2 Kings 20: Molded by Mercy

​Key Verse
5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, 
 
Meditation
Christian discipleship never focuses on our work for God but on God’s work for us. We are inconsistent, God is consistent. God is faithful when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13) and His grace empowers honesty with our irregularity that we may return to be molded by His mercy. 

The Apostle Peter was inconsistent. Peter promised to give his life for Jesus and then denied he knew Jesus three times. Rather than disregard Peter, Jesus invited Peter to an intimate meal, restored Peter in His grace, and re-deployed Peter for His purposes.
 
Hezekiah was a good king with selfish tendencies, a man whose life was a mingled message. In his sickness and weakness Hezekiah turned to the Lord in prayer and cried out for mercy (vv. 1-11). In times of health and abundance Hezekiah paraded his wealth and resources to the enemy, boasting to ally with a worldly power (vv. 12-21). In his humility Hezekiah received God’s word of blessing. In his pride and folly Hezekiah received God’s word of judgment.
 
We identify with the inconsistency of Peter and the double mindedness of king Hezekiah. In some moments we walk in God’s ways and are rooted in God’s grace! In other moments our footsteps are marked with folly. 
 
Jesus is a King greater than Hezekiah. Jesus was faithful and died for our folly. Jesus was constant in righteousness to die for our inconsistency in righteous living. The work of Jesus is the beginning of our discipleship, offering the blessings of God’s covenant faithfulness to mold us for His mission with his mercy. 
 
Today’s Reading
In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’”2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, 6 and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.” 7 And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”

8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” 9 And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” 11 And Isaiah the prophet called to the Lord, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz.

Hezekiah and the Babylonian Envoys
12 At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 14 Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 15 He said, “What have they seen in your house?” And Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”

16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: 17 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. 18 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?”

20 The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you in today’s reading, especially the inconsistency of king Hezekiah?
 
-Can you identify with the inconsistency of Peter and king Hezekiah? Where do you see this in your life? Do you feel like this reality disqualifies you from meeting with Jesus and being molded by His mercy?
 
-How does God’s grace compel you to come to Jesus to meet with Him? Jesus is waiting, calling for you to come. Jesus does not condemn. Jesus wants to mend. Take time to meet with him NOW to be molded for His mission.
 
Key Verse
5 “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord,