the New Testament is concerned, perhaps the case of the apostle Paul illustrates this principle more than any one else. Indefatigable worker and bond-servant of Jesus Christ as he was, oh, what he endured! Read the account of his sufferings and toil recorded in 2 Corinthians 11., from verse 16, and when reading remember that this is but an account of the first part of his life, and does not include his prison experiences in Rome, where his sufferings were far more severe than generally understood-from whence he wrote those wonderful prison epistles, as they are called, i.e., Ephesians, Philippians. Colossians, and Philemon. But he had learnt somewhat of the secret of it all, and at any rate was willing to leave with God what he did not yet understand. Apart from his experience and sufferings, we never should have had those wonderful letters above mentioned.

Rutherford has beautifully expressed himself in this connection in the words, "Faith's necessity, in a fair day is never known aright." It may be that at times it seems strange, and the lesson most difficult to learn, that when, as we think, the will and work of God is being carried on, He permits some untoward event or even calamity to take place, either in an individual or in a collective sense. The words of the Lord, though spoken in a different connection, are indeed true here.

"What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter" (John 13. 7).

In order to stand the test of faith, one must have implicit trust in the Word of God, which He hath magnified above all His name.

"Great peace have they which love Thy law:

And they have none occasion of stumbling"

(Psalm 119. 165).

In the case of Amaziah, he seems not to have endured the test; Hezekiah on the other hand triumphed by the test, for it drew him to his God, and we behold the king upon his knees-he came forth from the furnace of affliction as gold refined by fire.

The day is coming, and may not be far distant, when we

shall fully understand all these things that seem so mysterious to us now; our faith is so small. How true still are the words, "Oh ye of little faith."

We'll know why clouds instead of sun

Were over many a cherished plan:

Why song has ceased when scarce begun,

'Tis there, some time, we'll understand.

It will then be known why God has, as it were prematurely, taken from amongst us one and another whom one would have thought had been verily raised up by God-very especially fitted by Him to carry on the beautiful work in connection with His house. It may be that in these things one lesson that God would have us to learn is, that we should be more cast upon Himself, and as in the case of Hezekiah, brought to our knees.

"0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past tracing out!" (Romans 11. 33.)

J.C. RADCLIFFE | Mar 1932
Pithy Points From The Lives Of Judah's Kings