CROWNED | 2 Kings Chapter 18
- Jul 31
- 5 min read
Week 8 / Day 39
Written by Rae Johnson
INTRODUCTION
The final verses of chapter 17 leave us with one of the saddest moments in Israel’s history, as generation after generation continued the same pattern - attempting to worship God while still clinging to other idols. They wanted the blessings of the Lord without the surrender He required. It was a cycle of compromise that seemed impossible to break!
But then we come to chapter 18 and in walks Hezekiah…
READ
If you haven’t done so already, go ahead and read 2 Kings 18
REFLECTION
The opening verses of today’s passage state:
“Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel…He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done. He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it…Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time. He remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the Lord had given Moses.” 2 Kings 18:1, 3-6 (NLT)
Notice that scripture doesn’t first celebrate Hezekiah’s military victories, political wisdom, or economic success. Instead, it first tells us about his worship! Like David, before being known for his victories on the battlefield, he was known for his obedience to and worship of God and God alone!
Perhaps one of the most surprising things Hezekiah did in removing all signs of pagan worship was in destroying the bronze serpent, which Moses had made centuries earlier at God’s command (Numbers 21). It seems almost wrong to read of Hezekiah destroying something that was originally ordered and ordained by God! So what changed? Why was Hezekiah now destroying this once sacred item? Because what had once been a God-given instrument of healing had slowly become an object of worship!
The people hadn’t rejected God outright. They had simply become more attached to what represented God rather than to God Himself. And Hezekiah understood that anything - even something with a godly history - that competes for God’s rightful place must be removed!
And it is from this life of faithfulness and total obedience that we see a much different outcome for Hezekiah here in chapter 18 than what we read of for the Israelites in chapter 17. For as verses 7 - 8 continue:
“So the Lord was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did…He revolted against the King of Assyria..[and] conquered the Philistines.” (NLT)
However, that doesn’t mean that Hezekiah’s reign was without difficulty! For, in order for him to “revolt against the King of Assyria” and “conquer the Philistines,” there first had to be an uprising or attack against him! The onslaught of attacks brought on by the Assyrians was so fierce, in fact, that Hezekiah even tried to pay the king off just so he would leave them alone, but the Assyrian army pressed on.
And it was in the middle of this fierce physical battle that we meet Rabshakeh, an officer in the Assyrian army who makes it his mission to mock Judah, Hezekiah, and even the Lord, comparing him to all the other gods of the land who had failed to protect their worshipers from the mighty Assyrian army.
Rabshakeh wasn’t just attacking Jerusalem’s walls - he was attacking their faith. His greatest weapon wasn’t his sword, but his voice and his words as he questioned God’s character and power and called into question God’s faithfulness and whether trusting God was even worth it!
Isn’t that how the enemy still works? Rarely does he begin by attacking our circumstances. Often, he first attacks our confidence in God. For once our foundation is weakened, the wall comes down much more easily!
Not only that, but the Bible tells us that Rabshakeh didn’t simply whisper his words of mockery but shouted them so loudly that all the people in the surrounding area could hear him. And he did so with one mission in mind - scare the people into surrender. Unfortunately, we have to wait until 2 Kings 19 to see the culmination of this moment; however, there are still some very clear lessons we can learn from this unresolved Biblical account!
First, we see the effect outside influence can have on our internal, personal worship. If you remember, two centuries prior, the Temple of the Lord was constructed with opulence and majesty. However, over the years, the Temple had been neglected and fallen into disrepair. Its altar had been swapped, its treasures gone, and the magnificent bronze basin desecrated. And then here, in 2 Kings 18, we read of Hezekiah stripping off the gold from the doors of the Temple to pay off a pagan King. Not because the Lord had commanded him to, but because of the oppression of outside nations. The Temple was no doubt unrecognizable at this point!
Today, God’s dwelling place is no longer a building made of stone, but a temple made of flesh. For it is through Christ that we have become the temple of the Holy Spirit! And that means that the question we must ask ourselves today isn’t “What does my church look like?” but “What does my life look like?” Have I allowed fear, compromise, or cultural pressure to reshape the temple God now inhabits? For if we don’t stand firm and faithful, if we allow the world to pressure us into changing, before long, our temples won’t look like what the Lord intended - a reflection of Him!
Second, on the flip side, we see the value of radical obedience. For not only did Hezekiah do what was right in God’s eyes by tearing down all signs and remnants of pagan worship, he held fast in trusting God, despite the mockery of others! Even, or maybe I should say ESPECIALLY, in the midst of battle we must be steadfast in declaring the words of Psalm 56:
“O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?... My enemies will retreat when I call to You for help. This I know: God is on my side! I praise God for what He has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what He has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.” Psalm 56:1-4, 9-13 (NLT)
RESPOND
As we wind down our time today, here are a few questions for reflection.
Hezekiah recognized that even something originally connected to God could become something that distracted people from Him. Are there any “bronze serpents” in your own life - good things, traditions, blessings, experiences, or even ministry activities - that have slowly become more important to you than your relationship with God Himself?
Rabshekah attacked Judah’s faith before he attacked their walls, questioning God’s power, character, and faithfulness. When you face difficult circumstances, whose voice tends to shape your perspective the most - the voice of fear, culture, criticism, your own doubts, or the promises of God?
Hezekiah remained faithful to God even when surrounded by pressure, opposition, and fear. What area of your life is currently being pressured to compromise, and what would radical obedience to God look like in that situation?
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