When God was ready to bring the people of Israel back to the land He had promised them, He moved the heart of a pagan King, Cyrus of Persia. God can work through leaders whether they follow Him or not. He can work through them to bring judgment as he did with King Nebuchadnezzar, and He can work through them to restore, as He does with Cyrus.

I think of our last few election cycles, when believers, regardless of political affiliation or denomination, joined the bickering, back-biting, and bad-mouthing of opponents. At times, the passion and zeal suggested and many stated flatly that our entire future rested in the hands of whoever won the Presidential election. That might be the perspective for an unbeliever, but for those who trust in God, no man (or woman) should be seen as having such power.

Our hope is in God.

And our future is in His hands.

We are not dependent on any world leader, because He is the One who sets rulers in place according to His purposes. We are ultimately dependent on God alone.

Proverbs 21:1 tells us, “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.”

In the scope of history, even the ability to vote on a leader is a new-fangled idea. For centuries, kings and rulers were established without input from the citizens as a whole.

And God was still in control.

God brought leaders to power and God brought them low.

God worked through godly leaders who loved and worshiped Him.

And He worked through pagans who had no idea they were merely instruments in God’s ultimate plan of redemption for the whole world.

Regardless of who voted for him or didn’t vote for him, we have a president. Regardless of interference from Russia, manipulation of social media, or voter registration laws, God is sovereign.

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Romans 13:1
It’s important to emphasize, Paul wrote these words knowing he might face imprisonment by the pagan Roman empire and be commanded to worship Caesar as god or die a martyr’s death, which is eventually what he did.

Yet despite such a godless, immoral, unjust authority, Paul still knew that God was ultimately in control.

Throughout history, there are examples of godly leaders who failed and ungodly leaders who triumphed, because ultimately God’s purpose isn’t to exalt the leader, but to direct our eyes to Him. Whether that is through blessings that cause us to praise Him, or through trials that make us cry out to Him in desperation, His purposes are never thwarted by the limitations of the individual He has established in leadership.
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God demonstrated that in this chapter when He turned the heart of a pagan king to rebuild the temple and restore the nation of Israel.

As Ezra wraps up his brief recounting of Israel’s history, it is really clear that God gave the nation opportunity after opportunity to turn back and to follow Him wholeheartedly. His mercy and grace extended for over 400 years, yet eventually judgment was poured out on Israel, just as it had been on the pagan nations that preceded Israel.

Americans have often likened our nation to the nation of Israel. Our country was founded primarily by people who worshipped God, who drove out or annihilated the people in the land before them, and who experienced profound and abundant blessings and protection from God.

We are not God’s chosen people, but God’s treatment of Israel should serve as both a warning and an encouragement to any nation where the people and the leaders seek Him.

Here are a few things that we, as a nation and a people group, should learn from Israel’s history:

- God is faithful to His promises, both to individuals and to nations. We see many times throughout the books of Chronicles, as well as others, how God’s promises are fulfilled, both in blessings and in bringing judgment.

-We cannot expect to reject God and continue to experience the general prosperity and safety we have in the past. It has been over 150 years since our nation has been in a state of war on our own soil, apart from isolated attacks. The standard of living in our nation is significantly higher than most nations—a statistic I recently heard was that if you earn $40,000 per year, you make 100 times the wages of 90% of the inhabitants of the planet.

-God sends judgment in increments to encourage His people to turn back. In Israel, He sent small defeats, limited plagues and disasters, all with the intent of turning their hearts back before it was too late.

-Although the leaders set the tone, the behavior of the people is what brings judgment. We can rage about ungodly leaders, but God’s Word consistently demands that we evaluate our own hearts.
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How can we work to turn the hearts of our friends, our neighbors, and ultimately, our nation toward God? I’d love to hear your ideas!

King Josiah set an example of wholehearted devotion; yet, even in the midst of such devotion, he missed what God was doing when it came to the King of Egypt.
Let’s face it: Sometimes what God is doing doesn’t make sense to us.
We see tragedy, loss, pain, struggles, war, disaster.
And we say things like, “Where is God?”
Josiah didn’t recognize the hand of God working through a pagan king to defeat another pagan king. He didn’t inquire of God what, if any, role he should play in this battle.
Instead, he rushed in, thinking he already knew the answers to these questions, and it cost him his life. The battle mentioned briefly in this chapter is the battle at Megiddo, which delayed King Necho of Egypt in his plan to join the Assyrian king against the Babylonians. Josiah’s defeat and death, not only led to Judah becoming subject to Egypt, but this delay may have contributed to the defeat of Assyria, and the continued strengthening of the Babylonian empire. The same empire that would eventually conquer Judah and exile most of the population.
We don’t know how history might have played out if Josiah had sought God’s leading in regard to this battle. We don’t know how long Judah might have continued to worship God faithfully had Josiah lived beyond age thirty-nine. God’s plans are not thwarted, so we can be sure that even our disobedience cannot prevent God from accomplishing His purposes. Yet we may miss the opportunity to see those purposes. We may miss the blessing of being used by God to reach that person, to change that life, to rescue the perishing.
Worshiping God is critical to our faith. But King Josiah teaches us that worshiping God is not the same as seeking to follow Him in everything.
What is God asking me to do today? Am I willing to listen to Him even when it doesn’t make sense to me?

What is my response when I read God’s Word and see the depths of my sin in the light of His mercy and grace?

Josiah tore his robes. He went on a massive quest to rid Israel of anything that caused the people to falter in their walk with the Lord. He proclaimed the Word aloud to all who would listen.

That’s a pretty solid example of what my response should be:

1. Grieve over my sin. When I am confronted with sin in my life, my first reaction should be to grieve over how I’ve failed to live in a way that honors God. If the realization of sin brings bitterness, defensiveness, anger, or resentment, then I need to ask God to help me see it as He does.

2. Ask the Lord what I need to do about the sin, and do it. Putting feet to my convictions helps me to firmly establish what is right and destroy the idols that have crept in. If I don’t tear down the sources of idolatry, I’m more prone to return to them in the future.

3. Declare the goodness of God. Despite my regular failure, God is so gracious and merciful to forgive. Others need to hear that truth. When God has forgiven and I have removed the idols in my life, I need to let others know that there is forgiveness and they, too, have the ability to turn from sin and live in peace and satisfaction with the Lord.

Josiah is known as one of the godliest kings of Judah. His example of confronting sin in his life and in the kingdom is one that still resonates.
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What about you? How can I pray for you as you seek to live for Him today?

What a gracious and forgiving God we serve! This chapter summarizes the egregious sins of King Manasseh, who very likely led Judah into more idolatry and transgressed more of God’s Law than any other King of Judah.

Yet, when he called on the Lord, humbled himself, and prayed, God was moved with mercy and compassion and freed him from captivity. Brought him back to Jerusalem, and allowed him to reign, and to demonstrate his repentance by tearing down all the idols he’d built.

God didn’t refuse to forgive because Manasseh had only turned to Him in his desperation.

God didn’t insist that Manasseh tear down the idols before He would set him free.

God didn’t bargain with Manasseh or demand that once he was free, he had to turn over a new leaf and live differently.

Manasseh was just like each of us - he went his own way, worshipped what he thought was best in the moment, and ended up in a terrible mess as a result. He cried out to God in desperation, as a last resort, and God saved him. In recognition that there is no god but our God, and in gratitude for the immense debt of sin that he’d been forgiven, Manasseh sought to live differently.

He’d been changed by his encounter with the God who created the universe.

He no longer worshipped the stars, but the One who set the stars in place.

He no longer bowed to idols, but to the will of God.

So, God rescued each of us. He shows us the idols we’ve bowed down to, and in gratitude for His grace, we tear them down, one by one. Some topple easily; others require prayer, perhaps even help from brothers and sisters to break them to pieces and cart them off.

I’ve had help, over the years from close friends and members of my small group who’ve prayed with me and for me as I continue the work of tearing down idols I’ve built. Some idols seem more like weeds—you can cut off the top, but if you don’t get at the root, they just spread and pop up where you least expect them.
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How about you? Who helps you destroy idols God has pointed out to you? How can I pray for you as you seek to root out anything in your life that comes between you and God?

In the detailed account provided in 2 Kings 18, it describes how King Hezekiah spread the pages of the letter from the King of Assyria, which mocked God as being no more able to save Israel than the cast idols of other nations had saved them, on the altar before God. Essentially, he cried out to God saying, “See what they are saying, Lord? Help me show them who you are and that you are not like wood and stone idols, but are able to save.”

If only I approached attacks against my faith that way more often.

Near the end of this chapter, though, there is a single line that is a little daunting to consider: “But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.”

This testing reminds me a little of Job, whom God also put through a trial to reveal the sincerity of his faith.

Do you ever feel like God has left you to test you and to know everything that is in your heart?

God promises never to leave, nor forsake us, but He does sometimes step back and watch, like a parent letting their child work something out for themselves. This is a critical step in growing up! If you’ve ever known an adult whose parents did everything for them, you know: Sometimes we really need to learn, even if it means we fall down a few times.

Of course, God knows what is in our heart even before the testing begins, just as He knew how Job would come through his season of trial.

The revelation of our heart is for our benefit, not God’s.

We are the ones who need to see what is in our heart when our prayers don’t seem to have been answered.

When our temporal needs don’t seem to have been met.

When justice seems far off.

Where does our heart turn in that moment?

I shared in God’s Provision in Tough Times, the story of one period of trial that my family went through. Now, fifteen years later, the strongest memory I have of that period was how it felt like skydiving. There was this huge rush of adrenalin and excitement as I looked toward God and wondered how on earth He was going to make this all “good.” But if I took my eyes off of Him, if I glanced toward my circumstances, I saw the ground rushing toward me and was terrified that I was about to land with a splat!
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I’d love to hear your story of a time when God allowed you to see the revelation of everything that was in your heart. Let’s chat in the comments.

I’ve read the story of King Hezekiah before. I know how it ends.

But it’s nice to pause in this chapter and reflect on all the good accomplished during his reign. Hezekiah not only broke down the idols, but he inspired the people to turn back to God in droves! The Spirit of God was again on Israel and the people were blessed and turned their blessings into generosity, providing for the priests and Levites so abundantly that they had to build storehouses to hold the surplus.

Moments like these are often the shaky ground on which the prosperity gospel rests. The chapter is summed up, “In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.”
It’s understandable that so many people see this as a promise that if we are seeking God and working wholeheartedly, we, too, will prosper.

And that is true.

But Hezekiah’s prosperity (and ours) isn’t about a fat bank account or a large stock portfolio. It isn’t about big houses, fancy cars, or lavish lifestyles.

The prosperity God promises is spiritual riches, eternal dwellings with many rooms on streets of gold, and joy overflowing.

God’s Word does promise that He will provide for those whose hearts are set on Him. From manna in the desert to ravens feeding Elijah to a boy’s lunch of fish and loaves, God tells us over and over that we need not worry about our needs being met.

But just as Romans 8:28 promise of God working all things together for good requires us to glimpse God’s definition of good, God’s promise to meet our needs requires us to consider how God differentiates between needs and wants.

We see needs as everything required to keep our bodies alive and healthy.

God’s priority is our soul. Our needs are everything required to keep our souls alive and healthy.

Paul tells us he learned to be content in all circumstances, and we know his circumstances included all types of pain, hunger, suffering, even torture. Yet God met his every need, because his greatest need was not food or freedom from pain, but contentment in God.
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How do you find contentment in God? What circumstances has God allowed in your life that you struggled to find contentment in?
 

When I read the phrase, “The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly” in verse 4, I immediately prepared myself for trouble. After all, very seldom in the Bible does what seems right to man end well.

But this case illustrates a critical point about the grace of God and what our response should be to sincere, but flawed, praise of God.

Hezekiah called for them to celebrate the Passover at a time other than that designated by God.
Many of those who came had not prepared themselves as God’s Word indicated they should.
The whole service did not go exactly according to God’s specific instructions to Moses.

“But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, ‘May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.’” 

Notice that Hezekiah did not berate them about coming to the worship service in jeans with holes in the knees. He didn’t send them home to get their KJV Bible. He didn’t shush them because their music was too loud, their praise too demonstrative, or their prayers too basic.

He prayed that God would pardon them because their hearts were set on Him, even if their methods weren’t spot on.

What if, instead of worrying about whether other believers are “doing church right,” we prayed that God would respond to their sincerity of heart and would guide them to worship in whatever way is pleasing to Him? What if we realized that God doesn’t call us to police His relationship with others, but to evaluate our own?
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God had very specific requirements of the Israelites in regard to their worship. Yet, when Hezekiah prayed for them, He heard and healed them. God is more concerned with our heart than our outward behavior. If our heart is earnestly seeking Him, He is more than capable of guiding us into the right behavior, but if our heart is not, no demonstration of outward piety will make us right with God.

At age 25, Hezekiah took the throne and reestablished the worship of God in the temple of Jerusalem. The last verse tells us the “people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.”

We often see a work of God as striking fast as lightning, but the reality is that He was putting everything in place years in advance.

God had been building Hezekiah up over his twenty-five years to be a leader strong enough to turn his people back toward God. Although his father was one of the most evil kings to lead Judah, even sacrificing his own sons to pagan gods, Hezekiah somehow grew up to fear and serve Yahweh.

We celebrated the birth of our first grandchild this week, and while the birth occurred quickly, this child has been formed by God over the past nine months!

I’m celebrating now the release of my third book —two weeks earlier than anticipated! It seems to have happened so quickly, yet God has been developing this story for well over ten years and only brought me into the story as scribe over the past two years.

When Jesus returns, the Bible tells us it will be suddenly, in the blink of an eye, yet God is working every moment of every day to draw in all those who will enter the ark of salvation. And like the flood which came quickly and destroyed all living things, God’s judgment on the earth will come suddenly, but not without any warning signs.

In fact, the signs are abundant. Consider just a few of the flashing warnings fulfilled in our day:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

Acts 2:17 “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”

2 Peter 3:3-4 “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.””
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God is always at work, though we may not recognize it. Isaiah 43:19 tells us, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

How do we react when the consequences of our sin are revealed? Do we repent, trust in the grace of God, and try to live in a way that honors the gift of salvation? Or do we dig in and embrace the very behavior that is destroying us?

Ahaz chose to double-down on sin in the face of God’s judgment.

When God sent the army of Israel to defeat him, he offered more pagan sacrifices. When the Edomites occupied towns and villages, he destroyed the articles of worship in the temple of God and locked it up so not only would he not worship the Lord, but he prevented others from doing so.
In the face of consequences for our wrongdoing, we have two options:

1. Recognize that we’ve done wrong, and make the appropriate changes.

2. Insist in our righteousness, and continue with behavior that is self-destructive.

Because of the cross, those who are in Christ no longer face judgment or God’s wrath. Every bit of God’s wrath toward us was poured out on Jesus and “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

However, consequences for our actions are part of the natural law. Just as gravity tells us if we jump off a building, we will fall to the ground; so there are natural results of our actions.

It seems so easy to see the correct choice, especially in light of Ahaz’s example of what not to do. But, as for me, too often I cling to thinking I’m right, rather than turning from behavior I know is not edifying. Old habits die hard, yet when I recognize them for sin, God is faithful to offer the strength and will to overcome.
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What self-destructive patterns has God helped you overcome when you turned them over to Him?