Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: 2 Kings 18:1-8, 2 Chronicles 29-31, Psalm 48.
If there ever was a king who should have been messed up in the head from the beginning, it was the young 25 year old King Hezekiah.
His father, King Ahaz, was one of the worst kings of Judah in that he brought back Baal worship, tore down the implements of God's holy temple replacing them with idols, and even sacrificed one of his sons to Baal.
Further, God was not happy with all of this and sent Assyria and Israel down to confiscate some of Judah's lands, and even took away thousands of Judah's citizens into exile.
What a mess!
Yet amazingly, through all of that indescribable horror, here comes young King Hezekiah full of vigor for Holy God.
Certainly, this was the hand of God.
But it didn't escape my notice that King Hezekiah's mother (Abijah) was mentioned. Further, the Scriptures tell us that Abijah was the daughter of Zechariah, who was the spiritual counselor to another of Judah's fairly decent kings, King Uzziah.
I just have to believe that Abijah played a significant role in keeping this young Hezekiah away from the evil influences of Ahaz, and brought him up to fear the Lord.
Therefore, we now see Judah in the throws of a revival, and King Hezekiah's name is mentioned alongside the great King David.
My grandmother held great influence over my life, and it was she who singularly, and faithfully keep the name of God continually before me. Further, she constantly told me how she would pray for me every night.
What a blessing for King Hezekiah to have Abijah's influence, and what a blessing for me to have my Grandmother Eliza.
