2nd Kings 18 HE TRUSTED IN THE LORD GOD The contrast between Hezekiah and his father Ahaz was so different that one wonders if his mother, or perhaps it was Isaiah the prophet who had impacted his life and decisions for good. Likely he shared in leadership with his father for a time, but when he was the sole king of Judah, he brought about great reforms. He opened up the temple for use again and broke up the brass serpent Moses had made hundreds of years before in the wilderness.
The name of the brass serpent was "Nehushtan" (meaning: a piece of brass) and sadly the Israelites had been burning incense to it. In essence that had made an idol out of that which was a symbol of salvation because sin had been judged when the serpent was lived up. It had become an object of worship rather than a reminder of the One whom we are to worship. Idols do not make themselves, nor do they become objects of worship by themselves. When we add anything as an aid to worship, that stops true worship. A thing becomes an idol by the way it is used. People now talk about "worship music" or "worship drama." We must be careful not to let anything interfere with our worship of God alone.
As a historical artifact, the brass serpent could have been used as an instructive teaching tool to remind the children of Israel of the righteous judgment of God and the gracious provision of God in saving those who looked in faith to the serpent and lived. The cross is not to be an object of worship but it was the object upon which the sacrifice of Christ was made for our salvation. In itself the cross has no value. But when Paul wrote, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," and "He made peace through the blood of His cross," he meant the value of those pieces of wood that made up the cross was because of the "Son of Man (who must) be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have eternal life." The life was not in the cross but in the One who gave us His life when He died there on our behalf.
"There was no one like him (Hezekiah" of all the kings of Judah. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel. His uniqueness was in his trust in the Lord. He chose to follow God more than any other king. Josiah was careful in his observance of the law of God and so was one of a kind to that extent. Even though we may have a spiritual heritage that places us in a position of favor, we must personally "Trust in the Lord with all thine (our) heart, and lean not on thine (our) own understanding."
When one has placed their trust in the Lord, there will be the necessity of acting with courage to right wrongs. Hezekiah found his strength in God because he placed his faith in Him. That enabled him to act in obedience to God against an ungodly world in spite of the obstacles and dangers he had to face. To stand up against the threats of a force that seems overwhelming takes the power of God in us, not mere human resolve. To reclaim that which has been lost is never easy, but when one knows this action is the Lord's will and He gives the needed strength to accomplish the task, then we can move forward to correct those things that are wrong and promote those things that are right.
It must have been disconcerting to Hezekiah when the Assyrians totally captured the ten tribes of Israel and took them away as captives, dispersing them to different parts of the empire. When the Assyrians came after Judah, Hezekiah gave tribute to them, but that did not satisfy them. The Assyrian king sent his second in command (vice president), the chief officer (secretary of state) and the head of his army (secretary of defense) along with a large military force to get Hezekiah to surrender Judah without a fight. Intimidation is really quite effective if we only are relying on ourselves to defend our position. The greatest response we can give to challenges made against us and/or the truth of God is, "Thus saith the Lord."
Of special interest to us is the fact that the place where the demands of the enemy were made, was where Isaiah prophesied of the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. He had told Ahaz that "Immanuel" was coming and He would reject the wrong and choose the right. But Ahaz ignored the prophesy and formed an alliance with the Assyrians to against the Arameans and the northern tribes. Now Assyria had come against Judah. With the design to demoralize the people who heard the challenge, the Assyrians used psychological, calculated intimidation in an attempt to get Hezekiah to surrender. These same practices are used by the enemy of souls to try to get those who live by faith to capitulate to the designs of those who do not want to wholly follow the Lord. To drive a wedge between those who lead and those who follow is still a practice used to pressure the Lord's people to accommodate to the wishes of society or at least the majority.
There will always be a degree of resentment between those who have learned the lessons of life and lead by virtue of their maturity and wisdom, and those who want thing their way. The changes Hezekiah made to bring people back to where God wanted, by destroying the "high places" and bringing about spiritual reformation, may have been a "sore spot" with some who liked religious sin. The threat of a long siege may have affected some others. But the king had made them to understand what the lies they were being told meant and told them to not say a word. The arrogant boasting and the challenge against the Lord Himself was a great flaw in the Assyrian demands.
It is to be expected that righteousness and holiness will be challenged by unbelievers because it exposes the evil in the hearts of willful, self-centered, arrogant people. Humility still has an impact on others because it trusts in God to bring the desired results according to His will. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." When Hezekiah's representatives told the king of the challenge of the Assyrians, and their torn clothes testified to their own emotional response, the king also tore his clothes and went a step further by putting on sackcloth and going into the temple to plead with the Lord.
One who trusts in the Lord, knows where to go and what to do in times of distress and challenges against holy, righteous living in this ungodly world. The efforts of the world, the flesh and the devil to bring down God's people and defeat the spread of the kingdom of God, will not cease until the Righteous King rules. It is our responsibility to be aware of those things that are not right and respond in a biblical way with humility, grace and faith, knowing that it is God who is working in and through us to fulfill His divine objectives.
2Kings 18:4. “He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.”
NEHUSHTAN. A sign of hope and healing, standing in a solitary center place And people stopped, and looked, and lived – and praised. A symbol of death, hung shining in the sun’s bright glare – Its flashes of reflected light giving guidance to the sufferers. The hidden, darkened, dangerous venom of murmuring discontent – Coursing through veins of bodies as good as dead.
The type is real: the results the same today as in the distant past – Lifted high upon a cross before the soul-suffering of the sin-bitten nation. No longer a symbol, but the Anti-type hangs before the needy eyes – Needing the healing, seeing only the darkness, until the triumph is declared. A new day of healing – not just body but soul, and new birth For spirit long dead, but now alive – reflecting light coming from the Son.
But wait, what is this strange notion leading folks years later to places high – Amidst the symbols of man-kind’s perverted mind; the light-reflecting brass. No long healing rays, but tripping cords stretched tight before the feet of sinful men. Instead of blessing – that which blessing brought when, told by God, brings darkness – Darkness of mind and soul, when man puts sin-polluted hand to change a work of God. The only remedy? Make broken pieces of that which blessing once brought, but now –sin.
Even today, the symbols of redemptive grace – a loaf of bread and cup of wine so simple – Has been replaced by hands of those who think they know the minds of men. But God who knows the thoughts – the intents of men’s hearts, knows what is needed. Not a Roman-cross form of wood or gold or brass or flowers – can meet the need of man. But the Person lives who once, in act of love and grace supreme – did die. And in His death and life again – is blessing; not in empty symbol before which men bow.
“Righteous God, I can see clearly, how easy it is for people to get turned aside or tripped up by what is visible and self-perceived, rather than God-given. May the symbol-crosses that dot the landscape of our country, never lead us to bow before
them. Our knees and heads and hearts must bow low before the rays of the heavenly Son, who offered Himself on our behalf to Thy righteous justice. Amen.”