A Journey through the Bible with Tiglath

67. The Second Book of Kings, chapter 20 to chapter 22.

We are now passing through the reigns of four kings of Judah - two good ones

and two bad. Date-wise we are some six hundred years before the birth of

Christ.

Chapter 20 begins by telling us that when King

Hezekiah was close to death, Isaiah came to him

and told him to put his affairs in order as surely he

was going to die. This did not happen, however.

Hezekiah prayed earnestly to the Lord that his life

should be spared. He pointed out that he had always

done what was right in the sight of God. God heard

his prayer and told the king that he would grant him

another fifteen years of life. Apparently Hezekiah

was suffering from a boil and this was cured by the.

application of a fig poultice. As this was being done,the king asked for a sign

that God would heal him. Isaiah said that the shadow of the sun would go

backwards on a stairway, which was a kind of sundial.

Hezekiah then received some visitors

from Babylon, which at the time was only

a small state to the north of Judah. The

king showed his visitors aII his treasures.

This did not please Isaiah and he warned

the king that God said that the time was

coming when Judah would be attacked by

Babylon and everyone would be taken into exile. Verse 20 relates how

Hezekiah did good works by making a pool and a conduit to bring water into

Jerusalem.

After his death Hezekiah was succeeded by his son Manasseh, who reigned

for 55 years. He was a wicked king and did that which was evil in the sight of

the Lord (verse 20). Chapter 21 describes his reign. It is not a pretty picture,

with idol worship etc. When Manasseh died he was buried in the garden of his

own home. Amon, his son, became king - another wicked man. He was 22

when he took over the throne. His reign only lasted two years until he was

murdered by his own servants. His son Josiah took over the kingdom at the

age of eight and reigned for 31 years.

Chapter 22 tells us that he was a good king and followed the path of David.

Verses 3 to 7 relate how Josiah had the temple repaired in the 18th year of his

rein. While this was going on a book of the Iaw was found in the temple.

Josiah made the holy men enquire of the Lord as to the significance of this

Find.

The Lord told them that because the people of the nation had been so wicked

in the past He would bring evil upon them. However, as Josiah had been such

a good king, he would be gathered to his eternal rest in peace and would not

see all the evil that the Lord would now bring about in Judah.

In the next part of our journey (chapter 23) Josiah has the law read - and later

in the chapter he is killed in battle.