Prayer Lessons On Hezekiah

Prayer is a double edged sword. It transforms us from darkness to light and lifts us from ­ignominy to glory. Your prayer can also shake the hands of God, change the course of nature, and expose you to rare favors of our Father. However, the truth is, you can also pray yourself into trouble, even hell (Ps 106: 15). Your prayer may be rejected, and could be an abomination before God. The Lord told us about a Pharisee who went home condemned after he prayed.

Hezekiah, considered a prayer icon by many, is a good study on the intricacies of prayer. He prayed and got what he wanted, plus unwinding the hand of time for a sign. But at the end, plunged a whole nation into mammoth trouble with the Lord. His fears were confirmed — his lineage did not keep the throne. Hezekiah’s life shows us that prayer should not be about us but God; is not about what we want but establishing His sovereign will in our lives and planet earth; is more than asking but a cordial relationship with God; should not be a monologue but a communion and dialogue. Let’s examine Hezekiah to highlight the point:

He abolished his father’s idolatrous system (11 Kings 18:4); repaired the Temple, restored the sacrifices, and rejuvenated the entire Temple system (11 Chr. 29:3-36); kept the Passover that also attracted people from Israel (11 Chr. 30:1-27); destroyed Moses’ bronze serpent that the people turned to a god (Num. 21:5-9, II Chr.31:1)

Up to this time, Hezekiah had a very good report from the Lord (2 Kings 18: 3-8). But God decided to call him home maybe because he was prone to errors, like raping the Temple to appease Sennacherib; without consulting God (11Kings 18:13-16, 20: 1-7).

Hezekiah’s reactions were only natural. He had no son to succeed him, and did not bother to know God’s wisdom in the decision to remove him, so that he could re-invent himself. He, therefore, prayed outside of God’s will and sovereignty. It is interesting to examine his prayer:

“…remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart…”

II kings 20: 3

He displayed his righteous credentials before God, ‘Is this how you treat your faithful?’ he seemed to say. In a bid to pay back, God granted him fifteen more years, backed up with a breathtaking sign; but it was a permissive will (II Kings 20:8-11). It is worthy of note that God was unwilling to keep him long on the throne; he was only 39 and God gave him only 15 more years! (2 Kings 18: 1, 2). Well, God later tested that “Perfect heart” and he failed (2 Chr. 32: 31).

During these bonus years Hezekiah got a son, Manasseh the worst king of Judah who finally ruined the nation. Manasseh served the devil that used him ferociously; he soaked Jerusalem with cold blood, sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery, divination and consulted medium. He provoked God’s anger to the extent that He was unwilling to forgive Judah despite Josiah’s good entreaties. God finally sold them into the hands of their enemies who killed then wantonly and carried them into a “seventy-year captivity” that Daniel, Zerubabel, Ezra and Nehemiah battled to end (2 Chr. 32:25,26; 36:17-21; 2Kings 21:2-16; 24: 2-4; Jer. 15: 1, 4). That additional fifteen years was not a blessing and Hezekiah and his people would have been much better off without it. God is always right.