“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord…” – Isaiah 54:17 (KJV)
Peace and protection are two benefits contained in the promise above. Those are truly heartwarming words from a promise-keeping, covenant-honouring God. We stand to inherit that heritage when we consistently walk in righteousness.
Two kings of Judah, King David and King Hezekiah, were considered to be good rulers. They both loved and obeyed God, but they both had flaws in their characters, as we all do. Both sinned greatly, and both experienced God’s love and forgiveness. The difference between them lies in the legacy that followed their rule.
2nd Chronicles 29:2 (NKJV) describes King Hezekiah as follows: “And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.” David was not Hezekiah’s biological father. In fact, David ruled in Judah about ten generations before Hezekiah was born. Hezekiah’s father was the wicked King Ahaz, so spiritually, he had no other righteous legacy than that left by King David.
King David’s fourth son, King Solomon, was favoured by God from the womb, and although he also had his personal flaws, he left a legacy of righteousness and wisdom that still serves us today. God trusted King Solomon to build him a temple, and He blessed King Solomon with peace during his reign (1st Kings 4:24-25).
King Hezekiah’s sons, on the other hand, received a legacy of turmoil and slavery because their father’s mistake of revealing to the King of Babylon envoys all that the Lord had blessed him with. The Lord sent the prophet Isaiah to tell King Hezekiah that he would live out his days in peace, but that his sons’ days would be upheaval. King Hezekiah was content to live out his days in peace.
Like King Hezekiah, we may not have had a godly example. Our legacy may be questionable, but we can like him, look far back into our ancestors’ lives, and draw upon their reverence for God so that we can leave a legacy of righteousness for our descendants.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we acknowledge that as sinners saved by grace, we are often at odds with Your divine plan for us and our generations. Please forgive us and let Your Holy Spirit guide us in wise decisions so that our heritage and legacy remain in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read: Proverbs 16:7; 2 Kings 20:16-18
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 21:17-26; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Micah 5; Micah 6; Micah 7