Our Divine Daily Devotions

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2022

TEXT: 2 Kings 18:1-12

1. In the third year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, Hezekiah son of King Ahaz of Judah began to reign.

2. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi daughter of Zechariah.

3. He did what was right in the sight of the LORD just as his ancestor David had done.

4. He removed the high places, broke down the pillars, and cut down the sacred pole. He broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it; it was called Nehushtan.

5. He trusted in the Lord the God of Israel; so that there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah after him, or among those who were before him.

6. For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from the following him but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses.

7. The Lord was with him; wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him.

8. He attacked the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

9. In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, King Shamaneser of Assyria came up against Samaria, besieged it,

10. and at the end of three years, took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel, Samaria was taken.

11. The king of Assyria carried the Israelites away to Assyria, settled them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes,

12. because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God but transgressed his covenant-all that Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded; they neither listened nor obeyed.

(New Revised Standard Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: THERE WILL ALWAYS BE WITNESS

While the Northern Kingdom, Samaria, was totally lost in idolatry and rebellion against God through the leadership of their king, the Southern Kingdom, Judah, on the other hand, had a young king, Hezekiah, who totally devoted his heart and life to the service of Yahweh. He is described as someone who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” and rid the country of all idolatrous objects and worship places (v. 4).

His commendation is that “there was no one like among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him” (v. 5). This gave him the courage to break away from the dominion of the Assyrian threats and secure victory over the Philistines.

God will always have a witness for Himself and for the sustenance of a pure and righteous generation, despite human depravity.

QUESTION: Will you choose to be like King Hezekiah and stand out for the glory of God and be a blessing to your generation?

PRAYER: Come what may, I am determined that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I will never compromise my faith in You, in Jesus name, Amen.