Prepare-for-War

fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be car ried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eu nuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon." II Kings 20:13-18

But this wasn~t all~ during that fifteen year period, Hezekiah also had a son called Manasseh. Here is what Manasseh did after his father's death: " ... and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel . , . Moreover Manasseh shed inno cent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another ... " II Kings 21:9 & 16 As a result of Manasseh's actions, the Lord brought judg ment upon Israel: "And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bring ing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoev er heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle." 11 Kings 21:10-12 The last fifteen years of Hezekiah's life are summed up in Chronicles:

"But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him [referring to the Lord's extend ing his life), for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem." II Chronicles 32:25

Is it possible that the Lord wanted to take Hezekiah home earlier because He could see into the future and knew all the evil that would result if Hezekiah continued to live? We should not be so quick to always assume we know what is "best." Nor should we always be quick to beg the Lord to answer our desires. We must learn to always seek the Lord

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