Peace And Security

Peace and Security

By Pat Kempf

2 Kings 20:14-21 NIV 14 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, "What did those men say, and where did they come from? From a distant land," Hezekiah replied. "They came from Babylon." 15 The prophet asked, "What did they see in your palace?" "They saw everything in my palace," Hezekiah said. "There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them." 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the Lord: 17 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. 18 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, that will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." 19 "The word of the Lord you have spoken is good," Hezekiah replied. For he thought, "Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?" 20 As for the other events of Hezekiah's reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 21 Hezekiah rested with his fathers. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.

Isn’t it interesting that the first thing King Hezekiah picked up on in verse 19 is what wasn’t said? He immediately thought that there would be peace and security in his lifetime. That was his reward too – peace and security in his lifetime. God rewards people’s faithfulness to Him. Notice how a man that fears the Lord as a leader is a good thing for his people. Remember that Hezekiah was faithful to God. If we are to live in peace and security, we need leaders who are faithful to God, obeying God in all things.

It is important to pray for those in authority, as 1 Timothy 2:2 says, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

The example of King David’s error in numbering his army, in 1 Chronicles 21, cost the people and David’s descendants. We must trust God without knowing what our resources are. We must trust him to fight for us and with us in our everyday battles. Our trust and confidence must be in Him. See with the eyes of the Lord, like Elisha, who saw those that were with him were more than those who were with them. (2 Kings 6:16) And until Elisha prayed that the eyes of the servant would be opened, all the servant could see was the army that surrounded them.

When we are in the midst of our battle we must look up, ask the Lord to open our eyes to His plan and His help. God gives wisdom and direction; we must remember to praise Him in the midst of our battles. There may not be any quick victory, but there will be victory if we persevere, trusting that the Lord fights with us, and that our confidence placed in Him is never unrewarded!

Lord, please forgive me for not being more diligent in praying for those in authority. Lord, in my life, and in the lives of those in authority, give us the ability to trust you more. Open our eyes to see what we need to see to have faith to believe. In the name of Jesus I bind spirits of doubt and unbelief, and cast them away from me, and I ask you to fill me with hope, belief, and trust. Thank you Lord, that just as you will reward the faithfulness of leaders, so will you reward my faithfulness to you. Empower me to be a more faithful servant of the Most High God! Amen

Peace and Security

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