When we face trouble and doubt, the wonderful and amazing stories of Elijah and Hezekiah give us hope. These two great men of God from the Bible saw God do remarkable and incredible things while playing important roles in their time. Their lives, from amazing miracles to strong faith, show us that God is always ready to help. So, let us see how Elijah’s bold actions and Hezekiah’s strong leadership will open our eyes to the wonderful ways God works in our lives today.
Who is Elijah?
Elijah is a man who stands in history as the greatest prophet in Israel. He came into the limelight during the reign of Ahab. He was fearless and outspoken, challenging Ahab and his wife Jezebel, over their atrocities. He became a thorn in the flesh of that royal family.
The greatest point of challenge or controversy between Elijah the prophet and the royal house of Ahab was over the enthronement of the idolatrous Baal over the great ‘I am’, the living and true God of and Jacob. He held the king and his wife responsible for leading Israel and the citizenry astray.
There Is One and Only One True God
To settle this controversy once and for all, that is the real and true identity of the God of Israel, Elijah, the man of God, invited the prophets of Baal to a contest. The arena was the top of Mount Carmel, and the spectators were the people of Israel. Hear the prophet of God speak to the assembled community of people, saying:
How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him (1 King 18:21).
But the people said nothing. Anyway, the answer will not come from the people. It will come from either Baal or the Lord. The battle was to be the battle of immortals.
So the contest begins with the simple rule of engagement running thus: Prepare a sacrifice and the god who answers by fire is God.
The prophets of Baal, because of their number, took their place in front of Baal. They called on Baal; they shouted, sang incantations, and slashed themselves with sharp objects. But nothing seemed to be happening.
Yes! Nothing happened, for “there was no response, no one answered, and no one paid attention.” Baal was dead; he was a total disappointment, and so will all who worship him.
The Lord That Answers by Fire
Now it is the turn of Elijah. He steadfastly took his place in the presence of God. He was confident of the abiding presence of God on that mountain; he was about to join league with the generations of men who were familiar with this God of possibilities.
Elijah built an altar to the Lord, prepared sacrifice, and gave instructions: “pour water, pour and pour water! The die is cast. The moment of come. It is now or never. “Not by might, not by power but by my spirit, says the Lord’ (Zach, 4:6). Elijah knew this for the Bible said, “He stepped forward,” This means that Elijah walked into the presence of God, then solemnly, he lifted his hands to the holy place and prayed in this manner:
0 Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, let it be known today that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, 0 Lord, so these people will know that you, 0 Lord are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again (18: 36-37).
PRAYER
Elohim, you desire all hearts to worship you alone. But often, the many false gods in us and in the world distract us. Forgive us our many sins- sins of irreligion, faithlessness, infidelity, and prayerlessness. Move our hearts to worship you, spirit and in truth.
The King with the Heart of A Child
Hezekiah came into power as a young man of twenty-five years. His reign spanned twenty-nine years. As young and tender as he was, he made his mark in the annals of the ‘Best Kings’. ‘The Bible says this of him: “Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him” (II Kings 18:5).
He took the way less travelled, away from that of his father. He broke down sacred stones and removed the high places of deception. However, his high score flowed from his deep and profound confidence in God. The drama of this confidence is both touching and inspiring. In the dawn of his reign, Assyria had become a terror to the kingdoms around about it.
The King of Assyria had toppled and disgraced Israel, among others. Now he has set his eyes and mind upon Judah. °To make matters worse, he has captured all the fortified cities of Judah but Jerusalem. With this seeming victory in sight. Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, sent his emissary to go and taunt Hezekiah and instill fear in the hearts of the people.
To Hezekiah, he gave this message:
This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? (Is 36:4).
And to the entire people, he said:
Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you! Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the lord… (Is 36:13-15).
When Hezekiah heard these cheap but mean words, his heart was seared. Thus began the genesis of his taking a walk to the “interior place of the Most High’ This great trek was definitive and momentous to his remaining on the throne. But where did Hezekiah go?
The picture we have seen so far bears on the side the image of Sennacherib, the pompous King of Assyria who boasted and trusted in his chariots and horses. On the other side, we see Hezekiah, the simple king of Judah. His trust is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and the earth.
Assyria would not let Judah be, and Sennacherib would not let Hezekiah be. So he sent a strong-worded letter to Hezekiah. The threats therein were as good as real.
As such, Judah must surrender or be destroyed.
Confusion was the mark written on Hezekiah. He was now being confronted he could not shy away from and yet could not read the letter again and….Wait a minute; he was leaving the palace. Where was he going?
Fired by fear and confusion, Hezekiah went into the House of God. This was the only act that made sense to him at that moment. He knew that those who wait upon the Lord would renew their strength and that the Lord is a tower of refuge, a helper close at hand in times of need.
In the eyes of men of velour, this was stupidity. What can a man be doing in the temple when his house is under siege? But true the statement: Humanity and Divinity think and see differently.
Behold, King Hezekiah entered into the presence of God. He knelt down and religiously gave God the latter Sennacherib wrote him to read. He spread it out on the ground before the Lord. When he was sure that God had finished reading and assimilating the threats and insults thereof, he did another thing. He lifted his hands to the holy place where the Most High dwells and began to pray:
Prayer
0 Lord Almighty, God of Israel enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. Give ear, 0 Lord, and hear; Open your eyes, 0 Lord, and see; Listen to all the words, Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.
Then God arose in anger, he could not resist this simple king kneeling before him. He could not ignore those feeble hands lifted to his holy sanctuary. That very night, the impossible happened. The angel of the Lord walked into the Assyrian camp and snuffed out a hundred and eighty-five thousand lives: The pride of the Assyrian army.
Sennacherib, like a scarecrow, looked ‘so .funny. Without his cream of soldiers, he was a bird that has been de-feathered. He could no longer fly. He withdrew with shame in obedience to the infallible word of God: “By the way that he came, he will return; he will not enter this city.
The testimony is great
Juda is invincible. Juda is standing where other nations have fallen. Thanks to the king, who knew that in the presence of God, moments of possibilities abound.
Therefore, when you seem so confused and besieged by people and circumstances, follow these simple rules: Come into his presence, lift your hands to his holy place, and await conditions to change your in favor. Remember, there is nothing as mighty as the, and nothing as high as the Most High.
Prayer
El-Shaddai, you are enthroned in heaven, and from there you watch and rule the affairs of men. Topple all proud people and all who question your people as to who their God is. Rise to their defense and shame their adversaries. In the eyes of the world, might is power, and might is right. But in your sight trust is might. Be mighty in the lives of all who trust in you. Amen.
