Every commitment will be Tested

Read 2 Kings 18.

Hezekiah proved to be the best king of Judah since the nation divided.

1. "He trusted in the LORD." (v.5)  He was committed.

2. "He held fast to the LORD." (v.6a)  He was faithful to that commitment.

3. "He did not depart from following the LORD." (v.6b)  He lived a focused lifestyle.

4. He "kept the commandments that the LORD commanded Moses." (v.6c)  He put the commitment into practice.

Hezekiah aggressively led the nation accordingly.  He cleansed the nation of all false worship and the evil practices that went with them.  The result was that God prospered him.  History records that he probably lost some political friends over this; Egypt for example.  He confidently rebelled against the advancing oppression of the Assyrian Empire.  He victoriously stood up against the local enemy of the Philistines.   

Every commitment will be tested.

In response, the Assyrians marched against Judah.  Hezekiah apologized for his rebellion and paid them in silver and gold, hoping they would withdraw.  But the Assyrians did not and instead they sought to force Judah to surrender.  Sennacherib sent his top aides to negotiate Judah's surrender.  Their strategy was to belittle Judah.

Their key question in verse 19 is one every person must answer: "On what do you rest this trust of yours?"  Hezekiah's answer: "We trust in the LORD our God."

The Assyrians thought this was a stalling tactic while Hezekiah devised some worthless battle plan.  The mistake of unbelievers is to think the God of heaven is just one of many faith options.  That trust in the LORD is some kind of human coping mechanism with one's head in the sand.  However, repeatedly the Bible declares that the LORD is the One and only true God.  There are no others and certainly no human is a match to oppose the Creator.

Hezekiah prayed in the next chapter: "So, now, O LORD our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone." (19:19)