Formidable Faith

"Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed…”
2 Kings 19:14-15a

There is no doubt that God’s people will face challenges in this life. But what is of critical importance is how we respond to such challenges. Do we attempt to run away from difficult matters? Do we place our trust in human plans and man-made institutions? Do we turn to ourselves and focus solely on our own internal plans and desires? Or do we, like King Hezekiah, submit complete allegiance to God and choose stillness in the Lord over the sanctuary of anything, or anyone, else?

The account in 2 Kings 19, which is also relayed in Isaiah 36-37 and 2 Chronicles 32, is one of my favorite passages to read. Although there are many fascinating aspects to this story let me narrow down the focus to one cogent theme: faith. Throughout this ordeal, Hezekiah exhibited a tremendous amount of faith in God. His faith was a formidable faith. And every time I spiritually take in this section of Scripture I am reminded of how much room I have to grow in terms of exercising a faith like the spiritual valor Hezekiah displayed in 2 Kings 19.

I remember well how hollow my faith was towards the end of 1998, the year I was called to serve in ministry (albeit to a small degree as a bi-vocational music minister). Even though I had this innate stirring from God that I should surrender to serving Him through leading a small congregation in worship I fought it emotionally all the way. Granted, I still went through the standard administrative procedural steps (i.e. meeting with the pastor, meeting with the search committee, going to the church and directing the music in a few services, etc.). But inside I tried to hold onto an exit strategy. And it came down to the wire. I recall how I stood in the church library as the congregation discussed whether or not to extend the position to me. I drafted a mental list of reasons why I could, or should, not accept this role if it was offered to me. I held firm to these petty excuses when I went into the church's sanctuary. 

The pastor informed me that the church had unanimously voted in favor of me becoming their church's next music minister. And then the moment of truth came. Standing before the congregation I was intent on declining the position. But as I started to speak God took over. My mind said "no," but my mouth proclaimed "yes". And then I started to verbally stumble and cry before the church because I was literally being broken by God for His greater purpose. It became one of the most memorable experiences of my life because it was one of the most powerful movements of the Lord I had ever encountered. But the reason I express this personal story is to highlight how weak my faith was in the matter. I should have trusted in God more. I should have sought His will, rather than relying on my predetermined set of expectations, or outcomes. I should have acknowledged that though I am deficient in so many areas God is not. He is perfect, holy, and mighty. And He is able to do what appears to be impossible for man. 

Returning to 2 Kings 19, God did what was impossible for Judah: He single-handedly defeated the Assyrian army. But let’s set the stage here a little. In Hezekiah’s lifetime, Assyria became the largest kingdom in the world. And as many power-hungry empires have behaved throughout history, Assyria determined to expand its dominion across the globe. Assyria had already conquered Israel (or the 10 northern tribes), with its capital in Samaria (see 2 Kings 17), but eventually Assyria marched towards Judah. And so it came about that Assyria invaded Judah in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign (2 Kings 18:13). The king of Assyria laid siege to and captured the fortified cities of Judah, hoping to decimate the resistance of God’s chosen people quickly. Initially, Hezekiah attempted to appease Assyria’s appetite for wealth and fame by paying a tribute to the pagan empire, going so far as to remove silver from the temple and strip the worship building’s gold-laced doorposts just to gather up a sizable sum of treasure (2 Kings 18:14-16). But this tactic did not cause the king of Assyria to turn back his war machine. In fact, Assyria sent dignitaries to Jerusalem with the intention of acquiring Judah’s complete surrender.

And this is where the narrative gets interesting. Two different communication dispatches were sent to Hezekiah, both of which belittled God’s ability to give Judah victory. Imagine the fleshly impulses that coursed through Hezekiah’s mind after receiving these terrifying reports. His army was outnumbered and cornered, and according to 2 Chronicles 32:5 Judah had to make weapons for their military, indicating that Judah’s military arsenal was not on par with the artillery Assyria possessed. But instead of seeking a deal with Assyria, which had already once failed miserably, or attempting to go it alone, so-to-speak, Hezekiah wholly leaned on the Lord, even though a seemingly superior enemy was camped near his capital’s outer wall. 

King Hezekiah did not flee Jerusalem. He did not mount a counteroffensive. He waited and prayed. One wonders if Judah’s military advisers were a bit concerned that their commander would offer no direction until he heard back from God. After all, the longer Judah waited to act the more likely they would be overrun by Assyria. But Hezekiah did not flinch. Instead of receiving the Assyrian taunts and panicking, Hezekiah petitioned God. Judah’s king took the second Assyrian letter into the temple and laid it out before the Lord. This action is so revealing. In this Hezekiah showed a spirit of praise (by going into the temple), a spirit of persistence (by not relinquishing his hope in God), and a spirit of prayer (by calling out to God for strength and help). Hezekiah believed that the presence of the Lord was superior to the power of man. Despite the overwhelming odds, the king of Judah was steadfast. And notice the eventual outcome: an angel of God fought on behalf of Judah and decimated 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night (2 Kings 19:35). Assyria’s army was never able to step foot inside Jerusalem, as God foretold. 

Hezekiah’s resolve and character through this ordeal should be found in all believers. Our faith should be formidable. We should maintain a disposition and posture of faith and prayer, not fear and panic. Clearly, the challenges of life are great, but God is infinitely greater. We must wait on Him. Wait on His Word. And wait for His will to be made known.